CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1482, 19 September 1918, Page 10

CANTERBURY.

Almoner Aeported in Good Fettle— Melee’s Amberley Cup Win —Prospects for the Ashburton Meeting— Pyjama’s Attractive Form at Amberley.

CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Prior to leaving for Sydney, Mr. G. L. Stead received advice from R. O’Donnell that Almoner has done well since his arrival at Randwick. The colt will be ridden in the Derby and other engagements by K. Bracken, so he will lack nothing in the matter of horsemanship. Mr. Stead is confident that Almoner will acquit himself creditably with the best of the Derby horses. He is to have his first run in the Rosehill Guineas on Saturday, next, but may not be quite at his best for that event.

Melee, who accompanied Almoner to Sydney last spring, made his first appearance as a three-year-old in the Amberley Cup. He was backed with confidence by his connections on the strength of a gallop with the Derby colt before the latter left for Sydney, and never left the issue in doubt’ Starting very smartly, he settled the pretentions of Disdainful and Varnish a long way from home, eventually winning with a lot in hand from Spangle. Though on the small side. Melee has thickened out a lot since last season, and he is bound to do Mr. Stead good service, as he has plenty of pace and evidently stays well.

Word has been received that D. McKay recently died of wounds in France. Before leaving for the front McKay was a prominent horseman, one of his principal successes being attained on Art in the Grand National Hurdle Race two seasons ago.

Only for having incurred a 101 b. penalty, Rose Pink would have had a rare chance in the big handicap at the Ashburton meeting on Thursday. Heathercote, who twice defeated Almoner at Riccarton last autumn, appears to have a great chance in this event with 7.9 in the saddle, for his recent track work has been of an encouraging nature. Of the horses engaged in the Ashburton County Handicap that raced at Amberley Spangle should be the best to follow. She was finishing well behind Melee, and amongst those she defeated were Varnish, King Star and Hiero.

Since racing at the National meeting Killjoy has been acquitting herself really well in her track essays at Riccarton, and promises to be very hard to beat in the big handicap on the first day of the Ashburton meeting. Glendower will be given a run in the Spring Handicap at Ashburton on Thursday, but the distance may be rather short for him. Probably the Tinwald Handicap on the second day may be more to his liking. The imported Gay Lad was allowed to forfeit his Ashburton engagements as he is hardly forward enough. His stable mate, Saxby, is likely to race well in the Trial Plate, in which Moorabbe will be ineligible to start as a result of her Amberley success. Golden Prince, who changed hands recently, got most of his purchase money back at the Amberley meeting. He made a runaway race of the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap, leading from start to finish, and stayed on much better than in most of his former efforts on the flat. Later in the afternoon he put up 101 b. penalty in the Welter Handicap, and a furlong from the post looked to have excellent prospects. When tackled by Kilrush, however, the extra poundage told its tale, and at the finish Kilbroney’s son beat him decisively. Prior to being put into work a few weeks ago Pyjama had been used as a shepherd’s hack about the hills. Evidently this got rid of his unsoundness, for in the Wattle Handicap at Amberley he gave a glimpse of his very best form. Taking charge at the top turn he raced right away from Phil May and Daytime, though had the latter got away with his field he would certainly have troubled the winner.

Oxenhope, who is now an inmate of J. Bryce’s trotting stable, could not raise a gallop in the Wattle Handicap at Amberley. He tailed off from the start, and performed so badly that there is little chance of his being required to fulfil Ashburton engagements. Several promising three-year-olds faced the starter in the Trial Plate at Amberley, and of their number the Rokeby —Rosella gelding Algidus, in G. M. Aynsley’s stable, gave the best showing. Only for getting a very bad start he may have troubled Moorabbe, as he was quickly overhauling the winner at the finish. Onslaught, the Chokebore representative, and Bondage were both very slow to begin, while Bonetter, a shapely daughter of Boniform and Brayton, is not yet ready. Derby Day and Pyjama, both of whom won races at the Amberley meeting, have unbeaten records on the course. When the former captured the Hack Handicap it marked his fifth success at Amberley, while Pyjama was successful in the Wattle Handicap two seasons ago. LATER. (By Telegraph—Christchurch Correspondent.)

Afterglow’s Fine Gallop—lnteresting Work on Riccarton Tracks —Chokebore Juveniles Sprinted in Pairs— Latest Addition to F. D. Jones Team.

At Riccarton on Saturday Afterglow registered the best gallop ot the morning by defeating Eleus anc Scornful over seven furlongs m Imin 32sec. She had the outside running all the way and finished better than her companions. . The Chokebore team, which mclud ed Long Range, Heathercote, Onslaught and Adjutant, was given S! pace work. Thefirst-named pair are being got ready tor the Ash burton meeting, and both should pr “who recently arrived from the north, had Saxby as a compan-

ion over six furlongs, the latter showing to most advantage. Saxby claims an engagement in the Trial Plate at Ashburton. He can muster up a lot of pace, but is unreliable at the barrier.

Hylans and Good Hope were schooled over four flights of hurdles, the former showing to most advantage.

Four of the Chokebore two-year-olds were sprinted in pairs. Royal Stag cleared out from Strathglass at the end of four furlongs run in 51 l-ssec, and Macduff showed more speed than Acquital in a brush over three furlongs. Disdainful and Algidus were given a short &pell after racing at Amberley, but both are being hurried along again in view of their Dunedin engagements. F. D. Jones has an addition to his team in a four-year-old filly by Martion from Stephanie. She is a full sister to Hornbeam, and will race in the colours of Mr. H. A. Knight.