ELECTORAL SPORTING.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2721, 8 December 1881, Page 3

ELECTORAL SPORTING.

SECOND EDITION

GRAND TRIENNIAL MEETING. [communicated.] - TiMARU Cup, of 200 guineas, to bo run at the Courthouse, to-morrow. Distance, once round the course. Mr W. C. Beswick’s c h Grocer, out of Auctioneer, by Independence (Liberal) 1 Mr J. Crawford’s Turncoat, out of “ Timaru Herald,” by Hall Party (Backslider) 2 Mr Cowley’s Pheasant, by Labor League, out of Mechanic (Laziness) 3 Grocer is a long raking animal with any amount of pluck and staying power and he is certain to run straight. His stable have pinned their faith on him, and he has gone up in the betting considerably since his violent kicking of Turncoat’s dam on the nomination day. He is a moral, and is certain to be landed a winner bands down. Turncoat is a sickly looking crossbred horse, with week constitution and palpitating heart. His preliminary canter showed he is gone in the legs. As a jumper he is poor indeed, but he managed to get over the old bank at the corner of Church street and North road in his young days without stumbling. He has lost his old fire, however, and has to run in bandages, on account of bad splints on his fore legs. His new jockey intends using the v hip very hard, but as the metal is not in the horse he is sure to run a bad second. The Pheasant. intends to fly for it, but he will be rather too slow on the wing. He has too much of the cart horse about him, and his action is stiff. His jockey’s energy is characteristic of the horse, and he is not likely to push him past the distance post. Betting : 100 to 1 on Grocer—no takers ; 40 and 50 to 1 against Turncoat —freely taken by the publicans ; Pheasant not in it.

The Gladstone Plate, of 220 sovs ;

Ten miles and a distance. Mr R. Buist’s Captain, by Sea Cook out of Wasps ... (Progress) 1 Mr J. Page’s Squatter, by Pills,out of Black Draught ... (Jumbucks) 2 Mr W. Warne’s Dainty Davy, by Tubal Cain, out of Blacksmith (Honorarium) 3 Mr Crawford’s Farmer, by Legislator out of Folly ... (Wheatear) 0 A formidable team will start for this race, and they are certain to be placed as above. Captain is a short active horse with good quality all over. He is not very swift of foot, but Lc is a grand stayer, and as the course is a long one he will carry out the adage of “an old dog for a hard road” and win in a canter. Squatter has seen his best days, and is rather “broken mouthed,” but his temper during training has been excellent. His stable has been knocked very hard lately by the loss of two leading sires “ Stevens” and “ Eichardson,” and they are anxious that Squatter should be first run up to his station at the winning post. He will make a good run for it, but it is understood that the old hard worked sires “ Grain Growes” and “Unemployed” will block him in the straight run home and make him loose the race. Davy will run without shoes, as he has been suffering from corns, unless a blacksmith can be found to shoo him on the course. His trainer has been feeding him on oatmeal lately, and he is fairly good in the wind, but his legs are shaky. After leaving Pleasant Point the course will be too heavy for him and he will break down. Farmei has any amount of pluck, and does not require the “ confidence” of the people. He will start well, but like his stable companion, Davy, he will never see the judge’s eye. If he does not bolt off the course and show his fiery metal by running a few miles behind the Point it will be a marvel.

Betting—Even money on Captain ; 3 to 1 against Squatter (taken by Mackenzie Country Cadets and medicos): 50 to 1 against Dainty Davy, and any odds against Farmer.