NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 136, 6 December 1926, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BY "VEDETTE.")

RACING FIXTURES. December 8 and 9—Woodville District J.C. December 10 and 11—South Canterbury J.C. December 11—Waipa R.C. - December 16 and 18—Dargaville R.C December 27—Waipukurau J.C. December 27 and 28—Westland R.C. December -27 and 2S—Taranaki 3.C. December 27 and 28-Dunedm J.C. December 27, 28, and 30—Manawatu R.C. December 27, 29, January 1, 8-Auckland R.C. December 31, January 1 and t-Qreymouth J.C. January I—Waikouaiti R.C. January I—Wyndhara R.C. January 1 and 3—Hawkes Bay J.C. January 1 and 3—Stratford R.C. January 1 and 3—Marton J.C. January 1 and 3—Wairarapa R.C. January 3 and 4—Southland R.C. January 7 and B—Eeefton J.C. Fixtures this week are: Woodville on Wednesday and Thursday; South Canterbury on Friday .vnd Saturday; and Waipa on Saturday. Te Koroke, who scored in the open sprint event at Taumarunui on Saturday, is one of the few of Humbug's stock about. Te Koroke is a four-year-old gelding from that good mare Tigritiya, and his form to date has been decidedly promising. Many patrons of .the Feilding Meeting hoped that he would be brought to that fixture, but they were disappointed. Abbeßß, who scored in the Trial Plate at Taumarunui on Saturday, is a four-year-old sister to York Abbey, trained by F. Tutchen for Peter Maxwell's owner, Mr. L. J. Hyde. Abbess ran a rather conspicuous fourth at the recent Waikato Meeting, and since then a small army of enthusiasts have been waiting for her. Even in Wellington there appeared to be decided evidence on Saturday that she was expected to run well. Mention of Peter Maxwell's name recalls the fact that he is doing well, and it is possible that he will be given a run or two over hurdles during the holiday meetings. Limerick is a regular attendant at Riccarton each morning, and is being given trotting exercise on the lead. He has built ■up considerably since his return from Australia, and his affected heel is quickly yielding to treatment. F. D. Jones has no intention of hurrying him in his tasks, but hopes to have him in rare buckle for racing in the early autumn. "Pilot," of the Sydney "Referee," is still interested very ranch in Limerick, and states or hopes that his reappearance may be in Sydney. Assuming he is given two months from the time he ran in the Melbourne Cup to recover from his trouble, that will leave him another three months in which to get ready for the A.J.C. St. Leger. As he is a light-fleshed horse, that ia, sufficiently long to give him a fair chance of being in excellent trim, and, though beaten by Rampion in both Derbies, it is possible that Mr. H. A. Knight and F. D. Jones are not yet convinced that the Rossendale colt is the better stayer. They can point out'that, despite his bad foot, Limerick lasted longer than Rampion in the Melbourne Cup. "For say own part,", adds "Pilot," "I should like to see Limerick put by for next spring. Of course, such a long spell would cost him the opportunity of winning some valuable stakes, but it should assure complete recovery from his lameness. His running in the Craven Plate should make him good enough for any Australian company at four years. In that race he appeared unlucky to be defeated by Windbag, and got home ahead of Valicare and Amounis, and it will be unnecessary for him to improve upon that to enable him to pay expenses in weight-for-age races oyer here next season."

Oriflamb continues to arouse the enthusiasm of Riccarton' trackwatcliers by his efforts as a jumper. With fifteen left in the Great Northern Derby, a really great field is assured, Limerick and Seatowri being the only notable absentees. Battlement will probably deputise for Limerick so far as the stable is concerned, although he races in Mr. J. F. Buchanan's interests. Lysander, if he starts, and. certainly Commendation, will be the centre of interest. True Blood appears to .be the real rising _:»_• on the firmament, tad outside ~6f~ Battlement he" looks the greatest danger to the favourite pair. Resinous has shown that distance does not trouble, him, while Alloway is useful, but one doubts their quality. The Auckland Club, hawover, seems certain of a contest on New Year's Day well worthy of the good stake provided. It is hard to understand why Seatown was left out. A fair percentage of those left in the Royal Stakes appear superfluous, and a heavy weeding-out is certain. There is the nucleus, however, for a stirring race. Not so many proved or suspected nonentities have been left in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and with Cimabue, Eulalie, Royal Ceres, Auratum, Gascony, Lorna Doone, High Finance, and Agrion engaged there is little wanting on the season's record of two-year-old form to date. If Peneus can jump at all he has a very weak field to beat in the Manga-atua Hurdles at Woodville on Wednesday. At Feilding he showed that be is in excellent fettle, and it is practically certain that he will have Alan M'Donald in the saddle on "Wednesday. The fairly long straight at Woodville ahould suit Epistle, who has shown that she can run out a good seven furlongs. With only 7.7 in a not over strong field in the open six-furlong event she should not lack support. Expense, the Paper Money filly that J. H. Jefferd took to Australia, is amongst the acceptors at Woodville. It is on the cards that the Nursery Handicaps at Woodville will produce something extra good in juveniles. Desert Gold's daughter Auratum is due to make jier reappearance in addition to several «>thers. Sydney racing men have heard a lot about -the New Zealand gelding Stormy, whose form in the Newcastle district has brought ____ into the limelight as a most promising horse, says the "_un."_ A number of Sydney men made the trip to Newcastle, and after seeing Stormy in "action were satisfied that too much had not been said about him. There is no doubt about his ability, and apparently he both sprints and stays. His backers in the Wallace Mile at Newcastle were not on the best of terms with themselves when he dropped behind several horses after "going three furlongs, and at the home bend three to one was offered against him. Then a change suddenly came over the position as the leaders left the rails at the straight entrance, and Stormy was quick to take advantage of the opening. He s shot clear of the field, and looked. like ..winning by any number of lengths, but his rider took things easily, and was content to beat the fast-fin-ishing Donald by a neck. The margin could have been much greater. Chersonese, the dam of Heroic, has produced a colt foal to the Val.ns horse Deyizes. Apparently South Australians have taken readily to the Victorian plan of ' drawing barrier positions as soon as acceptances have been declared. The new system was recently adopted by the S.A.J.C, the ruling body of the State. According to an Adelaide writer the South Australian racegoers approve of the innovation, which has not lent itself to the abuses suggested by its opponents when it >vas introduced in Victoria. Glenalmond, who, in company with Rabuke, was sold a few months ago by G. Murray-Aynsley, to go to Australia, has raced disappointingly at the pony meetings around Sydney, and now word comes from that city that he was the cause of his owner, R. Skelton, the "Pony King" • of Australia, being placed under the ba'i for' six months, as a result of an inquiry into the gelding's running in the first division of the Maiden Handicap at Victoria Park on 24th November. Rapier and Chickwheat havo been nominated for both the Manawatu and Dune din Summer Meetings, and their programme for the holiday meetings will depend on the imposts allotted them. Booster, is reported to have done well since racing at Riccarton and he is expected to race prominently at Timaru this week. . T The Riccarton apprentice, R. Beale, whose services have been in demand during the past few months, has been engaged to do the light-weight riding for Mr. L. C. Hazlett, at the Southern holiday meetings. King Abbey has furnished wonderfully well since his recent trip to Australia, and A. E. Wormald has him in splendid condition to undertake forthcoming engagements, says the "Press." He was jumped over two hurdles at Riccarton on Friday, and gave a faultless exhibition. He

will be raced at Timaru in the Otaio Hurdle Handicap, from which his stable companion, Radiac, was withdrawn owing to being eased in his work for a few days, as a result of a slight injury suffered whilst exercising last week. In the nominations for the Manawatu Racing Club's Summer Meeting, published on Saturday, Theodolite was inadvertently omitted, that horse having been nominated for the Westbury Handicap. J. Lowe leaves to-morrow with Star Ranger for Te Awamutu, where the Martian gelding has an engagement next Saturday. Star Ranger, if all goes well, will be started in the Auckland Cup. A. Goodman will have five horses racing at Woodville. ■■ Gauntlet is to make his next appearance in the hurdle races at Ellerslie. He will be taken North by S. Reid for H. B. Lorigan, who will have Ins other horses racing at Awapuni. Reid takes Grand Knight, Panther, and Nadanno to Auckland. :