THE TURF. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 84, 10 April 1911, Page 2

THE TURF. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By Sir Bedivere.) My notes, which appeared in Saturday's issue, were written on Friday, and 1 see that, side by side with my hint that Equitas would probably go to Feilding, was the list of acceptors for the big mile handiuip at Ellerslie, in which her name figured. Well, acceptances for the Feilding fixture are due this evening, and by to-morrow we eha-11 know more as to her and other owners' intentions. The Easter campaign of other well-known performers seems yet to be undecided, for apart from Full Rate, who still stands hia ground in the Great Easter, there are quite a number engaged both at Feilding and Tauherenikau. Acceptances for the Wairarapa meeting are not due until 8 p.m. to-morrow, so that the position will not be finally cleared up until Wednesday at the earliest. The Reckoning, who beat the' ex-New Zealander Full JSail in the High-weight Handicap at the Hawkeebury meeting last w-eek, ran eecond under 10.11 to Obi for the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdles. Some of those who have; seen him racing over the battens maintain that he is a coueideTably better horse than our crack hurdler Paisano. The latter is a fairly hot proposition to tackle when at hi^ best, however, and a meeting between the pair would bo interesting. The interim baiance-sneet which was placed before the stewards of tho Maeterton Racing Club last week disclosed a profit of £585 over th© autumn meeting at Opaki. It has been decided to apply for the following dates in connection with next season's fixtures :— Spring meeting, 26th' and 27th October ; autumn meeting, 21st and 22nd March, Eric, who won the Autumn Handicap a* the Rawkesbur.y meeting, is a seven-year-old gelding bj Sir William out ol Heather. He k engaged in the. Sydney Cup at 8.4. Whilst contesting the laat Caulfield Cup he fell, and though he received a severe shaking, he recovered sufficiently quickly to allow of his contesting the Melbourne Cup, in which, after being the last to leave the straight, lie finished seventh. Owners are finally reminded that entries for the Thompson Handicap, of 500 eovs. ; the Autumn Handicap, of 325 soya. ; and all the minor events to be decided at the Wellington autumn meeting are due at 9 o'clock this evening. Acceptances for the Patea annual meeting close an hour earlier. The death is reported from Auckland of a well-known figure on the New Zealand Turf in the person of "Patsy" Butler. In the early days Butler was particularly successful, both as an .owner and a trainer, but after 1895 fortune discontinued to smtie upon him. Probably the best horse he ever owned was Mankm, with whom he won the Hawkes Bay Guineas, Wanganui Derby, New Zealand Cup, Canterbury Cup, and Canterbury Derby in 1888. Crackshot, who won both the Auckland Cup and Canterbury Cup in 1890, was another good one, as too was Artillery, who scored in the D.J.C. Champagne Stakes and subsequently in the Canterbury Cup of 1886. With the aid of Au Eevoir Butler won the Stewards' Handicap ab Kiccarton, the Manawatu Cup, and I divided the Forbury Handicap with Beadonwell in 1893-4, and Fusilier carried his colours to victory in the WaagiMiui Derby in 1885. No one was fonder of a "lepper' than "Pat&y," and in The Agenb and Liberator he owned two of the greatest performers ever known in this country. The former won the A.ILC. Summer Steeplechase in 1879 and 1882, and the Grand National Steeplechase in 1879, 1880, and 1884. Many keen judges still regard, him as the very best 'chaser that ever raced | I over either Ellerslie or Riccarfon. After winning both the Wanganui and Dunedin Cups on the flat Liberator established a record which has not since been broken by carrying off the big jumping double at Ellerslie in 1895, when, he was piloted by Free Holmes, now a successful trainer of both gallopers and trotters in Canterbury. Yet another one-time well Known trainer breathed his last last week in Con Boyle, whose death was caused by injuries received through a kick from a horse. Boyle was for some time private trainer for the Hon. J. D. Ormoad and was at another period associated •with the sportsman who now races as "Mr. Maehell." The Quarryman filly Big Blast has been purchased by Mr. W. Smart for 200 guineas, and will go into Higgott's stable at the Lower Hutt. She is to be shipped North from Lyttelton to-morrow. It has been finally decided that Sea Queen will be a competitor at the Wairarapa meeting, and she will be ridden there on the first day by W. Evan.