CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1473, 18 July 1918, Page 11

CANTERBURY.

Riccarton-trained Horses’ Efforts at Trentham — Point Blank Makes Good Recovery From Mishap— Minesweeper Shows Promise Over Hurdles—Saxby and Gay Lad Both in Good Fettle—Missouri Joins R. Ellis’ Team —- South Canterbury Hunt Meeting'—Latest Track Work at Riccarton. CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Riccarton - trained horses did not fare at all well on the opening day of the Trentham meeting, and the prospects of the local division holding their own with North Island horses in the jumping events at Riccarton next month look decidedly remote. Mr. Fulton decided not to start Art on either day, as the little fellow is not much good in soft going. He is to be brought back to Riccarton, and given a firm course next month is sure to play his part well in ,the Grand National Hurdle Race. Naupata had been galloping so well before going north that he was thought to have more than an outside chance in the Winter Hurdles. Evidently the heavy going quite settled his prospects; in fact, he could not raise a gallop, being in trouble before half the journey had been covered. As Master Strowan cannot be weighted at more than 12.7 in the Grand National Steeplechase, Mr. Herirys will have a rare task in framing his handicap so as to give the light weights the least chance with Mr. Easton’s gelding. The extra two furlongs, to be covered, at Riccarton in conjunction with the stiffer fences will be all in Master Strowan’s favour, for he is undoubtedly one of the greatest stayers and jumpers of .recent.years. x It was no fault of Crib’s that - he lost his rider in the. Wellington Steeplechase, Collector being mostly to blame. The South Canterbury representative was decidedly’short,of work, and though the racing will -do him a lot of good it is doubtful if he can be quite at his best in a month’s time. Even so, he can be .relied on to give a much improved showing over the Riccarton fences. : ; A The Southland representative Point Blank, who ricked his shoulder when galloping at Riccarton last week, has made a speedy recovery from his injury. On‘ s Thursday morning he wks given steady. pacing, but his Winter Cup prospects look somewhat remote. His stable companion, Minesweeper/ was given a turn over, the little obstacles on Thursday morning, and acquitted himself really well for a novice.- ■ The Riccarton horseman, R. MeSeveney, rode a creditable ■ race on Master Strowan in the Wellington

Steeplechase, and was widely congratulated on his. success. The same pair will Abe associated in the Mg cross-country event at Riccarton, as . Mr. Easton has retained McSeveney’a?A services for the rest of the jumping season. It is very probable that McSeveney will have the mount on Gang Awa’ in the big hurdle race, and already the Provocation gelding is greatly in the boom for that event. ' Moorable carried a lot of local; support in the Trial Plate at Trentham as a result of her track work before ! leaving Riccarton. She quite failed to race up to expectations, and > will have to ; improve a lot to have much chance in the .Winter Cup. / Master Hamilton’s- win on Wedhes- 1 day over country showed that hb has made vast improvement in his jumping since going into Trilford’s stable. When trained at Riccarton the gelding was always inclined to S chance the hurdles and on several > occasions came to grief. The two imported horses, Saxby and Gay Lad, are now regular attendants on the local tracks, and both look in nice order to be got ready for spring racing. W. McDonald has > taken a lot of trouble with the latter, and he is almost sure to. pick up a, good race or two with him in. the spring.. . ; ' A recent addition to R. Ellis" team at Riccarton is the Danube filly Missouri; who was purchased some time ago by Mr. R. E. Hall. Bon Reye figures amongst the horses engaged in the big cross-coun-try event at the South Canterbury.' meeting on the 25th inst. In view of his Grand National prospects, howit -Is extremely unlikely that the; -gelding v'UI be -in---theA field. Gn their return from- Trentham S. Trilford and P. Hogan, will take' teams to- Timaru SouthrCan--;'. terbury meeting. ' t After being off the tracks for over a year Clynelish has been taken in hand again by H. G. Coker.' Though he has been gelded the son of Soult is just as wayward on the tracks : as ever, and is "with difficulty got out to exercise. He may be given , a run in one of the flat events at the South Canterbury meeting. At Riccarton on Saturday morning M. Aynsley treated Scornful, Disdainful and Algidus to useful Work, but i . they are all backward. The Yaldhurst trainer, R. O’Donnell, put in hn appearance with Almoner, Nislec, Cyresian, Kilmoon and several rising two-year-olds. They all got through serviceable tasks in the presence of their owner, Mr. G. L. Stead, who has abandoned his proposed trip to Australia for the spring meetings. ’ j Trainer T. H. Gillett has recovered from his recent indisposition, and is again supervising his team’s work. During his father’s absence in Australia, P. Mason -is supervising the training of Mr. G. D. Greenwood's horses. He has' recently taken in hand Indus, who gives a lot of promise. Most of the Riccarton sportsmen who attended the Trentham meeting returned home on Sunday.. They all favour Master Strowan’s prospects in the Grand National Steeplechase, but the hurdle race has them puzzled. Crib could not act in the going on the second day at Trentham so well as he did on the opening day. He will be brought back to' Riccarton and given a thorough preparation for the big cross country event. -