ELLERSLIE ITEMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1420, 12 July 1917, Page 19

ELLERSLIE ITEMS.

Although the rain was pelting down on Friday night the sand track at Ellerslie was in splendid order and fast on Saturday and some fair work took place.

Sylvan Knight seemed to walk on to the tracks a bit tender, but the soreness wore off when Toreador’s half brother warmed up. He put in easy pace work.

J. E. Thorpe’s pair Hopfield and Fisher put in useful tasks. The former has not been extended since the A.R.C. winter fixture. The latter put in two solid circuits, brushing home at top. The neat chestnut gelding Tabasco was the only equine that the writer noticed which used the tan rink. The chestnut is in great heart at the present time.

The Gluten gelding Goldsize went round the sand with plenty of vim, and it will not take a lot of hard graft to bring Mr. J. H. Walters’ horse to his best form again. September should see him dressed in his best. The shapely rising two-year-old colt Informal (Demosthenes — Informality) set the pace for a stable mate of the same age. Looking ahead the Messrs. W. and V. Casey have a little gem in this colt. The rising three-year-olds Bingham and Woody Glen ran half a mile at top over a sand four furlongs, with a margin in favour of the first-named. Another pail' of F. J. Macmanemin's juvenile charges, Multino and Prince Menschikoff. fluttered over a few furlongs on the sand freely. This shapely pair were very much admired by those present. White Sox and Lady Paula ran s.x furlongs. finishing at top. The lastnamed held her companion perfectly safe at the conclusion of the gallop. Scottish Knight, the Robert the Bruce colt which showed good form at

the Avondale spring fixture, has wintered nicely and strode over a few furlongs in company with his stable mate, the light-hearted Mullingar. Both are coming to hand well. The owner of Independence and the promising colt by Marble Arch —Sweet Alice was quite content to see his well forward pair putting in medium pace StUMtS.

Lady Glen and a companion strode round a circuit of the sand at a useful gait, and will be quite ready for spring engagements when called on. The rising three-year-old Spalpeen—Guidwife filly has grown into a fine big youngster, but gives the impression *of being a long way from fully matured and will take time.

A staff of men under the caretaker, Mr. Albert Hill, are busy grading and banking the course between the mile and a-half post and the winning post. When finished the grade will be one in thirty and this should be a big improvement. Other horses noticed working on Saturday were Billy Wiggs, Cardrona, Golden Glow, Empire. Lord Kenilworth, Toka Toka and Elysian Rose.

Mr. P. Bolton, the owner of Barbwire, Pa.tetonga and the breeder of King Chiara and others, has just returned to Ellerslie after spending a month on his farm at the Matahura Valley, Waikato. The leading Auckland horseman, J. O’Shea, left for Trentham by train on Monday night. He is already booked up for several engagements. Tenacious was taken as far as Sydney with Waimai and Luperino. The two last-named were railed on to Melbourne to be in time for the second day’s lacing of the V.R.C. Grand National meeting. A rumour has gained currency that the A.R.C. well be allotted the usual four meetings on the old dates, two days at each meeting. The club would thus keep faith with the owners of candidates in the classic races. This seems to meet with the approval of those who discuss the question at headquarters. Colonel Soult has proved a most payable proposition since going into the popular partners ownership. winning approximately £6OOO for Messrs W. Casey and James C. Gleeson, and still

looks like adding further to their banking account. Mr. T. Cunningham left the Auckland Hospital on Saturday. This genial sportsman has now had 12 months of extreme suffering with a broken leg, and lecently had a close call after an operation. Mr. Harry Swaffield has purchased the Waikaranga gelding King of the Valley, who has gone into R. Hall’s hands to be trained at Papatoetoe. The same trainer has taken up Heather Boy again.