NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Br Hotspur.

It will be interesting to readers to know that Bombshell was purchased on behalf of Lord William Beresford, who, no doubt, learnt to appreciate the good qualities of colonial horses by seeing some run in India, and who has shown the Britishers the wisdom of bis judgment through tbe achievements of the dual Caulfield Cup winner, Paris, for ib has been in the colours of Lord Beresford that the Australian gelding has been running this season, ft-. Marsh trains for the new owner of Bombshell, and at Egerton House, Newmarket, the-son of Chainshot will be a stable companion of the Derby winner and St. Leger favourite, the Prince of Wales's Persimmon. At the annual meeting of the MastertonOpaki Jockey Club Mr James Ames, who worked the totalisator at the club's meeting, wrote stating that application had been made to him for a totalisator dividend. This was not the only application he had received. He pointed out that he did not make it a rule to pay dividends after he left the course. If investors hod tickets and left the course they should communicate with him before leaving. He drew attention to the rules adopted by the Conference on the subject. The Wairarapa people were the chief offenders in presenting tickets after a race meeting. He left it to the Stewards to say if tbe applicant was to get his dividend. The question naturally arises, if the ticket holders on winning horses are to be denied payment of dividends unless presented on the day, is the totalisator proprietor entitled to pocket tbe surplus?

In the present case it is not sought to be made out that there was not the wherewithal to satisfy the ticket presented. The New South Wales sportsman Mr H. C. White, at present in England, attributes the success of the American horses now there to the way they are trained, and gives it as his opinion that Euglish trainers will never have horses up to the same mark until they are trained against the watch. Mr White contends that in straight away exercise gallops, with the trainer standing near the finish, it is practically impossible for him to judge what pace lm charges are going at at the various stages of a gallop, whereas in America and Australia each separate quarter of a mile is timed. Count Schomberg, who was regarded as the unfortunate performer of last season in England, is having a run of luck this year. A cable message told us that he had had a walk over for the Goodwood Cup. Prior to that no opponents were brought out against him in the weight-for-age Ellesmere Stakes at the Newmarket First July Meeting. It is to be inferred from this that the hurdle racer is held in wholesome respect; maybe owners of some of the cracks do not relish the prospect of being put down by a horse that ha_*scored with fences in the way. Those who were in the precincts of the Racecourse Hotel, Riccaiton, on Monday morning got a start when an alarm was given that the stables attached to the hotel were on fire. It appears that the candle taken into Narrates box had become expended, and the wick falling on to the floor the straw became ignited. Tnere was very littleflaraewhenNarrate'sattendanti'eturned to the box, but the mare was becoming so terrified that the lad removed her before attempting to beat down the fire, and when he returned with that object he found it had got beyond his power to check the progress of the flames. George Robertson, who was getting his horse ready to take to the railway station, was quickly on the scene and, principally through his exertions, the fire was got under. The loft was full of straw, and had the fire gained a little more headway a serious conflagration would have occurred. Fortunately all those with horses in the stable were astir tind lent assistance in stopping the progress of the flames. A meeting of the committee of the Tinwald Racing Club will be held shortly to arrange a programme for the New Year's gathering. It has been decided to very considerably increase the prize money, and the popular reunion will consequently be made more attractive than ever. At the annual meeting of members held some time back most of the old office-bearers were re-elected. For years past two Wairarapa clubs—the Masterton-Opaki J. C. and Lower Valley J. C. —have each insisted on racing on Boxing Day. It is satisfactory to find that in future there will be no clashing in the fixtures. The Colonial Secretary has issued a totalisator permit for Lower Valley on Boxing Day, and states he will not issue one for the same day for the other club, who, at its annual meeting, resolved to leave the selection of a day to the committee. The Amberley Steeplechase Club's Meeting takes place ou Thursday next and, should the weather be propitious, an enjoyable outing can be guaranteed. For the Maiden Hunters' Steeplechase I would take, in the absence of Armstrongs whose Enfield Steeplechase victory will debar him from competition, Undesirable Bill and Dundonald as the best to depend on. Should both go to the post the former may win; indeed such is the tip of the handicappers, as given in the adjustment for the Tally-ho Handicap. I like nothing so well as War Dance in the Hurdle Race. The Joker I would suppose will be kept for the bigger jumps. Despite his two falls at Riccarton, I allot Rainbow a chance, and he and St. Elmo may be the hardest for War Dance to beat. The Brackenfield Plate I give to Van Tromp. In the Tally-ho Handicap Steeplechase The Joker and Dundonald are a pair that commend themselves to mc. I should hardly think Gillie will be sent to the post. The 13st allotted Hinepu in the Hunters' Flat Race may anchor her, for she does not look a weight carrier ; still she may not find the opposition formidable enough to get her into trouble. Van Tromp and Lawrence should run well. The success of Social Pest in the Maiden Hurdle Race at Riccarton on Thursday was unexpected by his owner. He supported his other horse, Mainstay, heavily for the event, and, indeed, thought it would be throwing away £1 given him by his up-country trainer to put on Social Pest, and invested it on the other string. Mr Rutherford was even deceived when the horses were running, mistaking Social Pest, when coming home an easy winner, for Mainstay. Two of the most popular victories at the National meeting were those achieved by Mr G. A. M. Buckley's Victor. It was fitting that the two prizes most of all desired by hunting men should have fallen to a Master who has been such a princely supporter of the sport. Victor, who ia an immensely powerful horse—as he would needs have to be to carry his owner to hounds—has been a most consistent performer; besides being an accomplished and bold fencer, he is endowed with far more pace than anyone would think on looking him over. I understand that Mr Buckley does not purpose asking his welltried servant to again carry silk. Victor would make a big figure in England. Mr August Belmont, the well-known American sportsman (owner of Henry of Navarre), has decided to take his racing stable to England and race on a large scale. There will soon be a regular American colony of racing men in England. Mr Lorillard has had no luck so far with the team he brought across the Atlantic, but on the other hand, his compatriot, Mr Wishart, has been doing really well, for he scored four successes during the First July Newmarket week. That Englishmen appreciate the stock from the States will be inferred when it is said that the two-year-old gelding, Somatose, belonging to the owner just referred to, entered for a Selling Race, at £300, and which he won easily, realised £1410 when brought to the hammer, such a shrewd sportsman as Capt. Machell securing him at that figure, i Last week Mr D. Rutherford parted with Kulnine to Mr H. Kerr, of Pleasant Point, and the horse was taken to his new home on Monday. Kulnine's racing days are over, but such a really stout and shapely horse should make a capital sire. His racecourse deeds were of the highest order of merit. There have been few to compare with him as a hurdler, while a few seasons back he proved himself one of the beat sprinters. Particulars of the race for the Princess of Wales's Stakes, run at the Newmarket First July Meeting, show that the decision to let Persimmon and St. Frusquin again fight over their Derby battle aroused the greatest interest. The Derby -winner had to concede St. Frusquin 31b, and the latter had the call in the betting. The Duke of Westminster's Regret was, however, preferred to both for the reason that he had a Die pull in the weights. Regret, who was one of the winter favourites for the Derby, did not race at Epsom on account of being backward ; he was, however, supposed to have come on so much, and the stable had been in such great form at Ascot, that both the cracks were expected to have to strike their colours. With besides these three, Sir Visto and others taking part, it was small wonder that the event was eagerly looked forward to. The finish lay between the three three-year-olds, but the favourite was

only able to gain third berth, the Darby placing being reversed in the case of the other two, St. Frusquin running his race with theutmoatgameness,holding Persimmon in check and winning by half a length. The two St. Simon colts are now looked upon as real smashers. St. Frusquin's success at Newmarket was' followed by, as the cable informed us, his annexing the Eclipse Stakes. A London message this week says the colt has unfortunately gone amiss and has been withdrawn from the St. Leger. The Doncaster event would now, therefore, seem a good thing for the Derby winner. Really capital acceptances have been received for the two leading events at the A.J.C. Spring Meeting. It will be noticed that Wallace has gone out of the Metropoli- j tan. Last Thursday gave George Hope his fourth ride in the Grand National Steeplechase, and he only missed the goal on his first essay over the country when, on Norton, he chased Ahua home. He shares with W. Clarke the rare distinction of three wins and one second in four attempts, and the two horsemen have divided the honours during the past six year*. Hope has certainly had phenomenal success over the Riccarton country, for as far as I can remember, except in the" National, his-only other two rides over it were .when on Waterbury he ran a dead heat with Norton in the Corragh Steeplechase,' and on Roscius when he won the same race. The number of horses left in tfift,C»J.C. Welcome, Derby, and Oaks Stokes of 1896, and the Fifth and Sixth Challenge Stakes events respectively must Hbe accounted very satisfactory indeed. It is evident that owners appreciate the change that has been made in connection with the Derby and Oaks races of allowing them to leave their horses in for half the original amount asked of them in the way of payments. More will be known as to the capabilities, of the two and three-year-olds two months' hence, when withdrawals of those not going on satisfactorily can be made before second forfeits are due. Forty-seven in the Welcome .Stakes, forty-three in the Derby, twenty-five in the Oaks, eighty-three in the Fifth Challenge Stakes, 1897, and ninety-one in the Sixth Challenge, are the totals of those at present left in. From indications presented it is almost certain thab the fields for all three of the spring events will be much larger than heretofore. The Woodlands Hunt Club is the appropriate name that has been taken by the recently formed hunt club in the bush districts of which Woodville is the headquarters. The club intends holding a race gathering on September 30th at Woodville, and the programme for the meeting will be found in the Calendar this week. The prizes are not very big, but should be all sufficient to stir the hunting enthusiast to annex the same. The seven events consist of three 'chases, a hurdle race, and three flat events, including a bracelet. In all £125 is to be given away in prizes. As showing the steady increase in the totalisator turn-over at the Grand National Meeting, the figures for the last five years— since the gathering-has covered two days— m-ty be quoted. They read:—* 1892 _. _. _, -. 12.604 1893 „....-» 12.837 1894 - -. ' - ~ 13.519 1895 -. _. ■ ' i. .. 15,384 1896 .. .. .- .. 19.308 It will be seen that the jump this year has been a very big one. "Punctuality in the starting of the races was _o strictly observed last week that a goodly sum was shut out from investment and, though-the -same might be said of previous years, it is almost safe to say that if all rthe money intended for investment had reached the machine the £20,000 mark would have been reached. When it is said that nearly the whole of the stake money will be provided from the totalisator, it may be guessed that the reunion will return a large profit to the Canterbury Jockey Club, while the Christchurch Hunt Club, which gets a share of the gain, will benefit to a considerable extent. Riding honours at the National Meeting were not unevenly distributed, the only two that had more than a single successful mount being Messrs F. P. Claridge and R. E. Harley. Both these amateurs were riding in good form, and so was Mr H. G. Pitt, who steered the outsider Armstrong when he captured the Enfield Steeplechase. Of the professionals, A. Hall, on Magazine, gave a fine exhibition of determined horsemanship. George Hope only took one mount, and was triumphant. Percy Johnson, who was somewhat sanguine of pulling off the big double with Nat and Dummy, had no difficulty in annexing the second leg with the one he trained himself. He had much more pleasant rides than he had in Wellington. Those who witnessed Johnson's feat in piloting Narrate to victory in the Trial Steeplechase at the Hutt speak of it as a memorable ride. The saddle slipped back on the mare's loins shortly after the start, and the jockey, without stirrups, was on the bare back of his mount nearly the whole way. Johnson does not himself tell of the exploit, but says he felt most comfortable on little Dummy in i the Grand National Hurdles.