NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 92, 16 October 1915, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By "Sir Lancelot.") Owners of horses engaged at the Wellington Spring Meeting should note that acceptances for the first day's handicaps close on Monday at 9 p.m. Forfeits for the Champion Plate are due at the same time. Messrs. W. G. Stead and T. Quinlivan were among thei visitors to the Masterton Meeting. The latter had not been on the -Opaki coarse for twenty-eight years, when he rode in a race* for gentlemen riders... Con. Reed, a younger brother to Ashley and Roy Reed, had a couple of mounts at the Masterton Meeting. Three two-year-olds, Menelaus (Martian—Lovelorn), Black Hill (All Black— Kilindini), and Lady General (General Latour — Romolo), competed unsuccessfully in the Trial Stakes at Masterton. After his disappointing display at Hastings Multiply was not brought through to Masterton. In consequence, B. Deeley was without a ride in the big race. Privation, Maltegarde, Otter, His Eminence, and Black Lupin were each started twice at Masterton. His Eminence (runner-up to Mia Cara) made the best attempt on his second appearance. W. H. Bowden has Hushabye and pis Eminence in good condition. A copy of the Feildmg Jockey Club's book programme for the Spring Meeting is to hand. Several of the events have been increased in value compared with last year. The principal ones are the York Stakes and Railway Welter, each of which has been increased in value from 150 eova to 200 soys. Riders at the Masterton Meeting wore crepe arm bands as a mark of respect to the jockey W. Adams, who succumbed to the injuries he received while riding Gladful in a hurdle race at Hastings on Saturday last. For some seasons past the deceased jockey, v/hto was generally popular, gained pi eminence as a hurdle and cross-courtry horseman. He was associated with T. Lloyd's Marton stable for some years, and won good races in the Dominion and Australia on Glenmore. He has since been riding both on the flat and over hurdles for the Hon. J. D. Ormond's stable, whose colours he carried in his last race. He won the Great Northern Hurdles on Marton, and the last New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase on Ngatoa. Tango has setled down a lot since the Horowhenua Meeting, and was actually better behaved at the post at Masterton than one or two of the other Tunners in the Trial Plate. The V.A.T.C. Spring Meeting will be brought to a conclusion at Canlfield this afternoon. New Zealanders are interested in the ra"ce for the Caulfield Cup, in which Reputation is engaged. The- competitors at Mastertoa en Thursday included the Stewards' Handicap candidates Bertrada, Hushabye, Three, Peronilla, Happiness, and Pariform. Hushabye, who defeated Three in the good time of lmin 14 3-ssec, made the best showing. Happiness and Three, being three-year-olds, may improve more than the other competitors. Mr. W. Nidd, who has gone into business at Christchurch, sent word to have Peronilla shipped south, and she will in future be trained at Riccarton. Rinaldo is unlikely to compete in the Wainui Handicap at Trentham. A win for him in that event on top of the Mas terton success would mean 51b penalty in the Cup. South Island stables are likely to be well represented in the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham. Thestius (a winner at Dunedin), Good Hope, -Kilkee, Kilbrogan, Thames, and Swale are likely to be brought up to compete in the event named. The two last-named will be the first of the progeny of Danube to race. At Riccarton on Thursday morning, Nones was credited with running a mile in lmin 40 4-ssec. The meeting of horses and the North Island three-year-old filly Desert Gold in the Champion Plate at Trentham should help to swell the attendance on Labour Day. It is reported that Battle Eve and Good Hope will be the only members of Sir Geo. Clifford's team to compete at Trentham. It is not often that thi3 powerful stable is so poorly represented at a Trentham Meeting. Neither Botanist nor Montana started at Masterton. The only member of S. Jameson's team to compete was Ruatangata, who ran a good race in the Ladies' Bracelet. The New Zealand Cup candidates Pavlova, Indigo, 'Fair Rosamond, Blackall, and Tangihou are engaged in the Wainui Handicap, one mile, on the opening day of the Wellington Meeting. The race is only 'worth 95 soys to the winner,, and does not, therefore, carry a penalty in the Cup. Bonny Helen, Pavlova, Multiply, Kooya, Maniaroa, Goldstream, Tangihou, and Midnight Star are also" in the Wellington Handicap, the winner of which will have to put up 71b extra at Riccarton. Belgian Consort, winner of the Mona I Nursery Handicap at Caulfield on Wednesday, is one of the first batch of the New South Wales-bred progeny of Charlemagne 11. Her dam, Rocia, is a daughter of Graf ton. She cost Mr. T. F. Quinlan 425 guineas at the Sydney sales. Three-year-olds have been more successful in the Stewards' Handicap than horses of older ages. Royal Artillery carried 3.9, Bon Reve (who dead-heated with Stardancer) 8.6, and Gold Crest 8.3. A good many three-year-olds are handicapped in the forthcoming event. Among the number are Desert Gold (8.8), Flying Start (7.13), Nones (7.13), Three (7.10), Hyginas (7.9), Wishful (7.0), Taringamutu (6.12), Hydras (6.8), Recorder (6.7), Bellshire (6.7)* Probation (6.7), Happiness (6.7), and others. Some good horses appear at the head of the handicap, and the tail is better than usual. Among those on the 6.7 mark are Ardent, Jeannot, the English hoiaes Week-End and Tame Duck, and others. The heaviest impost ever carried to vie4tpry in- the race was 9,0- by. that good

performer Vladimir. Chortle recently won at Napier with 10.6, and with 10.1 he has a good chance. He is entered for the Champion Plate at Trentham, and a win in that event would mean 101b penalty at Riccavton. When he won at Napier he conceded Tatterley 191b and a beating. The latter may be expected to improve on his Park form. When he ran second in the race two years ago as a three-year-old he was conceding Warstep 151b. Last spring he was ati Randwick, where he carried 11.6, and won in lmin 15£ sec. Mr. Watt has another representative in the race, in Downham (8.4). Besides Desert Gold, -who may be reserved for -weight-for-age and classic races, Mr. Lowry has two others in the race, in Balboa and Tete-a-tete (8.0). Other prominent stables have more than one representative in the race, which should bring together most of the best sprinters in commission in the Dominion. Mr. T. Cameron was in his best form at the barrier at Opaki. Mr. A. Hathaway (secretary) informed me that the stewards were well satisfied with the meeting, both from a sporting and financial point of view. C. Pritchard has Immer and Pall Mall in excellent condition at present. The pair were out in front in their races at Masterton, but were unable to see the distances out. Most of the Martian tribe are -well grown, but Pritchard's pair are handicapped in this respect compared with their bigger opponents. Mr. E. Alison, of Auckland, got the English horse Clash of Arms (Polymelus — Blue Blood) for 140 guineas at the Sydney sales. Several Stewards' Handicap candidates are engaged in the Shorts Handicap, five furlongs, at Trentham. Their respective imposts are as follow : —