NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1924, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BY " SIR LANCILOT.") The presence of the champion Gloaming was no doubt to some extent responsible for the large attendance at Trentham on Saturday. rWeight-for-age contests may not be popular with tluba that look at the game from a pounds, shillings, and, pence..point of view, solely, but they bring together the best class of competitors, and from a, sporting point of view are much more to be preferred to an event in which twenty second or third rate competitors finish spread out down the course. It is the same/in Australia, where one only has to think of the great crowds attracted to Eandwick for the races, which were practically matches, in which Gloaming and Beauford took part. In~ former seasons Gloaming has done the West Coast meetings. This, year the Egnlont; Club cut out the tyeight-for-age races, ! and as Gloaming lias not been entered for the Taranaki Stakes he will probably be found contesting the Middle Park Stakes at Eiccarton next month. He may also be brought North for the Jackson Stakes a week later. Gloaming has now won in stakes* 34,209 soys, and has only to train on to reach the record oi Eurythmic, which stands at 36,891 soys. ' H. Gray has made a good start since his return by winning three races at Trentham and the same number at I Foxton. He had no difficulty in qualifying for the. high-weight-handicaps at Trentham—for horsemen that had ridden in three hurdle races—as he informed the writer that he had ridden in nine hurdle races at Home. He left for Auckland yesterday, and will be riding at Takapuna to-day. Next month he will do the West Coast meetings, and may be on Income in the Egmont Cup. The Guianforte gelding was a solid performer a year ago, before he got knocked out with four hard races at Ellerslie. He recently reappeared at Stratford, where he ran second in the Cup to Cold Steel and won the Malone Memorial. The South Island teams that. raced ut Trentham were shipped to Lyttelton 'last night. George Jones has purchased Mr. J. A. Taylor's house and stables at Hercitaunga, and has decided to set up as a public trainer at' Trentham. Jones has proved himself one of the most successful mentors in the Dominion. During the time he was associated with Mr. W. Gi Stead that owner won over £30,000 in stakes with Surveyor, Sasanof, Radiant Light, Absurdum, Truthful, Delight, Mermin, and other performers. Jones has only to get the right kind of horses in his boxes to lead in more winners. He has, gone to Auckland to fix up his business affairs, and expects to be back in about three weeks. F. M'Govern has\ been granted a jockey's license, subject to the recommendation" of the District Committee. R. Hunt has been handed back his ticket, and will reappear at the Gisborne Meeting. H.■ V. M'Sweeney-has .been reinstated as from Ist March. The Kilbroney—Rebekah colt^ which fetched top price at the Waikanae yearling sale, was shipped to Blenheim yesjterday, and in due course will join H. ißritchard's team. The Kilbroney—Bonny Hplen filly was railed to Woodville-, where she will join J. Sullivan's team. That trainer has taken up Ma Boughal and Tutankhamen. Mr. Jorgensen in-, forms the writer'that Tanadees is to be given a let up until the autumn; The Fair Fight colt,.has gone back to Waikanae, where Ife will run out until a buyer comes along. The Kilbroney— Peace ,colt was taken South by W. I Hobbs yesterday. It looks as if Mr. E. J. Watt sold Eldorado, beaten a head in the Summer Cup at Randwick, too soon, but probably the price (3000 guineas) impressed him. He won the Anniversary Handicap, worth 1050 soys and a sweepstake, the first time he carried the colours of his new owner, Mr. M. T. Burke, of Melbourne, at Randwick on Saturday. The inter-State . visitors at Trentham included Miy John Brown, the Newcastle coal king, probably the biggest breeder and owner in Australasia. His latest trainer is Albert Wood, whom he recently started with a team of eight to go ion with. Mr. Richardson, another visitor, "witnessed the first' two days' racing, and after attending, the yearling sale caught the Mar'ama the same afternoon. Mr. Richardson, who attended the local meeting two years ago, when The Hawk put up the Australasian record, compares the Trentham track and improvements favourably with anything he has seen on the other side. He is a patron of the ex-New Zealander, Lou Robertson, and has among other horses in work a two-year-old colt by the successful South Australian* sire St. Anton from the New Zealand mare Guidwife (Clanranald—Safeguard). The most successful apprentice rider at the Wellington Meeting was D.i Watts, who scored three times, v He won on Ihapatoa in the Apprentices' Plate, and on Little River and Civility on tlie concluding day. . Watts is apprenticed to W. Dwyer, the Wanganui trainer. The Electric Hack on the opening day at Woodville-is for two and three year olds, five furlongs, weight 9.0. Apparently any horse not out of the hack class is eligible to run. Among those' entered were Bugle Note (who was shipped South yesterday by his new owner, and is unlikely to take part), Maria of Here-' ford, Hall Mark, and Benmure. The last-named goes well over five furlongs although he failed at Trentham. P. Hazelman has gone back to. Porirua for a few weeks with his team to get the benefit of the sea beach. Zouave p ~ked up a nail prior to the Wellington Cup, which may account for his poor display i n the race named. He was not started again at the meeting. The state of the racing track' at the recent meeting reflected credit on Caretaker J. W. Scott, who also had the lawns and enclosures looking well for' this time of the year. Another official of the club who was working under difficulties and managed to carry out hiß part.of the big gathering in a satisfactory manner was^Mr. John Shout, the club s caterer: i B"|l6 Note, who has been purchased by Mr. W. Stone, the Southland owner, was shipped South last night in charge of *. Shaw, who also had charge of Loughrea on the trip. Mr. A. B. Williams evidently has no intention of retiring from the ranks of owners, as his trainer; H. J. Jefferd came down from Hastings and bid for a couple of lots at the Waikanae Stud sale. He informed the writer that Rapine was quite all right again, and would probahly make his reappearance "i „» lre«tham Gold Cup at the end of March.