NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 140, 13 June 1918, Page 5

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(•I "SIR LANCELOT.")

Nominations for the Hawkes Bay and Wellington Winter Meetings close tomorrow.

This year the handicaps for the principal events at the Grand National Meeting are not due until after the Wellington Meeting. This means that horses engaged.at the local fixture will be able to race without fear of penalties in the more important events at Biccarton.

Doon has been purchased by Mr. W., : E. Bidwill for breeding purposes, and' ■has joined the stud matrons at Rotota,wai. By imported Glenapp from Clytie, ,by Phaeton—Neroli, by Artillery— Nennphar, by Apremont—Watersprite, Doon lacks nothing on the score of breeding. , Impediment (Demosthenes —Kautuku), tile most successfuP three-year-old filly of th« present season, has been purchased by Mr. W. E. Kemball, of Masterton. The price is reported to be 1300 guineas. At Otaki yesterday the aged gelding Hylatus (Hymettus—-Mandola) broke a' leg and was destroyed. Hylatus was a useful performer in the colours of Mr. A. D. Webster.

It is Teported from Sydney that the price paid for the Marble Arch gelding Arch Marella was 1500 guineas. When sold at Auckland as a yearling Arch. Marella was knocked down to Mr. H. Friedlander for 50 guineas. With 12.6 Braeburn is not badly treated .in the Napier Steeplechase. That impost 'is only 61b more than he won with twelve months ago. Orleans scored his only win this season in the Raukawa Cup at Otaki. The Conqueror gelding, who has paid his way for several seasons past, won 615 *ovs in stakes during the present term.

It is reported that the Eiccarton trainer, R; Longley, is bringing Banian, Art, and Love Token North for the Napier Park and Hawkes Bay Meetings.

For tho past five years Messrs. Vivian and Eric Biddiford have been racing they have been fairly successful, always appearing on the four-figure list. During the present season horses carrying their colours have been more successful than in any other term, and the Wellington sportsmen will occupy a prominent position on the winning owners' list at the end of next month. Two of the team in Menelaus and Johnny Walker ran first and second in tlfe New Zealand Cup, and the latter failed to win a, race during the year. Coalition won more races than any of his stable companions, while Mascot, although Ehe proved unreliable, more than paid her way. Messrs. fiiddiford, Bros, have contributed liberally to the various patriotic funds since the war started. Their latest donation, announced in The Post yesterday, was £600 towards the Copper Trail Fund out of £750 won by Coalition at the Auckland Winter Meeting. Appended is a list of the amounts won by each of the stable representatives: —

So vs. Menelaus (Martian—Lovelorn) (3) ... 2545 Coalition (Patronus—Pauline) (5) ... 1335 Mascot (Martian—Mary of Argyle) (2) 855 Jofinny Walker (Martian—Silkgown (0) 600 Cooing (Boniform —Ringdove) (1) ... 155 Ayah (All Red—Hermosa) (0) 80 Exclusive (Boniform—Class) (1) 74 Total :... 5644 Since they commenced racing five years ago Messrs. Riddiford Brothers winning record is as follows :— £ s. d. ■- 1913-14 2307 10 0 3914.15 1447 ,10 0 1915-16 1530 0 0 - 1916-17 3775 0 0 ' 1917-18 5644 O 0 Total 14,704 0 0 ,Besides the winner of the New Zealand Cup, local stables also sheltered the winners of tho Welcome Stakes and 1 Great Northern St. Leger, two of till most important classic races on the Dominion calendar. From the appended list it will be seen that Messrs. W. E. Bidwjll and W. E. Herbert, H. TeTford's principal patrons, won over 3000 soys. between them— a, very satisfactory result: — Soys. Bo Peep (Bezonian —Shepherdess) .(2) 1090 Devotion (All Black—Culmination) (3) 905 Association v(Elevation—Black Scotia) (3| 420 Probation (Dowrishire — Culmination) (2) 330 Street. Singer (Bezonian—Soprano) (1) : 190 Philomela (Bezonian—Philomel) (0) 190 Active (Boniform—Effort) (0) ....... 40 Cotillion (Bezonian— Strathspey) (0) 10 Total 3175 The New Zealand St. Leger winner Bonnie Maid is trained by J. Ayres, who did well for Mr. "P. Soames" with Ladoga (a half-brother to Bonnie Maid). Battle Song, also owned by Mr. Soames, and Mill Queen are the principal winners of the stable, whose record reads as follows.: — Soys. Bonnie Maid (Boniform —Happy . Maid) (2) 1115 Battle Song (Signor—Armistice) (2) 360 Mill Queen (Treadmill—Fire Queen) (2) 209 Total 1675 Had Trials (Tribulation —Opalene) got first instead of second place in the Raukawa Cup, he would have been well over the four-figure line in the winning list. He has won three races this season and 990 soys. in stakes. He is looked after by the handicappers, and might have been well sold at 800 guineas, which is a good price for a gelding.

F.TiJley, the Fordell trainer, ha» had a fairly successful season. Client (winner of the Wanganui and Hawkes Bay Cups) proved the sheet anchor of the stable, but the Australians, Acre, Coolpan, and Rude, paid their way. From the appended list it will be seen that ten members of the team won twenty races of the value of 4696 soys. With the exception of Moutoa Queen, Moutoa Camp, and Gang Awa' (who are owned by Mr. F. S. Easton) all the stakeearners carried the colours of Mr. W: Duncan (Tokena), Tilley's principal patron :—

Soys. Client (Elevation—Bonheur) (4) ... 1865 A'.:re®Jfljinacre—Miss Arlington) (4) 970 Coolpan (Cooltrim—Pastry) (4) ... 470 Rude (Cyrus—Chaeky) (2) 415 Moutoa Queen (Charlemagne ll.— Stresn) (1) 280 Gang Awa' (Provocation —Gold Cord) (1) 170 'Cello (Achilles—Singer) (1) 165 Arrowfield (Cardinal Beaufort— Collarene) (1) 150 Endure (Advance —Endeavour) (1) 110 Moutoa Camp (Campfire—Branta) (1) 101 Total 4696