NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 35, 10 February 1926, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(BY "VEDETTE.")

Most interest to-morrow will be centred on the Taranaki and Dunedin Meetings. Each fixture is representative of its own Island, and there will be no Northereners at Wingatui or vice versa. Both meetings promise to be more than usually interesting.

Although a large percentage of the horses due to race at New Plymouth'were seen out at Hawera last week, there are a number of newcomers, particularly from Auckland, who should add a little

piquancy to proceedings.- This does not apply to the Taranaki Cup, in which Te Monanui is the only horse who did not «ace at Hawera. Surveyor and Town Bask were winners at Hawera, and in the i*ranaki Cup they have 71b and 91b respectively more to carry than they had in the Egmont Cup. Bright Day was not a runner in the Cup, but won the Welter with 10.0. He was weighted at 7.12 in the Egmont Cup, and has 51b more to-morrow. Income has been dropped 31b, ft£L_£?sa§r Üb, Muraahi has the same to~fc»P, ova, tie carried 3%1b over at Hawera, and Yoma has 31b more. Imperial Spark has 31b Jess than he carried

into second place in the Tonks Stakes on the second day at Hawera, while Star Area is a newcomer to the principal handicaps. Te Monanui ■will be racing, on his home course, and unless his opponents exert themselves to a far greater extent than they did at Hawera last week, he should do well. Of the others, Bright Day, decently ridden, wouM be the hardest to beat, while Star Ranger in a soundly-run race would have to be respected. , Backers will'hays a good puzzle to unravel in the Waitara Hurdles, for San Fera, Koauau, and Bustler all showed winning form at Hawera, while Kareao, Eatapiko, Mountain Bell, White Ranger, Frizzier, and Sansalino all come within the encouraging class. San. Fera may do best of the top weights, while of those at the other end of the handipap Sansalino appeals. most. Oration, top weight in the Juvenile Handicap, is also in the Flying Handicap, the nest race, in which he is the more likely starter. After her good showing behind Arpent and Victory Bond at Trentham, Letter of Credit should be a very hot favourite despite the fact that Toapaiti, f Sea Star, Windbag, Orcades, and Gold Collector snowed galloping ability at Hawera. Fit and well, Letter of Credit appears to stand out by herself in this field. Pelham, who is the top weight in the Flying Handicap, was unlucky on the second day at Hawera, but he appears to have plenty of weight in this fairly smart field. The Lamb, 9.1, is racing so consistently that he cannot be passed bywith any safety. Hipo, 9.0, has shown no form this season, but that is not to say, he will not develop it as quickly as Mint Leaf. At his best he would have a great chance in this field. Le Choucas, 8.5, has some smart form in the North which can be measured through Cawnpore. Lady Bentinck is a disappointment, and Ring the Bell looks a better proposition in the Mimi Welter. Pouma, at 8.0, does not appeal as much as Sleet, who is due for another win, or First Acre, who does not run one bad race. Oration, 7.10, will have to improve on his Hawera form, although it is possible he will start favourite. Sleet, Le ChouCas, and Pelham might do best. Cocoanut no doubt will be favourite for the Moturoa Electric Hack Race, but in Eden Hall she might find a worthy opponent. . . Nolan Cnp form points to Mint Leat in the Okato Hack Handicap, but Curraghmore's form at Takapuna was worth noting. Further down, Lady Anstruther and Anchor raced well enough last time out to be worth remembering. . If Lady Anstruther has the 'services of a capable horseman it is on the cards that she will beat Mint Leaf. • The Mimi Welter should be a great race, especially if Bright Day, The Lamb, Ring the Bell, and First Acre are reserved. J. T. Jamieson's stable has Daylight in', in addition to Ring the Bell, and whichever one starts will not lack support. Glengariff finished so well at Hawera with 9.5 in a smart field that it would not be surprising to find him showing a bold front, while Irapuka demonstrated that he is not by any means a back number. The eight-stone division appear to be held safe, with the possible exception of Shut Eye, who, if ridden by one of the leading jockeys, may be the medium of a surprise. Jamieson's selected, Glengariff, and Shut Eye appeal most. Backers of Horomea at Hawera are not likely to pass her by in the Timaru Hack Handicap, in which race the names of Glenpiriff, Willow Wai, and Curraghinore appear, horses with engagements earlier in the day. Royal Form should be improved by his -race at Hawera, at which place Roburite showed a surprising bit of form. Horomea and Curraghmore appeal most. No doubt Tommy Dodd, with C. Emerson in the saddle, will wind up favourite for the Dunedin Cup, and on his .Trentham form he should be very hard to beat. He has a handy racing weight. Ravenna, 8.2, is , not badly treated, but Tommy Dodd has the preference at the weights, despite Southern form.. Tarleton, 7.8, is a possibility, for he was finishing on at Trentham in really good style. Count Cavour. has a big load in 9.8 ,-tq carry over the Wingattri undulations, ' and, although undoubtedly he is better now than ever before, the task may be just beyond him. The running of Haze will be watched with interest, although he cannot' be recommended. Overdrawn is expected to do, best of. the light-weights. Tommy Dodd and Tarleton at the weights may be too good for' Count Cavour. Set Sail is sure to be favourite for the Publicans* Handicap, but there will be a better market than in the case of C. Emerson's Cup mount, for Nincompoop, Arpent, Comic S(jng, Circulation, Sun Up, and Geranial will all have friends. Those who were at Trentham, however, will want to have Set Sail on their side and no other. Happy Warrior, who is a comparative newcomer to hurdle-racing, is expected to do well.in the Autumn Hurdles. Unless some of the other juveniles are extra good. Front Rank sSbuld carry her penalty without much trouble in the Champagne Stakes. Paper Boy, Paper Chase, and Dismantle may be the hardest to beat, but Front Rank's form at Trentham was very impressive. In the minor, races at Wingatm, horses who appear well placed are: Tione, Celerity 11., Windshield, Retrospect, Carnot, and Cornstalk. ' Mr. W. Jordan, MJP., on receiving the reply of the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. R. F. Bollard, in regard to the accidents at Takapuna, made some extraordinary remarks, according to the statement in the Auckland "Star," viz.:. "Mr. Jordan expressed his disgust with the weakness of the reply, which he said was due to the influence of the Racing Conference over the Government. 'It can

almost be said that the Racing Confer-

ence wields greater influence over the Government than the Government does over the Racing Conference,' added Mr. Jordan." Such a distortion of facts is all one can expect from the politician. Political interference with racing control never was, and never will be, for the good of the game, and this sample from Mr. Jordan only emphasises the matter. Unless the unexpected happens, the weight-for-age races in Melbourne, and Sydney in the next few months should be interesting. At present there is a prospect of a galaxy of talent, and the recent, purchase of The Banker for Australia and the excellent showing'made by Top Gallant in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee. Valley add two to the already long list of good horses who are likely to be in opposition under the weight-for-age scale at the autumn meetings. It is unlikely that Manfred will be strung right up for the weight-for-age races at Caulfield or ldemjngton, although at present the intention is to run him itf the Futurity Stakes, and -he will, of course, run in the St. Leger, at Blemington. Whether he will start in the C. M. Lloyd Stakes, Governor's Plate, or. King's Plate will probably depend on his progress, but if Whittier remains sound —and at present there is no reason to believe that be will not—it is likely that he will carry Mr. Chaffey's colours in the C. M. Lloyd Stakes, and Manfred may be reserved for the weight-for-age races at Randwick. It is an open secret that Mr. Chaffey desires Manfred to be at his best for the Randwick Meeting, as although .Windbag defeated the

three-year-old in the Melbourne Cup when both carried 21b more than weigh t-for-age, Mr. Chaffey is by no means convinced that Windbag is superior to Manfred over a mile and three-quarters or two miles, and the results of the Cumberland Stakes and A.J.C. Plate will in all probability decide the question of supremacy. A. Downing, who was suspended for three months by the Foxton stewards, has had his term reduced to one month by the Wanganui District Committee.