THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. ; , § (By Sir Bediveie.) f -Apparently the date on which the Ash- \ buiton Meeting opens has Ween amended, p According to the Turf Register and \ to the list of dates appearing in the ' Referee of 27th July (the week follow- ) ing the Racing Conference) the fixture \ was to be held on the 15th and 16th of E this month. The latest othcial calendar, t however, has it that the meeting is to I commence to-day, and an advertisement \ published this \\eek on behalf ot the i club notifies that racing will take place si at Ashburton to-day and to-morrow. \ The Melbourne trainer A. Skirving is taking a team of six horses to Rand- - wick in. view of the A.J.C. Meeting, including Broadsword, the two-year-old € filly Rheitia, by Multiform out of § Seahorse's sister Rattler. Rheitia, who jj was got in New Zealand, but foaled in £ Austialia, is of cour&e own sister to a Nautiform. g At a meeting of the Lower Valley c Jockey (Jlub held last week Mr. H. | Piper was appointed to act as starter, f bo far as I can learn, the. leading South 9; Island starter has not previously offi- | •dated at Marlinborough. 11 is presence, | however, will be none the less welcome. Q The nominations received in connection | with the Dunedin Bpnng Meeting were *. rather disappointing, for, though some Z of the less important short-distance 4. events filled satisfactorily, the two principal races — namely, the Mosgiel and „ Ranfurly Handicaps — only attracted moderate fields. Nine are engaged in > the former event, which is to be run I over a ten-furlong course, among them being Oiyoi, Martist. Outlander, and Tawhaki. Of these Martist is a three-year-old colt by Martian out of Out- ( lander's dam Escapade, belonging to his breeder, Mr. J. F. Buchanan. He is ( said to be getting through some useful i tasks on the Riccarton tracks, and the manner in which he shapes at Wingatui 1 will determine whether he will continue i his enga-geinent in the New Zealand Cup. , As the outcome of a misunderstand- • ing with Prince Hohenlohe's trainer Planner, Hewitt has surrendered his contract to ride for the Prince's stable and will in future act as first horseman to M. Dreher. The ex-New Zealander, it apears, rode a peculiar race on one of the Prince's horses, and on hearing that certain people had accused him of not trying to win, he promptly asked thestewards to hold an enquiry into the circumstances. This was done, and it was decided that Hewitt had acted to the best of his ability in the interests of his employer. Subsequently, however, hot words were exchanged between the jockey and the trainer, tho latter of whom wrote to the stewards requesting them to re-open the case. Hewitt was again honourably acquitted, but decided on the course already indicated. In view of Lemberg's defeat at Doncastei, the- following remarks which appeared in \the leading columns of the Winning Post, may be read with interest : — ''We do not wish, to create a sensation or to mislead anybody in stating that there is something wrong with Lemberg. We do not go so far as to say that it is so detrimental that he will not run, nor do we assert that it should cause any great alarm ; but the work he is doing is entiiely unsatisfactory, according to those who have [ any knowledge of what a St. Leger preparation entails. We have won the lace, and we are fully aware, not' alone of the dangers, but of the anxiety which is attached to the training of a favourite for a classic event, and we are all in sympathy with Alec. Taylor. Having regard for the fact that we are impressed that Lemberg is not a stayer, and that no horse svill wiu the >?b. Leger . v/ith normal opposition who is not bless- ' ed with stamina, we are convinced more than ever that Lemberg is fere-doomed to be beat-en on this occasion. . . What is the matter with Lemberg? Suffice it to say he is not doing the work he ought to be, and no trainer knows the craft better than, does the Lord of the Manor at Manton, our .friend Alec. Taylor." The writer of the foregoing paragraph wound up by correctly summing up the situation in tipping Lwynford ■ to win. v Judging by the form he has recently been displaying it seems -«afe to predict that, de?pite s his having been suspended for two months, young F. Wootton will head the list of winning j jockeys in England this* season. A writer in the London Sportsman Tecent]y remarked of the ex-Australian lad that although his methods were occasion- ' ally erratic, his judgment, skill, and confidence were remarkable in one so ' young, and added : "lie has Oiie con-s-picuous fault, in that he indulges an inordinate craze for the inside berth, and if ib has been the means of winning 1 him numcious races, "it has. per contra, lobbed him of many a victory, while | the Tisks 01 injury to himself and hoi'oe have been great. His light weight and ability combined have ensured him unlimited patronage and the cream of picked mounts, and it must be conceded that he has turned these advantages to the best account. Except for his father's stable he, I believe, had no 1 claim until the present year, and a high compliment was paid him when, oiflhe resignation of Mallei', he \v;ts. chosen by Lord Derby to .succeed the ciauk Amei'iean as first jockey to the Stanley House stable." The New Zealand ormy was fuither \ j-trengthened last week, mvs Mihoy in the Sydney Mail, by the arrival of Messrs. Stead b Mnilifurai colt Sunburnt, and Camei on's lot, coiiFi.-Hlng of Woolloomooloo, Beaton Dale, Bullworta, and Thrave. Sunburnt i» a thickset colt, and a lonl good sort. He showed some s-peed' on Tuesday by boating a couple of Lompaniunh o\er five furlongs iv lmiu 6sec on the extreme outside of the course proper. With the exception % ox Lady Lucy, all the New Zealanders were out doin^ sprinting work, and their followers attend in foice. A Mag declared it reminded hip>. of tha Dominion track or a , Maori pah. Crucinella and Gold Lace both look exceedingly well. They were bracketed for a five-furlong *punt, and rattled ov«i the distance in lmin 4scc. MuiUlk- also showed some p.u c, to wit five IV.rlnn^i in lmin 4sec, and Artillerie j-printefl fairly well. Mahler Soult was cut for steady work, and \vat> anxious to up along, but his near fore leg is still tender from the accident that befel! him recently. Early tin- month Solution, who i.-. now in Mews. W. and F. Modes' Com. bauelio html, produced a 1 oil foal to Earlston, a grand, shiipeiy. imported horse, by Love Wisely. LADY LUCY. By Telegraph.— l'ics*. Association.— Copyright. SYDNEY, 13th September. The rsu.ch.oisc Lady Lucy appeared on the traitiiig track* to-da.y. Sh<: h;ib fallen ai\uy a lot during her illness, and was not galloped.