ELLERSLIE ITEMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1517, 22 May 1919, Page 13

ELLERSLIE ITEMS.

THURSDAY. Work at Ellerslie on Thursday morning was not altogether devoid of interest. There was just a little jumping, and none of it to enthuse over. The actors were not of the star order, and three of the number made mistakes, coming down without hurting themselves or their riders on the hard ground. A big gelding by Foremost from Miro (dam of Northland) — bigenough for a coach, where he would not look out of place—was one of the hunter class who was at fault, but in time and in condition he may make amends. Another was a mare called Aroha (love). Bert Rae did not get far with her before she tried to stop, and then she got entangled in a hurdle, and showed herself quite a novice. Entente Cordiale and a hunter got round safely and not at all badly. SATURDAY. On Saturday morning a few useful gallops were recorded on the tan. Colonel Soult and Kauri King were associated with two featherweights up. The former ran on the outside of the track and he had the pull over his bigger relative, who is not such a free worker. If the Colonel were now as solid as the New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race winner and an experienced jumper as he should be at his time of life, what a show he would make of that gelding with a pull of 2.6 in his favour in the Great Northern. A schooling essay that interested not a few on Saturday was that on the course proper on the outside over four hurdles between Kinkora and Keystone, who ran along fast. The last-named jumped to the left and after negotiating the hurdle near the fivefurlong post lost a lot of ground by going out wide, but again joined Kinkora, whose jumping was the better. Keystone having run over most ground Kinkora beat him home handily. The looked for first essay of Thrace over country was witnessed by a fair number of the regulars at headquarters on Saturday. Jacaranda came out to show him how to do things after E. Warner had let Thrace have a look at each of the fences it was intended to jump. Jacaranda led over the sod bank, which Thrace jumped big, getting up well in the air. The first ,of the double was got over nicely, but the second fence he declined and refused a second time,-and then the stone wall. That was the. end of lesson one. Thrace can be,now left out of calculations for the steeplechases at the coming meeting. He looked a bit lighter wasted than when he left for the Manawatu meeting, but has a bright coat. Waimai gave a very pleasing display over the sod wall double and stone wall, the last of which he jumped straighter than the others, with a long tain? off and landing. He looks well. Sir Ralph and Marconi are a pair of useful horses if they can be got back to form, but Sir Ralph has his legs well encased in bandages when he appears, while Marconi, who is a bigbodied gelding, is getting more into The first arrival 'is Carlysian, from Gisborne. The gelding came up under the care of F. Loomb on Friday, and Cynic, who has been looked after bv P. Conway for a fortnight, is now under his Gisborne mentor. . The Martian mares which Mr. Hand purchased in the south arrived last week and were duly sent on to Helensville. The dam of Kilflinn is in foal, but the other mare is not, so Fred Stenning, who met them and sent them on, has informed me. It was Mr. Hands’ first intention to mate these mares with Mullingar, but whether he will deviate and patronise some other sire remains to be seen. MONDAY. On Monday morning the respective trainers of Colonel Soult and Cvnic sent these horses out and they jumped two hurdles in company. The Colonel was ridden by S. Henderson, with T. Chaplin on Cynic. Both jumped cleanly, but Cynic was the slower over the obstacles. TUESDAY. On Tuesday morning, when . the ground had received the full benefit of the bountiful rains softening the turf, full advantage was taken of the opportunity for schooling work, and a most interesting morning’s work was done by both flat racers and jumpers. Chief interest is taken in the efforts of hurdlers and ’chasers just now. Hibernian and Pablo jumped two flights of hurdle's twice nicely, but took plenty of v, The big hUntter Mira negotiated the sod wall doublte afid stone wall alone, with E. Rae iii the saddle, and later on went with Ulster and No Surrender twice over the same obstacles. . The last time the trio took in the brush fence, which has replaced the old water jump, and there Mira, who fell, evidently had enough after doing his work well. He appeared a bit sore behind as he came back to the sheds, led by his rider, who was soon up and all right. Kauri King and Otara went together over three hurdles twice, but they had no pace on and Kauri King seemed to be getting up in the air and dwelling a lot. Colonel Soult, with La Blanche, gave a much more pleasing exhibition than Kauri King; indeed, went very nicely over the same obstacles. Garryowen was associated with Cynic over four hurdles, and the pair fan along at a good pace. The last-named apparently likes the going better with the sting out of it and gave his best display to date. Mistee, the big Birkenhead gelding, alone did nice jumping work, and is on the improve. Totara Jack and Oakleigh were given a turn over the battens, and if schooling would fit the former to win a jumping race he has had no lack of it. Johnny Paul and several hunters were amongst those that were schooled lightly. The course and grounds are already looking nice and green. Meltonio was sold and sent to Suva by Saturday’s boat. A race meeting comes off in that quarter shortly, and it is thought Meltonio will suit for the purpose for which he has been acquired on behalf of an Islander. He was looking really well when he left.