THE FORBURY PARK RACECOURSE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 52

THE FORBURY PARK RACECOURSE.

j During the past week a visit was paid j to Forbury Park in order to see what t progress was being made towards complet- I ing the new course, and it was at once ] noticed that, despite the broken weather experienced of late, work had been going on as much as possible The recent rains have greatly benefited the clay formation by pulverising and softening the material, ■_ and it will now be easy to work it up in order to prepare the track for its final dressing-, which it is expected to complete in about seven or eight working days. A start hus been made in laying the final dressing, consisting of a sandy loam, which ' is to be worked into the clay in order to ' render it friable and easily workable into a I good racing surface. Great care should be taken that too much of the sandy material is not used, because should 'such be the case the track, from its sandy nature, would then have a tendency to cut up during a meeting, and make the going heavy. The repairs to the stands are on the point of completion, and they will soon be in the ' 1 hands of the plumbers and painters. The I I lawn stand has been buttressed with conI crete columns, and is now likely to stand for many a long day The steps which fori j mer'.v existed in the rear of the building > have been taken away, and entrance is now ' - made from the front. The outside stand [ j did not require a great deal of work to | > put it ship shape, and an excellent view of | • | the racing can be obtained from that coign i! ot vantage. The new outside totalisator ! | house i« well on towards completion, but a I I mistake appears to have been made in building the window at -which the grandtotals will be displayed on such an angle I that it will be difficult to view the figures I j from the lawn. The Jower portion of the lawn has been filled up and returfed. The ! honn stretch is fenced on the outside, j and at the present time this work is being , continued round the turn out of the ■ straight. The stewards' stand has been put in order, and the alterations to the inside totalisator house are well under way. The old range of boxes has veen converted into 26 stalls, a new entrance road is being ! formed, and the- ground in the enclosures | filled up and levelled according to what { is deemed necessary, and the end of the I present month should find that little will j j be left to do before the course is in racing ' shape. After looking over the new course . and inspecting the buildings one is at once [ struck with the idea that the club landed ' a good bargain when they acquired their 1 new property, and light-harness racing is . sure to boom along under the new condii tions. I . : | SOME CLASSIC ENTRIES. i ! The entries which have been received * , for tho Dunedin Stakes of 1910 and the I ] Champagne Stakes of 1911 form a pleasing ' , array of names which are numerically much ] stronger than usual. A very pleasing fea- j ' i ture of the entries lies in the fact that ' ] J several Southland-bred youngsters have had J , engagements claimed for them. It is ex- , tremely rare to find entries from Southland ] coming to hand for this class of races, , and it would give a decided filip to the \ , i breeding of thoroughbreds in that part of ■ t i the world if one of those in the list could 1 £ land either race. Locking over tho south- ' em entries, it is found that some promis- | f ■ngly-bred youngsters have been engaged, j t , The fast met is a filly by the one-time j 1 flier Pallas out of a Cadogan mare. Next , * is Can Robert colt from Wairere, who was I * got by Quilt from Undine, from Jeuzail, j c by Mtisket from Hannah, by Traducer. | Another colfc from Can Robert is out of I w St. Bridget, by St. Andrew (brother to , ? Clanranald) from Martyr, by Daniel j j O'Rourke from Raupo (the dam of Mata). j aj Another southerner is a Pallas colt from ' "j Red Peony (sister to Red Lancer), by St. | Clair from Red Ensign, by St. George ' I (brother to Chester) fiom Red Rose, by j tl Traducer. This fellow has some speed in : E his pedigree, and should win races if such I Ja combination of names as Musket Apre- C mont, Albany, Rup 3 e, Apropos, Pallas, Si. c Clair, St. George, and Traducer strains mean anything. Can Robert is again re- °J presentrd by a colt from First Venture, I ll who is a daughter of Phaeton (Trenton— j c , Bapphne) and Advertuiess, by Perkin War- ,' ?l beck II fiom Peggy, by Traducer from the , £] imported Irish mare Sweet Meat. Locally bred stock include three colts and a. couple ' n< of fillies all by Quan\yman, figuring in the ti nomination of the Hon G. M'Lean. Mr in L. C. Hazletfc contributes a filly by The ' bj Officer from Irish Girl, and a new stud- | in master in the shape of Mr Bruce Christie, I H of North Otaco, supplies three Kilcherans \ E: from Grand Rain, Melita, and Merry-go- -^' round. Other well-known stud-masters, ,ov such as Sir Geo. Clifford, the Messrs J. B. j - and J. F Reid, Mr J. F. Buchanan, Mr (P J. Ellis, and one or two others help to sti swell a pleasing entry list towards which P r: the North Island stud-master, Mr T. 11. lh Lowry, supplies a ccuple of names. }° ~ wn — The r&cehoree Rowena, which rpcentlv tw< arrived at Sydriev from New Zealand, died by from pneumonia. — A Sydney cable athises th? .scr-at-ehing giv of Mr Lowrv's horses— Bobrikoff for the spi Epsom Handicap and Downfall for the coi Metropolitan. I eve