SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1514, 1 May 1919, Page 10

SOUTHLAND.

Riverton R.C.’s Easter Meeting— Notes on the Racing—Kilbrogan’s Important Success at Riccartpn— Eleus’ Improved Form—P. Hogan’s Horses Secure Seven Wins During Easter Holidays—Peary’s Tragic End. INVERCARGILL, April 24. One of the most popular fixtures of the southern season, the Easter gathering promoted by the Riverton Racing Club, experienced the worst weather over Saturday and Easter Monday that has ever been known for over 20 years at this season of the year. Cold winds, drenching rain and a track invaded by water and thoroughly sodden were serious drawbacks, and the wonder of it all is that the meeting was carried out as it was, with a fair attendance on

both days and some very interesting racing. The long straight at the seaside track proved to be to the liking of Thaddeus, who was also nicely handicapped, and he came away to win with something in hand from the consistent Tin Soldier, who has developed an unprofitable habit of acting as runner-up in the leading handicap events of Southland. On Easter Monday Tin Soldier was backed again by his connections, but this time Marianne turned up trumps to score with something in hand from the unlucky son of Calibre. This black daughter of the N.S.W. stallion Kenilworth and Ruenalf’s Daughter, who was bred in Australia but reared at Elderslie Stud, Oamaru, is a useful mare, and has shown during the current season that she can stay fairly well and is improving in this respect.

The Great Easter Handicap winner, Kilbrogan, who is owned by Mr. J. Biggins, mine host of the Railway Hotel at Mosgiel, was practically prepared for the current season by J. Hymers, of Riverton, who trained the Kilbroney gelding and raced him in his own colours until his present proprietor purchased him. Latterly, Hymers has not been able to leave the team under his charge to go racing afar, and Mr. Biggins has worked the horse at Wingatui himself, and he is well fitted to keep a horse in racing shape, as he has been at the game as a hobby for over 30 years. He has raced a considerable number of horses in his day, many of them over hurdles and across country, always in the hope that he would one day develop a champion, and it would seem that his ambition has now in the main been realised. The Otago owner was always very confident that his representative would be very hard to dispose of in the valuable Riccarton sprint race, and it is safe to say that he did not hesitate to support the horse that created a new time record for the Great Easter event on Easter Saturday. Quite a number of southern people backed Kilbrogan, as he was looked upon as a racer from the home province, but punters nearer his recent home quarters did not think so highly of the descendant of the great mare Mermaid, who can also claim two strains of the stout Musket blood by way of Stepniak and Chainshot.

Rorke’s Drift ran his best race to date in the Great Autumn Handicap and secured a share of the stake, but the fact remains that he does not favour the long straight at Riccarton. However, he ran well enough to prove to his critics in Christchurch that he is really the horse southern people think him to be. Trainer Hogan did not return from the C.J.C. meeting empty 7 handed, as each of his charges —Calma, Rorke’s Drift and Elens — secured a share of the stake money towards the cost of their trip, Eleus accounting for the Final Handicap in rather an attractive manner. The Auckland-bred sod of Elysian has improved considerably since he joined the Rorke’s Drift Lodge establishment, and P. T. Hogan is deserving of the credit which attaches to the black gelding’s recent deeds —he has won over £l2OO in stake money for Mr. R. Millar, of Mandeville, of late. The local trainer G. McLean had a turn of Fortune’s wheel at Easter time, as he won two races in the goldfields with Erroneous and Miss Finland, respectively, and another of his charges, Mettle Drift, secured a stake at the Riverton R.C. fixture, and was twice in the money. Mettle Drift, who is a son of Rorke’s Drift, the product of an unauthorised mating prior to his sire being added to the list, is a sturdy galloper with many of the characteristics of his sire. He is a curious example of inbreeding, as he is the son of a Calibre horse, while his dam, Mettle, was also sired by the same descendant of Light Artillery. Mettle Drift is now owned by “Mr. S. Carey,” of Bluff, a genuine sportsman, whose success was very popular.

Trainer A. D. Mclvor won a race each day at Riverton for one of his patrons with Mirza, a three-year-old gelding by Masterpiece—Melita, and the novice looks as if he will win again in his turn. He is probably the first of the progeny of the Clanranald —Madowla stallion to get on the winning list.

Horses from P. T. Hogan’s stable practically monopolised the money distributed for cross-country racing at Riverton. Silverspire, by Quicksilver —Minaret (dam of the Winter Cup winner Magdala and several other useful gallopers) beat his stable companion Palladio in the Great Western Steeplechase, and on the concluding day Palladio just beat another horse from the same establishment in Dardanelles. The last-named won a

minor race between the flags, when he came home alone in the Otaitai Steeplechase. Silverspire was loaded up by the handicapper on the second day to the extent of 12.12, and as a capable horseman could not be found to ride him he was withdrawn from the Riverton Steeplechase. Silverspire and Palladio were ridden- in their respective engagements by G. Fielding and J. McChesney, recently returned soldiers and both employed by P. Hogan. Hogan also won races at Riverton with Redshire (two) and Kilkee, and his successes during the Easter period totalled seven wins—six at Riverton and one at Riccarton. The three-year-old Vice-Admiral gelding Red Admiral won a race at Riverton and ran well in another event, while Gunrest also scored for the credit of A. D. Mclvor. The latter, by the way, thus secured his first win since October, 1917. He is in good shape at present and may win again presently in the event of his recent efforts not discovering any weaknesses.

The Great Northern Steeplechase winner of 1914, Peary, died the death of a brave horse at Riverton. Very shaky on his legs and short of work he competed in the Great Western Steeplechase, getting a heavy fall at the water jump. He was remounted and completed the course, to put up a great fight for third money with Tipperary Boy, who had also come to grief. Failing to secure a place Peary was walked past the winning post and then led into the birdcage, where he presently developed serious symptoms, and within a few minutes sank to the ground and, rolling over, expired, The son of Birkenhead, a wreck of his former greatness, never turned his head from a jump over the long three-mile course.