NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 128, 31 May 1916, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By " Sir Lancelot")

The Dunedin Jockey Club's Winter Meeting opens to-morrow, and will be concluded on Saturday. The old-time Birthday Handicap is now second in importance to the Otago Steeplechase, which is worth 500 soys. The liberal stake only attracted one entry from the North Island, and that one (Silver Monarch) has failed to make.the trip. The Levin-bred Heatherlea, who has won the List three times he started, is among those engaged.

Rorke's Drift has a good horse's weight (lOst) in the Birthday Handicap. Only on one occasion has 9st been carried by the winner of the race. That was when Dearest won in 1907. Rorke's Drift's impost is only 61b more than he won with on the second day at North Otago, when he ran a mile and a-quarter in 2min Bsec. He meets Ardenvhor (second) on 41b and Magdala (third) on 71b worse terms respectively. Tannhauser, who finished next to the placed division, has 91b the best of it. If the latter is improved with the racing at Oamaru he may keep the top-weight busy. TJi6 North Islander Commotion has not improved since he won the Pacific Hurdle Handicap last May. He then carried top weight, 11.10. Now he has 20lb less, and is in receipt of 371b from Crib. Kihneny, who was successful on the second day at North Otago, has 11.11 to carry. Fiery Cross, a- stablemate of Kilmeny, who ran two good races ait North Otago is now top weight in the Brighton -Handicap, seven furlongs. He is conceding some weight to Deviation and Placid, a recent winner.

Buller, top weight in the Tradesmen's Handicap, won that race last year. Among those he is conceding weight to are Hornbeam and Redshire, with recent' form to recommend them, and two ei'stwjiile sprinters ■in Clynelish and Obsono. ,

Among those, in tho Winter Welter Handicap with the minimum weight is All Ready, who has lost aU form since he raced «t. Wingatui, twelve months ago, when ilhe just failed to land tho principal evejvt each day. The field includes BrooksHfilo and Kedowa, both of whom were, successful at the Southland Meeting la?t month. They are full brother and sister by Pallas—-Bealey, by ApremonWQueen B"ee (dam pf Slow Tom).

Ngaiora, who won a mile xs.ee in 2min 20sec at the Westland Racing Club's Meeting, is handicapped at omin ! isec in the principal event at the Greytown Trotting Club's Meeting. One of the first batch of the New South Wales progeny of imported Pownshire was successful in the Stradbrooke Handicap, of 700 soys, six furlongSj 'at the Queensland Turf Club's Meeting, on Saturday last. This was Amberdowu, a bay colt by Downshire— Miss jVJui'iel, by Amberite-r-Midgge, by JKinsboi'ovtgh —- Enid, by • imported Cheviot. At the Randwick sales a year ago. Arriberdown was purchased by Mr. T. Jennings, for 200 soys, and he car* ried that owner's colours on Saturday last. At the recent Sydney sales Mr. Jennings gave, 270 guineas for a chestnut colt by Eudorus from Miss Muriel. E. J. 6ae, the Auckland ownertrainer, who rode Levanter to victory in the Groat Northern Steeplechase on two successive occasions, will be represented in the coming race by Captain Jack and Waimai. The Captain is a member of tho Captain Webb tribe, and a well-known performer; having won the Wellington Steeplechase two years ago. The handicapper has a great opinion of Waimai, as he has placed him within 31b of El Gallo (last year's winner) and lib below his . stable mate. Waimai is a six-year-old gelding by Spalpeen out of a Derby mare._ Ho was practically an unknown quantity when he ran second to Takanini in the Hunters' Hurdles at the Auckland Winter Meeting. At the Pakuranga Hunt Club Meeting, held at Ellerslie, he won the Maideu Hunters' Steeplechase, two miles and aquartor, and the Hunt Cup, three miles, the same afternoon. This season he won the Waikato Hunt Cup, in which nearly all the others made mistakes. His best performance was in the Onehunga Steeplechase, three miles, at the Auckland Spring Meeting, when he ran second to Golborne, to whom he was conceding 171b. , In the Great Northerii Golborne was handicapped within 61b of the minimum. Waimai may turn out as good as Levanter, Orangeman, Titokowaru, and other horses R-ae has had, but up to date Jus performances do not entitle him to be' placed alongside horses with the credentials of El Gallo aud Captain Jack.

Pair Puritan, who won in 3min 56sec at the Waimate Plains Meeting, was engaged in the principal event at the South Wairarapa Meeting with, the limit in a smin lOsec class. She was not accepted for, the Hal Zojock stable relying on the Australian-bred Parole Bells (Australian Parole—Four Bells). She has a winning performance of 3min 46sec, and is handicapped to do smin ssec. i Naupata and Scrutineer will be sent from Porirua to represent J. H. Prosser's stable at the Auckland Racing Club's Winter Meeting. They go North in charge of H. M'Sweeney, who will ride Naupata in his engagements. Mr. H. J. Palmer, vice-president of the Wellington Trotting Club, was among the recruits that marched through the city yesterday with the 17th Reinforce-' ments. Two well bred competitors in Calmly (sister to Calm) and Miss Effle Bells (Abey Bells—Effle) are coming from South to compete at the Wairarapa Trotting Club's Meeting. It is reported that'T. P. Quinlivan will journey, to Sydney in the spring with Eligible and Sasa'noff. During his absence the members of Messrs. W. G. Stead's and E. J. Watt's teams will be in charge of K. Quinlivan. Tiqoper R. Cooper, owner of Chillies, is a member of the 13th Reinforcements. General Advance, who won at. Nelson in 2min 35sec, and at, Waimate Plains, mile and a distance, in 2.48 (2.30 gait), is very well treated at the South Wairarapa Meeting. He has the limit in the Kempton Park Handicap, 3.50 class, and 15 sec iv the President's Trot, one I mile. Nancy Patch, who failed to con- | cede General Advance 4 sec in the Eltham Handicap, one mile and a distance.

at • Waimate Plains, is asked to concede 9 sec in a mile. According to the "correct" card, General Advance is trained by J. Reeves for G. Jamieson. Shadbolt, jun., rode General Advance at Nel : son and Waimate Plains.

It is reported that Emperador pulled up lame after doing a gallop at Wanganui on Saturday last. The Charlemagne 11. gelding has been more or less sound at different parts of his career, and B. J. Mason has done well 'to keep him going so long. He has won over £7000 in stakes, a good record for a gelding in tho Dominion, which has only been beaten by Bobrikoff.

J-larold D, wiho won the. Stayers' Handicap, three miles, at the New Brighton Trotting Club's Meeting, is engaged in two events at the South Wairarapa Trotting Club's Meeting. He won pulling up at New Brighton in 7mjn 37^sec (2-32-j), and should run prominently in whatever, he starts in at Greytown. Harold D. has accepted for tho Peninsula Handicap at the Canterbury Park Meeting on Thursday. He is on the back mark, giving away 12sec in a 5-10 class.