THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1286, 15 November 1911, Page 4

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

fßi Glen-cox.]

.It is an extraordinary fact that, when a horso is omitted from" the publislnxl list of aeecpta net's, he generally manages to win or run well in the race. At Kicrarton last week St. Felix, Madam Madcap, and Bonny Glen wero omitted from the published lUt on different days. Tho tirst-named won, and the two others rail second. All threo paid big prices. Miss Never, dam of Miscount and Miseliicf, recently foaled a brown filly to Collarit. Jn tho opinion of horseman J. Barden, Collarit was tiio fastest animal which he ever rode. Acceptances for the first day's events at tho Fcikling meeting close on Friday. Trainer Walter Hickoubotham lias won tho Afclbournc Cup moro often than any other trainer, ami R. Lewis has ridden in tho race no fewer than seventeen timed. Prior to rack" at Fleinington loet week, Mr. E. J. Watt's champion filly Ventura got away from her attendant, and galloped along tho road for two miles. She was found to be uninjured when recaptured. Tho horses, tra'ned by S. Waddcll, G. Price, F. Higgott, J. Ayres, and C. Jackson, which havo boon, racing at Riccarton, returned home yesterday. Tho ex-New Zealand horseman, J. N. M'Gregor, had his right arm broken when Don Q. fell with Mm in tho Cup Steeples at Flcmington on Melbourno Cup day. Sl'Gregor is a singularly unfortunate rider, and has been smashed up on "innumerable occasions." The Torirua team, which raced at Riccarton, is to be brought back this morning. St. Felix was the only member of it to win a race. There will be no Karamn horses racing at Foilding, and in consequence Jockeys V. D. Jones and L. Wilson will bo able to accept outside mounts. The former has already been engaged for Mere Mere and Naumai. R. Hatch, who enjoys a large Tiding connection in the South Island, is leaving for Timani to ride there next week. Tho only other North Island horseman engaged at the meeting is R. Young, who will most likely steer Colleen Mary in tho Flying Handicap. In some comments on F. Wootton's horsemanship, the "Winning Post." says: "There is much more art in sitting still on a racehorse than in tho wild flourishing of the whip, what time tho flourisher is rolling about and bumping boles into tho saddle. Wcotton has long ago learnt that tho first essential of raco riding is balance, and it is passing strange that mo r? 9 f , our i° ckc J's do not imitate his methods. An American paper snys: "Thoroughbred horses tracing their ancestry back to tho stallions of Arabia improve all breeds of horses. James B. Haggin, for instance, has just imported six Shiio stallions from Belgium and other forei-n countries. They weigh 18001b. or more, and he will breed them to thoroughbred mares weighing 10001b. In this wav ho expects to get horses nimble enough to take the places of the mules of Kentucky, which do wonderful work in tho mud and uneven farms of that State." The ex-Wellington jockev, H. Cairns has now struck form in Melbourne, and he recently wnn tho hurdle races on Forest Prmco at the Melbourne- Cup meeting. In Carbine's year the 'Melbourne Cnn was worth Ji10.230 to tho owner of tho winner, and that amount has never been exceeded in Australia. Tho other Melbourne Cups for .which the added monev was .£IO,OOO were, those won by Malvolio, Glenloth, and Tar-cool a. • '-Th* Awards of the Wellington Rao-' ing Olub have • decided to increase tho stake money at tho next Cup meeting, the programme committco is now arran.--mg the increases. " There is certainly no lack of energy on' tho part of ratebook-ami card sellers on Cup Day in Melbourne (savs a Svdncr writer). As early as ■ lialf-pas't-' four iii tho morning they were at work in the principal streets, aud if nearly every man or womau'in Melbourne did hot buy a" ■1 i^ ol mS ard 'If Wfls certainly not their fault. The cards are issued at sixpence, and tho book'.at tho usual-shilling. *'•■ On Melbourne Cup day Trafalgar held a tremendous levee, and for an hour before the Cup it was almost impossible to get a peep at him. His trainer was confident, and the chestnut undoubtedly stripped as nearly perfect in condition as possible. It was asking a lot of him to win in such a big field with 9st. 91b., but some of his admirers were of opinion that ho was even a greater horse than Carbine, with whom W. Hickenbotham won the Cup 21 years previously.

FIXTURES. Nov. 22 and 23-South Canterbury J.C. ' Spring. Nov. 29 and Dec. 2-Takapuna J.C. Spring. Nov. 29 and 30-Fcilding J.C. Spring. Nov. 30 and Dec. I—Greymouth J.C. Spring. Dec. G and 7—Woodvillo J.C. Summer. Dec. 21—Masterton R.C. Spring. Dec. 26-Taratahi-Cartcrton R.C. Annual. Dec. 2G and 27-Dunedin J.C. Summer. Dec. 20 ami 27-Taranaki J.C. Christmas. Dee. 2G, 2<, and 29-Manawatu R.C. Sum- . mer. December 26 and 29, and January 1 and " —Auckland R.C. Summer. Dec. 30 and Jan. 1-Wairarapa R.C. Summer. ■ ' Jan. 1 and 2-Hawke's Bay J.C. Summer.