Ellerslie Items

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1474, 25 July 1918, Page 13

Ellerslie Items

SATURDAY. Witli the execrable weather the work at headquarters is mostly of the usual half-pace order. By the way that Hopfield, Fisher, Bedford, Gluetanus and Co. are being kept up to the collar, one would suggest an attack on the C.J.C. winter fixture. There was no schooling work last week, the course being saturated with water, the local trainers preferring the safe policy to the chance of crippling their charges in the slushy going. On Thursday morning Cardrona and Auldana had a rough up over a sand six furlongs, the bout being all in favour of the handsome chestnut, who is in very fine racing fettle. Bedford, Penniless, Colonel Soult, Totara Jack, Welshman, Aircraft and Lady Bunyan were all on the useful list.

Mullingar put in easy pace work and still carries a lot of condition after his recent holiday, and should be nearly keyed up by the time the spring fixtures roll round. The veteran horseman, Mark Ryan, is paying a lot of attention to the rising three-year-old Demosthenes filly Damoiselle, who has resumed active work under A. Robertson. Mark had the filly half clipped last week, and she is settling down nicely in his experienced hands. W. Tozer is a busy man at the present time. Besides keeping the imported horse Thurnham and a number of mares and rising yearlings under his care, he has The Broke and a good kind of a four-year-old in work. Malaya, who has been having a respite from toil, resumes work again on August 1. What a difference the climatic changes are between Randwick and Ellerslie. At the former place the “magpie” rink is watered every night, while at Ellerslie the horses in training have not been on the grass for a month. Jacaranda looks all the better for the racing he had at Hawke’s Bay. On Thursday the big brown put in a couple of solid sand circuits, pulling his rideiout of the saddle, finishing the last four furlongs at top, fairly revelling in his work. A. Julian informed the writer that Hibernia is still in a bad way from the recent fall on the road. ' The son of Spalpeen has started to swell in the parts affected. Hautere has improved a lot since last seen out racing at the A.R.C. winter meeting. On Thursday he was looking like a rejuvinated neddy, showing all his old-time dash and vigour.. Early next month will probably see him journeying to New South Wales via Wellington. Duchess Eudorus, the recent importation from Sydney, was down at the scraping sheds on Thursday, and what the writer could see of the mare with her rug on she is a very level well put together equine, a bit on the small side, but shows plenty of quality, like most of the Eudorus tribe. She got a bit knocked about on the trip over from New South Wales, her off hind foot showing signs of it. H. French has Sanacre, Lady Glen and Marble Star all looking in robust health. Most of their exercise is done on the roads. On Thursday, Windorah (A. McFlinn) and Melting (A. O’Hare) put in useful easy pace work in company. The two-year-olds Sandy McDonald and Irene Bruce put in a couple of gentle rounds together. The former struck the writer as likely to blossom into a Derby colt. He has size in his favour and is a nice mover. Mr. W. Kemp worked his Miss Ethel gelding in company with Mr. H. Tonks’ Formative filly. The latter is a maiden candidate that is maturing nicely under her owner’s care and is not being hurried. D. E. Cotton has gone south under a 12 months engagement to F.- D. Jones. Tom Cotton is expecting Winning Lady back into his stable after being spelled. The rising two-year-olds the Bezonian—Lady Hune filly, Penury—Spinster colt and the Robert the Bruce —Little Mabel filly all bear evidence of the care bestowed on them by the stud groom, W. Tozer. It may be mentioned en passant that this cheerful little toiler of toilers fills in his time by clipping horses and is considered one of the best in the Dominion at that business. Tozer has put over 100 horses through his hands this season, the last operated on being Damoiselle. Quite a large number of local horsemen are assisting at the after breakfast sessions at headquarters. On Saturday morning the writer noticed B. Deeley, j. Buchanan, E. Warner, S. Henderson, A. O’Hare assisting on the flat, while the Preston Brothers schooled Dancastor and Pre-eminent over seven of the big schooling battens, giving a most excellent display of quick clean fencing without putting a hoof wrong. Dr. F. Glover, M.R.C.V.S., the Waikato veterinary surgeon, has commenced practise at Ellerslie, with Mr. H. Taylor, C.S., resident assistant. The Harp of Erin will be their temporary headquarters. Recently Dr. Glover unsexed the Bezonian—Winsome juvenile. The case proved a most difficult one, the youngster having been operated on before. Bedford and Colonel Soult, two of P. Jones’ charges, are considered well in in their respective races at the Grand National meeting. This trainei' informed the writer that, the present intention is not to make the trip. Of course, it is an owner’s privilege to at any time change the programme. Rumour has it that J. E. Thorpe may not take his pair, Hopfield and Fisher, to the same fixture. Present intentions are to send the well-conditioned Gluetanus to Riccarton in care of Frank Burns. The son of Gluten is in excellent racing condition, and the poundage (9.10) is not excessive. S. Henderson leaves for Riccarton on Sunday night, but so far has no riding engagements. A. McMillan is to ride the hurdler Fisher at the Grand National meeting. Cardrona will be a starter at the C.J.C. National fixture. J. O’Shea will

be the man on top. The doctor expects to be away about six weeks. In the meantime P. Conway will have charge of his two-year-old. Bedford ran a smart half mile on ’Tuesday morning, suggesting that his preparation is for a race in the nearfuture. Hautere and No Surrender are both working in the centre of the course. The old ’chaser, is in fine fettle. Duchess Eudorus has not yet been on the tracks at Ellerslie. All the heat lias gone out of her off side hind joint, which was knocked about on the trip from New South Wales. The track companions, Windorah and Melting, are looking at their best, and are thriving on their allotted tasks. Kauri King was not brought back to. Ellerslie from the southern meetings. The Soult gelding may put up a good showing at Riccarton. The Penury—Orange and Blue gelding Seville looks like having a lien on a race at the South Canterbury meeting. J. Lambess has been suffering from the effects of measles which attacked him at the Hawke’s Bay meeting, but intends to be present at the Grand National meeting.