NOTES BY PHAETON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17294, 18 October 1919, Page 14

NOTES BY PHAETON.

THOSE FRACTIONS. There is no disguising the fact that for a considerable per-od a lot of keen bsad*, who could never be adjudged narrow in their news, have disagreed with the practice that has held sway for such a long stretch of years in this Dominion, viz., the rcter.t'>n of the total'sator fractions, either by the clubs or by .these who are engaged in working the machine. This appointment of inspectors under the Government ha* brought the matter to a head, and now we have the proposal that the fractions should be paid into the Consolidated Fund. The proposal is to hav«! the fractions " ear-marked." and that the same should be used for " some good purpose." litis may be quite satisfactory for racing, providing that the fractions are used in connection therewith. That is a matter that will require vigilant wstching. All this trouble in regard to fractions might. I think, have been avoided had these in control of racing affairs, observed the writing ,on the -v.-Jl, and used the fractions, by endowing an association for the encouragement of breeding, and which would include the purchase of sires, to be placed at the services of breeders sX merely nominal fees. Seeing that £272,000 was paid by racing clubs daring bat year, it will be «cognised that there ia quite enough money taken out of racing by the special taxation imposed, bat whether those in contrc! of "'« sport can be in time to save the l'ractons, even though " earmarking" the same themselves., is, I fear, a point Vcd which there is room for some doubt. SURVEYOR AT CAULFIELD. On tho strength of a fact gallop wluch Surveyor registered when in training in New South Wale.., a big rush set in to be on him for the Canlfield Cup; but the defeats which went down against the son of Nassau at the V.A.T.C. roeetiig on Saturday and Wednesday last in tl.» derision of the Caclfield Stakes and Eclipse Staken respectively were erf so pronounced a character as to considerably dim his prospects in tit big event set down for to-day. It would have been no disgrace for Surveyor to suffer defeat at the hands of Eusebius in a weigh race run r.ver a mile and three furlongs; but the veteran Chrome, who beat him for second place, does not represent weight-forage clan. It cannot be said that matters have rich ten ed for Surveyor as a result of his efforts at Canlfield. j

TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB. The Takapuna Jockey dub has issued the bo&L: programme setting forth details bearing on the two meetings proposed to be he'd at the North Shore during the present season. Though, the T.J.C. is cast in an extensive for works in hand, such has not stood in the way of a bold no** being struck on the question of prize-money, jmd the sum allotted in that departmsnt is £1855 in advance of the previous record. The Alison Cup of £550 is the lead ng event of the spring programme, whilo the Takapuna Cup of £1000 holds premier position on tho summer programme. With such an array of prize-money, and a strong desire to bring the appointments of the North Shore ground up-to-date in every particular, there need be no fear of the T.J.C. losing any of the marked popularity that has been theirs, io. such a long stretch of years.

LEAVE FROM MY NOTEBOOK. A week prior to winning the Oulfield Stakes Night Watch distinguished himself in the October Stakes, a mile ,-i.nd a-half weicht-for-ajre event, in whi-h he beat a fi Id of rich I easily in 2m 34 J -j Nicht Watch must be- given (re-lit for opening hi» fivp-yoar old career in a verv fitting manner, aw' hi> owner, Mr. Leclie Macrlonald, lias cood reason to view the position in front with the St. Ahvyne gelding in a p.irtirnlarly optimistic vein. PoitreJ, whose exploits at weight-forage ive him the premier place amongst Aus-i'-iliaji racers of the present day, was sent i.f) to auction as ,i yearling at a reserve ■ f 300 guinea*, but such riot being; forth--1 in™ I"'- was returned to his breeders, '■' ■•'■-. W. arid F. A. Moses. As the son <i ?- Alwvne has won in alone (.lJ.Q'iJi. -In- M<-.-.«r=,. Moses have pio<] r«*a *"" '-" i'i' >• at ! ; ,i! chestnut hor«e hein' 11 -'- :i tin it hand.-. 1 in- Raiuim.-k spring m"*:tinp is gener- -'' 'y i"-ierrt-d I. „,, !.!,,. worst un'.etiriK •• e U>i>kmake, c h„v c had for veurs" in i-.?£!rt2'l Although '■« large Winners are n W I r e * a,dln > lh" double rombina- '.-■-«. rrr g0 ,T"r •■*■• ].„„,„ l" Je a good showin-r in the '•fsorn his owner, M r t„. , » ' ' lr " rort«i h.i n ior ; lar • Jo * '-" lnB "- ?""* <WoI P ngureß tQ w -8• U.ke :.i ?11 H and to mark the vi, t orv 'of &W»-'». I hater event, it ;, X. ;Re ' us « tin £10.000 in pa«e\ond ted t' he P la H that the amount ffl out of eßtl mated I «"> combined ~ra l^', ,"' of Wolaro! and ! Kebua, both \ "olaroi and double*, wm h.X t n °Au and » the £100,000, b * neighbourhood of