NOTES BY " MULTIFORM."

Acceptances for the 'opening day of the Wellington 11.0. Winter Meeting are due to-day (Friday). The V.R.C. Grand .National Meeting will be concluded to-morrow (Saturday). Mr. Wm. Hall, secretary 'of the' Wan - ganui Jockey Club, asks me through T,hi3 column to give another reminder to trainers and jockeys that application^ tor renewals of licenses must be in his hands on or before Saturday, 20th instant, otherwise they will lhave no chance of being entertained. The New Zealand-bred, colt Meteor (Birkenhead—Total iEclipse) is said to bo the biggest yearling ever seen in training in Brisbane. The Snglish-bred horse Applause, who recently arrived in Melbourne from India, is now being trained at Flemington. In Victoria up to last week 101 racing ehrbs had 'been registered by the Government under the Gaming Act.

Hikaroa, who won the Gisborne Steeples^ is by the Yattendon horse Lordi of tho Isles, who sired a Wanganui Dei'by winner in Noyade and a Hawke's Bay Steeplechase winner in Morag. At the same meeting San Cruz pulled off a flat race each day. He is one of the first of the progeny of San Remo (St. Legeir—Oissy). The late George Fordham, one of the world's most famous riders, was riding for .about 26 years, and in that period steered iover 2587 winners.

The steeplechaser Boomerang ; is galloping as fast as most of the hurdlers at Caulfied, and it looks as if he >s going to be hard to beat in the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase. After a three-year-old colt named Biniou won a rate at Paris in 'May, a half-interest in him was sold for £3200. Ho was thought to 'be ia possibility for the Grand Prix de Paris, and ran second to Mordant 11. in that race.

Tlie French four-year-old Maintenon, who has been retired from the turf, cost Mr. Vanderbilt £924 as a yearling, and won him £36,331 in stakes. In all, Maintenon won 11 races out of 16 starts, and only once aniseed a place. A strained tendon brought about his retirement.

The special general meeting of tlie Wareganui Jockey Club, which was to have been held lasti Wednesday for the purpose of revising the Chub's rules, was postponed until next Wednesday evening. Lord Minto, the Viceroy of India, has come out as ia pony-owner in that country. At ISimla 'recently his, pony Bahar won the Kitchener Cup, a 14.2 ratao for* Arab ponies. Lard Minto is the first Viceroy to run a horse in his own name, and colours.

Out of the 27 -winners of the V.R.C: Grand National Hurdle Race, 16 of them carried lOst. and tinder. Rawdon (9.7) holds the record for the race in 1902, hk time being 5.48. Last year Realm (9.5) put up 0.48f, and this year Bribery (10.2) recorded! 5.53. Touching on the subject of cross-coun-try riders who have 'been a long time at the game, a^ Dunedin writer draws attention to the fact that James Oottton, "who rode Cuirossettia over the fences at the recent meeting, at Wingatui, -was riding in hurdle races in Dunedin 32 yearsT ago. In his day Cotton was also a very prominent rider on tho Bat.

One often hears about making the pace a cracker, and that certainly was what Liqnheart did in the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdles, for 'he streaked away almost at the start, arid! at the abattoirs (well-known in describing a race on the Flemington course) tie had a lead of thirty lengths! The New Zealander led into the straight by thcree-quarters of a furlong; then he commenced to fade away, but true to his name, as the field1 raced along the river side he put more daylight between liimself and his nearest oponents. The burst told, on him after this, and eventually he was amongst the last to finish.

In Sydney ibetting matters are very dull. A number of the good performers are looking well enough at this early stage, among them Mabutonga, Noi'een, Melodrama, Soot Free, and Comely, whilstl Collarit is ready to put in a preparation with a fair chance of being got ready. The " Special Commissioner " of the London " Sportsman " was one of the critics who must have been considerably surprised 'by the result of the Derby. After Orby had run a mile and a half race at Baldoyle on May 24th, he scouted tttie idea of that ctolti beating Slieve Gallion, and_, furthermore, expressed Ivs belief that the latter was superior to Polar Star. He regarded Galvani is Slieve Gallion'e most dangerous Derby opponent, but thought that the latter only had to escape accident to win. At Hurst Park (Eng.), on May 20, a mounted inspector of police got in die way of the three runners at tihe finish of the Open Plate, and.a collision ocoiirrted. Bessborkwgh, who had the race in hand, ran into the policeman's horse, and fell, leaving Carnegie, who started at 6 to 1 on, to ibeat My Stella. Fox, the rider of Bessbarough, sustained concussion of the brain. The policeman escaped unhurt, but the scene that followed the atoeident suggested he would have fared; ibadly if the crowd could have got hold of shim. When one heard the 'bookmakers at Hurst Park asking for iodds about Marcdbrunner for the Palace Selling Plate (says a London paper), one's thoughts were carried Hack to two years ago, ivhen this horse was an inmate of Peebles' stable, and' was in an apparently hopeless condition, and instead of dreaming that odds (would ever be laid on him for a race, nine trainers out of ten would have had him shot, for he had fractured the pelvis. Peebles, nievertheless, got him all right again, and he won the Selling Welter Plate at Newmarket last October, furnishing perhaps a 'unique instance <oi a horse wh!o had had a broken pelvis winning a race.

A West Australian sportsman, Mr. Gi'eville, who recently-visited tihe Eastern States, was interviewed on his Return to Perth. Referring to his racing experiences in Melbourne and Sydney, he said, among other things:—" We hear a 'lot of tho unclean nature of the "Turf of Western Australia, but from what I saw I dio not tlhink that on© State can be singled out as 'being any worse than tha others. In fact, while I am not prepared1 to say that the stipendiary stewards are not necessary, I do say that our Turf is just as clean as that of other States/'. After all -we have (heard and read the crooked dioinga in West Australia, the foregoing is rather rough on Turf supervision in Nevr South Wales and.' Victoria.

Tho winner, of tho Victorian Grand National Hurdles was 'bred, in Victoria by Mr. James "Redfern, who wton the

Melbourne Cup with Malvolio (site of Bribery). Malvolio is a son of Malua, ■who won the same race in 1888. The Gift (dam of Bribery) is a daughter of Wellington, son of Panic, to which family many successful hurdle racers and steeplechasers in the Common-wealth belong. Wellington is also the sire of two previous winners of the race in. Apsley and Marmont. Panic sired the first two winners of the race, in 3ir Peter and Phesus. Bribery ie owned in Tasmania, where he won ft>e hurdle races last season. Hia success in such an important event will ibe some consolation for the loss sustained through the death of Hova, who died a few days after he was 'purchased by Mr. Gatenby. Some heavy wagering has taken place during the past few days on the C.J.C. Grand National double, Needlework having been bracketed with Ability, Uranium, Merriwai, Paritutu, Pushful, and C;ensot, whilst at 1000 to 6 Needlework and Needlework has also been booked. Romany Lad has been backed in association with Prospector, Paritutu, Landlady, Rookby, and Shrapnel. Two combinations that I very much like are Waitarere and Partutu, and Rangitoto and' Mahoe. One backer at 1000 to 1 stands St. Kooringa and Stonmont. Kuku has been backed in trebles (Winter Cup, Steeples, and Hurdles) with many' of those above mentioned.

Shrapnel has been scratched for the Winter"Hurdles at the Wellington E.G. Meeting. Antonio, recently imported from the Old Country to Australia, last season won the Newmarket Handicap' (£9000) at Newmarket, iarid, carrying 9st, ran the mile and a quarter in 2.6 2-5. Antonio is engaged in the V.R.C. spring handicaps. At the Aspendale Park (Vie.) meeting Arthur Oliver had the winning mounts on Liohheart and Contender. Amongst other New Zealand horsemen ati this meeting W. Young Shad a losing mount on The Swimmer, as <als!o did IX J. Price on Subterranean.

Very favourable reports are current from Riccarton as to the improved condition of Phaetonitis, who is criticised las being just the stamp of horse to win a Liverpool Grand National. It is stated that it will take Raynor •all his time to <get Pretty Maid fit for Wellington and Chrisichurch engagements, as, thrtough slovenly jumping in recent events, her understandings present a very unsightly appearance. Through his recent mishap at Bulls, by which, one of his arms, came in contact with a scythe, it will be some little time before C. Jenkins will be ajble to ride again, although it is stated he will be seen in the saddle at the Wellington gathering. Lord Soult and Toa Tuhi will probably 'be seen out at the Wellington meeting. I hear that the Marton J.C.s course is in a forward state for their September meeting, and a number of improvementa have-been and are being given effect to.

Pleased to congratulate Mr. A. Way on his appointment as secretary to the M.J.C..

Romany Lad, whio won both Steeplechases at Napier Park, is a cast off from W. Holmes' (Bulls) stable, and was recently purchased for something like £15.

Col. Walker ham a fine yearling colt (own ibrother to Polar Star) at .his stud at Tully, County Kildare. The Tasmanian breeder, Mr. Thomas Gatenby, had no luck with his recent ipurohiase, Hova, as that horse died suddenly on Thursday week. Hova, who was by Ingomar (son of Uncas) from Happy Land (Musket —Atlantis, imp.), was a brilliant performer, and his mile and a 'quarter in 2.6 in the V.R.C Free Handicap still stands as an Australian record. His handicap wins also include the Newmarket and Bour'ko Handicaps, while among his weight-for-age wins at Flemington. were the All-aged Stakes (twice), and the Flying Stakes, 'beating such horses as Wallace and Newha-ven. He ran second with 8.10 in Auraria's Melbourne Cup, and third with 9.7 to Idolator and WallaJc© in the Australian Cup, so that he could stay as well as sprint. At the stud he sired a number of useful horses, among these being Madagascar .„ Hovis, Harvest Home, Deucalion, Fairy States, Molluri?, and Chubb.

So far as the Spring races are concerned, there "has 'been no rush to back anything, though from Melbourne comes the report that a number of doubles have heen laid both on the V.R.O. Derby and Cup, and the two Cups. The most notable of these transactions is tfhe support given to the New Zealand-bredl colt Seddon, who is in I. Foulsbam's stable at Caulfield, and owned 'by Mr. K. S. MacLeod. Seddon has been supported in both the doubles named, and the unoney 'obtained in other States .besides Victoria. Seddon is by Sou-It from Rose and White, his ■weights 'being : Caulfield Cup 7.0, Melbourne Cup 6.9. On his public form this season Seddon has not any special claim to look like winning the Derby, but at this stage last year Poseidon would not have been picked to win both Cups tand the Derby. Yet he succeeded, and owners of promising three-year-olds have" an example of what a promising colt will sometimes develop into. It is hardly likely that in two following seasons a three-year-old will score this way, but there is always hope in tihe younger division, and, of course, a lot of money can 'be got at long prices. Bookmakers are reporting a general dulness, which is put down to the new Betting Acts, and ibooks are not open as yet to the usual extent. A London scribe recently interviewed R. Wootton^ who delivered himself as follows in connection with some matters appertaining to the Tua-f: —" With regard "to t!he trouble caused in this country 'by the starting-gate, it is unfair to blame the machine, and it cannot be abolished. Of course, we use it in the colonies, and it was imported froan them into England. The trouble here is due to imperfect schooling, while some of the English horses would not face anything. Of course, there are troublesome animals abroad, but not so anany of them.. No blame can be attached to your Mr. Coventry, -for though I have not the pleasxire of knowing, him, I think he is perfection as a starter—but who in the world could have got the Lincolnshire Handicap horses off? Colonial methods of training are vea-y similar to English, but there seems to me to be a tendency in this country to overwork the (horses •without serving any useful.purpose1. I am rather inclined.to think that colonial jockeys are more courageous than English riders, and I attribute that to the large number of circular courses in the colonies."