SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1528, 7 August 1919, Page 10

SOUTHLAND.

Local Tracks to be Opened—First Officer Joins G. McLean’s Team— Kilmeedy Now Under J. Hymers’ Care at Riccarton —Additions to H. J. Searle’s String—Kilkee’s Winter Cup Engagement. (Telegraph—Southland Correspondent) INVERCARGILL, Monday. The Southland Racing Club’s tracks will open this week for moderate exercise, but meantime the frosts have not improved the state of the galloping surfaces. First Officer, the useful five-year-old gelding, has joined G. McLean’s team. The son of Glenculloch —Office Girl is a useful gelding, and creates the impression that it might be possible to develop him into a useful performer over the battens. He takes after his dam, and is a proved stayer and e’ever jumper when tried out in private. His granddam, by the way, Tomboy, ranked as a half-sister to the brilliant steeplechaser, Norton. Gunrest will in future be trained at Invercargill, where he will be under the care of the veteran, G. Hope. It is more than likely the son of Calibre will be schooled at hurdle racing. Hope still walks carefully and slowly, the result of an accident whereby his leg was broken some months back. The useful Kilmeedy has been placed with J. Hymers at Riverton. As the seaside mentor gets on well with delicate or highly-strung mares :t is quite likely that Kilbroney’s descendant will improve under the veteran’s care. Mrs. W. D. Cowie’s mare has now reached the years of discretion when it will not be too

much to expect her to settle down and do her best as a racehorse. She is a rare galloper when in the humour. Owner-trainer H. J. Searle is going to start the new season with horses other than those of his own which he has under his charge. In addition to Lady Pallas (Pallas —Kitty O’Shea) lie has already taken in hand a nice six-year-old mare by Comedian (sire of Magdala) from Eva, by Seaward, son of Hillarious. Ex-Jockey A. Mackay is not going to commence work as a public trainer empty-handed, as Staff Officer and Marching Order already occupy quarters in his establishment, while Orderdown will probably find a way there in the immediate future. The lastnamed is now the property of Mr. H. Cunningham, of Winton, who raced Buff Gauntlet, Matilda, and a number of other speedy gallopers successfully. When entries for Southland’s solitary classic event, the Winton Stakes, controlled by the Winton Jockey Club, are made up, it is fully expected that the entrants will prove the best collection ever entered for the November contest. A number of the three-year-olds will probably rank as the progeny of imported mares. Trainer W. Gardiner is exercising Dorian and Mazama in view of the early resumption of track work. The Danube —Directoire gelding is also re-

ceiving close attention, as he is expected to race next season. He is a sturdy horse and already has displayed promise of producing galloping ability. Of Mr. W. F. Hazlett’s yearlings the Kilbroney—Simper filly is doing particularly well, while the Kilbroney —Directoire youngster is thriving, but the filly by Kilbroney from Sprig of Erin (imp.) is not progressing as her owner would like. The appointment of Mr. A. K. Hanlon as president of the Dunedin Jockey Club is very popular in the south. It is widely realised that this follower of the legal profession and the turf strongly favours the club pursuing a progressive policy, and taking every advantage of the tide of prosperity at present following in the direction of Wingatui as a galloping location. It is announced that the Mystification gelding Burrangong will again carry Mr. J. E. Emslie’s colours, arrangements having been completed to that effect. He is to remain in Mr. W. Stone’s private establishment in the meantime until the present railway restrictions are relaxed, when he will be sent on to Riccarton. On reaching the Canterbury Jockey Club’s headquarters, Burrangong will become an inmate of F. D. Jones’ stables as a companion to Bore, Post Haste, Euripos, and other well-known performers. The withdrawal of Calma from the Grand National Hurdles caused some disappointment among local backers, as the Calibre mare had been supported for a fair sum from here. Her stable companion, Kilkee, is going to carry substantial backing from Southland in the Winter Cup, his connections being satisfied that the Kilbroney gelding will improve as a result of his recent racing at Wellington

and his subsequent galloping activity at Riccarton. Dardanelles is admitted to have a jumper’s chance in the Grand National Steeplechase, and most followers of form fully expect the Battlefield gelding to get a place in the big cross-country event.