NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 48, 24 February 1917, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(II "SIR LANCELOT.";).

The Annual Meeting of the R-angitikei Racing Club will be held on. 21st and 22nd March. The stakes offered show an lall-jound increase compared with last yeas. The open events are the Scott Memorial,' of 150 soys, six furlongs; Kangitikei Cap, of 300 soys, one mile and a-quarter; Parewanui Welter Handicap, of 125 soys,: eight and a-half furlongs ; Clifton Handicap, of 120 soys, five furlongs; Greatford Stakes, of 175 soys, one mile and a distance; Raumai Welter, of 120 soys, seven furlongs. Nominations for all events (including the Trial Plate and Maiden Handicap' Race) dose on Monday at 9 p.m. with Mr. H. A. Goodall, secretary, Bulls. , Glenorchy, '..winner of the Westmere Handicap Hurdles at Wanganni, is en-gaged-•.-in^ the Ruahine Jumpers' Flat Race at Dannevirke.

Mr. J. M'Kean, the New, Plymouth owner, has. a three-year-old half-brother by Tasco. to Prince Delaware,, who will probably' make his first appearance at Rangitikei. ■• .. ' ■ The';"Wanganui 'Cup winner, Client, was bred by Mr: James Bull, jun., who ■witnessed Thursday's race. On staying lines there is no better-bred horse in the Dominion. His sire, Elevation, was a first-class performer over long journeys, aiitf,.; strange to say, this is. the first winner of an important race 1 sired "by himV. -Bonheur (dam of Client). was . a full'sister to Nonette, and' although not in tb» same; class as her distinguished lelatrve as! a performer, won on the flat and./.;aver fences. She' was by Seaton Delavsl, a successful sire of performers over' a: distance. Her first foal was a filly by Mahaki and the second a filly by .Birkenhead named Sunlight. Then followed the Wanganui Cup winner and a couple of youngsters by Advance. The two latter are owned: by Mr. T. Duncan, brother of Mr. W. Duncan, who purchased Booheur from Mr. Boil. As the race was run Client and 'H. Young are entitled to some credit. Half a mile from home Client was last. The "way in which he finished and cut downs Bunting after the latter's victory had bWen, proclaimed reminded those who witnessed it of the run Bunting pat in. at TretEtham when he cnt down Rangitero. Ghent has won over 1500 soys in stakes.this season, and will give his sire a. well-deserved, lift on the winning sires' list. ,

lete-a-lfete stripped in great condition for the Flying Handicap at Wanganui and ran one of the best races of her career. She was conceding Form Up exactly two stone. Although she was third favourite when the machine closed she was paying a much better price than Form Up and Chakwana, who-were most fancied on- the machine.

Mr. E. J- Watt was not present at iWanganni to see Bunting- race. The public -were very enthusiastic: about Client's success. As soon, ash© passed the post a well-known up-river Native rushed to the steps opposite tihe stewards' stand and gave a'-haka which started, thercrowd going.

In his preliminary gallop for the Wanganni Cup Depredation went down short. Even if he had not met with any interference it is doubtful if he would have won. The penalty meted out to B. M. Morris, a young rider with a good character, is generally considered a severe one. Those who witnessed the race think that a month's suspension would haye been ■ sufficient penalty to fit the crime.

Master Lupin, who won the Wanganui Cup two years ago,' would have taken his place in Thursday's field only for going wrong. A. Hall informed me that he would require a good spell. 1. George stated at Wanganui that Rangitero was feeling the effects of the racing at Trentham and was to have a couple of months' spell. (

On the appearance of the handicaps lor the Flying at Wanganui, Form up ■was made, favourite. A penalty for the Woodville' win only brought his imposition up to 8.2, which was 91b less than ho won with at Woodville. In eight starts Forni Up has run five firsts and three seconds and won 855 soys in stakes. He is a half-brother to Auratus and Gold Thread, both sired by Gold Beef. Auratus was,a.good sprinter, a Manawatu Cup winner, and might have won a Grand . National Hurdle Race had he trained on. Gold Thread proved a topnotch sprinter at Kandwick, where she was unlucky to be beaten in fast tima iwh'en., carrying welter. weights. Prior to producing Silver. Tongue, who won on his first appearance at.'Wanganui, Pearl Powder . (Captivator—Pearl Asli)< had had no produco since 1910, when she foaled Pearl Form (By Formative). Pearl Powder was bred in 1887, and was consequently 28 years old when she produced the Wanganui winner. The two smallest fields on the opening day at Wanganui proved the hardest to pick. In a field of four in the Westmere Handicap Hurdle Race the successful hack Record was considered unbeatable. He never looked like beating Glenorchy, who out-jumped his opponent at every obstacle. Glenorchy is an aged gelding by Strowan, and scored his only previous win this season at Feilding. Ho was unplaced at Wanganui last year when Tararu Jack won. In the Wiritoa Hack Race Handicap Iceberg and the Ferdell representative Pohehe were evenly supported. The latter was ridden by M. M'Carten and got apprentice allowance. Hi Young's services were available for Crown Head, and he led throughout, securing the verdict with little to spare from Iceberg. 'Crown Head is a six-year-old, and scored his only previous win at Stratford. Mirthful, dam of Crown Head, is by St. Cyr-> ,Vivat, by Captivator—Vivandiere, a well-known roan family to winch Son of a Gun, Goodwin Park, Patronale, and other performer* belong. Mirthful Is full-sister to Voucher and Vivacity (dam of Rouge: Dragon). The injuries which G. Clarke met with at Woodville were serious enough to prevent him putting in an appearance at Wanganui. There were plenty of jockeys at the Wanganui Meeting on ths opening day. O. M'Carten, L. Nodder. ' and L. H. Hewitt failed to get a mount, and L. Wilson had only one ride. In consequence of the suspension ot B. H- Morris Madam Ristori had to be withdrawn from her first day's engagement at Wauganui. No other horseman to ride the weight was available. Messrs. H. Matson and Co., instructed fey _ Mr.. J. B. Thomson, who is going to the front, announce an auction sale at Christchurch on Easter Monday of his lacing and stud trotters, including two which have qualified for the New Zealand Cup—Cathedral Chimes and Soda. Particulars will be found-in pur advertising columns. El GaUcss. Drofchar,i.JAtt. .War has been showing ~~UBpjayiXlf -i|oiro^jS:Jbi3-ifeCSSJS?J

■work at Riccarton lately, and he. is shortly, to, be tried over hurdles. The Grand National winner Ngatoa was produced at the Hamilton .Racing Club's Meeting, but finished last. He had done little work, but is reported to be in nice order for the steeplechasing season.

Mr. J. B. Reid intends Bending ten yearlings by Kilbroney to the Sydney autumn sales.

The Wanganui Cup was the first handicap race in New Zealand endowed to the extent of £1000. The race under notice was decided in the autumn o| 1880, and £800 of the stake was subscribed by settlers on the west coast of the North Island. It was run over a (two mile and a-quarter course, the winner turning- up in r Betrayer, who .was ridden by R. Derrett.