CANTERBURY.
Biplane in Fine Racing Trim —Almoner’s Disappointing Form — Track Gallops at Riccarton —Comely and Scornful on Easy List —Two Promising Yearlings. CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. All the North Island horses that raced at the C.J.C. meeting have taken their departure. They were hardly as successful as usual, for Nystad was the only one of their number to secure a big stake. Most of the locally-trained horses were given a slight let-up after their exertions. Biplane is one of the few that was kept right up to the collar, and on Thursday morning he rattled over six furlongs in his usual brilliant style. He is under orders for Palmerston North, where the Awapuni Gold Cup will be his special mission. The flying son of Comedy King is none the worse for his Riccarton exertions, and when stripped at Awapuni will be in even better racing trim. In this respect he will have an advantage over Desert Gold, for the mare can hardly be at her best after her hard campaign in Australia and the subsequent travelling. Quite the disappointment of the C.J.C. meeting was the poor form shown by Almoner in his two essays. His trainer states that the colt had
done everything asked of him before the meeting, including a trial with Koesian that made his prospects in the Champagne Stakes look particularly bright. In face of this his indifferent form is difficult to account for. Hylans greatly disappointed his connections by his poor showing in the Kildare Hurdles, in which he was beaten a long way from home. In some quarters the Hymettus gelding has been regarded as a rod in pickle for the next Grand National Hurdles, but those opinions have now undergone a change. The imported colt Gay Lad, who was purchased in England by Mr. J. Grigg, created a very favourable impression by the decisive manner in which he accounted for the opposition in the Addington Handicap. The son of Cellini and Gaysome is engaged in several races at the South Canterbury meeting, and his prospects of landing a stake there look particularly bright. F. D. Jones has had an addition to his useful team in a two-year-old son of General Latour and Prudish. This nice looking juvenile was purchased at auction a few days ago nt 240 guineas by Mr. R. McDonald. Vascular is being sent along in view of winter engagements and may be one of the best of the Riccarton
horses for jumping honours at the Grand National meeting. It is, a remarkable fact that not a single sire had more than one winning representative at the autumn meeting, also that two imported horses in Mohawk and Gay Lad won races. Glendower has been having an easy time since winning the Great Autumn Handicap. His stable companion, Fiery Cross, is still out of work, and is unlikely to race again this season. LATER. (By Telegraph.) At Riccarton on Saturday morning Biplane cast six furlongs behind in very free style. He was brought home over the last half mile by Afterglow, who is on the improve. Gay Lad and Mohawk were associated over six furlongs and finished on terms. It was a smart piece of work on the part of both imported horses, and suggests them racing prominently at the South Canterbury meeting. Though slightly lame in front, Charley gave Majestikoff a good dressing down over five furlongs. Tremena showed a great burst of speed in the early stages of a gallop over six furlongs, but was stopping badly at the finish. Comely has been causing her trainer some trouble lately, and will be given a few weeks’ spell. Scornful has been thrown out of work, but Aynsley intends keeping Disdainful going to race at the Ashburton meeting. Riccarton stables will be represented in the cross-country events at the Timaru meeting by Vascular, Golden Butterfly and Paremata. The lastnamed pair were given a turn over the big fences on Saturday morning, and both shaped well. Vascular has not done much work, and can hardly be at his best. Since racing at Riccarton the West Coast-owned Xanthos has been operated on and will do his future racing as a gelding. Recently R. J. Mason has started on two very promising yearlings, who are evidently to be got ready for early racing next season. They are a colt by Martian from Grand Opera and a colt by Solferino from Anitea. Euripos, in F. D. Jones’ stable, was operated on for throat trouble a few days ago. He has made a good recovery, but is to be given a short spell.
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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1459, 11 April 1918, Page 13
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763CANTERBURY. New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1459, 11 April 1918, Page 13
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