CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1459, 11 April 1918, Page 14

CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

CONCLUDING DAY. GLENDOWER WINS GREAT AUTUMN HANDICAP. BIPLANE SCORES IN CHALLENGE STAKES. (From Our Christchurch Correspondent.) Racing at Riccarton was concluded on Tuesday under favourable weather conditions, Monday being dull but windless. There was again a very large attendance, and those present were treated to an enjoyable afternoon’s sport. Benefited by the first day’s racing the track was in almost perfect order, with the result that every race was run at a solid pace. There was evidently no shortage of money for speculative purposes, as the day’s total reached £40,696, making £82,620 for the meeting, as against £67,351 last year, an increase o- £15,270. Despite his excellent showing on the first day, Jeannot was little better fancied than Bore for the Peerswick Hurdles. He soon took charge, and, jumping in improved style, never gave the opposition a look in. Six furlongs from home The Summit made a run that carried him within a length of the leader, but when it came to a 'finish he could not foot it with the. son of Charlemagne, who is still susceptible of much improvement. Torfreda’s great performance in the Champagne Stakes was of such an impressive nature as to justify the strong support accorded her for the Autumn Nursery Handicap. True, she had the steadier of 9.3 in the saddle, but with the firmer going and a weaker field to meet it looked odds on her prevailing. Starting as brilliantly as usual she had a comfortable lead at the end of two furlongs, where Kilmoon and Afterglow were her immediate attendants. Soon after half the journey had been covered Deeley had to shake her up, and a little further on she threw up the sponge. Then Scornful came along with a well-sustained effort which landed him a comfortable winner from Afterglow and Kilmoon. Both the latter pair are not as yet at their best, and there are decided possibilities associated with Mr. Stead’s colt, who was making his first public appearance. He is a well-developed son of Kilbroney and St. Sophia, and stuck to his task really well for a green colt. The hard race she had on Monday rather than the extra poundage accounted for Torfreda’s poor, showing, but too much notice should not be attached to it. Tremena upset the calculations of backers by making a runaway race of the Yaldhurst Welter. She and Jingo carried on the running for most of the journey, and when the latter retired the North Canterbury-trained mare had matters all her own way. Battle Eve put up a good fight under his big weight, and it is only a question of his keeping sound to win a good race. Hot Air, the favourite, was badly left and never got near the leading division. Almo’s poor showing on Monday led to his withdrawal from the Great Autumn Handicap, leaving a useful field of nine to contest the old-estab-lished event. The Trentham pair Menelaus and Mascot found most support with backers, most of the others being almost equally fancied. Ascalaphus acted as pacemaker for over a mile, at the end of which he was beaten. Then Glendower took up the role of pacemaker, and stalling off challenges by Margerine, Mascot and Adjutant ran home a comfortable winner by nearly two lengths from Mascot. Evidently his hard race with Bagdad on Monday had sharpened the Gienapp gelding up, for he showed plenty of speed in the early stages and stayed on better than any of his opponents. Mascot and Margerine both raced right up to expectations, but Menelaus failed to sustain his run over the last part of the journey. Cooing’s fine run at the end of the Gimcrack Handicap on Monday was evidently not overlooked by backers in the Addington Handicap, as she was made a very staunch favourite. Getting none the best of the start she never got into the fighting line and only managed to finish fourth. An English-bred candidate in Gay Lad was always well placed, and, drawing away in the home straight, scored one of the easiest wins of the meeting. Gay Lad was imported by Mr. J. Grigg, and is trained by J. McDonald. For a first effort he showed a lot of promise, and is sure to win good races next season if he keeps sound.

As generally anticipated, the Challenge Stakes proved to be the best of good things for Biplane. He did not get going quite so smartly as Koesian and Hymestra, but with heads in line for home soon had their measure. No horse could have done more than Biplane accomplished, and the only pity is that there was not something in the race capable of fully extending him. Once again Heathercote finished in front of Almoner, but the latter put up a much better fight than in the Champagne Stakes. The American-bred Mohawk was made a good favourite for the Templeton Handicap, and just got there in the last stride. A furlong from the post it looked any odds on Nystad prevailing so nicely was he striding along just in front of his field. When challenged by Mohawk he responded gamely enough, but succumbed to the lighter-weighted candidate. Killjoy was putting in good work at the finish, but Daytime faded out under pressure. An excellent afternoon’s sport was brought to a conclusion with the Final Handicap, for which Disdainful and Glorify were in most demand. The latter confirmed his excellent showing by running home an easy winner rom the unlucky Achilledes. Disdainful, on the other hand, was never prominent. The results were: — PEERSWICK HURDLES. One mile and three-quarters. 1 — Jeannot, 10.2 (L. Hegarty) 1 3 — The Summit, 9.0 2 2— -Bore, 11.8 3 Also started: 4 Cast Iron 10.6. Won by two lengths. Time, 3min 17 sec. AUTUMN NURSERY HANDICAP. Six furlongs. 3— Scornful, 7.12 (A. Reed) ■ 1 2 —Afterglow, 7.9 2 4 — Kilmoon, 7.11 3 Also started: 1 Torfreda 9.3, 4 Meelee 7.11 (coupled with Kilmoon), 6 Braid 7.9. 5 Sir Fanciful 7.5. Won by two lengths, half a length between second and third. Time, Imin 13 l-ssec. YALDHURST WELTER. Seven furlongs. B—Tremena, 7.7 (H. Watson) 1 7 —Achilledes, 8.4 2 2— Battle Eve, 9.8 3 Also started: 4 Comely 9.2, 1 Hot Air 8.12, 6 Hydrus 8.3, 3 Spangle 8.2, 9 Xanthos 8.0, 5 Jingo 7.7. Won easily by four lengths, a neck between second and third. Time, Imin 26 4-ssec. GREAT AUTUMN HANDICAP. One mile and a-quarter. 7 —Glendower, 6.13 (R. S. Bagby) ... 1 1- —Mascot, 7.3 2 4 — Margerine, 8.8 3 Also started: 1 Menelaus 9.3 (coupled with Mascot), 3 Wishful 8.11, 2 Adjutant 8.8, 6 Ladogeur 7.12, 5 Ascalaphus 6.13, 8 Rose Pink 6.7. Won by a length and a-half, a neck between second and third. Time, 2min 33 l-ssec. ADDINGTON HANDICAP. One mile. 7 — Gay Lad, 7.0 (H. Watson) 1 3 — Missouri, 8.3 2 8 — Kimbolton, 7.11 3 Also started: 4 Bagdad 9.9, 10 Kilrush 8.13, 5 Landen 8.4, 1 Cooing 8.4, 2 Love Token 8.4, 3 Lovesick 8.3, 6 Bon d’Or 7.13, 11 Rosevear 7.7, 9 Claverhouse 7.0. Won by six lengths, half a length between second and third. Time, Imin 40 4-ssec. CHALLENGE STAKES. Seven furlongs. 1 — Biplane, 9.4 (B. Deeley) 1 3— Heathercote, 7.8 2 2 — Almoner, 7.11 3 Also started: 4 Hymestra 9.4, 2 Koesian 9.0 (coupled with Almoner), 5 Hyttus 8.11, 6 Eleus 6.7. Won by four lengths, three lengths between second and third. Time, Imin 26 4-ssec. TEMPLETON HANDICAP. Six furlongs. 1 — Mohawk, 7.11 (C. Emerson) 1 4 — Nystad, 9.3 2 7 —Killjoy, 8.1 3 Also started: 2 Croesus 10.1. 8 Nanna 8.9, 6 Kilboyne 8.3, 5 Gamecock 7.7, 9 Merton 6.7. Won by a nose, two lengths between second and third. Time, Imin 13 l-ssec. FINAL HANDICAP. One mile. 2 — Glorify, 8.9 (J. Olsen) 1 4 —Achilledes, 7.2 2 6 —Thames, 7.2 3 Also started: 1 Disdainful 8.10, 5 Brambletye 8.3, 3 Majestikoff 7.0, 7 Xanthos 6.7. Won by a length, two lengths between second and third. Time, Imin 40 3-ssec.

Thrace, in the company ,was a particularly well-treated horse in the Hack Hurdles Handicap race at Avondale, and though he had done no schooling to speak of since qualifying for jumpers’ flat races last season, and had only been popped over a few hurdles on the Thursday before the meeting, was solidly supported for the race he won, and the issue was never in doubt. Kinkora, who made the running and ran second, carried 51b. overweight. When Estland beat Biplane in the Wanganui Guineas Mr. T. H. Lowry was reported to have said that he was surprised, but thought that there could not have been much wrong with Biplane because he had won the Jackson Stakes two days before in good time. He will find it hard to

believe that Bonnie Maid is better than his colt, who has won two Derbies and other good races, besides running second twice to Desert Gold on w.f.a. terms. It is, of course, possible