NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8481, 16 July 1913, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By “Finland.”) ' Stamboul, which is engaged in . the ..'inter Hurdles to-day, madeVl’i. debut as a hurdler on Saturday .. at ll.angiora, when he accounted for -the ‘j.urdlo Race. He is a half-brother to t.iat successful horso Playmate, being by St. Ambrose—iskaterini, Passornpjulo, by Dreadnought—St. Kutherune/ by Stoueyhurst—Katie Furgison, ,tj Musket. The committee of the Ashburton •County Racing Club has approved of [plans for a steward’s stand on the racecourse, and at a meeting held on 1 riday it was decided to call for tenders for the erection Of the building.

A petition, having for its object the securing of a totalisator permit, uas circulated on the llangiora racecourse on Saturday, during tno progress of the North Canterbury and Oxford Jockey Club’s meeting. It was numerously signed, and in duo course will be forwarded to the Government.

Tim Doolan, which won both steeplechase events at llangiora on Saturday, was formerly trained in Auckland by J. '■ lUiamson. At the recent Auckland meeting be finished second to his stable mate Golborno in the Hunt Club Hurdle Race. He was subsequently purchased by Mr G. L. Stead with a view to competing in hunters’ •events at the Grand National meeting. His jumping on Saturday was clean and fast, and the gelding created <i good impression. : The system of handicapping by yards instead of seconds was tried in connection with the trotting events lat the North Canterbury and Oxford Jockey Club’s meeting on Saturday. The now method did away with the dif--fficulty frequently experienced in start-i ing trotting races, and in this respect it came in for favourable comment. After Stamboul had won the Hack Hurdle Handicap at Rangiora, on Saturday, a protest was entered by the jowuer of the second horse, on the [ground that Stamboul, being a three-year-old, was not eligible to start. The [protest was dismissed, the rules of (racing showing that any horse was eligible if of the ago of three years and sis months.

Peary has coma in for some support during the past few days for the Winter Hurdles.

B. Deeley will bo up on Sir Knox in the Parliamentary Handicap to-day. This horse is going particularly well at present, and will most likely carry most of the public’s confidence. Deeley’a other rides will be Tamainupo in the Stewards’ and Waldemar in the Trial. Several owners and trainers have expressed dissatisfaction with the hurdles that are being used at the Wellington meeting,, and have petitioned the club to have the. feet removed. The hurdles in question are the same as those used at Ellerslie. The committee of the Wellington Racing Club met yesterday afternoon and the matter was then considered. Delegates of the country racing clubs are requested to meet in the committee room of the Town Hall on Friday evening, at 7.30.