NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 140, 11 December 1923, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS

<tX "BIR LANCELOT.")

The Summer Meeting of the Dannevirke Racing Club will be held at Tainaki to-morrow. A special train will run to the course from Palmerston North, returning after the last race.

The eighteen engaged in the Maiden Plate include the imported mare Maria of Hereford, who ran a fair race on her first appearance .at Woodville. If she wins she will be liable to be rehandicapped for the Robinson Handicap at Ellerslie. Parearau begins well, and the' distance should suit him better than the longer journey at Woodville. Vagabond may be good enough to concede the weight asked in the Jumpers' Flat Race. Empyrean and Captain Sarto may be the hardest ha will have to dispose of.

Lady Isinglass ran a good race each day at Woodville, and, as she does not meet the \yinners at the last-named meeting, should show up at^the finish of the Tiratu Juvenile Handicap. In the Tamaki Hack, sixv furlongi, Mangawhero has gone up to 9.5 for the Woodville win. He may find it difficult to concede Kilcoo, runner-up to Civility on the concluding day at Woodville, two stone. .

The Neagls Memorial is worth 160 soys to the winner, and carries 31b penalty in the Manawatu Cup. All the horses are engaged except Crown Star, who is in the Grandstand Handicap at Awapuni. Ngata is also liable to 71b penalty for New Plymouth. If the go-" ing is not too hard for Admiral Codring-. ton, he may, prove to be. the best of them. Kilbird's rider (G: Morrison) will claim the apprentice allowance. In the Ruahine Welter, seven furlongs, Mangawhero will have to carry 10.6 and Empyrean 9.4. for tha Wooaville wins. Stream meets Empyrean on 101b better terms than at Wbodvilla,and may be able to reverse positions. Island has been penalised 151b in the Otanga Handicap, but his rider will probably claim Sib allowance, which will reduce the .penalty to 101b. Gazeworthy and Civilfonn are not in the field, and Island should again get in the money. He should find most difficulty in disposing of Waipatu. There may not be a big field in the Oringi ..Welter, and. backers will probably have to pick it in one. Helen Rufus may be the best of them. Hor form behind Zouave and Alaric on the second day at Feilding entitles her to a pjace among the probables. Big Chief, who is in the Maiden Plate and Ruahine Welter races at Dannevirke, was in .the boom a Reason or two back after running second in a big field at Canterbury Park (N.S.W.). He is by Mountain Chief—Swallow, and is now five years old. Mr. J. , Higginsj has been appointed chairman of the A.J.C. stipendiary stewards, a position caused by the death of Mr. Abel Hyde. Mr. Higgina is at present acting for the Royal Calcutta Turf Clubj and will commence his duties at Randwick at Easter time.

Over There (the full brother to Gazique) won-ji race recently in West Auetralia, and is one of the fancied candidates for the Railway Stakes, the big Sprint race in the West. 1 Mr. W. R. .Kemball was in town on a business visit yesterday.- He will motor thrbugh-toDahhevirke to see the members of his team race to-morrow. The Mastertori sportsman will be represented at Manawatu, Marton, and Wairarapa Meetings during the holidays. Queen Balboa, who paid a big dividend when she led the field home in the Trial Plate at Methven on Saturday, is a three-year-old,filly by Balboa —Golden Queen, by Golden KnighfriFairy Benzie. Queen Balboa had started on three previous occasions without showing any form. Te Tahi, who was among the winners at the Bay .of Plenty Meeting on Saturday last, claims two engagements at the Taumarunui gathering, to be held I to-morrow. None of ths other Tauranga I winners are! engaged. ; Ngata is: engaged at both the Manawatu and New Plymouth Meetings oh Boxing Day. Two years ago he competed at the Taranaki Meeting, winning the principal event on the second day, on his only appearance.. He was at Marton at New Year time, running second in the Cup to Red Bob, and winjiing the Summer Handicap on the second day. •

Some of the Auckland contingent are engaged at New Plymouth at Christmas time.' The Absurd filtf Muria is top weight 111 the Borough Handicap, a five furlongs sprint, and Baddy's Girl winner of the' Tauranga Cup on Saturday last, is second top-weight in the Hurdles. .

A final reminder is given owners and trainers that nominations for the Wairarapa Racing Club's Jubilee Meeting, to be held on Ist and 2nd January close to-morrow at 5 p.m., with Mr.'c J Carlyon {secretary), Featherston. i^ tn h*\ Wo£ er£ ampt<m Meeti"g on 16th October, H. Gray won the Newport Nursery Handicap on Elegant Girl by Irish Elegance—Hackler's Girl. ' " Following the announcement of- the death of Charlemagne' 11. in A Tew South Wales 'comes the report of the demise of the imported horse Buckwheat, who although a stud success in England was a comparative failure in New South Wales. His stock brought high prices at the Sydney sales, one of them (Wheatfield) coming to the Dominion