NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 47, 24 August 1911, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By Sir Bedivere.) The action of the Canterbury Jockey Club's committee in deciding to place another selling race on ita spring programme is generally deprecated. This class of event may be all very well at a meeting of minor importance run by a struggling institution, but it tends rather to lower than, to elevate the tone of the sport. It is common knowledge that in such races horses are sometimes sent out with the special object of gaining second rather than, first place, bo that their owAersmay receive, half the surplus- money paid for the dinner. In other respects the programme for the Metropolitan Meeting is well worthy of New Zealand's premier club. The New Zealand Cup of 2000 soys, the Derby. of 1350 soys, the Stewards' Handicap of 1300 soys, the Welcome Stakes of 1006 soys, and the Metropolitan Handicap of 1000 soys will as usual be the chief attraction. Talking of selling races reminds me that I noticed some particulars of a race meeting, run at Salt Lake City, the other day, which must have been just abpufc the limit. It took place on 23rd June, and was a free-gate fixture, which according to report "attracted many farmers and other people (especially other 4 people one would think) to the beautiful racecourse at Utah." The whole of the six _ events on the programme were selling races, run over distances ranging from 4| furlongs to I mile. For rough riding in the opening event, a jockey named Bevan was fined 60 dollars ', whilst a short-priced favourite in another race was barred from further competition on the grounds of inconsistency. The meeting was concluded on 27th June, when a horse named Prince Ahmed was credited with getting over six furlongs in lmin 11 4-6 sec. The promoters are said to have got their return out of the selling races, and the great advertisement the free show gave their track. A New Zealander that has won a large- share of admiration at Randwick, nays Milroy, is Midnight Sun, a brother •to Noctuiform; whom Mr. E. J. Watt has placed with Harry Rayner to train with his New Zealand Cup winner, Bridge. Midnight Son, who i& in splendid buckle, is a big. grandly-built brown, with lots of reach and great .propelling power, A final reminder.— The secretary of the Dannevirke Racing Club will receive entries for the Spring Meeting up to 9 o'clock this evening. The local telegraph, office close* earlier. Nominations for the Wanganui Spring Meeting are due on Monday nest. At the Ha-wkes Bay Jockey Club's Spring Meeting the Hawkes- Bay Guineas and the_ Hasting** Stakes will be run consecutively for the first time. This arrangement has been necessitated through the reduction of one of the club's days of racing. Sir George Clifford's crack colt» Antwgonisfc has again been showing signs of lameness , and it lias, unfortunately been necessary to ease him in his preparation. Antarctic k reported to_ have been »tili sore when he was shipped north last Saturday, Probably ha will be given a few months' rest. Silver Blaze has been purchased "by the Riccarton trainer, G. Murray Aynsley, and it ie understood he ia to h& used A& & hack. , Cuiragno, who won the Grand National Hurdles in 1906, has been following the Pakuranga. hounds recently. Grand Slam, who went amiss prior to the Grand National Meeting, hae been blistered and turned out for a lengthy spell. Eurus, who ran co disappointingly at the National Meeting, has been, thrown out of work, and is to be sent home to his owner'e station. Kilwinning, who was recently purchased by an Auckland sportsman, left for his new home a few days ago. Kilcheran'iS son will probably be relegated to the stud,.