SPORT AND PASTIME.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1910, Page 14

SPORT AND PASTIME.

Tfie 'HurtFIXTURES. May '2l and 24 — Takapuna J.C. May 24 and 25— North Otago J.C. "May 24 and 26— Wanganui J.C. June 3 and 4 — Dunedin J.C. June 3 and 4 — Otaki Maori E.C. June 3, 4, and B—Auckland8 — Auckland E.C. June 15 and 16 — Hawkes Bay J.C. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Sir Bedivere.) Some remarks anent Monoform which recently appeared in the Sydney Eeferee did not meet with the approval of Mr. E. Alison, who, in the course of a letter to the editor, writes as follows: — "The 6ole representative of Monoform racing is Apellon, and as he has finished up •his two-year-old career by winning, at ,weight-for-age, about the hardest twof ear-old race in the Dominion, it can be airly assumed that Monoform as a sire is a 'decided success.' Further, the yeacQings and foals by this young sire show much promise, and many breeders sound ins praises loudly. The owners have refused several tempting offers for Monoform, believing that he will equal, if ;nofc eclipse, his- two full brothers, Multiform and" Uniform, each of which has gained high prominence as a sire." Mr. Alison is acting quite within his rights in attempting to remove any wrong impression that the note he refers to may have created, but it is not strictly accurate to talk about Apellon having won "about the hardest t\vo-year-old race in .the--. Dominion." The race alluded to •was the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, in which Apellon just got home by half a length from Warsong, whilst King Soult was third. That Apellon may -be the makings of a good colt those ,who have seen him will be quite prepared to admit, but in tho race in question, he did not even meet the best of tvs age, let alone beat them. Since the Hon. H. Mosman bought St. Hippo for the moderate sum of 100 guineas, at the breaking-up sale ot the Sylvia Park stud, the St. Leger horse has been more or le^s lost sight of. It is interesting to note, therefore, that ajnong the bloodstock that is to be sold in Queensland in the immediate future is" the Melbourne Cup winner Acrasia, who has a chestnut, colt foal at foot by St. Hippo. Though a great racehorsehe won both the New Zealand and Auckland Cups, the latter carrying the record weight of 8.9, as a three-year-old, also the Great Northern Derby, Champagne Stakes, Hawkes Bay Guineas, and A.R.C. Handicap — St. Hippo was a nonsuccess at the stud, probably his best achievement being gained with 'the aid of Ellerslie, his mating with whom resulted in the production of Solution's dam Problem. This, notwithstanding, however, he eeems to have been given another chance to distinguish himself in 'Australia, and the career of the colt foal above referred to will be watched with interest. Acrasia was by San Fran's sire Gozo from Cerise and Blue, who won the Sydney Cup in 1886. Her latest offspring is thus chock full of staying blood on both sides. In Thursday's notes attention was called to a resolution adopted the previous evening in. respect to the formation oi a new chib to be known as th© Wellington. Trotting Club. The subject is one of considerable- importance, and I can see no reason why, if it is conducted an the proper lines, sport in which the iigirb harness 'horse is the chief factor should nob become quite as popular here ms it is in Canterbury. Provided that due authority be given, for the interested to go ahead, all will depend upon the manner in which the sport is to be handled. In the past trotting has lagged behind in this island. This largely because, at the outset, some of those who had command thereof failed to command, the respect and confidence of the public. During recent years, howwwr, matters have greatly improved, and in Auckland the sport has now reached a standard of high level, and is 'becoming increasingly popular year by year. So far as I can learn negotiations ■between local enthusiasts and the proprietors of Miramar have already arrived at a stage which leaves no doubt as to the feasibility of a working arrangement with respect to the lease, and possibly th© ultimate purchase of the jtfiramar course being brought about. iWitb. a track so handily situated to the city, the new club would be in a most advantageous position, but it may be pointed out that, if any really serious attempt is to be mad© to place the sport of tootting on a proper basis in this district, those in authority must be prepared to launch out in no niggardly manner. In its present condition the Miramar course is of little use, and if a satisfactory start is to be made a large eran of money will have to be expended there. The whole place will require to be ploughed up, re-formed, and well banked at the turns ere 'the inaugural meeting is held upon it. Owners of high-class horses will not race them on a rough flat grass track, and as, without the presence of brilliant performers, the whole thing would fall flat and carry its own condemnation, at the very outset, it is imperative that every nerve should be strained to induce sportsmen to bring such animals forward. Might it not be possible to get the Hutt people to join in, and so both obtain a totalizator permit and strengthen the new club? Having no course of its own, the Hutt Club is far from happily situated, and if convinced that eometfaing was really to be done in the way of popularising trotting locally, its members might be only too pleased to act as suggested. That, once Wellingtonians came' to see that they were going to get value for their entrance money, the sport would boom here there cannot be a 'doubt. One has only to glance at, the results obtained in Canterbury in order to become assured of this. Apart from the large number of people who hold complimentary tickets, including lady visitors, who are supplied with such by members of the club almost ad lib. , there was an average attendance on each of j the eleven days trotting was held at j the " Metropolitan Club's grounds last season of 5740. The club's last balancesheet showed assets to be £17,399 15s 4d and liabilities nil, and this after distri- I buting stakes to the value of £13,133. These figures clearly prove the esteem in which trotting is» held in the land of vast plains and nor'-westers, and there seems to be no reason why it should not become equally popular in Wellington. Ab Eandwick the other morning (says a Sydney writer) I was struck with how well Aborigine looked after his spell, and it is by no means improbable that during the coming season the son of Merriwee will do equally well, if not better, on the race track than last spring. At the end of last year there was a doubt as to what course would be adopted with him, but, according to present arrangements, he will remain in Australia for the coming spring meetings. When Aborigine was bought on behalf of Mr. Gordonhas Khatau most New Zealand racing men thought the price paid for the black gelding represented more than his value, but Irs four runs in Australia have resulted in one win outright and a dead-heat for a race of the importance of the Caulfield Cup, he has proved a good investment. His dead-heat and first returned his owner prize-money totalling £1625.