NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 36, 11 August 1927, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BY "VEDETTE.")

JUCIXG FIXTURES.

August 13—Canterbury J.C. August 20—Pakuranga Hunt Club. August 27—Taranakl Hum Club. September 2, 3—Marton J.C. September 8; 10—Wanganui J.C. September 9—Egniont-Wanganul Hunt Club. September 10—Otago Hunt Club. September 14—Dannevirke B.C. September IS-^Dannevirke Hunt Club. September 24-kAshburton County K.C. September 24, 26—N.apler Park K.C. September 24, 26—Avondalo J-C. September .20,30—Geraldlno B.C. October I—Hawkes Bay J.C. October s—Manawatu Hunt Club. October 6—Kurow J.C. October 7, B—Otakl Maori K.C. October 8, 10—Auckland K.O. October 8, 10—Oamaru J.C. October 13, 15—Dunedin J.C. October. 15—Catterton R.C. October 19. 20—Cromwell J.C. October 22, 24—Wellington K.C. October 22, 24—Walkato B.C. October 24—Wavorley R.C. October .24, 26—Gora K.C. October 24—Walpawa County K.C. October 34-!-North Canterbury K.C. October 27, 29—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 29—Masterton R.C. October 29—Banks Peninsula R.C. October 29, 31—Thames J.C. Sir George Clifford, who has been an inmate of Lewisham Hospital, in Christchureh, for some time, is now making good progress towards recovery. Last week, his condition was causing some anxiety. After the 'Grand National Steeplecuase at. Riccarton on Tuesday, S. Henderson, rider of Beau Cavalier, was questioned in regard Xo interference with Charlatan at the sod wall the last time. It was established that, the winner did interfere with Charlatan, causing the latter to hit very,hard at the fence, but there was not - sufficient evidence to show that the happening was intentional. Charlatan at the time was going particularly well, and had run up and joined Beau Cavalier. A number of astute judges who by force of circumstance were viewing the race from an inconspicuous position at the back o£ the', course, and incidentally near the sod -wall, state decidedly that Charlatan was. going just as well as Beau Cavalier at the time, and the mishap cost the Southerner a winning chance. the four-year-old gelding by Absurd from Procrastinate, sold recently to Lady Fuller, is to be shipped by the first available steamev to Australia. He goes into R. O'Donnell's stable at Eandirick. The other" horses recently pur^ chased may be raced in New Zealand for some time. San Forte pulled up decidedly lame after being schooled at Riecarton on Monday, and no doubt that explained his absence from the Grand National field on Tuesday. No doubt it was as well for his absence saved the money of those daring souls who support outsiders. ' It is unfortunate that Maunga did not complete the course in the Grand National Steeplechase, for his mishap, has opened up many arguments as to whether he would have beaten Beau Cavalier with a stand-up. He was going particularly well at the time, and being such a great stayer, it is an open question whether he might not have been troublesome to the eventual winner. , It is to be .regretted that a. more experienced cross-country horseman than A. Griffith had not been given the ride on Maunga on Tuesday, for there is no doubt that the rider rather than the horse .was the cause of the trouble. The Southern horseman, A. E. Ellis gave a further example of his versatility at Riccarton on Tuesday. He rode a particularly well-judged race on The Babe in the Hunters' Hurdles, he was second on Peter Maxwell in the Grand National Steeplechase, and he won the Winter Cup on Solferite. There is every chance that Ellis will settle in Palmerston North, and he will do the riding for G. NeVs stable. Aberfeldy.has taken a long time to come right, but now he is a great proposition as a jumper. His owner, the ex-Riccar-ton trainer R. W. King, was present on Tuesday to see him win. Aberfeldy is a brother to the Great Northern Hurdle Race winner Wedding March, but a much better type of a horse. A good deal of credit is due to the young Riccarton trainer, A. Wormald, for the improvement he has effected in Aberfeldy, who up to the time he took the Quin Abbey gelding over was a great disappointment, one might say an almost complete failure. Xhe two Trentham representatives in the Cashmere Plate, Prince' Paladin and Quantum, both showed up very well. Quantum, on the rails, began very smartly, and lie soon put a good space of daylight between himself and the rest. He was in trouble, however, at the end of five furlongs, and was cut out of third money by the faster finishing AVreath of Myrtle Quantum is a very free galloper who wili win hack sprints early in the season. t1 Cer was most ""lucky at the start, for another horse jumped into him almost turning him round, at barrier-rise Under these circumstances he did exceptionally well to run the smart Royal Linea.??. to ,tiv ° lengths in fast time. In addition he was not ridden to get second money, but just pulled himself into second place. In the. Jumpers' Flat Race at Riccarton on luesday both winner and runner-up £erie de Leon and Rangatahi, were ridden by jockeys who confine their attentions nowadays, to riding on the flat, in L. G Moms and R. W. M'Tavish. . Hokioi has attracted the attention of a number of. jumping enthusiasts in the south, and. it is most probable that he ™,lie™ before the end of the meeting me; Canterbury Jockey Club's starter. Mr. P. D. M'Nab, was pfciced in an in! vjdious position on Tuesday at Riccarton. InMagna Charta he had a hot favourite and a horse whose antics upset the neld and delayed the start. Eventually both Joy Bird and Magna Charta, who were offending, were placed behind the neld. Magna Charta's rider did not stay there,-however, and he took his mount to the extreme outside. Joy Bird on the contrary was kept behind. Magna Charta, when the barrier rose, was one of the test out, and was soon in the lead. Joy Bird, the contrary, had to force her way through, and it was an extraordinary performance on her part to finish sixth. ■No doubt Mr. M'Nab did the right thing in placing both Joy Bird and Magna Charta out of their positions, but in justice Joth should have been kept in the rear ot the field or both allowed to go to the outside. _ Assurance was one of the. unlucky horses in. the Winter Cup. Ho finished particularly well, and with a run three furlongs •ironi home, probably would have won. The Winter Cup result at Riccarton was a.very fair indication of the luck of raclnS- ■ J- B. Pearson trains both Solferite and Taboo, and -there is not much doubt that Taboo was the elect of the stable. He ran a fine race into fifth place after being badly placed throughout, but in the meantime his stablemate, the unbacked Solferite, was. leading the field home. Mr. C B\ Vallance is experiencing exasperating luck with his horses at Riccarton. Peneus and Kalos were beaten into minor places at the hunt meeting a week ago, and at Riccarton. on Tuesday that pair and also Calluna finished in positions behind the winner. '■• Mr. R. A. Mivenzie, of Palmerston North, Bas decided to send his two mares Piuthair and Clarinda to Australia on l 19th August.