NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 150, 22 December 1914, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By " Sir Lancelot.")

Acceptances for the first day's handicap events at the Wairarapa Racing Club's meeting on New Year's Day close to-morrow at 8.30 p.m., with Mr.' E. A. Laery, secretary, Featherston. Plunder has greatly improved since she raced at Trentham. She will need to "be to finish in front of Lady Black, who beat her at Trentham, and is Bet to meet her on 241b worse terms in the Belvedere Hack Handicap afc Carterton. Intelligible, who can gallop fast for a short distance, and Day Fly, members of the Hon. J. D. Ormond's team, competed unsuccessfully at Woodville. The cerise jacket wa» left behind, and on both days the rider of the horses named carried Mr. J. R. M'Donald's colours. J. F. Buchanan rode the members of the Karamu team that competed at Woodville, and will be in the saddle at, Ellerslie. „ Cyra got galloped on at Woodville, and will in consequence not be seen out during the holiday meetings. C. Pritchard may return from Auckland after the second day's racing and take charge of the members of his team engaged at Tauherenikaii. Mr. Whitney has engaged C. Emerson to ride Roumania in the Robinteon Handicap on the Opening day at Ellerslie. With the exception of the Wairarapa County Cup, satisfactory fields are engaged in all events at the TaratahiCarterton Racing Club's meeting on Boxing Day. First Consul and Big Blast dropped out of the Cup, leaving only four in. All those engaged in the Railway Handicap paid up except Margarita, who was not eligible. There are eight in the Belvidere Hack Handicap, nine in the Gladstone Hack Welter, sixteen in the Dash Hack Handicap. There are fifteen in one trot and fourteen in the other. "The last of the Southern contingent for Auckland leaves to-night, when Mr. Edwards goes up with a team of seven trotters. Edwards returns to Sydney after the Auckland meeting, and returns to Canterbury to settle there once more. A new bridle, suitable for holding "pullers," was used at the recent Woodville meeting. The bridle is worked on the pulley, system, and visiting owners and trainers at Woodville consider that its use will soon become general throughout' the Dominion. Mr. J. Telford, of Palmerston North > is the patentee. Four horses unplaced at Woodville on the first day were successful on the second day. In each case a fresh engineer was in charge of the steering gear. The last volume of the Stud ,Book, compiled by Mr. W. H. E. Wanklyn for the Racing Conference, states that Lady Augusta missed in 1910. The Woodville correct card gave Multiplication as a four-year-old gelding by Multifid—Lady Augusta. Croesus is the only Woodville winner engaged at the Hawkes Bay meeting. The Blenheim-owned horses, Beacon and Killaloo, are to compete at the Dunedin and North Otago meetings. They were shipped South on Saturday night. They were accompanied by Heel Tap (Achilles—Zealandia), a half-brother to Merrie Zealand and Bracken. , J, M. Cameron, the Hastings trainer,' is sending Anguish through to tho Carterton meeting. Suratura, who finished third to Byron in the Wairarapa County Cup last year, is engaged on Saturday. Her best distance is five furlongs, but she recently failed over that distance at Woodville, and can hardly be regarded as a match for Rene over ten furlongs. _ Both competitors named are engaged in the Railway Handicap, six furlongs. If Rene wins the Gup she will be rehandicapped in the short race, and may find more than her match in Blue Lake. Two Woodville-owned trotters were engaged during the holiday meeting. J. Sullivan informed me that Starboy, whose name appears among the acceptors, would not go to Carterton, as he would not be able to drive the horse himself. Strabane (who does duty in a hansom cab at Woodville) has gone through to Auckland for the Introductory Handicap, but will have to improve on any of his previous showings to be close up at the finish. The Porirua. team which competed at Woodville were left at Palmerston. Mr. Prosser went through this morning with Pavlova and Los Angelos. Seven of the team are engaged at Manawatu and Marton* Belasco, the only member of Prosser's team engaged at Ellerslie, was railed through last night. He is engaged in the Shortland Plate, one mile, and i the Robinson Handicap, seven furlongs, on the opening day of the Auckland j Meeting. He may compete in the firstnamed event, in which case C. Emereon's services will be available for Eoumania. for the Robinson Handicap. Rewi Poto and Simple Sam, are the only winners at Woodville engaged at the Taranaki Meeting on Saturday and Monday pext. Fashion Plato got crowded out at Woodville, and did not continue the journey to Auckland until last night. She and Itilmeny should run prominently at Auckland. Arlington was allowed to drop out of the Hack Welter at Carterton. Probably the reason was because his usual pilot (T. Pritchard) was engaged for some other competitor in the race. Arlington is engaged in the Wairarapa Cup with a light weight. By his double win at Woodville Rewi Poto has incurred a 121b penalty at New Plymouth, which brings his weight up to 10.2. This is 71b more than he carried on the second day at Woodville. He should again account for Wild Lupin, who meets him on 71b better terms. Rewi Poto will not have the assistance of his usual pilot (C. Price), who is engaged at Auckland. This may make a difference, and gives Passadena, and Ratana a better chance of defeating the black horse, who is in great form at present. His name is missing from the Wellington nominations. Master Achilles, Orleans, Square Deal, and Tangihou, who wers engaged at Marton, imve dropped out, and will theroforo probably be at Tauherenikau on New Year's Day. Evadne and Golden Sky, v/ho were also engaged at Marton, will be at Hastings. Bonny Helen was allowed to drop out of her engagements tit Manawatu untl'

Marton. It is reported that she is again on the easy list. Another top -weight missing from the acceptance lists is Thrax. It was hoped he would be able to be seen out at Dunedin, but the attempt being made to get a race out of him has been abandoned for the present.