CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 56

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Ftutz. We have had another week of unsettled jveattier. Tn the early part the sun shone brightly, and the tracks were getting into first-class order, when rain set in on Toesday night, making them as bad as ever again. This caused a break in the training, operations for a day or two, as it was Saturday before the ground was in a fit oondition for fast galloping. Witb the spring meetings so close at hand the frequent interruptions, owing to inclement weather, are particularly annoying to the trainers. The Ashburton County Racing Club will set the flat-raoing season in motion in the South Island on Wednesday and Friday of this week. The acceptances received on Thursda> night were of an exceedingly satisfactory nature, and everything points to a very successful meeting There wilf be. a strong Riccartbn contingent in evidence, most of the 'stables being represented. It is not often that North Island horses are found racing at Ashburton, but I understand that Whatakura is coming down for th© hurdle events. If only the weather is favourable the meeting should be one of the best the club has held, but the matter of the weather has always to be reckoned with, as the Aahburton County Racing Club is one of the most unlucky I know of in this respect. Excellent nomiaationa have been received for- the Geraldine Racing Club's meeting. I Many of the horses will be seen out at Ashburton, but there is a good sprinkling of fresh names. A couple of Riccartop two-year-olds,, will be 'racing at Ashburton this week, engagements having been made for them in the Maiden Hack Scurry on the second day. They are: Achray, by Conqueror— Lady Principal, and therefore a full brother to Fitsv Consul, who won a race at- Marton, - and Frivolliti, by Pallas— Pleasure Seeker. Both youngsters have shown in their track work that they possess a fair turn of speed " — in fact, Achray is credited in some quarters with being particularly smart. The English-bi-ed filly, Wet Day, which* is an inmate of R. Derrett's stable, is * showing up very attractively on the tracks, f.nd she should not be long before she wins 1 m race. Slie will probably be seen out at Ashburton this week. ' , Sea King is galloping well at present, but t unfortunately has shown slight symptoms of faineness more than once. Nothing at Riccarton is doing more attrac- ! live work than Prim. The daughter of -Pilgrim's Progress— Nantes was the cause of much anxiety to her trainer in the early \ part of her career, as she was continually going lame, but she seems all right now, and is bowling along in rare style. The manner in which she reeled off a mile on .Satirdaj morning — the time being easily the best of the mo; ning — was very convincing. " Rock Ferry, who was purchased by Mr H. Solomon at the conclusion of the Grand J National meeting, is shaping well, and if j he only reproduces his track form he should soon win a race. Ros* Noble is moving along freely, and 'ha« been responsible . for some useful gal- • lops. He looks in nice trim for early en- : gagements. • Federal has been responsible for several . very fast sprints lately There is no doubt • he can go fast,- but I have an -idea that • he 1 is somewhat, o^er-rated. Well placed ' he: would w j n plenty of races, but Ido not I ( .fancy him at all when it comes to tackling .the' strong opposition, that is. to be met ' - with in our leading sprinting^ events. { Bulletin is shaping well at present; and pay hu way this season, though he ' ■ scarcely takes ihe .eye- as one likely to j rival the doings of his balf-brother, Bobri- - koff. Ciitts has Broadsword and Sharpshooter ' - looking in nice condition. Both colts have I been responsible fo>- some useful work of late, and tht^y should give a good account ' of themselves when they measure strides with the North Island three-year-olds at Wanganui, where I understand they will be ' Bent this w-eek. I Sir George Clifford holds a very strong ! hand this season in three-year-olds — j numerically, at any rate,— for he has 10 -of them in regular woik. Broadsword and ! Sharpshooter, I have already mentioned, and Taskmaster is another that is certain j to be heard of later on. He has wintered " well, and is shaping well on the tracks. , ' He may not be briliant over a short course, . but he looks like staying. Fasnakyle is 1 . lalso in good order, as are a pair that have i never raced yet— Merchantman (Birken- ; head— Brave Heart) and Full Sail (Pil- ' prim's Progress— Windwhistle). The con- , tingent is completed by Kilwinning (Kil- I - cherait — Success), Somersault, (Soult — Sprite), Ploughshare (sister to Husbandman), and Thistledown (sister to Flitaway). 14 is a long time since Chokebore shel- 1 ' tiered such a promising team of three-year- ' olds with which to commence the season, j . I understand that someone has been back- j "ing Husbandman for the New Zealand Cup. ' So. far as his preparation has gone he has t got through his work in a workmanlike , manner • He is unlikely to sport silk before Cup day, so that there is plenty of time yet to ask him a few severe questions, but, taking a line from his present appearance, his condition should be all H'ght. I Mr M. F. Barrett, the proprietor of , {daylight, was last week fined £20 and co~ts " or a breach of the Gaming and Lotteries . - !Act in publishing- betting quotations on J

time yei tions, bi

ippearance,

| future racing events. He intends, however, ! to carry the case to the Supreme. Court, and has appealed against the decision of „the magistrate. ' The committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club held its monthly meeting on Tuesday. The following programmes were approved: — Awatere Racing Club, Springfield Racing Club, Cheviot Racing Club, and Havelock Hack Racing Club. The actions of the Amberley Steeplechase Club in dis- . qualifying Hazelwood winner of the Far- : mers* Hack Race and of the Waimate District Hunt, in disqualifying Tarpon, winner of the District Hack Race, were endorsed. Gentlemen riders' certificates were granted to F. R. Frame, J. P. BaTr, and F. H. I Harley; trainers' licenses to W. F. Gillett, J. J. Lewis, W. A. Monk, J. M'Grath, and W. Porter; and jockeys* licenses to C. R. Emerson, H. Forwood, W. F. Gillett, J. M'Grath, C. A. Suwey, and W. H. Wright. Owing to a mistake in the office, through which Mr G. Hunter's three-year-old fillies had been st-nick out of the Oaks, instead of the Derby, it was decided that they should be reinstated in the Oaks. The annual meeting of the Rakaia Rac- ! ing Club was held on Thursday. There were about 25 members present, and Mr T. Blackly, vice-president, was in the chair. Mr Strachan, the retiring chairman, read bis report, which stated that the club was growing, and notwithstanding bad weather • the last race meeting had been a success lin every way. Hs thanked the members ; for ihe liberal support they had given, the '. membership having rt ached the satisfactory i number of 75. Mr S. Hardy, honorary ' treasurer, read the balance sheet, which showed that the club was in a good finan1 cial position. The report and balance sheet were adopted. Rules drafted by the committee were confirmed, and it was decided to apply for December 16, 1909, for the next race meeting, and to make the pro- ' gramme practically the same as last year s. 1 The following officers were elected:— Patron* Mr L. White; president, Mr C. A C Hardy, M.P. ; vice-presidents, Messrs ! H J. Harrison, R. Magson, A. W. Holmes, T. Blackly, and T. Langley; honorary surgeon Dr Coates; stewards — Messrs W. A. Strachan, A. J. Magson, M. M'Anulty, L. Ruddock, R. Harrison, W. J. Morland, and J. Da-vison; honorary treasurer, Mr S. Hardy; honorary secretary, Mr S. Leversedge. At a meeting of stewards Mr Magson was elected chairman.