LEAVES FROM MY NOTEBOOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16372, 28 October 1916, Page 4

LEAVES FROM MY NOTEBOOK.

Another of the links that bound the old ctaer with wo new na» been beveled by mo aeain 01 Mr. ctienno wo Aieatro. wno pia-ycu a prominent part oolti as a uroeaer ana an owner auu trainer 01 racehorses in Australia tor & Join uretcn oi years, a period oi over tiuto aekadei having sped their since ■ the Do iieitro co.ours. " ail b»acK," dis I appealed uum the tun, the veteran Now bourn hales sportsman, who passed away on • Suuduy last, was pretty well umuiuwn to me Meseni ueiiOiaiiuu. Kiilit away oacK in Ins liltica buenue Do Alesire was piaymg . a Part in the watering ol racing in Australia, and the records suow that ne won tue two tiM iieibourne Cups witn tnat great horso, Archer, iuiu a Draco 01 otner norses that carried his colours to victory in the great , ticimnglon hanuitap were inn Wbiiller and Laiamia, wni.e ue aiso haa the tieu.t ot training Chester when that famous son of \aitcmion won the V.H.C. Derby and Guy , for tne late Air. James White. Mr. Do Mestro was credited witn expending Quite a fimaii fortune in the establishment of the tonara btud. but the success which that n.lucky venture merited never eventuated, and when the stud went to auction in 18S6 it was; generally believed that financial diiUcultice were the reason. The last horto of nolo tiiat I carried Mr. De Mestie's colours was Navi- I gator, who won tho A.J.C. and -V.K.O I Derbies, the V.R C. and A.J.C. St. Legers, ' and the Australian Cup in the season of ! 1882-83. The records show that Mr. Do Mestre both owned and trained many win- j ners, but, all the same, he was not what could be termed a fortunate man in racing. Vvhen in leco Mr. I/o aiestro announced his retirement from racing such drew many expressions of regret from ail circles, and, the references were cast in sentences that showed unmistakably the great esteem a which the veteran was held. Etienno De Mestre was a man who took his part in tho i very thick of racing, and he left a name that will ever bo referred to in terms of honour . and respect. Melbourne papers to hand state that the New Zealand colt Kilboy started in the position of first favourite [or tho Caulfieid Stakes. In referring to the race. " Xerlingft," of the Australasian, wrote as fol- < lows:— was well beaten by Lavendo; J but the defeat says nothing against him for the Derby and Cup. Kilboy, who is a wry gross colt, had not done much since his v arrival from Sydney, and looked to have got ) a bit above himself. He did not get too smooth a run, and made up ground very quickly along the railway side. The New ' Zealand colt caught and beat Amata without I much trouble; but was easily chopped for > paco at the end by the brilliant Lavendo, who won in smashing style. Hopfield, who was purchased in Sydnoy recently by the Auckland trainer J. B. » Thorpe, is a six-year-old gelding by Maltster i —Circe, a grand-daughter to the celebrated [ Frailty. Hopfield has raced very succesn- | fully in Australia recently, having won five races in as many months, winding up with tho Suburban Handicap, one mile, at the i recent spring meeting cf the Australian Joe- , key Club, in which he carried Bst 131b. The Australian . raiding has reached Ellcrslie in good condition, and ho may be seen under silk at an early date. The amount \ allotted in prize-money by the Takapuna Jockey Club in connection with the two meetings which it is proposed to hold at the North Bhore during the present season is £7280. Last year the T.J.C. paid.away £7820 in stakes. The large expenditure in tho direction of remodelling the race track of course plays a strong part in the curtailment of stakes noted. Four English-bred «horses distinguished themselves at the recent spring meeting held at Caulfield. Lavendo (by Chaucer) won the Caulfield Stakes, Torbano (by Torpoint) led tho fields home in the lola Welter and] Coonpy Handicaps. Cyklon (by Spearmint) scored in the Eclipse Stakes, while Allegory (by Chaucer) scored in the Burwood Novice Handicap. Owing to the rough state cf the weather, the stearaor conveying the Auckland repre- I sentatives to tho Gisborne meeting could ■not reach the wharf at that township, which meant that Kauri Kins and Co. were taken on to Napier, from where they had to be r shipped back to their destination. An interesting record entered up In connection with the Caulfield Cup contests this year and last is that an En-rlish-bred horso on each occasion Jed tho field home. Fiery Cross, Marc Antony, Rorkc's Drift, and Snub are the ruling fancies for the Now Zealand Cup. STUD NOTES. In my notes recently I mentioned that Winlcrboume (by Martian— the full brother to Danube, had been purchased b a resident of Opotiki with a view to use as a sire. 1 now learn that Mr. A. E. Watkina is the new owner of Winterbourne, and in a note to me that gentleman strikes the enthusiastic note with regard to the prospects of the eon of Martian. Winterbourne has reached his new home on the east coast in splendid health, and that district should especially benefit by the new strain of blood introduced. The following foalings are reported from Glenora Park:—Mr. P. Bolton's Miss Prodi nee. colt to Marble Arch; Mr. A. Gibbons's Red Pine, colt to Marblo Arch; Mr. D, Walters' A , er ,',- filly to Marble Arch. The following foalings are reported by Mr. H. Weal from Te Awamutu:— C. W. ColeI mans marc, by Monoform-Tauwha, colt to Spalpeen; Mr. W. I. Taylor's Kaimere, colt to bpalpeen. Tho following foalings are reported at Mr IT. R. Mackenzie's Ascot Stud:-Wcnona, filly to Elysian; Lady Lila, filly to Elysian; Heather 11. (imp), colt to Florodora. The last-named mare is owned by Mr. H de Litour, of Gisborr.e. .It was always certain that Spalpeen's services would be in large doniand this year and I learn from Mr H, Weal that the list of the Australian-bred sire for the present season is full. NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE. i Wu ™ schooling at headquarters on Thursday, The Channel ran off at the second fence of he double, but otherwise gave a good exhibition. Tragedy King and Drury Lad cleared the steeplechase obstacles at headquarters su'ely lon Ihursday morning, but Koyal Loop KaiI whakaher© and Dewy Morn all made mis- | takes. | A ™ Julian «d Tararu Jack out schooling !on Thursday. The fencer made no mistakes: | Julian also had a son of Sylvia Park out ! for. education, purposes over tho hurdles j this gelding is a gross customer, and may want time. ' Hi pfield, Mr. J. Thorpe's recent Australian I purchase, mado his appearance at head- I .quartan on Thursday at useful work. Ho | rosemblos Tararu Jock somewhat. j : . White Sox is being sprinted, and was , joined at the thrcc-furlong post on Thursday | morning by Lady Winsome, who started from I the five-furlong disc. Moderate time was ro. i gistered. ' i j The outside of tho course proper was I thrown open on Thursday morning, but was a little on the dead side so far os time- ] making was concerned. , Chilblain and Hijjh Jinks were associated ; ovor six furlongs lit headquarters on ThursI day morning, and registered just over lm | 23s for tho distance. i .Waiuta was one of the early morning con- ' i tmgent at headquarters on Thursday, but I was not asked, to go against the watch. The i , Guineas candidate is still in good heart ' j Hardy Lupin was sprinted on Thursday I morning, registering 61s for half a mile, j Loyal Arch had no difficulty displaying I more pace than Wiri in a sprint last Thurs- ■ day. The former is coming into strong ' favou: for forthcoming events i Gwint and Tact, were companions over five I furlongs on lhursday, the two-year-old shap- ! mg m a satisfactory manner. i Gold Necklet finished up in front of Soul--1 tane and another in a sprint over five fur- I j lonss on Thursday I I Colonel Soult has been moving along in I his usual free stylo of late, and made about ' lm 23s for six furlongs on Thursday morning. Arran was seen out sprinting the. other I morning. He reentered fair time, and should ; retrain his previous form later on. | Scottish Kn'Vht was not indulged in fast j work on Thursday morning. Stenning'a two. ' I yenr-old «till presents a healthy appearance v Fionnnala was restricted t 0 work of the ' ■ useful order on Thursday mornins. I Argent who is now mined by P. Conway, i ! was sprinted five furlongs in company last i : Thursday, shaping in a satisfactory manner : i Silver Lupin h»M White Star easily over ! j five furlones covered in fair time last Thursi day morning. I Lady Penury was seen moving at a free I pace over n middle distance on Thursday | morning last, and is very well. I Juonna has built up well during the off • season end is now in constant work amongst the afternoon brigade at F.llerslie Wcrces'er and AkuWa were sprinted si headnnsrferß on Thurclnv. Roth these hnrd'e candidates hear a well-trained «pneann-n. Lady C-lci shaped better than Marble Stsr and Independence over six furlongs run in fn'r t'"ie Inst Thursday morning. Cn'ier Feflgh was schooled over hurdles on Thursday, and fencid safely. R. Maneon. the Southern ligbt-wei?ht horsemen, will be present at the Kllerslie spr ; nz fixture, completing encasements. Kme Lupin, who was present in the pndd'Sne: piul.lorV at the Waiksto Hunt Meeting on Monday last, looked a little above himself in condition. FORTHCOMING MEETINGS. TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB. The Takapnna Jockey Club have fixed their Spring Meeting for the 251h and 29th November, and the prize-money set down j for competition has been fixed at £5160, I with the St. Andrew's Handicap of £425 i and the Spring Handicap of £375 standing I out as the leading events. From the pro--1 gramme, which will be found published in I another column, it will be seen that nomina. tions for all events close on Friday next at 9 p.m. OTAHTJHU TROTTING CLUB. The programme put forward by the Ota. I nuhu Trotting Club ,in connection with their forthcoming Spring Meeting will re- i quire attention at the hands of horse owners ; on or before Friday next, on which date i at 9 p.m. nominations close for all events. With prize money to. the extent of £1820 ( set down for competition horso owners may • be expected to make a fitting response in i I the call for entries. i i ,

CANTERBURY SPRING MEETING. [BY telegraph.—press ASSOCIATION.] ! CHEISTCHURCH, Friday. , Wrestler wag scratched for th« Steward!' 1 Handicap, at 8 p.m. to-day. i