NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(IT " SIR LANCELOT.")

Most of the Tranthani-trained horses engaged at Otaki are to make the trip to the Maori meeting. Owners and trainers are given a final reminder that acceptances for the • first day's handicap evente.and the Kuku Maiden Plate, weight for agej close to-morrow at 8.30 p.m.

Mr. T. L. Bright, the Auckland blood »tock agent, who has been on a business trip to the South Island, returns home to-day. With reference to the placing 'of obBtaoles on the Mentone teaming track on the morning of the 12th inst., the club employed black trackers. They are reported to have picked up certain tracks that will lead to the identification of the offenders.

It was intended to send Glueraent to Auckland, but when his name appeared at the head of the list of the seventy odd horses handicapped for the_ Jervois Handicap his owner changed his" mind, and cancelled the accommodation booked at this end.

The three fillies B. D. p'Donnell is training for Mr. J. B. Beid are going along the right way. They are by Sunny Lake—Arai te Uru, Kilbroney-—Cyre, and Winkie—Kilrea, by Kilbroney—Arai te Urn.

During the present season in Victoria five of the progeny of Absurd have won eight races of the value of 9364 boys.

. Sergeant Murphy, the hero of the most recent Liverpool Grand National, has (says "Sporting Life") concluded his racing career. His owner, Mr. S. Sanford, has decided to pension the old fellow off. In other words the "Sergeant" is to end his days peacefully at the American stud farm of Mr. Sanford, senr. Sergeant Murphy is well entitled to take things easily for the remainder of his life, which has been of a strennous character. In the course of his active career, Sergeant Murphy won steeplechases in England, France, and his native country, Ireland, and never once did he actually fall, though in the Grand National won last year by Music Hall he slipped into a ditch. Altogether the "Sergeant" has been a remarkable horse.

Handicappers, like doctors, differ. There is marked difference in the compilations for the North Otago and Dunedin Meetings, which appeared simultaneously on Tuesday last. Vice Royal heads the Hat in the Moeraki Welter at North Otago ivith 9.5 in a 7.7. minimr.m. At Dunedin he is in at the minimum (8.0) in the Winter Welter, receiving three stone two pounds from the top weight. Botker Boy concedes Kilbarry 21b at North Otago; at Dunedin there is 181b between them. Kilbarry concedes Osterman 171b at North Otago, while at Dunedin they are on the same mark. Osterman and Vice Royal are on the same mark at Dunedin, while at North .Otago the first-named received 241b.

Pink Rose, who Is to represent Mr. J. J. Corry at Ellerslie, arrived from Blenheim to-day on the way North. Dick went on to Auckland after racing at Egmont.

Happy Daye (ridden by C. Jenkins) was recently seen to advantage in a mile gallop with Matarika and Gang Awa, Happy Days is in the Otaki Hack Handicap, a mile race, on the opening day of the Maori meeting. Leamington, a two-year-old filly, by Nassau, has been showing galloping ability in handicap events in Victoria, although she had not jvon a race when the last mail left. . Acceptances for the South Wairarapa Trotting Club's Meeting close to-night at 10 o'clock with Mr. A. L. Webster, secretary, G-reytown North. J. Toohey, in riding five consecutive winners at Bosehill (N.5.W..) recently, registered a performance that has rarely been equalled at an important metropolitan meeting in Sydney or Melbourne. Instances are not wanting, however, where jockeys at country meetings have won every race. Toohey is having a highly successful season. He won the recent A.J.C. Doncaster Handicap on The Epicure, and iv doing so created a riding record of having won three successive Doncaster Handicaps. G. Harrison won four races on the opening day of the V.A.T.C. Spring Meeting in 1919, but they were not in succession. On the first day of the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting in 1888, the late T. Hales performed the feat of riding the winners of the first four races, the Essendon Stakes (Carlyon), Ascotvale Stakes (Volley), St. Leger (Abercorn), and Newmarket Handicap (Oranbrook), in succession. -Melbourne Cup nominations close on Tuesdaj next. The writer does not consider that increasing the sweepstake for starters from 50 to 75 soys will affect the nomination list. The entrance fee is two eovs, and had that been increased to a fiver, it might have had the desired effect.- •

Since our many rumour* of doping and the use of batteries have been current on South Australian racecourses, the stipendiary stewards have been particularly vigilant in their endeavour to detect misconduct of this sort if any exists. At the conclusion of the Adelaide Chip carnival, acting upon something they had been told, the stewards, with the authority of Rule 26 of the Australian Bules of Racing, took the Comedy King mare Powder and Patches out of the Highweight Handicap. It had been alleged that Powder and Patches had been doped, and an inquiry was opened on the course. This was adjourned until Monday, when tho case was further investigated. Subsequently the stewards decided that there was not sufficient evidence to show dope was used o» the horsa.

Mr. Ben_ Liner, president oi the Otaki Maori Racing Club, has quite recovered from the atta.ck of bronchitis, and will be at the meeting. Mr. W. Duiisan, the Wanganui owner, ■was on a business visit to the city yesterday.' He informed the writer that Glenross, the full brother to Grptesque, has got over the nasal trouble that kept him in the paddock- for a couple of years, and is now in work at Fordell.

The Victorian horses who are to eompet in the bijr jumping races at Randwick on 2nd and 4th June, were sent across to Sydney in time to run for the hurdles and steeplechase at the Jk.J.C May Meeting, held on Saturday last. They included the ex-New Zealand horses Chrysostom, British Arch, and Irish- Bufiiß.

_- In his last appearance over hurdlet in England Great Fun was ridden b.T Hector Gray, and finished fourth.

The full sisters, Dominant and Left, are in the mile hack handicap at Otaki. They are a long way below the form of another member of the family, Nomes, ■who wae unlucky enough to be born the same season as Desert Gold.

The successful Hawera apprentice rider L. A. Pine will be in attendance at the Otaki Meeting.

At Rome on Sunday, 18th March, the Italian One Thousand was easily won by Captain Tesio's i5Hy, Dnccia di Buoniiisefina. Bred in Ireland by Major Giles Loder, and foaled on 6th April, 1920, she is a boy filly by Bridge of Earn out of Dutch Mary, by William the Third from famous Pretty Polly. She is a. typical Bridge of Earn in appearance, and stays well. When Captain Tesio gave only

210gns for the filly as a yearling at the Newmarket First July Sales she had very doubtful points, but these have improved. A grand filly of the same age as Duccia di Bnoninsejjnn is Gjovanna Dupre, by the Der^v winner Dunbar 11. out of Giottina. by Galeazzo from Jenny Hampton. Giovanna Dupre won at Florence on the same day that her stable companion did in Rome, and she is likely to run for the Italian Derby, besides Captain Tesio's crack cold Scarselliua, a bay eon of Signoriao from Sprine Chicken.