SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1578, 22 July 1920, Page 11

SOUTHLAND.

P. T. Hogan’s Team Leaves for Ric- , carton — South Canterbury Hunt Fixture —F. Hill Educating Winton Stakes Candidate in a Filly by Calibre —Dunedin J.C.’s Highly Satisfactory Season —Improved Totalisator Arrangement Forecasted at Dunedin and Southland Meetings. INVERCARGILL, Saturday. Heavy rain fell during the current week, putting, the local tracks out of use for the longest period of a comparatively mild winter so far. However, road work appears to agree with many of the horses, the variety and strange scene appealing to equines as well as to their masters. On Thursday a lengthy string of horses from the Rorke’s Drift Lodge was entrained for the north, the most prominent of the number being Almoner, Calma, Dunmure, and Bengeroop. Several hunters and the rising two-year-olds St. Brenden and Song Bird were included in the team. P.

Hogan will not be represented in the Grand National Steeplechase this year, much as he would like to saddle up a competitor for the big crosscountry race, but it is . very likely that he will strip the winners of some of the minor events, while Bengeroop must hold .a fair outside chance in the C.J.C. Winter Cup or some other event of similar class. Wednesday of the coming week will mark the occasion of the Birchwood Hunt annual flag steeples at Otautau, for which quite a number of horses have been qualifying for some time past. Several promising novices will be tried out in the light and heavyweight classes, for which several covered trophies are on offer. Provided the maiden performers referred to acquit themselves with credit they will probably be regularly trained for the OtagO Hunt totalisator meeting and early spring steeplechasing at Winton and elsewhere. When following the Birchwood pack last week Dunmure struck a wire in a small gorse fence, with the result that he got a heavy fall, but escaped unhurt. Not so J. McChesney, however, the Gienapp gelding striking him on the head with one of. his feet. The well-known crosscountry horseman did not permit the happening to interfere with his programme, and he left for Timaru several days later to-fulfil riding engagements at the South Canterbury Hunt fixture. Trainer P. Hogan will probably tarry at Timaru for the local hunt.

totalisator fixture, afterwards continuing his journey .to Riccarton, from where he will work the Brackenfield gathering prior to the Grand National meeting. . .... F. Hill is at present educating- :a 'handsome rising th fee-year-old filly by Calibre — Feedalma, by Gipsy Grand —Neva (dam of Danube). The sister to Calma and Centimeter, who has been favourably treated since being purchased here at a sale in January last of horses bred by Mr. J. N. Grigg, of Longbeach, is being got ready to make her first public appearance in the Winton Stakes Handicap in November next. Calibre mares have not been very, successful racehorses as a rule, but the filly referred to is of make and shape to the general run of female progeny of the Light Artillery stallion. She is brown in colour, and obviously throws back to the Stepniak . side of the horse. The progress of the Dunedin Jockey Club during the last few years and the popularity of meetings held at Wingatui have been remarkable, hence it is not surprising to find that the club to date has experienced a very successful season. Starting the financial year with a cash balance of £2396 odd. and notwithstanding the large expenditure in improvements, maintenance, and increased prize money, their balance to-day is £2638. When it is claimed that the , past season has been the most successful in the history of the club the position is not being overstated, and hearty congratulations have therefore to be extended to our friends over the border, for sportsmen in this district

consider themselves as representing a separate province even though they are controlled from Otago under the rules of racing. The dispute in regard to the date (March 17) between the Southland Racing Cltib and the Waimate Racing Club has been settled in favour of the latter body. The Southland R.C.’s autumn fixture next season will now take place on March 9 and 10, the Gore R.C.’s fixture being listed for the previous week. This arrangement should meet with everybody’s approval, and seems to be a very satisfactory solution of the problem. The Otago and Southland totalisator contractor, Mr. W. F. James, is about .to pay a visit to Sydney, where he no doubt will closely study the working of the electric wagering machine in use at Randwick. It is an open secret that the Dunedin Jockey Club intend installing a mechanical betting agent in the near future, a fact which may have something to do with the trip which Mr. James is undertaking. The Southland Racing Club have also considered the fact that new totalisator arrangements will be necessary' in Invercargill in the near future.: There is no necessity to hold an election in connection with the appointment of office-bearers for the Dunedin Jockey Club for the ensuing season, Messrs. A. C. Hanlon and L. C. Hazlett being returned unopposed as president and vice-president respectively. Mr. Hanlon is a very popular head to the metropolitan body, while he is always inclined to any progressive proposals or innovations likely to advance his club. As vice-president Mr. Hazlett is an expert on racing procedure and law, and he is possessed of very wide experience where course, track, and other appointments have to be established.