SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1520, 12 June 1919, Page 10

SOUTHLAND.

Dunedin J.C.’s Winter Meeting—Success of Southland-owned Horses — Palladio's Victory in Otago Steeplechase — Death of Brood Mare, Camille—Morecambe’s Popular Win at Wingatui—Rorke’s Drift Recovering From Lameness. DUNEDIN, June 5. At the time of writing the Dunedin J.C.’s winter meeting is in progress, and Southland owners and trainers have been experiencing a very agreeable run of success. During two days’ racing southern stables have accounted for nine races —four on the opening day and five to-day. Of this number six of the contestants were trained by P. T. Hogan at Rorke’s Drift Lodge, and the events secured include the two principal steeplechases and the richest flat stake of the gathering. At the dispersal sale of Mr. H. Friedlander’s thoroughbreds at Wingatui yesterday, the American-bred stallion Mohawk fell to the bid of Mr. R. Patterson, of Arrowtown, who intends to use the son of Mexican and Maxine Elliott as a sire. The Lake County sportsman has some nice matrons on his property, and about eight of these will be stinted to the imported horse. At the same time all hope of the horse racing aga’n has not been abandoned. His injured limb is to be operated upon by Mr. Martin, iM.R.C.V.S., and it is hoped that he will be galloping in public again when the next autumn season comes round. The Otago Steeplechase, the first one thousand pound event of the kind ever decided south of Christchurch,

was run on the opening day of the D.J.C. meeting, and was won by the aged gelding Palladio, probably the finest fencer ever bred in the south. Many horses can beat him for pace, but very few can match him as a fencer. He made the running at his own pace, and this assisted him to win, as his perfect jumping did not take too much out of him and he had a large amount of reserve force in stock when called upon to stall off a final challenge from Vascular, who tired himself at some of his fences. Palladio is now owned by Mr. W. Swale, of Winton district, who purchased the old son of Pallas a few days prior to the Riverton R.C.’s Easter fixture. The ex-North Island mare Nita was expected by many people to race prominently between the flags at Wingatui, but the deep going proved too much for her and she failed to get round on either day. As the outcome of her tumble to-day H. G. Coker, her rider, is now nursing a broken collarbone. Mr. W. Couser has had the misfortune to lose his brood mare Camille, who was in foal to Markhope, when found dead on her owner’s property at Mataura Island. Mr. Couser, however, has two daughters of the old matron in his possession— Camaieu, by Downshire, now in foal to Kilbroney, and Clothilde, by Rokeby. Morecambe, who was sold at the late Hon. J. D. Ormond’s d’spersal

sale for 40 guineas, turned up a winner here to-day, when he scored from end to end of the Second Hack Steeplechase. He was brought down to race at the Dunedin J.C. fixture by Mr. A. J. Keith, but he made a mistake in the Otago Steeplechase and did not see out the journey. He was purchased by Mr. L. C. Hazlett, at a price said to be 400 guineas, prior to his success to-day. This is the first race won by the vice-president of the Dunedin J.C. for a very long time, consequently the victory was a popular one. Should he stand up to his work Morecambe will be heard from later on in the season, as he is a very fine jumper. The Birkenhead —Film gelding will be a nice schoolmaster for Sylva, and we may see the pair competing in the next Grand National Steeplechase. Three recently-returned soldiers were riders of cross-country winners at Wingatui this week, viz., J. McChesney (Palladio), G. Fielding (Silverspire and Dardanelles), and W. L. Easton (Morecambe). The North Island horseman Rang! Thompson was due in Dunedin to ride Compulsion in his hurdle race engagements, but was injured in schooling a horse at Hastings and could not make the trip. The Auckland jockey J. Tilsley turned up at the meeting and had several mounts, one of these being a winning ride on Jeannot in the Otago Hurdle Race (£500). The northern horseman put in a great rush at the finish and the judge was the only one who could tell what had won as between Jeannot and Naupata. The principal flat race of the current D.J.C. meeting, the Birthday Handicap, produced an exciting finish

between three Southlanders —Tin Soldier, Eleus and Samiel. The latter pair were having a strenuous battle all on their own when Tin Soldier, by Calibre —Tinwald Beauty, dropped from the. clouds and jiist got up to snatch the honours from his stable companion, Eleus. Hogan thus trained first and second horses. Rorke’s Drift is stated to be recovering from his lameness of last week, but it will be some time before he can be raced again. Had he been able to start in the Birthday Handicap the son of Calibre would almost surelv have won.