NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 16, 14 October 1907, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

■■■■ ••-.' r,; "(Bf "Glcncofe: I *)""^'' Secretaries "V\Tiito ("Wellington Racin Club),.,,Keith.(feton; Club),,.and Tras (Ashhurst-Pohangina Club) wero present « tKe dtaki meeting. ■St. Denis did net accept for his r engagc 'inonts at*the' ! Pujjcdjri_;\l.6j:key Clilh's.'.'mcf, ing, but I hear that the old fellow hr.s bee: doing fair ijs.-quit likely that ho may bo .seen..with the colour up before the clds6 :: of Uitf'jttes'cnfr season'. ■ , , ... ( w

-■-The.Ofcaki meeting just concluded will probably, .booths last ono held on the old course, as thelCMHisiin hopes that the now -track near* tW'Tailwiy station will bo in working order by the time next Jnno comos rcrantl. In tho past the Maori Club has had wretched lock in the' matter of weather, but perhaps this may alter with the. change of position. In any case, tho pnbhc will greatly appreciate the shift, as the present course is "AJtojetker too f»r from the railway station. Fernaridos was a double winner at Nepier Park, and St. Amelia and Hurimoana each secured,,* brace oi wins at Ob*ki. , ; Gold Thread, who has been running prominently lately, is a full-sister to that orstwhilo good performer Auratus. Tho latter was one of the best of Gold Reef's stock prior to the coming ef Gold Creit. f ; : -A- numbbr of racehorses havo already arrived at Trentham, and the tracks will be busy during..the next few mornings.. The nieeting is of considerable interest on account of its proximity to tho New Zealand Cup "fixture, and several ca-rididates for tire two-milo event will bo scon out at the moetirig. Some particulars' of tho work and final selections will appear < this week.,. .. - ~.! Uoirjoidonces on' tho turf are riot altogether Jof rare'occtirrence,'but'here is one which apIpears worthy of note. Whon Noctuiform and Suhgod .ran/first and second in the A.J.O. Derby fciwyears ago Lady Wallace finished immediately-behind the pair. ..Next season, ,-Vhen Mason's team went ovoq-Lady..Wallace had npWtiur chance of meeting- Lher- Derby cqnquerers7\but she beatitho';first'Yaldhurst .representative that she :.met,Oviz:, ; lsolty .in : the Spring, Stakes. In the "samoVwayMoun--tain King)- , who ran second'to'Boniform , iri. 'the Brecder-s,! Plate last ■■yeaT,'; ; liad' not, tho : turning the , ',-' oii'- thobut he made'short work of , Count J.Witte' in the New .Stakes. . New Saturday the final" payments for the New Zealand Chip and acceptances for the Stewards' Handicap, will make their appearance, and 'with those and : the Wellington running before them, punters should have no difficulty in selecting a double. Supplement's success in tho Trial Handicap at Otaki on Thursday depleted tko local ring of a round sum of money. Flying Wind was being well backed in town an hour be-, foro tho race, hut at the "last minuto "no reply" wires poured in from all • directions,.and,; to tho dismay of the bookmakers, tho St. Clements maro paid a dividend'of '''£&' 18s'. ' *■■"■*> - .' •' ' '"-'■'■■■'' -' ; - "" The Pilgrim's Progress filly Mercy, engaged at tho North Otago meeting next Thursday, isfa half-sister,to Lapland.-,- She was/running; among , the two-year-olds at/Riccarton last iinster, but finished , out" of a place - . ; -.. '.'.' .■■:'- J ' V ~ i ' ' ' ••■:'- . . ■:■•: :Needlework's , ;form at.-Randwick sebms to be quite on a*;,par with his' indifferent displays in Nowj •Zealand, for, after; 'running nearly last on 1 week, ho'was'secqnd, on Wednesday- The-.-Ncedlogun gelding! is, evidently "cuniung,".and isjiablo tp get his-, connections into diißculties. ■ -■. :' '■ r .;." i " : ~-;' Uoth Jos. grosser and W. Davies were,to shift their teams -to Trentham on-.Saturday last, the former taking Heroward,'a Wellesley. Stakos. candidate, Swimming Belt, Kiirawaka, All Red, Gold.'Crest, William; , and-Contralto, and the Hu£t; 'mentor-' Seaman, Ballarat,:-' Ukraine, Amameritp, and 'Pardon.-,.... - ,- : •■ .'Jockey H. Cairns. , recently^appliod-for' the removal of his disqualification at the hands of the Wellington-Racing Club,- but his application was refused. ■ • ■ fi ~ — ~' ... ' ; ''" vGold Dust !Wa's very'heavily, supported in Wellington f (jr.... the.' Korokipo* : , 'Hurdles ;■ at N'apier Park,'but liis stable companion, St. Albert, who was the medium of a big commission on the first, day, .upset, the good thing, and backers of the favourite ■ lost six shillings in the pound. ':■ , ■■'' ~~' "' . '•'.':-}'■'. ."■'. v •■!■■< :H. Hickey/qf Hastings, is a very successful trainer of jumpers, more particularly inlirm ones. The ayorage trainer woiild refuse to waste time with the likes of. Kaipetipeti and Taura, but Hickey keeps them going; and wins j.a.Qcs with them. Tho victory .of the la'st.-na.mddatNapier'on.Thursday .was a severe knock to the local bbokrhakers. , ; Master Delayal was shipped to"vßiceaVtori on Saturday night to fulfil his engagements at; tho Cup Meeting. iNow Zealand jockey L. H. , Howitt does nbt appear to bo getting too many mounts in England now, but' nevertholoss ho occasionally bobs-up on a winner. At tho Lowes meeting in August. : he .rode Sir ; T. Dowar's Fbrfarsliire filly to victory '-in'"tho" Astloy Stakes, and was just beaten , ,inianother race on the sanio. day. ,In .conto-ast to Hewitt, tho Australian 'jockey, P. liullock,. gets a: very largo- ■niihibef 'of.mount-s, 1 apparently, because lie is undor"tho care of tho influential J. E. Breyer.-,. •,..,..;,. :....-"i-.- : : - : ' ■' : ' : . ,: ,' ' ; 'Back of■coriditipn tola.on Playmate in,the Hack ; Hurdles at : O.tald, though the little .fellow ran creditably, each day. ■ Tho-money -was put in very confidently on The Stake at.Otaki, but he just failed on the first day, and nest timo iio ran very badly. ■ .paid by Lupulite in the Shorts at'tlie Dniiedin meeting on Saturday, was a real surpriso to local,--sportsmen... who:'never gave anything-else a chance." Tho bookmakers report that both; Storm wero served up very hot..; ■TheGisborne trainerj.N.'.Maher, is at present'.; iri'.-towii.'. waiting to take' Mahutonga homo.'''" "'' I -i ■ ' ' The way was paved for. Tartan in the Rand-fl-iok'Plate by tho withdrawal of Poseidon, who was probably reserved for-the Caulfield Cup next week. Tartan, liko tho majority of Lpchiol'e stock, seems to improve with age, and, as he is being spscially prepared for the Melbourne Cup, he may bo hard to beat in that event, despite his heavy impost. 'JMr. Davies's veteran 'chasor: Haydn added further to his long list of successes by annexing the "Dotriing Steeplechase at -Raud--rrlck on,- Saturday,-He. was.. ridden by the Ellewlio'' horseman, " Tartar Julian, who has vory few superiors as a cross-country horseman. Two years ago .Haydn made an unsuccessful •trip-to'Australia,'and was on that occasion ridden by, the lato Sam Fergus. Hβ was winning tho Dowling Steeplechase when he .Pin-off at one of tho small jumps on top of the hill. This caused a mooting of stewards, but at .tho.inquiry both owner and jockey wore exonerated. ~ ... THE W.R.C. SPRING MEETING. Tho -Spring <;Meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, which takes place on lhursdaj and Saturday next, promises to be a ven successful one. Sinco tho club ononed the now 'course at Trontham they havo had every reason to bo satisfied with the chango The majority of their meetings hold during tho last eighteen months havo been markee by beautiful weather and a consequent largi attendance of tho public, As each meeting rolls round/'.tho racecourse and'grounds shofl a-great--improvement, and at the prosonl time thoy.are looking better than over.".-Witt the exception of tho Flying-Handicap th( acceptances for tho first day are good,.and big fidds wilj. probably go : to.- ; the .post. , for th( majority of-tho ovonts.c'A number.. of, oandidiates for tho New Zealand, Cup an'd Stownrds'' Haiidieap will' bo competing, at th( mooting and tlio appearance of Maniapott will oxcito- particular interest. Tho Soull horso must...bo looked upon as an oquin< oelebrity, for, after doing all that ho wai required -to clo in Ncw>Zealand a couple o; seasons ago, ho journeyed to Randwick' anc thoro won. tho A.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap defeating, m»ny of the best handicap .horse: in the Commonwealth. Hβ also porformo( creditably at Raudwick in tho autumn, bu later on had to be treated to a length; Spoil. It is 'just possible that ho is not ye

at tho top of his condition, but, .is ho seems to be getting back to his best form, ho may give a tasto of his brilliancy at tho meeting. SBvornl horses arc already quartered atTrontham, and T. Qninlivan, S. Waddoll, and H. Mooto are duo from Hastings to-night, while Jackson and Tilly and others will probably arrive to-morrow. Some smart two-year-olds will bo soon out in tho Wolloslcy Stakes. Gravitation and Aboriginp will fight their Hastings battle over again, and two Wellington candidates iii Horoward and Ukraino wrll mako their first appcaranco. Dotails of the track work will appear each morning. (BY ARBITRATOR). ADVISORY STEWARDS. The question will at once bo asked, what is nn "advisory steward," and I must perforce roply that ho is ,to all intents and purposes, a stipendiary steward, but tho word stipendiary', in connection with, stewards is _so odions to tho great majority of tho Itaemg Conference that I will content myself-witii using tho word "advisory." Already during the present season tho need for somo steps or this mature has been ;■ patent. l.bayo witnessed exhibitions of horsemanship that would have put the original "John Armstrong to shame: It .has been my lot to. bor actively concerned with ■ racing in England;, l< ranee, South Africa, and India/and I have, no hesitation in saying that in none of these countries have I seen such systematic pulling as has been-tho case in New Zealand, and this despito the : fact-that Mr. G. G. Stead, who has jnstreturned from England,, says that colonial courses' cater . much better for the public than English ones This. J admit, is so, but- f on no English'course will you-see such:gross cases of "stopping" a horse as:.you will in New Zealand r and I ask, wluch.would anyone prefer: to; dp without a little-comtort and have straight' , racing or to hayo conifbrt and crooked racing?; , "For" my part; I prefer tho first altcrnutivoU: lyther, it is not; only tho country clubs that are to blame. Some of the centres are in the samo position. _ Of courso, the question of advisory stewards is a bery big one, but it has to bo faced, and tho sooner the mind is mado up to deal with it tho better will the public be pleased. ; If an absolutely unprejudiced opinion' is wanted, let anyone ask any of our handicappers from Auckland to the Bluff, and t think they would-get a unanimous vote in favour of tho innovation. Talking to n prominent metropolitan steward last week, ho expressed the opinion that clubs had no power to make such an appointment, but there he■■ ' was wrong. Thoy certainly hayo no.such powoi provided for in tho-Knles, : but, on tho contrary; there is - nothing , in- tho Rules to orovent them doing,it.' Nor, indeed, would any club'doing so be establishing a precedent, for some''years ago".the Stratford Clnb had such an official, but discontinued tho appointment, I understand, on account of tho expense; while, to come down to a more recent date, tho South Canterbury Jockey Club appointed an Advisoryi-Steward at ..thoir- last /.meeting, and' the ' results "inbre 'than justified'-the appointment;' I' am .also informed that the Auokland' Club ! has frequently had; such an official at. its meetings..The dutiesvto.be performed would-be onerous .and: net , , altogether pleasant) but surely.it should _be > possible tc sqqeure. a levolrheaded. man with a complete knowledge of the' gamd to act in the capaMt' suggested. '.Two, Very prominent ',up-cbuntrj clubs aro seriously considering, the making ol such appointments at' their coming meetings The system-is surely with advantage , bo adopted by the' Wellington Racing. .Club at its next meeting, and if sucii an important body as our Metropolitan Glut wonld only give a',load, the lessor clubs' would soon follow iii their footsteps..;. Apart from all else,'-the Advisory'Stoward would-.relievo the Honorary.-.Stewards-'- of,'i. ..responsibility, and would" remove from their shoulders .the onus of: any subsequent action which';they;'might think fit to make oh'tlieir advisory colleague; ropommenda,tion.yThciri.duties, to receive his/recommendations, and to adc ; any , observations of their own, and act occordingly. Is it too much to hope that thi Wellington Club will take somo such step ? 1 ;--: V '% -DRASTIC SUGGESTION. At the recent annual meeting of the English - Jockey Club, Mr. Leopold do Rothschili stated, thnt, as' there scorned' to be n gooc deal of .dissatisfaction with tho starting gate particularly among the members of. the. Sport mg.,Press, tho members of ;the Jockey ■ Clul should'.debate in full tho question of finding some alteration or alloviation for tht number, of bad. starts that had been' efi'ectct during the present year, whether such,' altera tion involved the necessity of reverting to tin flag or of .walking horses up to the post. . Al the outset Mr.'Rothschild was very careful t< dissociate-- himself Hrom. ■ supporting", thp ..proposal, but, that ho shbuld like an expressior of opinion. Lord Downo stated that ho hat interviewed ; tho prinoipal.'.stiirters (Mr. Wil loujhby,' Mr. Coventry, and Mr. Owen), anc they were unanimously of opinion that th< standing start was tho only fair one. Hi: Lordship then went on to say that he wai perfoctly'satisfied'that, the reason of a great many of tho bad starts ivas that tho jockoyi could not ride their horses. When a man sal like a monkey on tho top of a horse he coulc not , use his legs at all, and ho , was perfectly porrorless when tho horso was twisting about What ho would like tho Stewards to bo em powered to do was that whqn they saw i jockey cannon with, another-horse because hi could not control his-'horse,-. , they should havi him up and say, "Unless you can show thai yon can ride, your horso,. properly, althougl: there is no question of intentional foul , riding you will bo suspended until you can rido.' He believed that really and-truly for th< safety both , of thp jockeys and the horses thai was the only thing to do, but, of ■ course, il was a strong' measure, and ho thought thai tho Stewards wanted the support of tho Clul to' bring in what was virtually an innovatioi in riding. There was-.no doubt that presenl riding was worse than he remembered it sinc< ho had been racing. He did not think thai it would be right for thorn , to sit still'-ant allow that. . ~'; : ■ . . ••-. , , . ' ARMLET. Everyone ■connected with the turf> ; ..frpnc Auckland to tho Bluff will be , ' glad to have hoard that the Canterbury sportsman, Mr. G. G. Stead, won .the., Gimcrack .:Stakes at the A.J.C. meeting by ' the aid' 'of''Armlet. II would have been a poor consolation after mafc ing the expensive trip to have come back wilhout winning a race. Armlet showed us at Riccarton before Mason left that she could gallop, and 'gallop very fast, and as she cut out the four and a half furlongs in a tick over 55secs. she should provo an awkward customer foi somo of our two-year-olds to tackle when she conies back to New Zealand.