NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 63, 12 September 1911, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By Sir Bediv^re.)

The Da-nnevirke Racing Club's Spring Meeting will take pla.ee to-morrow, and, .seeing that it will mark the inauguration of cross-country facing in the district, ib will be interesting to note how 'it works out. Petsonally, I anticipate •Si record aM^ttdance— my reason for dping bo being that I believe the general run of racegoers will appreciate the thoroughly 9porting nature of the card. 'Three steeplechases, two hurdle races, arid two welter ©Vents, one of which will be decided over a mile and a-quartei' course, comprise a programme which is in distinct contrast" to the usual thing we are favoured with. A field of eleven is engaged in .the principal eventnamely, the Dannevirke Steeplechaseland an inspiriting contest should result. Sir Lethe will probably rbe sent out ' favourite^ and after the convincing ioxm he showed at Riccarton kst month this .will not be surprising. He has a stiff load to handle, but liis owner is well aware that he runs his best races when allowed to make his own pace, and the chances are that he will' make the pace a cracker. In ■ this he will be 'ably seconded by both Wirral and Lovell, each of whom," in common with their redoubtable opponent, likes to lead the way. Both of the two last-named are, however, touched in the wind, and the length of the journey is therefore likely to .trouble them. 'On Mafton form Wirral can in ahy .case have no chance with Connecticut, for, at a difference of "only 121 b, the latter outstayed him <over a two miles and a-quarter course. Connecticut, who is also engaged in the Maiden Steeplechase, is, of course, liable to "be fehandicapped. Pleiades and Wifiiata have each ( shown winning form recently, but Flamingo is sore and sjtale, and Whimper has not been fencing quit© §o proficiently as usual. fiimitangi scored easily enough at Marton tinder 11.10, but whether he can carry an" additional 131 b successfully in the- Hunters' Hurdles remains to be seen. He should .again defeat Jackman, for, unless rehandicapped, he- will meet him on considerably better terms than ho 'did 'last week. Tinder the higher scale yf weights, however, he may find Sylvia Maid difficult to shake off. Over' heard was in backward condition -when Been out at the Waimapa Hunt Club's recent meeting, but Kauroa/s half--brother, Nescat, is imporving rapidly, and may b© expected to do better than he rir at Marton. If Connecticut makes his appearance in the Maiden Steeplechase he is bound to receive ■ solid sup port, for, on Marton form, neither Glenmore nor Commodore can have any chance with him. It remains, of course, . to be- seen what Soman is capable of,, all that is known of , him at present being that he shaped well in private prior to the Winter Meeting at Trentham. Unless rehandicapped, Epsom Las* will be a prime fancy for the Ruamati Welter^ for she won the Crofton Handicap in good style at Marton^ and is improving in' condition daily.. Windago will not meet so strong a lot as' be did at Riccarton ih the Open Hurdles, but it may be well to bear in' mind that he will be meeting T©' Whetn on considerably less advantageous terms than he did" at the Hnw-kes- : Bay"wiriter fixture. Several unknown ones are engaged in the Hunters' Steeplechase, in whicb Sylvia Maid will probably be Seen out,' ahd the Umntaoroa Welter I promises to be a well-contested event. Seeing that none of. Spearmint's progeny had shone during the, fipst half of the present, season in 'England,' aft inclination arose* in certain* quarters to decry his prospects* as n- sire. 'His detractors' were soon, to .be put out of i court. i however", for Javelin, a colt by Carbine's greatest 'son from Full Cry (Flying Fox'-»Lady Villikins), subsequently created a most favourable impression, and' the filly by Spearmint trom Pretty Polly's sister/ Adula, ran away with the richest! -two«year>-6ld event of the year. Mr. Allison,, who writes as ''Special Commissioner" for the London Sportsman, commented about Javelin as follows !«-"l would at this moment' sooner own Javelin than any colt we have seen, for 1 - lie is far in front of jwhat his sire, Spearmint, was at this stage of development. Yet he is likely to improve in an equal ratio. I shall be very disappointed if Javelin is iiot a really great colt." ' f ' The latest Sydney file* to hand ■contain a list of the nominations and acceptances for all events to be decided at the A.J.O. Spring Meeting, and very interesting reading they make. Midnight Sun i«- the only New 25ea.larader left in the Derby. lor which, on the 6thof this month, Jacamar was favourite. Mr. Watte'e colt is also engaged in the Trial Stakes (ten furlongs), Cliborne Stakes (nine furlongs), Grautham Stakes (one* mile), but it is noticeable that he is not to contest either of the long distance w.f.a. events. Lo» Angelos, ViceAdmiral, Lady Lucy, and the ex-New Zealanders Lady Medallist and Broadawoud, are entered for the Spring Stakes and. the Randwick Plate" (two miles), for the .latter of which Bridge, haa also been* nominated. Bandiera, who ha« presumably recovered from whatever it was that recently caused hitti to go lame, Culprit, Sunburnt, Gehiufi, Wimmera, Apnaea, and Peirerte, are Well engaged ifl short and middle distance races, and tho list of those remaining in the valuable Breeders' Plate contains the names of Mr. E. J. Watts'e eh i Ventura {TttMiuair—SonofliaiJ, Mr.- Herman's b c Bonitae (Boniform— Curette), Messrs. W. G. and G. L. Stead's b c Bon Soir (Bonifowa>—Curtetf Bell), ancf eh f Chin Chin (Boiiiform— Drought), a-nd Mr. Greenwood's by c Cavote (Charlemagne ll.— j Lady FeJ<?n). Other familiar names that j appear among the general entries are:-— ttoya.l Smilt, Blackpool, '■Irritation, Full Sail, Sharpshooter, Wild West, Pakau, Contorp, Wimmera, Loch Fyne, and Wirral. - The T two lasfc mentioned are entered for thV.' steeplechases, Loch Fyne is already Ut RandwMt, but" it is now certain that Wirral is to abandon the projected trip. Mention of Pakait reminds me that a* well as being engaged in the hurdle races, she is nominated lot the Wavefle'y Handimp of 500 *ov.«, one rnito and three-quarters. Tn this country elm w»s una.ble io win hack races, antl" it is to see her n*me mixed up with those of Las Ange- ]<*, Britain. Htyria, Latly Lucy. Bridge, | •fid Vice-Admifal. Well, in landing the Chelnvfovd Stake* with Los Angelos M.c ha-v© made a. good iftart, and being j»o strongly reprwentwl in the events to be deciffed on tho 30th nf this month, and the 1 2nd, 4th, and 7th of next, the i prestige this country has earned for the production of high-class thoroughbreds should be fully upheld. Though the exact strength of the field j that Los Angelos put down under w.f.a. j condition* last Saturday, will nob bo known here for a few days to come, it is worthy of note that co laic as 6th

Foote, !Malt King, Blairgour, Poeadas, Cisco, and the New Zealand era, Vice Admiral and Midnight Sun. In Australia they have a wise rule to the effect that winners of w.f.a. «vent« sha-ll not incur penalties in connection with handicap races. Los Angelos will thus carry his original weight in tho Epsom Handicap, 9.8, and it is safe to assert that he is now highly fancied. So far only one horec, namely Marvel, who pcored under 10.2, haa succeeded in cairying more than 9.4 successfully in this race, and if Los Angelos does the trick he will be deserving of every dredit. Prior to his success on Saturday Blairgour w as favourite, six points in advance of Lady Medallist, who waa followed by Flavinius, Lager, and Los Angelos. Both tho lp-st-named and Lady Medalliet had then been solidly supported. Other betting news is to the effect that Lady Medalliet is now equal favourite with Sandbath for the Caulfield Cup, whilst Comedy King is the prime- fancy for the Melbourne- Cup, with Prince Foote, Jacamar, Trafalgar, and Posadas next in order. It was rather a coincidence that an own brother and sister in T.T. and Laughing Water should both score on the 2nd September, the former in fattersall'fl Guineas at Adelaide, and the latter in the Ladies' Necklace at Kalgoorlie.