SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1485, 10 October 1918, Page 11

SOUTHLAND.

Fleetham’s Withdrawal From N.Z. Cup—Rorke’s Drift to Again Contest Big Riccarton Event —Addition to G. McLean’s Team—Southland R.C. Increase Stakes —Southland Cup Raised to £lOOO—J. Boyd’s Team.

INVERCARGILL, October 3. Despite a fair amount of rain during the past week,- work has been possible every day on plough or grass tracks, according to circumstances, and horses with engagements at the Dunedin J.C.’s meeting next week have been pushed along. However, there is little doubt but that only two or three Southland-owned gallopers are in form equal to providing a winning chance at Wingatui. A week ago it was thought that Southland would have two New Zealand Cup candidates, in Rorke’s Drift and Fleetham, but the latter has been withdrawn when the first acceptances fell due, as the result of having developed soreness. This is unfortunate, as he shaped well in a working gallop with Rorke’s Drift over two miles, and hopes were entertained that he was going to prove himself a stayer. He is under veterinary control at time of writing, but his trouble has not yet been definitely located. Rorke’s Drift has been going on the right way in his work of late, and his trainer claims that he is doing fairly well, although he is lighter than at the corresponding period of last year. The Calibre gelding has twice essayed to win the New Zealand Cup under racehorse weights, but without very bright prospects of success. Perhaps he will do better with the favourable treatment now meted out to him. If he cannot get into the money with 7.8 on his back, then he will have to be finally written down as a horse unable to see out a twd-mile trip. His admirers still claim that this journey is well within his compass. He will be racing at Wingatui next week. G. McLean has had his team strengthened by the inclusion of All Rain, a four-year-old gelding by All Red from Shower. All Rain, a goodlooking gelding, has hitherto failed badly in public, but has shown galloping ability in private. He has been a very costly horse to his con-

nectlons, who may now find that he Sa “eorge e Hope’s team is Showing, hw Gonne, by Stepniak—lrish-Girl. She ikaVXrn welV and eneournffihfd into a very attractive animal. The veteran owner-traine • Searle is, as usual, confining hi tention to one horse, his a -ar Pa? from K “dX P. y T S "s collection is a nice little old colt, so lar unnamed jjdra* « as a son ot Pallas and Luresome, J Seaton Delaval —Lissadurn. He Gallon in an attractive manner, and racehorse stature. This placed S7X«.! tact 'that Jhe wa S s at the stud tor many y The Skes“or e the d | a outhland Chib’s summer meeting are to be raised by 1000 every race on the programm feing ’in e c V r e e r a y sed in value acceptance rates are to b The entrance fees have s oo 4?i basis for some time past. fine tnyetcaTgill Cup, the leading event ot the year in this fvosressive P Vince will be worth £IOOO, tne ui» tance’ remaining at a mile andta-qu ‘ ter. The Flying Handicap has been • /i -Pd.no On the second day R.C. Handicap will be worth £SOO, and the Handicap £2OO. The sum of £OSO is to be devoted to tour light harness races the leading contest being a two m ha lwa S hou V was °doS work on the local tracks up to last week, when he developed cracked heels, and trainer J. Boyd has now to consider as to the desirability or otherwise of railing him to Dunedin next week Ot Boyd’s other horses, Ancenia (halt sister to Belair) has been eased up, but Bonnally and First Officer are shaping well. Boyd has a very neat Winton Stakes candidate in work, an evenly-made daughter of Vice-Admiral and Office Girl. If she cannot gallop her looks belie her. Hogan has been putting the work into Tin Soldier and Admiral Talbot of late, but the pair can hardly be at the top of their form for the Dunlin gathering. Tin Soldier may however, present a bold f ™ nt of his welter engagements. Admiral Talbot is one of the most solid descendants of Vice-Admiral to come under the writer’.s notice to date, and he is a well-bred galloper, as his dam, Lady Talbot, was by Pll^in^ s Progress from that good mare Lady Lillian, by Phaeton— Lady Zetland.