NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 5

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

fßi Glencoe.T

The Egmont Racing Club's meeting will,be concluded to-day. ■_.:.'. .... At Gisborne to-day the Poverty Bay Turf Club'-s meeting commences. Downfall's half-sister, Canticle, ran a dead-heat for first in the Trial Handicap, at San'down Park (Vic;) last month. ■ .: Waitarere (Torpedo—Rivulet) is' again in work at Porirua. The black horso has not raced since the winter of 1907. . Rumour has it that a well-known, commercial man will shortly join,the ranks of Vfel-. lington owners,- and will commence racing with some high-priced' stock. ■■ Longner was/woll supported when .he won the'Flyihg Handicap at Hawera yesterday. .. ■The Wairarapa Racing Club has decided to purchase ,from Mr. 0. Donald the strip of land , adjoining the back boundary. of, the course to enable the bend.past the.winning post to.be improved. .Jos. Prosser ha 6 recently taken in hand a yearling filly by Porirua—Pinmoney, and a yearling colt'by Stepniak—Fairymaid : The former is a half-sister to Don. Carlos, and the.latter a full-brother to :Hereward, King Log,, and Adria.

The New Zealand-bred mare, Otira, carried the cohfidence.of her connections at the H6bart meeting, but shefailed to runiup to'her track form. '-: '.:.-■ - : . ■;„ Menschikbff, whose-stock have been running prominently in the Dominion during the past couple of months, has also been represented by winners in Australia recently. .:■ 'Quite a number of local racegoers were of opinion that Waikaraka would, go very near- winning the Flying Handicap at the Egniont meeting, but the chestnut gelding was-not "among the .starters. ; -.- Mr: J.M.' Cumming, managing steward of the Wellington Pony' and Galloway..'Racing Club,', is 'paying' a visit to Levin to-day to measure Hhree or four 'ponies, whose owners are anxious;to race at'Miramar.■' The aged Mahaki'gelding; Pawa, is standing up. to his work satisfactorily at Porirua, and there seems to be every prospect.of his competing in jumping events again this 'season. -, ■'~' :.-■■■ ; ; ~'; '.■,-.•' .;• '■ Writing from Melbourne, Trainer' D. J. Price says he has taken PinkUn in hand again, and will probably take the Strowan horse over, to Sydney for the Easter meeting. Pink TJn was scratched for the Newmarket Handicap before the first acceptance fell due. . : - ■■:■■■■ ■ ■ Nominations for • tho Dannevirke Jockey Club's autumn meeting close,.on Monday next. This .club" is giving away substantial, stakes, and the autumn .programme now includes a couple of -"two-year-oldl races. Ronald Cameron, who went over to Sydney last month, in order to ride Signer at the Victorian Racing Club's meeting, had a couple of mounts at the Sandown Park races on Saturday week, and also .'at -Williamstown' on the following Monday, but he did not.have the luck to be'on "a winner. '•-.'". '"'

Maidi and Paparaehi,. who/ have.' been matched for a two-railo;, race over, hurdles, both -ran-prominently- in ''their" respective : engagements,- at; 'Haweraf; yesterday, 'theformer finishing first and' Paparaehi running second to Xayier. ;/; _ ■.' - Ngapuka, winner of. the Egmont Cup, was quito a .back: number last 'season', for in his five starts he never'.; once ran into a place. This season, he has been galloping very well and his connections were quite prepared to see him win; yesterday... The placed horses in' the Egmont,Cup are all engaged, in the Wanganui. Cup, for. which Mr. Morse's adjustments are'- due on- Saturday.';.; - ■'■-. : ■■..■ A.' McConnon had a- very bad run of Jtick last season, and..until he won the hack:kurdles'on Yosami at.the Manawatu Cup meeting, ho had not ridden- a winner for nine months. Fortuno. ..is ' now smiling■! on ■■him' again, and-since his -winon Yosami he has. had two'winning; rides on the Tasman gelding, Xavier. - McConnon was at Porirua last ,week schooling soine'of the;horses, and will >do. the riding for the stable at • the Wa'nganui. meeting. ..■''.'■'■': ■-. .---.vV .-.;.;■.;: '_A couple of days ago Tiptoe received - ;a', kick from Grey Dawn, but the injury -was not serious 'enough .to. prevent the Sylvia Park horse. from fulfilling .his 'engagement ;in the; Flying; Handicap - at Hawera : yesterday. ■';•' - - .'/. ■ : y - y .■.',-. '; Although Signor has one or two excellent performances to recommend him to tije Australian critics, considerable doubt .seenis to be expressed as ,to .his - , ; ability to. concede, weight to a number of the. candidates .in ,the Australian Cup, such as .Lord . Nolan, who receives 131b. from the Canterbury Cup winner,, and Lady Diffidence, : who receives 291b. . - ::';■■.'. The hurdle race held'at the pony r.aces at .Victoria, Park, Sydney,' .last nionth was such a - success that the club: was encouragedto repeat the event at ; a meeting last week.Hurdle races may ;bo'introduced at the Miramar meetings later on, but probably, not before the .April' or May meetings. : ■;'. ■;, '.;. Chanteuso has accepted for the principal event at the Poverty Bay Turf Club's meet,ing to-day, and if she is. among :the starters her running' should give -an .indication of what Gisborne form- is. worth.': The 1 ' halfsister to Downfall raced prominently, at Kiccartou and Trentharn, and has consequently been asked weight to all the Gisborne horses'. '■• V..V-, .-.'-.'. -..,.■ ; According to the Official '-. Calendar the name Ingoda has now been claimed for the chestnut filly by . Stepniak—Miss. Nientey which; was .originally granted the name,of Zenilia. '■'■■■■ '■ ' ;' ; '-.- ■':