NOTES AND COMMENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 March 1930, Page 13

NOTES AND COMMENTS

ON GALLOPS AND TROTTING

appoint ingly. It is said that Dunraven displayed pace ill his training work and that he lias failed to run up to his training form when the silk has been Up. It has now been decided not to call upon Dunraven for any further efforts at the juvenile stage of bis career, and curiosity will now be centred ii\ the character of the form he will display at three years old and whether he will develop the necessary qualities entitling liiin to be included with the division that will be accepted as fitting aspirants In strive for classic honours. Nightmarch was soon bowling along latter his arrival at Randwick, and from I the many evidences of bis general wellbeing, A. MeAulay will have him just |as lit in the autumn as in Lho spring. One morning recently lie covered five furlongs with Amor, wide out on the course proper, in linin lOsoc, doing the last four furlongs in 53sec. Nightmarch was not out to make time, but the gallop was much better than the time suggested, as the going was very heavy, and he covered a good deal more ground than the stated distance.

Phar Lap was duo back in Sydney last week, and bis programme at Randwick will include lho St. Leger and two weight-for-age races. His presence in the Loner will probably limit the size of the field, after his brilliant efforts at Flemington. People arc amazed still at the extraordinary performance he registered in the King's Plate at Flemington. He won at two miles in a fashion that is seldom seen, and it was over a distance at which he failed in the Melbourne Cup last year. Some racing men have the idea that Phar Lap was tested out over the Cup distance, with a view to next November, as iie is not likely to run in any handicap events at the autumn meetings in Sydney. If this was the idea, 11. It. Telford should be well pleased with the result.

Mr A. B. Williams can sport a fine array of cups won by his horses. Rapine won' eight—-the Wellington Cup, Auckland Cup, Trentham Gold Cup (twice), Awapuni Cold Cup, 0. G-. Stead Cold Cup, Hawkc's Hay Cup, and Wanganui Gup. Star Stranger has also made a contribution to the collection in the shape of the Wellington Cut), Trentham Cold Cup (twice), and the Awapuni Cold Cup. This must surely be a record so far as New Zealand is concerned. A little aristocrat at present undergoing her preliminary education in F. J. McKays team just now can be identified 'as a light bay filly by Chief Ruler, the crack sire of the day, from the peerless matron Simper (says the "Southland Times"). When first taken up for educational treatment lho rising two-ycar-okl was inclined to object to handling, but she has now settled down to behave like a seasoned thoroughbred- The half-sister to Affectation, Gold Light, Razzle Dazzle, Speed Light, and other turf celebrities, is an attractive youngster, and creates the impression that she will be able to move smartly when tested for pace. It is understood, by the way, that Mr W. T. Hazlett has decided to relegate that brilliant galloper, Speed Light, by 'Paper Money, to the stud. The winner of classic honours at Trentham should develop into a valuable matron, as she has size, speed and breeding to recommend her use as a breeding proposition. . The .Trentham trainer, W. J. Lame, left Wellington for Sydney yesterday with Glare.

Praise has been on the easy list for a few weeks, but she will be in work again shortly in preparation for the Champagne Stakes at Easter. She has not won at six furlongs yet, but on f\vo occasions when tried at that distance she was unlucky. She was suffering from a cold in Auckland, while she was left at the start of the Duncdin Champagne Stakes. The Riccarton four-year-old Great Star is anions' the horses engaged in the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps. He has not done much work for some time, but as he comes to hand quickly lie may be in good form for the Great Easter Handicap. If he is turned out all right he will have to be reckoned with as he is a brilliant galloper and will run out seven furlongs solidly. The Great Autumn Handicap is quite a different proposition, and even at his best lie would find a mile and a-half a difficult journey. The New Zealand gelding Second Wind continues to race well under the colours of the West Australian sportsman, Mr E. Lee Steere. Second Wind's latest success was registered in the St. Kilda Handicap (1 miles), run at Caulfield last Saturday, in which he carried 9.0 and beat a field of 10 in the fast time of 2.32. Second Wind" is described as by Psychology or Grandcourt, but it is generally held that the last-named sire can be credited with his parentage. Cabled advice lias been received that (he once brilliant Commendation has hopelessly broken down. Commendation 'was bought as a yearling by Mr Gaisford for 200 giiineas. He won in stakes over £S7OO. His victories at three years included the Now Zealand Derby, the Great Northern Derby, the New Zealand St. Leger and the Great Northern St. Leger. At the coinnienccinnt of his four-year-old career he was taken to | Australia, and ran three races, but

then went amiss. It took liim a long lime to recover, and at five years he won only one race, The Grandstand Handicap at Masterton. Last spring, when he was showing a glimpse of liis old form, his fractiousnoss at the harrier caused a prospect of liis being placed on the schooling list. His owner Llien sent him to G. Piice, i:i Sydney. Commendation's career, while- opening brilliantly, lias thus been marred by misfortune. In l»2<l, when he was Unci' years old, Mr Otway Kalkiner. of Aus-ti-iiliii, oflicred £IO,OOO for him, but .Mi- Gaisford would not sell. i At a sale of horses in Melbourne recently the ex-New Zealander Sir Roy was purchased hy the well-known trainer, C. T. Godby, for 450 guineas. The Australian-wed (roller, Home Voyage, who is now in W. J. Tomkinsoii's"stable, is a very plain looking sort, and so far he has not shown much speed in his training work. A. Cox is keeping the trotter Nellie Hugo in solid work. She was made favourite for her race at the last meeting at New Brighton, but raced very badly. The two Auckland trotters Carincl and Native Prince are now at Addington and they will be racing al the Easter meeting. Both horses will have lo show considerable improvement on their form i t the Wellington Club's meeting last week to have any chance of success at headquarters. The trotter John Mauritius appears to be in good form at present, jujdged by the manner in which he gets through his training work. He will be racing at the Easter meeting at Aldington. V. Alhorn has brought Linkman in again after a useful spell. The pacer looks better than he has done for some lime past and is much sounder than formerly.