SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1564, 15 April 1920, Page 10

SOUTHLAND.

Notes on the Riverton Racing Club’s Easter Fixture—Burrangong’s Surprise Victory in Cup—Nocturnal Reported Very Lame — Rongahere Returned to Owner — Silverspire Likely Starter at C.J.C. Royal • Meeting—Primum Lets His Backers Down at Riverton. INVERCARGILL, Monday. The Riverton Racing Club’s Easter meeting was undoubtedly the most successful fixture ever held by the Western Districts turf institution, there being interesting racing and a record attendance, the figures from the gate receipts amounting to £2lBO odd for the two days. The totalisator returns were of record dimensions. The starting was perfect throughout. The only trouble about the whole thing is that the totalisator buildings and grandstand accommodation were totally inadequate to satisfy the crowds now patronising the final fixture of the season in the south. The surprise of Easter Saturday’s racing at the seaside was unquestionably the unexpected turn up of Burrangong in the Riverton Cup. The North Islander, who was to have been spelled and added to the list after the fixture, came home in bulldog fashion, outstaying Samiel (G. Young) under extreme pressure from R. McLellan, who, by the way, won five events at the meeting, three being in succession on Easter Monday. Rorke’s Drift made a gallant effort to capture the Cup stake, but could not quite see the journey out. Thaddeus ran well, taking third berth, but Tin Soldier was quite disappointing. He is a good horse when in the humour, but occasionally runs in an unaccountable manner. Applications have been called for the position of secretary to the Southland Racing Club. It is not known as to whether Mr. W. A. Saunders will again be a candidate, but a great many people closely associated with the thoroughbred sport hope to hear of his re-appointment. The well-bred gelding Nocturnal (All Black —La Notte) was very lame after the Great Western Steeplechase. His trainer, C. Christie, fears that he will never race again. This would be unfortunate, as he can cross big country safely, and it is not easy to get horses possessed of pace that are able to accomplish this feat. It was stated by his owner recently that Rorke’s Drift would be relegated to the ranks of hurdle racers in the near future, but the writer has an idea that there is still a good race across the flat concealed about the sturdy Calibre gelding. He takes some getting ready, and when all is said and done P. Hogan’s charge has not been up very long following on a lengthy spell. The handicapper was kind to the proved steeplechasers, Silverspire, Zarkoma and Palladio, at the Riverton meeting, with the result that the two leading cross-country events were practically confined to the horses named. They finished in the same order each day — Silverspire, Zarkoma and Palladio. The runner-

up put up two great races, as he was obviously sore on each occasion, while Palladio made a better showing each time out. It has also to be remembered that he was making his first appearance in public for the season at Riverton. Of the rank and file St. Cletus and Luigi ran well enough, but Miss Trixie was a great disappointment. A course of schooling in company with fast jumpers like the placed horses would make a useful mare of the daughter of Comedian.

It is reported that Rongahere was to have been raced in the south over fences, but the son of Sarto went amiss, and Trainer S. Trilford was compelled to return him to his owner. It must be remembered, however, that the good sportsman who owns Rongahere also has Crib in commission. The Saint Ilario gelding was successfully operated upon for throat trouble some time back, and may, therefore, he heard of later on.

The owner of Silverspire intends racing the double winner at Riverton, all going well in the meantime, at the C.J.C. Royal meeting at Riccarton. Silverspire, by the way, is quoted in the Stud Book as by a horse of unknown breeding, but this is an error, as his sire, Quicksilver, was well known in Southland as a racer some years back, and a very stout horse at that was the son of Silvermark (a classic winner), from Selina, a matron with a good oldfashioned pedigree. With Wilden Loch and Nocturnal proving unsuccessful in the south, Mr. R. Acton Adams looked like having a. disappointing campaign, but Grafton Tot came to the rescue of the stable on the opening day at Riverton, when the descendant of Grafton Loch scored in the Waiau Steeplechase, being attended home by the 1912 Winter Cup winner, Magdala. Grafton Tot made quite a good showing considering that he is not thoroughly wound up, and the following day he ran well in open company behind Silverspire, Zarkoma and Palladio. It is pleasing to see Magdala show a decided improvement on his form at the Southland Racing Club’s fixture the previous week. The son of Comedian got round the country with a scamble, and gave Grafton Tot a fair run home on the flat.

The principal sprint race at the Riverton fixture, the Aparima Handicap, went to Silverpeak, the daughter. of Adjudge—Oblong scoring nicely from Eight Bells and several others. Silverpeak was not produced on the second day of the fixture, with the result that the way was paved for Eight Bells, who duly arrived in the Flying Handicap, Almoner and Linden chasing her home in that order. The success of the daughter of ViceAdmiral was overdue, consequently her owners, Messrs. Grieve Bros., were warmly congratulated. In his other races of late it has been noticeable that Linden (Martian — Linen) has displayed a glimpse of his form of the past, but he has to improve to a considerable extent to win in the company in which, he is now asked. The heaviest backed horse ever stripped for a race on the Riverton course was Primum in the First County Handicap on Easter Saturday. The race looked like a gift to the son of Nassau —-Prim, but the perverse brute whipped round at the barrier and took no part in the contest. Like his stable companion, Silver Peak, Primum was not raced on the second day, Mr. Stone having left for the C.J.C. autumn meeting on the evening of the first day’s races. One of the most interesting features of the Riverton meeting was the debut of ex-trainer A. D. McIvor as public starter. Mr. Mclvor won instantaneous success, getting the horses away from flat-footed starts on every occasion the fields lined up at the barrier. Those who had watched him perform in private on the training tracks were quite prepared to find him doing his work particularly well, but they were hardly ready to face the marked success which attended his efforts. The principal event on the second day at Riverton, the Easter Handicap, went to the flat-faced Kilbroney gelding, Kilkee, who scored cleverly from Thaddeus. Kilkee’s saddle and lead-bag shifted in the Riverton Cup near the home turn when he was going w r ell, hence his party had good reason to support him again when he won — this they did with confidence.