NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 42, 17 August 1918, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BX ' SIR LANCELOT.")

Sons of St. Simon were imported to the Dominion to mate with daughters and grand-daughtere of Musket, and the experiment proved very successful. The progeny of grandsons of Musket have in recent years been remarkably successful in important jumping races in Australia. At Biccarton the winners of the two principal jumping races.on Thursday were sired by sons of St. Simon. Soult (sire of Kauri King) died in 1911, and the last of his stock are now racing at eight years of age. St. Ambrose (sire of St. Elmn) was a good performer in Australia, and put up a track record for eleven furlongs in the Williamstown Cup. Kauri King is owned by Sir. Angus Gibbons, of Tauranga. and for several years.paid hie way on the flat. He has not been long at the hurdle business, but has been consistent, and has quickly gained prominence. Ho.was unplaced in his first attempt in the Kaitoke Hack Hurdles on the opening day at Wanganui, but did better in his second attempt, when he ran second in the May Hurdle Handicap to Pursefiller. He did not compete at Ellei'slie, but at Gisborne ran third to Pureefiller and Con in the Park Hurdles Handicap, two miles, and won the Gisborne Hurdles Handicap, a mile and three-quarters. His only other appearance was on the concluding day at Napier Park, where he defeated Art at a difference of 121b in the Poraite Hurdle Handicap, one mile and three-quarters. In the Grand I\ Tational Hurdles on Thursday, Kauri King met Art on 101b better terms. Kauri "King has now won three hurdle races on end. The Riccarton race was worth SAO soys to the winner, and will give Soult a: good start on the winning -sires' list. Sawdust (dam of Kauri King) also produced British Arch (by Marble Arch), a useful performer on the flat in the Auckland district last season. British Arch was sent across to Sydney a couple of months ago, and recently ra.n third in a hurdle race there.

Sir Solo is probably the most unlucky horse that ever competed in the Grand National Hurdles. Two years ago he ran third to Art and Master Regel; twelve months ago he filled the role of runner-up behind Sleight-of-Hand, and on Thursday he was again in second place. Art, whose record at Riccarton is a particularly good one, did the best of. the top-weights.

The Grand National Steeplehase winner, St. Elmn, was foaled in 1908, and therefore lie also belongs to the aged division. He is a half-brother to Mahutonga (an Auckland Cup winner) and Gduam (dam of Labour Day), two others of the progeny of Maude (St. Leger— Hilda). St. Elmn has been, a consistent and unlucky place-getter in important jumping races. The season before laat he was placed in the Great Northern Hurdles and Steeplechase, Hawkes Bay Steeplechase, and July Steeplechase at Trentham. Last season he ran second in the Grand National Steeplechase and Beaufort Steeplechase, third in the Hawkes Bay Steeplecha6e, third in the Wellington Steeplechase, and second in the July Steeplechase. On the form, at Trentham it looked as if Master Strowan would again beat St. Elmn, but the topweight could only get third. The writer .doubts whether the present day steeplechasers are as good as some of the oldtime performers, such as Clarence, Canard, Norton, The Agent, Chemist, Mutiny, and Levanter, all good stayers v.nd great weight carriers. 'Mr. W. Richmond has not had much luck as an owner, and St. Elmn's victory would no doubt bo popular. St Elmn is trained by J. M. Cameron, who was for some years associated with the late Mr. Fred. Douglas, and- turned out Merriwai and Waipu (Great Northern Hurdles winner). Fisher again proved a, disappointment, and must have cost his connections a lot of money. One Aucklander on the way down proclaimed Fisher unbeatable.

"Sir Lancelot" would riot have either of the tap weights in .the Winter Cup, on account of the high scale of weights, and looked for the -winner at the other end of the handicap. The best of those on the 9.0 mark proved to be the Waira-rnpa-oAvned Comment, who was reported to have done well in a try-out with Form Up at Tauherenikan, «uid was quietly fancied by her connections. She was beaten by the Auckland-owned Bedford (Bunyan—Miss-Dix), who was generally considered well treated with 9.13. At the Auckland Winter Meeting a year ago last June he started favourite and won the Prince of Wales Handicap, carrying 10.11, and beating Red Ribbon 10.7 and a big field. Since then he haH only started once, in the Railway Handicap, six furlongs, at Avondalo last April, when he was one of the biggest outsiders and ran unplaced. The sensational Ibex, who carried the hopes of the Kauri King stable in the second leg of the double, filled third place. When beaten by Happ^ Valley at Nn/pier Park in a six. furlongs hack race, Ibex was ridden by H. Gray. That horseman considered Ibex was overrated, and declined the mourut in the Winter Cup. He preferred Hydras, who finished behind Ibex in the race referred to. Bunyan, sire of Bedford, won. the Wanganui Guineas when trained by F. Tilley at Fordell. None of the sons of Pilgrim's Progress were what could be called stud successes, although Sojourner and 1 Abundance, both good performers, have got a few winners in Australia. In the- far north Bunyan did notgot many opportunities, and Bedford (who has a Takapuna Cup to his credit) is easily tho best of bis progeny. The Winter Cup winner is also the best that has been produced by Miss Dix, by Phoebus Apollo—Abydos, by Nelson — Memphis, a South Australia.n-bred mare by Gang Forward. Master Dii (by Seaton Delaval), who won races at the Sydney pony meetings, and Glissando (by Obligado) were otlier produce of Miss Dix that won races. Her last three foals were a full sister to Bedford, a colt by Marble Arch, and a filly, by Antiphone (Obligado—Miss Annie), a half-brother to Hierarch and Antagonist. "llangi" Thompson, who rode St. Elmn to victory in tho Grand National Steeplechase, was a few seasons back regarded as quite at the top of the tree among cross-country horsemen irt the Dominion. In three successive seasons, 190S-10, he was on Gold Seal (third to Eurus in the Grand National), El Dorado (second to Nadador), and .scored on Paritutu.