NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3038, 27 March 1917, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

IBr Slrncok.l

n 9 ]>•»>•• is closing time of w ir n3 t ™ , autumn meeting of the Wellington Kacing Club. The programme is a varied one, and contains ■racesior all clashes of horses, from those capable of taking their place in a Gold Oup field down to Jumpers' Plat Handicaps. Nominations for all events'. at the Avondale meeting; which follows closelv on the big Easter gathering at Ellerslie, are 011 Friday next. T>^-,)^ an ® anu ' Ha'l has been giving i-'ostillion some schooling lessons- 'over hurdles, and the speedy black son-of Advance has surprised everyone by the proficient manner in which. ho fenced and his pace between the jumps. Amongst the winners at the recent meeting of the Wyong Park Eacing Club was Miss Martian, by Martian—Miss Dalrymple, who'annexed the Novice Handicap, seven furlongs! At the Newmarket sales in January, •the five-year-old horse Lanius, by Llaagibby—Mesange, was purchased for 1500 .guineas by Mr. Lionel Eobinson, who also secured the three-year-old colt Shadowland, by Dark itonald—Rydal Mount, for 1300 guineas. ,It is understood they will both be 6ent to Australia. 'J'he Kev. D. Jamieson, M.A., Anglican minister at Oamaru, is reported to have said at ■ a send-off to recruits last week: He had three sons at tho front, as well aa nephews, and he did not want to hire a hearse. Love and brightness instilled into the men helped them to fight. God's sun shone for all. It was not justifiable to stop sport if it deprived men of their living. The sportsmen of New Zealand ivere not lacking.,in supporting the soldiers. He wished to bo delivered from the Kaiser, the Devil, and the wowsers. We should look upon national pastimes with as kindly an eye as King Jidward. No dependence could be placed on those who condemned sport. . The sportsmen would be foremost in welooming the men back. .

The Gisborne horse Gazique, who is engaged in the Groat Easter Handicap at Ricoarton,' passed through hero on Saturday on his way Bouth. Another Gisborno horse in Multifual, who is to run in the longer event, is expected to pass through Wellington to-day. t , The ex-New Zealand horseman, ]?. Coleman, rode St. Medoc to victory in the Hurdle Race at Bosehill on March 17. St. Medoo is owned by Mr; J. Birks, who ueed to race Gizandra, and also several New Zealand-bred liorses. Mr. E. Buick's Three, whose'full brother, Thrice, proved the best two-year-old at the recent Flemington meeting, was produced in the South XaTra Handicap, six furlongs, at Caulfield, on March 17, but he failed! to concede 2st. to Dunernoy, and was rather comfortably beaten. Three has since been sent to Sydney to fulfil his Bandwick engagements. The totalisator was in use at the Gouiburn meeting this month, and- 10s. and 'ss. tickets were issued, but nothing' larger. " • • ! The combination Sasanof and Kilboy for the two big events at Eiccarton is at a very short price.' Both three-' year-olds are to be ridden by B. Dceley. I'atrobas, after his' successes of late, looked like having a good run in the weight-for-age events at the bijj Easter meeting at liandwick,. but on the way over from Melbourne in the boat one of his legs filled, and the Wallace horeo will be unable to race at the meeting. The Highden trainer, G. Price, was in tho city yesterday, making arrangements for tho shipment of some yearling to the Eandwick sales, which tnke place at Easter. Tho youngsters number half' a dozen, and they will go over in charge of Jas. Hatherway. . "Whalebone," in tho Auckland "Star," says: "Certain indications point to- a joke having boen successfully worked on the opening day of the Eangitikei meeting. H. Telford has engaged accommodation for Dovotion at the Harp of Krin Stables, Elleralic. The Oaks candidate will bo sent north oarly next wtek. A persistent rumour is afloat (says a.n exchange) that the New Zoaland Racing Conference, lit the instigation of the Minister for Internal Affairs, will shortly institute ;>n inquiry into the management <ff cortain club 3. . - . i