SOUTHLAND

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1454, 7 March 1918, Page 13

SOUTHLAND

The Gore R.C.’s Meeting—Miss Finland in Good Fettle —Camaieu on Invalid List-—Triple Entente’s Promising Display at Wingatui—Hardshot Resumes Work.

INVERCARGILL, March 1.

It is reported that a well-known North Island racing man has offered the local horseman W. Robinson a

substantial retaining fee to wear his turf livery. It is therefore- quite likely that Rorke’s Drift Lodge will lose its valuable head jockey in the near future. The dusky rider is a good judge of pace and rides well in long-distance races, in which he has had wide experience with Rorke’s Drift, Golden King and other horses. Robinson has also had some experience in riding horses over big country in private and public. At the time of writing, the Gore R.C.’s meeting next week looks to have every prospect of success. Of the few visiting horses from the north Ascalaphus is almost certain to be strongly supported in the Gore Cup, but Marsa, Thaddeus and Rorke’s Drift are not likely to be overlooked.

On the outskirts of Invercargill one evening last week a motor car struck some loose gravel, broke a front axle and overturned, the result being that two of the occupants were rather severely injured and are now in hospital. The parties referred to are the local trainer W. Ratcliff and jockey P. Pankhurst. The car was badly smashed, and the passengers were lucky to escape with their lives. The well-known gelding Gunrest is expected to race at Gore next week, but he can hardly be at his best yet, as he has not been up very long. P. T. Hogan should win some money at the steeplechasing game this season, as his team includes the useful performers Zarkoma (brother to Rongahere), Palladio, Dalton and Golden Wave.

Owing to the acciden; sustained by her trainer, Kokowai has been placed in the hands of G. Hope, who should presently win a race with All Rain, a good-looking All Red gelding.

H. G. Coker is busy with Jock, Kilkee and several minor performers. The former pair are doing well, and it is quite on the cards that Kilkee will do something during the next two months to get back some of the money which he has cost Mr. G. Deegan. The Kilbroney gelding is building up nicely at present, and has evidently become acclimatised to the keen southern air.

On their arrival in this part of the world Kilmeedy and Mali.da disappeared in the direction of Riverton, and it is safe to say that both will be stepped out in the guise o- stake winners during the next four or five weeks.

During the past week the owner of Mohawk has been in Invercargill on leave from Featherston military camp, and he spent some of his leisure time in an endeavour to arrange for a capable horseman to ride Mohawk in the forthcoming Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton. The big chestnut horse is in blooming condition, and his owner has a fancy to test him out down the long C.J.C. straight against some of the best horses in the. land. The American equine is a very game horse, and might run well in a big field when lighter-framed opponents would fail irom sheer lack of bodily weight to carry them through the early part of what may be termed a contest of strenuousness during the early battle for position. His visit to the Dunedin J C.’s autumn meeting helped to tighten up tliei <jolly-looking Golden King, and he may get back to something like his best form for the Invercargill and Riverton fixtures. The Golden Knight gelding is getting up in years now, but he is a horse of high courage and generous disposition, and he hals therefore to be considered in future calculations.

The pony mare Miss Finland has every appearance of being well, and her admirers can depend upon her presenting a bold front in approaching sprint races. She is not a real weight-carrier, but can gallop fast for her inches, and is now being placed at something near the weight which is within the compass of her abilities. The Downshire mare Camaieu has been sent home to her owner, having developed serious knee troubles. Mr. Couser may not persevere with the daughter of Camille as a racehorse, but carry out his previously-expressed intention of mating her with one of the lords of the harem at E'derslie Stud during the coming breeding season. She is a shapely mare, and but for the effects of an accident would surely have won her share of prize money. As far as Icoks go, she should be valuable as a matron.

Although he played but a modest, minor part in his races at the Dunedin J.C. meeting, Kauwhero may have to be reckoned wi ll presently. He ran fairly well at Wingatui, and created the impression that he is ripening up to his spring form again. The All Red —Replete gelding can gallop when dressed in his Sunday clothes, despite the fact that the majority of backers will not hear of him these days. One of the All Red c an t> display promise at the Dunedin J.C autumn meeting was the four-year-old gelding Triple Entente. The son of Edna May will probably be a useful galloper next season, but in the meantime there are people here who are not going to forget him if he should come this way for the Southland or Riverton gatherings. He exhibited dash and pace at Wingatui, but could not quite see his races out. Should he come on suddenly, like many of the progeny of All Red. he will be at home and cooled off before his opponents realise what has happened to them some bright day in the immediate future.

Martifors, who is engaged at ‘.he Gore R.C.’s meeting, is a four-year-old mare by Martian from Bravewater. The full-sister to Highwater will race in the same interests as the latter. Martifors is trained by G. Hope at Invercargill. The Calibre gelding Hardshot, who lost all form and had to be treated to a spell, has been taken up again by L. Smith. He has noticeably benefited by his holiday, and may develop useful form for winter racing.

It is stated that at least one North Island owner has designs on the Riverton R.C’s steeplechase prize money, but it remains to be seen whether we are to have jumping visitors from the other side of Cook Strait.