CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1589, 7 October 1920, Page 9

CANTERBURY.

Gloaming to be Treated to Lengthy Spell—Qutts Eros-' Big Team — Notes on the Geraldine R.C.’s Meeting— Nautical Purchased by North Canterbury Sportsman After Winning Cup. CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. During the absence of so many trainers at the Geraldine meeting matters have been decidedly quiet at Riccarton. Amythas, Humboldt and Smoke are back again, and had a few days on the easy list. Jones ascribes the firstnamed’s defeat in the Eclipse Stakes to shortage of work. For a week before the meeting Amythas only had one gallop, and he is a horse that takes a lot of sharpening up. Arrowsmith is pottering about again, having put on a lot beef during his term of idleness. Under the most favourable circumstances Christmas will have a job to get him ready to show his best at November. Gloaming returned from his unlucky trip to Sydney last week. He is to be turned out for a lengthy spell, and is unlikely to sport silk till autumn. The North Island hurdler Endure is now a member 'of J. B. Pearson’s team at Riccarton, but so far has not been required to do much. He is a good sort, one that cannot fail to pick up a few jumping races for his new owners.

Cutts Bros.’ big team are all going on the right way. Winter Wind looks all the better for his race at Ashburton, and the Dunedin Guineas looks almost at his mercy. How he will shape against the best of the North Island three-year-olds in the Dery remains to be seen.

Nhutical added further to his list of successes by appropriating the Geraldine Cup after a desperate finish with Warlike and Linden. Always in a handy position, the son of Nautiform joined the leaders at the distance, and in a battle royal with Warlike just got the verdict by a nose. Needless to sLy, the success of Mr. T. Sheenan was particularly well received, for he has always been a staunch patron of country racing. Subsequently Nautical was purchased by the North Canterbury sportsman Mr. R. J. Taylor at 400 guineas. Sheenan leaves for Auckland in the course of a few weeks, and is endeavouring to dispose of all his horses. All Serene made small work of the moderate lot that opposed him in the First Hurdles. He jumped much better than at Ashburton, and led throughout. The son of All Red is a fine stamp for the business, but as he is none too good in the wind lengthy courses will always trouble him. On the strength of her dual success at Ashburton, Satisfaction saw a very short price for the Squatters’ Handicap She got a useful lead with Fabrinade, in the early stages, but failed to s<ll off a late run by Clean Sweep. The latter appeared to handle the heavy going better than most of his opponents, but he had nothing in reserve as the post was reached. Listening Post made his first effort as a three-year-old in this race, but was too backward to show his true form. The few backers of Theda in the Ohapi Hack Handicap were rewarded with a substantial two figure dividend. It is understood that the stable connections of the San Francisco mare held half the tickets taken out on her chance. Jack Symons made amends for his defeat in the Cup by scoring a decisive win in the Belfield Welter. He is one of those that always run best with a strong horseman in the saddle. T. Sheehan turned ouf, his second winner when Greekson put down a useful field in the Apprentice Plate. He was well handled by A. Ellis, and it was only by dint of vigorous horsemanship that he got the verdict over Dutch Courage by a nose. LATER. Amythas to be Taken to Wellington Meeting—R. J. Mason Expected Back in New Zealand at End of Week. (Telegraph—Christchurch Correspondent) The tracks were so heavy at Riccarton on Saturday morning that no fast work was done, most of the trainers being content to give their charges easy tasks on the sand. Wicklow and Southern, who claim engagements at the Kurow meeting on Thursday, were given a turn over the big fences, both shaping well. Though Arrowsmith has been engaged in the leading events at the Wellington meeting he cannot be ready to reproduce his best form. So far he has only got through the easiest of tasks, but is being hurried along this week-

Amythas is to be taken to Trentham, and h e will be in much better trim than at Wanganui. As Vespucci and Dewdrop have been engaged at Wellington it seems probable that R. J- Mason will be back in New Zealand for that fixture. This suggests that he . will leave Sydney on Saturday next, and so miss the last day at Randwick. As’ Mr. G. DGreenwood also has Karo, Rossini, and Adopted engaged at Trentham he will be particularly well represented at the fixture. The Rangiora sportsman Mr. R. J. Taylor made a lucky deal when he paid £4OO for Nautical, on the first day of the Geraldine meeting. Racing in his new owner’s colours on the second day the son of Nautiform scored a meritorious success over Clean Sweep in the President’s Handicap. As the stake was worth 150 sovs., and it is understood Mr. Taylor participated in the big dividend returned, he has now got a very cheap horse.

General Petain stood out in a class by himself amongst the hurdlers that sported silk at the Geraldine meeting. He was not produced till the second day, and though burdened with 11.11 he made short work of the lot, that opposed him. The Ashburton representative is an upstanding son of All Red and Lady Lilian, and is owned and trained by J. Lewis. He has every qualification to make good over hurdles or between the flags, and Grand National honours in either department should not be beyond himAll Serene was running a good race in the Second Hurdles at Geraldine till he went wrong, and he will require a spell before racing again. Greek Son won a double for Mr. T. Sheenan at the Geraldine meeting, and with Nautical helped to place the veteran owner-trainer at tha, head of the winning list. Though Mr. Sheenan intends taking up his residence in the Auckland province he may be an occasional visitor to the South Island meetings. Dutch Courage acted as runner-up to Greek Son in the Gladstone Handicap on Friday, thereby registering her fourth successive performance as runner-up within a week. The three-year-old Listening Post ran a good race in the Farewell Handicap, which he won, and it is sure to improve him. According to present intentions he will be a starter in the Dunedin Guineas, but can have little chance with Winter Wind.

The New Zealand Trotting Cup candidate Agathos has contracted strangles, and there is little chance of him being a competitor in the big event.