NOTES AND COMMENTS,

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1620, 11 December 1912, Page 3

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

FIELDS IN THE BULLS MEETING. ■ " [Bi Glencoe.] To-day on tho Bulls course the Rangitikei Racing Club, ono of tho oldest, if not the oldest, clubs in tho Dominion, will hold its annual meeting. Th© programmo adumbrates eight events, and with a snlendid weather prospect, a very largo crowd will no doubt be present L o witness the business of the day. .Recent form should work out well, as the track will afford first-class going.. The card, though not boasting any really distinctive features,, is an interestilng one. . • A start will be made at noon with, tho Maiden' Hack Race, in which, however, the company is not altogether -what is termed "select." Backers will probably : plump for the Awapuni- representative, Papamarama, who, it is said, will havo A. Oliver in the saddle, and who, in. addition, has shown himself well able to go the distance (seven furlongs), Ono furlong less would perhaps be too.much for most of the other runners, who are anything but a seasoned lot. Tho Scott Memorial Handicap is tho namo bestowed on the open sprint.event. Tho race is named after the late Mr. D. Scott, who bred many good horses in the Rangitikei district. Dearest (Ss't.- lllb.) is at the top of the handicap, and- were it known- that the Soult maro was at her best, backers would require nothing better to ■' carry their investments. The brown mare, however, has not had a race since last June, and no matter how well a horse goes on tho tracks, a race in public is required, in nine cases out of ten, to sharpen them up. Still many will prefer to havo Dearest ou their eiao to-day, _ for she is Dee-ley's mount—a bag factor in any race —and, in addition, it is known that ono or two of the other candidates may not be seen at their best to-day. Outside the topweight Rangiatua (7st. lllb;) and Lady Volga (7st. 81b.j may carry most money. The former accomplished a very' attractive gallop at Awapuni oii3 morning last week, when he beat his stable companion. Vibration, winner of the Electric Handicap at Woodville, in a six furlongs gallop. Lady Volga finished, within a head of Labour Day after a tad ru'u on the second day at Feilding, and now meets the Waverley mare on 101b. better terms. -This should enablo her to turn the tables Tho open hurdles will require some study, for the field contains several.recent winners, notably Silver Clns-o (list. 91b.), Cornelian (lOst. 121b.), Hawick (10st. 101b.), aiad Bollin (lOst. 101b.), while the National winner, Waterworks, is in at 9st. 181b. The form of the last-named; was very poor, at Feilding, and it appears like a. case of having to look elsewhere for tho 'winner. Chief Marshal' (list. 41b.) will bo the first choice on the machine in the Hack Hurdles, for the Hastings-trained horse won on both'days at Feilding. in a most convincing manner. If a surprise. happens te bo in store in this race it might come from old Rendrock, who was much improved after one race at Feilding, and. on the second day, finished just behind the placed' horses. Monhau (lOst. 51b.) ran two good races at Feilding, and now seems to bo quite free from the rheumatic troubles that affected him last season. With these four events decided tho.way will be cleared for the Rangitikei Cup (one mile and' a quarter, and worth 200 sovs. to the winner). Byron, Deeley's mount, has been galloping very well of late, but ho seems to be anything but a trustworthy performer, and, in his last three attempts, when well fancied by his owner, ho has failed badly. Mendip, Bst. Gib. (L. Wilson) is reported to be as well now as ever he was, but, at Riccarton and Feilding, he was not suited'by the going. He is a difficult horse to handle, being such a hard puller, and requires, to bo saved for one run. His pilot today is just now riding with a lot of confidence, and he seemed to handle the St. Paul gelding splendidly at Feilding. Birkline (Bst. Gib., F. Porter) looked.very well at Woodvillc, and should be a better horso for his two races there. Master Laddo's correct weight is 7st. 101b — not 7st. 4!b„ as has been published. Tho chestnut horse has now struck form, and seems to run very generously for J. O'Shen. He can be depended upon to bo in tho fighting line at the finish, and may safely be written down as a. placegetter. Ngatimani (7st.) did not shape very well for a light boy at Woodvillo or Feilding, and, in consequence, hisowner may decide to run him in tho Welter to-day, and have W. Young in tho saddle. Aloha (7st., C. Emerson) goes very fast over a short course, but her staying ability has te bo taken on trust. Still, she used to .finish very-well under big weights in hack races, and with a light-weight today may run on. There is a very big field in the Carnarvon Hack Handicap, included amongst it being Expect (9st. lib.), Royal Simon (Bst. 131b.), Patronale (Sst. 81b.). Tetikura (Bst. 81b.), and Manakau (Sst. 51b.). All these horses are recent winners. . Lord Lupin (7st. 21b.) was kicked at tho post at Feilding, but even then finished very fast in fourth place.

The two welters are also to bo contested by big fields. Waipaku (Bst. lllb.), when not suited by the going, ran a good race at Feilding, and Ngatiinaru (Bst. 81b.) has been performing most consistently of late. This pair should carry tho bulk of tho investments. Awahon (Bst, 101b.) will have a chancu ,ia tho

Hack Welter to show whether ho is as good as tonio people profess to believe, uv.i the opposition will ho much more ditlicult than that which he disposed of at Peiltling. Bill and Royal Marine wero both accepted for in tho Rangritikei Cup, although their names did not appear in the telegraphed list. . After a lengthy, retirement from the turf, it is noticeable that Oi.yoi's name appears in tho Korth Otago J.C.'s enlry list. The death of tho sixteen-year-old trotter St. George is announced from the Winton district. The horse dropped dead after being driven home to Orcti Plains from Wiiilon. It may not 'Ire generally known that St. George had to his credit the most valuable trotting race ever decided in Southland, (says the "Southland Times"), this being a match with Young Burlington over a two-milo course for JI2OO aside. The race was decided on the Winton J.C.'s course somo nine- years ago, and attracted a great deal of attention. The winner was ridden by K. M'Ewen, while Craig, now of Tasmania, occupied the saddle of Young Durlingtou.