SPORTING.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19063, 27 July 1927, Page 12

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. Joly 28 »p4 80—Oisborne B.C. Jnly 80—ChrUtehurch Hunt. August 9, 11. 13— Canterbury J.C. Grand Septemb« 8 3-A.J.o l JVarwick Farm. TROTTING FIXTURES. August 6, 10, and 12— N.Z. Metropolitan T.O. . TURF GOSSIP. Acceptances for the Christchurch Hunt Club's Meeting, to be held on Saturday next, close to-day. It appears that Fairy Herald was not nominated for the Brabazon Welter to be run at the Christahurcn Hunt Meeting on Saturday next, but Fairy Tidings was. Even Fairy Tidings at the minimum weight appears to be well treated. R B Thomson will ride Crown Coin inEiccarton engagements. H. Wiggins, the Auckland horseman who recently visited Melbourne, wnf'be Si the aadlle at Riccarton nest month. Mr C. B. HassaU of Timaru, has been appointed handicapper to the Otago Hunt Club. A large number of horses je» «J the tracts at the unfavourable weather and track conditions, were all against fast work.

Zircon and Royal Form were given strong work. Both horses are very well, and may be expected -to race prominently in their immediate engagements. Beau Cavalier, a Grand National Steeplechase candidate, did easy worK. He looks particularly well. Charlatan, improved as a result of Saturday's racing at the South yanterburv Hunt Meeting, tolled along in good style. He appears to he the main hope of the South Island in this year's big cross country race. tan has never looked better than he does at present, and with a race over the Riccarton country on Saturday next he should be in great order tor his Grand National engagement. Over some of the competitors Charlatan win have a W advantage, for he has crossed the hie country at Riccarton on several occasions.

Peter Maxwell was a centre of interest, and nothing wrong can &© found with the condition of l;rt years National winner.- With Rangatahi he was allowed to stride along over a circuit.

Magna Charta, who claims an engagement in the Brabazon Welter next Saturday, is in first-class fettle, ana if in the right humour on the day the Winter Cup should not be beyond him. With Charlatan in the Grand National Steeplechase, and Magna Charta in the Winter Cud, the Riccarton trainer, T. H. Gillett, nolds a strong hand.

Rangiawhio, a stablemate of Peter Maxwell and Rangatahi created a very favourable impression amongst trackwatchers, and he is expected to race well on Saturday next. He is a goodlooking gelding, and as the class he is set to meet is not good he may be seen to advantage.

Gaze, who was ridden by R. E. Thomson, and Perle de Leon (B. Warner) were gKven a round over the hurdles. Both jumped well. Perle de twn, who gave. inconsistent.displays at Wellington, is expected to win a race before fie returns to the North Island.

Limerick, Battlement, and Arikiwai, who are due to leave Wellington for Sydney on July 29th, 'were given easy exercise at Riccarton yesterday. Limerick looks a picture, and by the time F. D. Jones has given him his final gallops he will be fit to run for a kingdom.

The New Zealand trainer, R. J. Mason, is again at Randwick, having brought over his Derby candidate, Agrion, and another three-year-old gelding, PhiUipio (says a Sydney writer on July 12th). Agrion has made up into a fine colt since he was here last spring, and compares favourably with the N.S.W. Derby candidates as far as appearances go. Just now he is carrying a good deal of "beef," as he has not been on a track since the autumn racing in the Dominion ended. Phillipic is a compactly-built gelding, and is yet a maiden, though he ran a close second before coming over.

Limerick's departure for Australia is one of the topics mentioned by "The Yeoman" in to-day's issue of "The Weekly Press." He also talks in his interesting fashion of Desert Gold's remarkable career.

Since the New Zealand Racing Conference granted the Waikato Racing Club Labour Day, the club has offered the Waikato Hunt Club, which, previously raced on that day, the free use of the course and appointments at Te Rapa for five years, states a Hamilton Press Association message. Owing to the recent heavy rain the local trotting tracks are closed and training operations are. at a standstill. A FAMOUS SIRE. THE END' OF MARTIAN. The death occurred at Mr J. F. Buchanan's Kinloch stud, a few days ago, of Martian, the greatest thoroughbred sire New Zealand has known in recent years. The old son of Martagon and Otterden was foaled as far back as 1901, and so was 26 years old at the time of his death. Otterden, in foal to Martagon, was purchased by the late Mr Geo. G. Stead, on a visit to England, and Martian was foaled at Yaldhurst, to English time.. Martian, though not raced a great deal, showed -imself a real stayer, and a brilliant galloper, qualities that h~ transmitted to his progeny when put to the stud. He Btarted racing as a three-year-old, winning the CJ.C. Challenge Stakes and North Island Challenge Stakes. As a four-year-old he ' won the A.J.C. Bandwick Plate of two and a quarter miles, and later won the Canterbury Cup over a similar distance, j When Martian's racing days were I ended he. was sold to Mr J. F. Buchanan, of Little River, and it is as a stud success that Martian has become famous. In his eighteen seasons at the stud, Martian's stock have credited him with close on £300,000 and he has beaded the list of winning sires on seven occasions, besides which his stock have won a big sum of money on Australian courses. As a sire of stayers, Martian stood alone, and it is only necessary to mention the names of the following horses to show what a power he haß been in keeping up the standard of the thoroughbred in New Zealand. Following are a few of bis most notable performers: Warstep, Rapine, Danube, Cherubini, Reputation, Sasanof, Menelaus, Stardancer, Snub, Mascot, Vagabond, Star Stranger, Adjutant, Bee, Nones, Warplane, The Hawk, and Ermine. His progeny have won the New