NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 449, 6 March 1909, Page 13

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[Bt Gmsncok.] Tho 'Wangnnui Jockey Club's meeting will be concluded to-day, when tho Jackson Stakes will be decided. Acceptances for the various events at the Shannon Hack Racing Club's meeting close on Wednesday next. ' T.' Lloyd has a full brother to Longner in work at Bulls. Jenkins, Dceley, and Hatch were not in winning form at Wangnnui. The Dannevirke Cup will be run on Wednesday next. . Courier has been raised 91b. for his win on the first day of the Wauganui meeting, and as nono of the other candidates have j been dropped moro than 31b. tho big son of Advance appears to be veil treated on his first day's running. . A country paper issued yesterday morning had Sir Tristram 7st. 91b. weighted among the field for the Autumn Handicap, one mile. This looked like a promise of a walkover, but it appears that Sir Tristram was A misprint for Sir Antrim. The Victorian Racing Club's meeting will bo conclude dafc Jlemington to-day. New Zealand-bred horses engaged include Golden. Slipper, Poterhof, Delaware, Prophecy, Hauraki, Swimmer, Pilot. Signor, Seddon, Cajrissiraa, Soultline, William, and Vernicle. Chief interest will centro in tho running of Signor in the Champion Stakes, three miles, in which event ho will again be opposed to Pendil, who beat the Pilgrim's Progress horse in the Essendon Stakes and in the Australian Cup.' , The brood mare Epilogue has had two foals since Eclogue. One of these is a filly by Lupin and the other a colt by Advance. Both youngsters show quality, and give every "promise'of developing pace. Pony owners should note that acceptances for the principal events on the first day of the Wellington Pony and Galloway Racing Club's March meeting close on Monday afternoon. ' ; The field which contested tho Wanganni Cup on Saturday included winners of the New Zealand Cup,' Auckland Cup, Wellington Cup', Wanganui Cup, Manawatn Cup, Taranaki Cup, Kangitikei Cup, Rankawa Cup (Otaki), Pahiatua Cup, Waitara Cup, Waverley Cup, and Horowhenua Cup.

It has teen stated tiisA -the Cup winner, Kilmarnock, is a grey in colour. This is incorrect. The son of St. Paul is a chestnut.

Ballarat, who won the Flying Handicap at Wanganui on Thursday, won the same event in March 1905, on which occasion she was ridden by' G. , l'rice, and carried lib. nore than she did on Thursday. W. Davics is" ! so pleased'-with ■the way-'the; Gold Reef mare is performing that he has entered her for the Jiaster Handicap at Auckland.

The Porirua stable "will tie represented at the Auckland Racing Club's Easter meeting by-Lady Medallist and All Red. '

The brood mare Aura (Richmond—Instep), whose death was reported last week, was 22 years old. It iis worthy of note that only about six weeks ago a writer in the "Australasian" made the following comment:—Tho last volume of the stud book contains the names of .only thirteen mares claiming descent from' Instep, • and it will not be long ere Aura-drops out, as she is now 22 years old, and cannot be expected to breed much longer." It is singular that his prophecy should hare been fulfilled .so quickly.: . ; . .. ' . ' .

Jos. Prosser started eight horses at the Wanganui meeting on Thursday, and thougfi he failed to win a race he had a stroke of good luck'before the last race. As tho horses;wero parading for the Flying Handicap, the Porirua . trainor was standing in the birdcago chatting with- Alec. Hall. As Golden Eaglo passed the pair she lashed out with her. heels, and Hall immediately caught hold of his old employer and pulled him out. of the way. This was just done in time,, for Golden Eagle's spent kick just caught tho veteran on the elbow, and it was evident that but for Hall's presence of mind the Porirua trainer would have.been seriously injured.

Tho team of four which J.. Lowe took to the Dunedin Cup meeting arrived back at Trentham yesterday.

■" An Eye-Witness " writes complaining of the handicapping of Merrie Oliver and Sweet Lotho at the Miramar meeting next Saturday. Merrie Oliver, ho says, has already won-three races in succession, and now has 9st. 71b., or 2lb. moro than when he won at tho last meeting, while Sweet Lethe, a winner at the best country meetings, has been handicapped at 9st. 31b. and 9st. 91b. respectively in the two principal handicaps. Our correspondent concludes as follows: —"There is only one thing that behoves an over-con-fiding public and the owners of other ponies, end that is to demand the rehandicapping of the ponies in question, or the only alternative for the _ owners is tho withdrawal of their pbnies in said races."

AH Red ran a good race for a mile and a half in the Wanganui Cup, and up to ftiat Btago tho weight did not appear to trouble him. He has been dropped 21b. in the Wanganui Stakes to-day, and it is interesting to note that he meets Apa. on exactly the same terms as when the latter defeated him in the Consolation Handicap at Trentham in January. Tho reason that the sale of All Ital fell , through was becanso the would-be purchaser wished Mr. Buckley to scratch the horso for tho Wanganui Cup, but the Oamaru sportsman had promised himself a trip to Wanganui to see his horso run, and declined to withdraw him.

Ballarat has only 101b. more to carry in tho Farewell Handicap to-day than sho carried to victory in tbo Flying Handicap on Thursday. She won the Farewell Handicap last year.

11. Eradfleld, who prepared Soultlino for his Futurity Stakes, St. Georgo Stakes, ami Newmarket Handicap successes (says a Jleloourno "Argus" writer) is one of "the most respected and certainly one of tho most painssaking of. trainers. Ho has had sojno notiMa successes in his day, being associated ivith the wins of Patron and 'J'ho Victory in ilie Melbourne Cup, Portsea in tho Champion Sialics, Niphotos in the Maribyrong Plato, llio Victory in tho Standish Handicap, Patromis in tho Bagot Handicap, Portsea in tho Australian Clip, Patron in tlm V.R.C. St. Leger, Patron in tlic CauliicUl Guineas, Tho Victory in tho Adelaide St. Le<z<;r, The Victory in tho Adelnide Birthday Cup, whilo ho has taken a host of events of smaller importance. Bradfieid is, comparatively speaking, jjtill a young man. '

The owners of Burton and Overtime met sft'T tin? Wangmui races on Thursdiiy.iiglit telegraphed our correspondent yesterday) and agreed to match their horses over five furlongs and a half for £200, weights Bat. 31b. The match will bo run at 2.30 p.m. to-day (Friday), and a deposit of £25 wa3 paid to tho stakeholder, the owner of Tan San. This morning the match was cried oft' by Air. F. C. Faber, owner of Overtime, who thus forfeited his denasi>-

MASTERTON R.C. AUTUMN MEETING. The programme for the Mastorton Racing Club's autumn meeting appears iu this issno. 'Iho clnb has placed beforo ownersan excellent all-round bill of fare, ono feature of which is substantial prizMnonoy. Tho principal race at tho fixture is tho Waipipi Cup, of ' 200 sovs, ono milo nid a- quarter, on tho first day, while the, Autumn Handicap, ono mile, is tho chief ovent on the second day. Hacks are well provided for, and hurdlers . also havo a race each. Altogether, tho programme is well worth a perusal by ownors. • Nominations for all races, except tho Maiden Hiiok, closo at 9.30 p.m. on Thursday, March H, with tho secretary, Mr. A. Hathaway, Masterfcqnv TRAINING AT WANCANUI. (BY TELEORAPK—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Wanganui, March 5. There was not a great deal of work on tho tracks this morning, but a couplo of good gallops wero recorded. The Jackson Stakes candidate Provocation ran half a milo in 50sec, and did it easily. Jixmoor and Waimarie galloped a mile and a half together, tho last mils occupying linin. 50sec. Parablo, alone, galloped a mile at top, whilo Te Kahurangi and Lady Medallist traversed four furlongs together in 63Jsec. Clemora trotted once round, and Don Carlos did steady pacing. Rangipapa has broken down, and Taitoko is very lame aa a result of tho bad going at the bottom bend. Gold Crest is very sore. Armlet Miss Mischief, Downfall, and Sunroso havo been sent homo. The Jockey Club was hurdling off the bad part of the track at the bottom bend, so that the horses would havo to gallop about 10 feet farther out than they did on the first day. The work is being performed under tho supervision of Mr. C. O'Connor, but while watering operations were being carried on in the afternoon, tho heavy traffic cut np tho course very badly, and tho result was that the club's committee mot at 4 p.m. and decided to hold to-morrow's races on the No. 1 gallop. Mr. V. E. Bidwill has arrived to see Provocation run in tho Jackson Stakes to-morrow. Wellington visitors to the meeting havo chartered a special train for the homeward journey, so as to reach Wellington at midday on. Sunday. DEATH OF A. "LEVIATHAN." (HI TII.KUKirB—FKESS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIOHT.) London,' March 'i. The death occurred a*. Madeira of Mr. .Joe Thompson, the well-known Australian sportsman. Mr. Joe Thompson was one of a famous family of brothers, and ho was tlie greatest of them. 4 real "bettor," ho started in a small way in Victoria, but was soon the foromost bookmaknr in Australia. Somo years ap> he took up his residence in England, where ho had since been a prominent member of the ring. As an instance of the extont of bis business, it may be mentioned that liq was credited with winning ,£II,OOO over the double Lincolnshire Handicap and Liverpool Grand National last year. WANGANUI J.G. ACCEPTANCES. Ill* TJUSOBAI'II—ritKSS ASSOCIATION.) Wanganui, March 5. For tho second day's events at the Wanganui Jockey Club's autumn meeting, the following acceptances have been received: —

AUTUMN STAKES. Ono mile—Tan San, Bst. 81b.; Tiptoe, Bst. 61b.; St. Aidan, 7st. 101b.; Arc Light, 7st. 81b.; Moriarty, 7st.: and Flotilla, 6st. 131b. MATARAWA HACK HANDICAP. Six furlongs.—Courier, 9st. 91b.; Tβ Kahurangi, Bst. 41b.; Clemora.'Sst.; Burton, 7st. 111b.; Awha, 7st. 101b.; Mulga Bill, 7st. 91b.; Ovortimo, 7st. 41b. • Shannon Lass, 7st. 21b.; Flying Wind, 7st. 21b.; "Vinco, Ist. ; and Stevens, 7st." FORDELL HURDLES. Ono mile and three-quarters.—Exmoor, list. 71b.; Maidi, list. 61b.; Aorangi, list. 41b.; Commander, lOst. 51b.; Tondergliie, 9st. 51b.; and Waimarie, 9st. . .. ■ ... OKOIA HACK HURDLES. ■ Ono mile and five , furlongs.—Don Carlos, lOst; 101b.; Aotea, lOst. 61b.' Whtmper,'lost. 21bi; Chase Mab, 9st. 61b.; Mikotahi, 9st. lib.; Tiwitu, 9st. Pouri, 9st.; and Sedgemoor, 9st. WANGANUI ■ STAKES. One 'mile and a lislf— All Red, 9st. 41b.; Apa, Bst. 41b.; Master Delaval, Bst. '21b;; Tangimoana, Bst. lib.; Kilmarnock, 7st. 111b.; Uhlando, 7st. 31b.; Roosevelt, 7st, 21b.; and Belario, 6st. 71b. , ' HARRISON WELTER. Ono milo and a quarter.—Perolina, Bst. 81b.; Astraea, Bst. 41b.; Research, Bst. 31b.; Anemone, Bst, lib.; First Mate, 7st. 131b.; Paione, 7st. 41b.; Parable, 7st. 21b.; and Recreation; 7st. FAREWELL HANDICAP. Six furlongs —Ballarat, Bst. lllb.; Golden Eaglo, 7st. 121b.; Longner, 7st. 61b.; Moriarty, 7st. lib. ; and Merrivonia, 6st. 121b. JACKSON STAKES. Six furlongs.—Gold Crest, 9st. ;< Rangipapa, 9st.; Jinnie, Bst. lllb.; Lady , Menschikoff, Bst. 51b.; Provocation, 7st. 21b.; and Xylophone, 7st. 21b. ,