SPORTING.

Southland Times, Issue 18822, 15 May 1920, Page 3

SPORTING.

NOTES BY SIR MODRED,

Royal races at Riccarton to-day. English Derby, Epson:, June 2. Arrowsmith v. Amythas meet to-day. Oamaru races Thursday, Friday next. Dunedin minor handicaps due Saturday. Wanganui acceptances are duo on Monday. R. Reed has won 544 races, brother Ashley 534. Oam aru acceptances are duo on Monday evening. Admiral Talbot is reported to be showing soreness. Glonsponse will not start at the Royal meeting to-day. Kilkec is expected to run well at the D.J.C. Winter races. San Sebastian will be hard to beat at Riccarton to-day. The American trotting stallion Hal Zoloch is now in Ashburton. Trotting sires list; Harold Dillon, £93594, Rothschild £74964. A high price was refused for Southland pacer Royal Step at Forbury Park. Local backers went for Eleus in Timaru Cup in preference, to Almoner, the winner. A feature of the Royal meeting at .Riccarton to-day will be the music supplied by the Royal Marino Band from H.M.S. Renown. The sister to Desert Gold, who is held on lease by trainer F. Davis from Mr T. H. Lowry, has had the name of Aureate conferred upon her. Thirteen candidates for jumping honours at the Auckland R.C.’s Winter meeting claim the double engagement —G.N. Hurdles and G.N. Steeplechase. The yearling colt recently purchased in Sydney for Mr G, D. Greenwood, is to he known on the racecourse as Kama, by Beragoon from Volga. The clever Otogo-owued square trotter Delville Wood has Leon sent up to New Brighton to be prepared by the successful mentor, R. J. Pollock. The Gore pacer Quick Match is to lie sent on to Lhrisrchureh to be trained by G. Bryce at Oakharnpton Lodge, where Matchlight is sheltered in the same ownership. It is claimed that the race cord provided by the Auckland. Racing Club for the Royal party at the recent meeting was the most handsome yet produced in the Dominion. The cover was of purple English calf, caselined with watered silk, the front having the Prince of Wales’s feat her*, inlaid in white, red and green, the lettering. Auckland Racing Club Official Card, being in gold, while on the hack appears the club's monogram. also in, gold. J. Bryce has had several additions made to hia Oakharnpton Lodge team of lute which promise well in the light harness world. Two of the recruits arc from Hawke’s Bay. viz.. Master Hal and Hal Junior, and both shape as if they will he classed in the to a; rank at or after the next New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting in November. Tim pair are descendants of the imported stallion Had Zolock, who has been wonderfully .••uceesMul in Maoriland as a sire when it is con.-idcred that his services have only been available for a very limited number of marcs, his owner not being inclined to encourage breeders at large. It would not. be surprising to find Mr Lloyd’s pair of pacers racing with credit when the Grand National Uarnivai is in sway in August next in Christchurch, as the North Ismnd owner is a keen admirer of galloper;, jumpers and horses of the light harness tribe. -V young-ter in Bryce’s kindergarten idass whoso breeding will appeal to Southlanders i< a two-year-old filly by Four Chimes from Muricata. The juvenile is being caught to pace the right way, but there is no intention of racing her until she classes as a thrce-ycar-old. Trainer J. Thi.-dleton inis experienced an extended streak of misfortune of late with the result titar he has lo«t the services of two promising horses. Tlv- live-year-old horse Sartoval. by Sarto—Olivine, died on the day following a serious operation, while Oreti, by Sarto, collided with a motor car on being frightened by a cyclist, and breaking a limb, hart to be destroyed. Sartoval had been schooled tor cross country racing for a long time p.i-t and, promised to develop into a winning steeplechaser, hence his loss is a very severe one to the Riverton trainer. Oreti was owned by Mr H. "Woodley, of Mossburn. in whose colours Beugeroop races from Rorim's Drift Lodge as one of P. T. Hogan’s oupiU. Oreti was a useful galloper an! Thi.-ti-ron had nun-on to think that; he would turn out decidedly useful. The Christchurch baht harness reinsrnan. rider and. trainer. R. .1. Franks, ras returned home after a holiday jaunt to Australia and Victoria in particular. Mr Franks witnessed a considerable urnounr, of racing in and around Melbourne and -peak-- in very complimentary perms of the horses concerned, bur ndveisidy criticises the management of many fixtures. His experiences impressed Mr Frank.- with the undesirability of proprietary racing and he is of the opinion that tlie ironing game will not prosper as it should do in Victoria, until the sport comes under management similar to that which obtains in New Zealand. The success <-i Almoner in the Timaru Cup was very npi rupnat-?, ns the sou of Boniform and —cel: is owned in the South Canterbury district. The chestnut gelding's victory b a •••-.-Hut in the cap of P. T. Hogan j..r several reasons, the principal one being rh:-» she hj t-c had t!m reputation oi Pi-mg a aaaa-; - w.ncn he joined the Rerke's Drift [."dvr- establishment, while ho has always b -an looked upon as more or less unsound .-ua'- n-naval in Invercargill. The expend'nsre of n good deal of time and ron-m 1 ' became necessary before the son of ll'uun'rm could be induc-'d to show winning i.-.-m. and, finally, when it looked as if no was mwer going to come back, he pick*--: up a small race at Tapanui, and from that time onwards he has made slow hue sure improvement. If his trainer can keep him on his legs as a sound galloper. Almoner should win again prior to the close of the season. The committee „f the Riverton Jockey Club met on t::e seaside course last week, when their architect, Mr Brodrick was in attendance, A general survey of the grounds was made, and the positions of the various proposed buildings indicated. The increased area, by lim acquisition of the new property, will enable the club to give ample room to patrons. The committee met again in the evening, and ir was decided to call tenders at once for the shifting of the present tote house, srewanas -paid and outside stands to permanent positions. The present grandstand will be demolished, and. in its stead will be erected a brick grandstunt! of 120 feet in length, on the plan of the one at Gore.

THE ROYAL MEETING

NOTES BY SIR MODRED,

{Special to the Times.!

CHRISTCHURCH, May 14

The weather is damp and cold, with showers ami penetraring rain at intervals, but the going at Riccarron is still good, and unless further ruin is experienced the C.J.C. track should be in fairly good condition tomorrow, as it takes a heavy downpour to seriously a tied the local galloping surface. It is generally considered that the issue of the Welcome Hurdles rests between Hylans anil Kuhn, hut they may find their burdens troublesome with speedy lightweights like Jack Symons and Take Down in the field. Coalition and Manawapango will attract heavy support in the Renown Steeplechase to -morrow, hut there is no reason why Eilverspire, Crib, and San Sebastian should cot bo always with the favourites. San Sebastian, who is considered in the south to he very leniently treated by the haudicapper, lost friends by jumping badly at Timaru. However, the fences on the Washdyke track hardly appeared to bo stiff enough to make the San Francisco gelding do his best. On his .Southland running San Sebastian should be suited by the country over which he will be called upon to race. Eilverspire should lie seen at his best under 10.fi. Rumours that all is not well with \\ aim li me untrue.

It is needless to say that the Marlborough Stakes are the talk of the hour with Karo now in the picture. R. J. Mason's charge put up a six furlongs gallop yesterday which pleased the critics. All the same Arrowsmith (H. Gray) is almost certain to start first in order of selection, with Amythas (McFlimD next. A great deal will probably depend on how the race is run. Provided a strong juice is set the admirers of Amythas will be satisfied that their fancy is suited, as he is a genuine stayer. The contest may resolve itself into a battle of tactics between the jockeys Gray, Deeley and McFlinn, and the writer is going to be with the last named. Kilrush will probably start favourite for the Royal Handicap, now that H. Gray has been engaged to ride him in place of J. Olsen. The son of Kilbroney is a good horse, and is galloping in rare form at present. The Southhmder Eleus has a chance, but the writer would prefer Sunart, who is very favourably placed in regard to weight Bruekenficld, who is said to be able to get the journey, may have a chance, but the elect of Hogan’s pair, Kilkec and Almoner, should beat him. In the Cornwall Handicap there will be strong backing for Sturlaud ami Nightraidcr, while Sisyphus will have a great following, but Primum must be given a bright chance provided he gets away fairly, ns it has been proved that W. Stone’s representative can get the distance. The Southerner will bo ridden by G. Young. It is reported that Mustard Pot will see a short price in the Sandringham Handicap, while Hetaua and Torfreda will have many admirers. On her running in the south and at Timaru Silver Peak cannot be left out of the calculations. The Invercargill mare is almost certain to run well and to put in a strong claim for one of the cups attached to each of the six races to-morrow. Seratchiugs for to-morrow —Steeplechase, Arlington and Crib; Welter, Checkmate; Royal, Onslaught; Hurdles, Tip Up. A yearling pacing iilly (Nelson Bingen— Ma Belle) has been sold at a high price to Mr G. Craw, Palmerston North. The Hawke’s Bay stallion Demosthenes lues been sold to Mr Percy Millar (Victoria) who last season gave 5000 guineas for the English stallion Magpie. FURTHER SCRATCHINGS. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 14. In connection with to-morrow's Royal meeting, Tnl-m Down was scratched for the Welcome Hurdles at 3 p.m. to-day, and sleepy Head for the Sandringham Handicap at 3 p.m. RICCARTON TRAINING NOTES. CHRISTCHURCH, May 14. At Riccarton this morning Coalition and Seadown were companions over a couple of circuits at a useful pace. Coalition hit out very freely, and is particularly well at present. Waimai was given strong pacing, and strode out in good style. He bears a welltrained appearance, being thoroughly seasoned as a result of his recent racing. Karo finished in front of Adopted at tho end of a half-mile sprint. Neither of them was fully extended. Link Up and Nightraidcr rattled over half a mile smartly, Link Up holding his companion comfortably at the finish. Primum and Eleus covered a mile on tile grass, Primum going better at the end of a useful gallop. A large number of other horses, including -Vrrowsmith, Amythas, Kilrush, iiaaribbon, Bonnie Maid, .Sunart and .Melee, gut through useful tasks over various distances. Onslaught was very lame after working at. Riccarton on Thursday, and will be unable to fulfil his eugegemenl in the Royal Handicap to-morrow. The trouble is in the suspensory ligament, and the racing career of the brilliant Antagonist gelding may be at an end. Checkmate is suffering from a bruised knee, which will prevent him from racing in the Sauilriughatu Welter Handicap tomorrow. Arlington was scratched for the Ileaown Steeplechase at 9.45 to-day. Tip Up was scratched for the Welcome Hurdle Handicap at 10.35 to-day