CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1553, 29 January 1920, Page 13

CANTERBURY.

Amythas Proves Best of Season’s Three-year-olds— Prospects of Candidates in the C.J.C. Midsummer Handicap—Tip Up to be Taken in Hand Again After a Long Spell— Red Light to be Tried Over Hurdles — Interesting Gallops at Riccarton. CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. During the past week matters have been decidedly quiet at Riccarton owing to the absence of so many horses and trainers at Wellington. On Saturday the tracks got a thorough soaking, and they should be in the best of order for next Saturday’s racing. Amythas added further to his laurels by romping home with 8.7 in the saddle on Saturday in the Summer Handicap (one mile) at Trentham, giving further proof that he must have been more than unlucky to lose the Wellington Cup. On his

latest showings the Demosthenes gelding can lay good claim to be considered the best of the season’s three-year-olds; .that evidently is the opinion Mr. Henrys holds of him, for in the C.J.C. Midsummer Handicap and Dunedin Cup he has set Amythas to concede 61b. to Royal Stag, who defeated Rossini in the Great Northern Derby. There is little chance of Amythas and Royal Stag meeting at Riccarton, but if they should come together in the 1 Dunedin Cup the result will be instructive. It was unfortunate that Amythas did not strike form earlier in the season, for it is now by no means certain that he will have a chance of measuring strides with both Royal Stag and Rossini before it closes. Rossini is now owned by Messrs. Riddiford Bros., of Wellington, who will have a job to get the son of Martian right for some time.

The Chokebore stable holds a strong hand in the C.J.C. Midsummer. Handicap with Royal Stag and -Nightraider, weighted at 9.1 and 7.11 respectively. It ’is doubtful if the former will be asked to face the starter, but on Trentham form Nightraider must be given a good chance in both his races. There he 'finished very gamely after having none the best of luck in the early stages.

Should Affectation be got back to his early spring form it will take something pretty good to lower his colours in the big event at Riccarton on Saturday. Next to him Royal Star and Warlove are likely to give the best showings.

Michaela ran three sterling races at Trentham, and with the least luck would have won the City Handicap (six furlongs) on Saturday. As usual she was rather slow to begin, anfl though making up her ground in great style over the last furlong, she could not quite overhaul Bindle. A number of North Island horses claim engagements at the C.J.C. summer meeting, including Rose Wreath, Rose Pink, Chimera, Trentham Rose, and Teka, but fnost of them will probably drop out on acceptance night.

Many horses engaged in the Midsummer Handicap also figure in the Dunedin Cup, and a win by any of them in the former event will necessitate its being rehandicapped in the latter, as there are no fixed scale of penalties. . Furling returned from Wellington on Sunday, but the balance of the Riccarton horses did not reach home till Tuesday afternoon. A. J. McFlinn has made an excellent recovery from the accident he sustained at Trentham, and hopes to be riding again in the course of a week or two. T. H. Gillet left Merton on the West Coast at the conclusion of the holiday meetingf. The hurdler Tip Up, after enjoying a long spell, is to be put into work again in a week’s time. H. Ellis intends to make another start on Tyne, who has been off the scene for nearly three months.

The three-year-old filly Kilcalm ■ is one of R. Derrett’s team. She is doing useful work. Red Light, by Gay Spark—Portland Lass, in T. Gillet’s stable, will be tried over hurdles. He is a plainlooking, useful sort. The imported horse Motor Patrol, in P. McGrath’s stable, is getting into good shape for the autumn meetings. He has not been seriously tried out yet. The tracks were in fair order at Riccarton on Saturday morning, and some interesting work was done in view of next Saturday’s meeting. Winter Wind ran five furlongs in lmin. 2 3-ssec., Checkmate going with him the last four. Warlove galloped a mile and a-quarter in 2min. 14sec.. easily beating Glentanner, who joined in over the last nine furlongs. Clean Sweep beat High Heels comfortably over five furlongs in lmin. ssec. Algidus got to the end of six furlongs in lmin. 19 l-ssec. Game-

cock covered the same distance in lmin. 16sec.

Counter Attack 'finished well aftei’ doing five furlongs in lmin. 3 2-ssec. Tremena gave Brown Willey a length start and beat him over five furlongs in lmin. 5 2-ssec. Reproachful ran five furlongs, alone, in lmin 4 4-ssec. Warlike was a little better than Single Rose, with Good Hope and Henriette some distance away, at the end of a mile in lmin. 47sec.

Cerberus ran six furlongs by himself in lmin. 17sec. Link Up and Onlooker sprinted six furlongs together in lmin. 20 l-ssec., Listening Post and Some Kid went half a mile along the back in 50 2disec., and Fabrinade ran half a mile to the winning post in 51sec. Bombproof and Warform ran five furlongs in lmin. ssec., while Recorder beat Foo Chow in lmin. 5 l-ssec. Bon Spec took lmin. 20 2-ssec. over six furlongs, and Moorabbe ran a mile in lmin. 49sec.