NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 86, 12 April 1927, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(B7 "VEDETTE.")

RACING BIXTURES.

April 16-^Tuapeia County J.C. April 16, 18—Walrar&pa iS.C. Aprlllß. IS—Feildiag J.C. April 18, IS, 19—Klverton K.C. April 16, 18—Auckland R.C. April 18—B«aumont R.C. April 18—Walpulcurau J.C. April IS—Kumars R.C. April 18, 19—Canterbury J.C. April 20—Westlanrt K.C. April 23, 26—Avondale J.C. April 27—Reefton J.C. April 2S and 30—Manawatu R.C. April 29, 30—South eautortmry J.C. April 30, Slay 4—Walkato R.C. April 23—Greymouth J.C.

Acceptances for the Wairarapa Racing Club's Meeting close to-night, at 8 tfclofck. *':■,-

It is little wonder that some Auckland trainers send their horses away from home and as far as Feilding at Easter time, for the A.R.C. programme at Ellerslie is prac-

tically , only for class horses as regards flat races. There is only one hack race on the card for both days. . On the first day there is a diversity of entertainment; with the Oaks and Champagne Stakes, : both classic races. Then there are the • Easter Handicap and the President's Handicap on the fiat, a two-year-old handicap, . a hurdle race; and a steeplechase. On the second day the St. Legei- is the classic, while there are three open handicaps. A . "mile hack race, a two-year-old handicap, and a steeplechase complete the bill. ■:■. Auratum and Wild Pigeon appear to . I"™ 11. 11 the weight to which they are en- :; titled in the Onslow Stakes at Ellerslie, as ,1 compared with Melissa and Thaw. Auratum 7.5, and Wild Pigeon 7.0, finished third and fourth respectively in the Paci- , ac Handicap at Trentham, in which Mel- ' issa, seventh, had 8.6 and Thaw, who miss-' .ed the jump out, had also 8.5. At Eilers- . 'lie Melissa has 71b more, and Thaw 61b ■ more while Auratum has gone up 12!b, Pigeon 91b. Evidently Mr! . M/Maiiemm expects the two • last-named to go well at Ellerslie. Even though his ngures are a little hard he may not be far wrong. . ■ Rapine may or may not run in the Easter Handicap at Auckland, and many will . not consider his chance at all, even allowing for the fact that he is extremely well treated with 9.7. Of course i£ the Auckland weather keeps up its record and the track is soft he can be written out of it ■-•■with.safety.' On a dry track, however, he ■'. may be anything but the forlorn hope his detractors imagine. Not a brilliant be- ■ ginner at any time, he is now if anything , nippier than in his earlier days, and a -seven furlongs he did at Randwick one morning in Imin 27see, is not likely to be forgotten. If the old Martian gelding , has anything like a handy position at the • ; turn, he will be giving all the others something to think about when it comes to racing over the last 100 yards. . After all, - he won the Stead Gold Cup at Riccarton • last November two furlongs from home, or • at the end of a mile, and with half a mile • gone in that race he was tailed off in an apparently hopeless manner. - Wedding March is in both the hurdle ; race and steeplechase at Ellerslie next Sat- , urday. With his pace he should set the chimera a stiff task, and the small obstacles at Ellerslie should have no terrors for him. ; Master Clarence, who put up such a great race at Treutham last month, when ntter being among the last away from the barrier he finished third to Beau Geste and Assurance, is nicely placed in the. Autumn Plate at Riccarton with 8.5. Musketoon figures amongst the entries for the Waikato Meeting. The English ,S horse has/ done a light stud season in ;; Hawkes'Bay. i Automne looks none the worse for his : recent racing, says the "Herald," and P. I . Conway _is keeping him going steadily <;; with a view to coming engagements. The ■; Autumn gelding has raced respectably in . his latest starts,, and there is hope that ■ he wittyet return to winning'form, even if he fails to fulfil the high promise he ' gave as a two-year-old, when he was unbeaten in his three public appearances, winning the Avondale Stakes, the Nursery Handicap at Avondale, and the Welcome : Stakes at Ellerslie. After his unsuccessful trip to Taurunga '. Passionate was given v short let-up, but ■■■ he is once again among the active bri- . gade at Ellerslie. J. Anderson intends to give the chestnut gelding a course of schooling with, a view to racing him in lumping events this wintej. Passionate has previously had a little experience at , hurdling,, and he is one that may prove .' useful in this department when he is properly schooled. Some appear to think that High Pitch will not run out the ipile o£ the Easier - .Handicap at Ellerslie. Evidently the fact that, early in his' three-year-old career (last September), High Pitch beat a very big field over a seven furlong course at • Ellerslie,. in the good time of lmin 27 2-ssec, has been, overlooked. With an additional seven months on to his age, and '. the big advantage of good seasoning races, High Pitch should run a great race next '. Saturday. ■ The apprentice 'Li Daly was present at the Masterton Meeting last Thumlay, but did no riding, in • fact his hands were, heavily bandaged. ■On being asked ''. the reason of this,: I)aly stated that, when ■ riding some time ago .the saddle chafed his legs and the dye from a set of col- .'•'-: ours getting into the rash, blood poiaonv ing 3et in. In fact, Daly treated the in- ' cident lightly, and almost paid the penalty with his life. ■..:••. According to the "Herald" High Pitch and Welkne are in excellent trim, but Cimabue appears a trifle big. The two-year-old had his forelegs bandaged when out at exercise at Ellerslie.

The i Taranaki hack Orazone attracted

■ attention by her smart sprinting effort ' over five furlongs on. Saturday, at Ellerslie. She was carrying a tidy weight and gave Cawnpore, who was ridden right out, and White Bird a good beating. There being no hack event on the first day at Ellers■'lie,/ Orazone is not engaged" until Easter Monday, but the distance, one mile, may bo too far for her. She should be suited better by a shorter course. Silvennine has been galloping well at Ellerslie and on Saturday morning beat three of the Auckland juveniles pointless in a gallop over half.a mile. The latest exploits of Awarere have

stamped him' as a greatly improved horse and he attracted further attention on

Saturday at Ellerslie by defeating Aussie over four furlongs in file beet time of the morning. Awarere is a very fit horse af tev his recent racing and should give further proof of his worth at the autumn meetings. He'is not engaged next. Saturday, but will probably be a competitor on Easter, .Monday. Countersign is a doubtful starter for the Great Easter Handicap. She has been suffering from a, splint during the past ■week, and though it may develop so quickly that no inconvenience will be suffered, it is expected that she will be an absentee at Easter, in which case she will be put aside until next season. The Paper Money filly has done well as a three-year-old, and at her best she would have been hard to beat in the Great Easter, but her trainer, E. Scoullar, intends to adopt the wise course of taking no risks. He is quite saitsfied that Countersign is well worth a patient policy. Front Bank and Green Cloth should both: carry Sir George Clifford's colours with distinction very Boon. Green Cloth, a three-year-old sisiter to Centrepiece, is the makings of a good galloper. Although backers as well as bookmakers are liable for prosecution for illegal betting, they are hot often proceeded against. It is understood, however, that action is being taken against a number of individuals for betting with bookmakers, the cases arising out of recent prosecutions of the layers of odds. Poacher was making his nrßt appearance in a Tace when he filled third place in the Trial Slakes at Hororata on Saturday. He was a long way back in the early stages, but he finished with a brilliant run over the last two furlongs. Poacher, who in a four-year-old by Greyspcar from the Australian-bred mare Jacket; by Grafton, was bred by Mr. W, A, Kicholls. At the sale of his stud, the youngster, th?:i a yearling, was purchased for eighty guineas by Mr. H, M. Reeves, who offered him again in November, disposing of him at the tame price to Mr. H, Aker. He is

now owned by Mr. G. Fulton, for whom he looks like turning out very useful. The Harp was considered the best proposition in the Horarata Cup on Saturday, but after going three furlongs he retired from the contest, and although not pulled up he cantered home behind the field, states the ''Press." His rider, C. Emerson,-, stated that the horse suddenly stopped galloping, and made no response to efforts to keep him going. It transpired that The Harp suffered from heart trouble, of which lie showed marked, signs' on returning to the birdcage. Nincompoop is going well at Riccarton. and w,H be ridden in the Great Easter by H. Voight. Those who remember the races he ran at Trentham will keep him on their side.

fJ?°*Y? Sn oci^-S™ has come Into favour that I? h EaS- ter Handi<=a P. and now sholirf 1 fS re Bamed the good form he showed last season, hist chance in the seven-furlong event must be seriously considered. He executed a promising gallop at Riccarton on Saturday, morning by Really good acceptances have been reonee o drf^ n the }le^, and ?« one or two races the fields will be onirp fn?flT, UU gh,h f<? r the, course- A verv^sewLS a? cc,'> lefi, in the Manchester KS'XS 8 GlenroSS and Ngata, _ Northern horses accepted for. aff Feildwg include True Biood, Valkon, Royal Bloody Bright Knight, Archeen, Baby Bun, Town Bird, Royal Plight, and Hangawera. H. Dulieu is mentioned as the rider of Royal Blood, Royal Flight, and lrue xJlood. .

IJathor has beeir paid up for at Feildlng^and at Waipukurau. She should be hard to beat at the meeting selected for her. :

-T-:Green, in addition to riding Mr. W. G. Stead's horses at Ellerslie, will be on Alloway and King Willonyx. F.'Voight will ride Football in the Great Autumn Handicap. C. Emerson will ride Set Sail in her engageemnts at Riccarton.

A new rider will have to be found for Commendation in the Great Northern St. Leger, for L.-G. Morris broke a collarbone when riding Great Kevin in his preliminary at the Wanganui trotting meeting yesterday.