CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1452, 21 February 1918, Page 13

CANTERBURY.

R. J. Mason's Trio at Wanganui Meeting—Notes on the Dunedin Meeting —Scornful Displays Promise—North island Horsos Run Disappointingly in Dunedin Cup.

(From Oiir Christchurch Correspondent) R. J. Mason took his departure on Tuesday for Wanganui with Biplane, Missouri and Lovesick. The firstnamed has not done a solid preparation, but his brilliancy may enable him to account for the rather weak opposition he is likely to encounter at Wanganui. Lovesick and Missouri are only second-raters, but both are well forward. In his last few gallops Biplane was wearing boots, having developed a practice of striking himself. His damaged foot is almost right again. Mason has been troubled with his old complaint, rheumatism, lately, and was far from himself on leaving here. No doubt the more genial climate of Wanganui will benefit him.

Red Book is at present on the easy list, but he will be taken in hand again for the Easter meeting, while Marc Antony’s chief exercise consists of swimming at Heathcote. He is now under the care of R. Hart, but it is extremely doubtful if he will ever be fit to race again. When he prevailed in Thursday’s contest, Heathercote gave Sir Geo. Clifford his twelfth victory in the Dunedin Champagne Stakes. The son of Boniform and Heatherbrae is a decidedly useful colt, and like most of his sire’s progeny is likely to stay well. The surprise of the D.J.C. Champagne Stakes was the excellent race put up by Scornful. Though this was his first public appearance, the son of Bonny Glen and Lady Disdain ran out a very solid six furlongs, and. not having been hurried, is bound to show to further advantage before the season closes.

Margerine’s performance in winning the Dunedin Cup came as something of a surprise after her wretched display in the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton only a fortnight earlier. In the Dunedin race she was allowed to run along well behind the leaders till the home straight was entered. There she commenced a brilliant run, and, despite a bump, outstayed Wardancer to win by a neck. At Riccarton she began slowly, but was immediately rushed to the front. At the time this seemed a suicidal policy for a mare with 9.0 in the saddle, and as a result she was well beaten a long way from home. The time, 2min. 33 4-ssec., Js only two-fifths of a second outside Flora Macdonald’s record for the race.

None of the four North Island horses raced up to expectations in the Dunedin Clip. Neither Devotion nor Miss De Vai had done a solid enough preparation, while Rose Pink was, as usual, found wanting at the business end. Multicipal quite failed to reproduce his Riccarton form, a repetition of which should have found him with Margerine and Wardancer at the finish.