NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8609, 20 December 1913, Page 14

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By “Finland.”)

On Friday next a start will be made with the Christmas meetings, and sportsmen unable to patronise Auckland or Manawatu will have a one day meeting at Taratahi-Cartei-ton, at which to put dn Boxing Bay. The chief ,attraction at Auckland on the opening day will bo the Auckland Cup, of two miles, and the Kailway Handicap. Both races are voted 'very open, as the fields for the former race include some of the cream of Mew Zealand’s stayers, among which might be mentioned Sea Pink, Potoa, Jack Delaval, Bon Ton, and La Reina. The first named is the one at present in most demand. That ho is quite entitled to such a position there is no doubt, for whithin the last six months he has improved beyond all knowledge, and put up a really good performance (after being galloped on) in the New Zealand Cup, six weeks ago. He is now reported to be better than ever he ivas, and being, as 1 have already stated, a born stayer, he must surely he hard to beat. Potoa has got to race over a two mile journey, but the way he finishes in all the races would suggest that staying is his game. His work of late has been of*a most interesting nature, and the manner in which he galloped a mile and a half at Ellerslio on Wednesday would set those punters at rest who have been in the habit of thinking the trainer has been too lenient with the sou of Monoform. In many circles it is considered that Jack Delaval, like most of the Seaton Delaval tribe, will have no difficulty in seeing out the journey, while in other quarters he is being taken on chance as a stayer. “Jack,” however, may he a good horse, but 1 am inclined to believe that his performances in the past have not been sufficiently brilliant to warrant his winning an Auckland Cup. Bon Ton unfortunately went amiss prior to the New Zealand Cup, but he is evidently back to form, otherwise such a trip would not have been attempted. Ho is undoubtedly a good colt, and will not need to repeat last year’s form to be difficult to dispose of. La Reina was the greatest disappointment of any at the New Zealand Cup meeting, but according to reports sho is back to form, and is getting through her work in a pleasing manner. However, 1 don’t fancy her chances over two miles with 8.1. The Railway Handicap, according to the betting market is all over, for Soltano has been backed straight out and in doubles with nearly everything any good in the Cup. There is no question as to the son of Soult’s brilliancy, but he will have one or two such as Warsbep, Postillion, and Culprit nibbling at him throughout, and it would not come as a great surprise to find either of the trio finish in front of Mr Low r ry’s colt. Culprit has a partiality for the Ellerslie course, and when well she can always be relied upon to run a good race, so sho can he expected to keep the opposition busy on Boxing Day. The Manawatu Cup and Fitzherbert Handicap I referred to during the week, so it fis hardly necessary to again touch on them. With tino weather the gathering promises to bo a record one, and as the fields are likely to bo largo some interesting racing should bo the order. Expect has boon allowed to drop out of his engagement in the Cup, which would probably mean that Bronze has again struck form, and Mr “Highdeu” is content to allow the daughter of Field Battery to do battle for him. It is stated that Ladoga will probably by ridden in the Manawatu Cup by A. Reed. Mr Somes’s gelding has not been pleasing too well in his work of late, and in a gallop over a mile a few mornings ago. Elevated easily accounted for him. The Taratabi meeting also promises to be a success. The nominations, considering the number of other gatherings on at the same time, are

highly satisfactory. The train arrangements are excellent, and patrons will have no difficulty in getting to the meeting, win or lose their share, and return home in good time the same day. Trainer Joe Scott will leave for Palmerston on Wednesday with Semaphore, Roumania, Sir Saracen, and Prince Laddo. H. Kingau will take Undecided, Big Blast, and Sartovna on the same day. The first mentioned may be given a run on the second day of the Manawatu meeting, and will afterwards be taken to Marton to fulfil engagements there. Included in J. Ayre’s team will be Arlington, which claims engagement in the hack events, and Ladoga. J. Scott has again taken in hand the steeplechase mare Elwell. It is reported that J. R. Franks will in future have the training of Gnome, which was formerly an inmate of NV. Clark’s stables. Mr A. E. Ward, of Riverton, has decided to temporarily relinquish racing, and, in consequence, is offering Gofd Ring (Golden Knight—Tinwaid oßauty), Caseshot (Linstock —Lyddite), and an unbroken three-year-old filly by Canrobert —Icon, fo rprivato sale. Old Coroniform does not consider himself unsound enough to bo pensioned off yet awhile, says a southern writer. He broke out of the paddock in St. Albans the other night, and made his way back to McAulay’s at Riccartou.

Mr August Belmont’s Americanbred Tracery is to go to tho stud in England next year. Tracery is tho best horse sired by Rock Sand, and he has not been a particularly fortunate one. In the Ascot Gold Cup he was brought to grief when leading, and he had tho had luck to meet Cantilever, a good three-year-old, at a disadvantage of 341 b. in the Jockey Club Stakes recently, and was beaten. Mr Allison made an offer of 40,000 guineas for him, but Hr Belmont declined to sell. Tracery, which won the St. Legsr, is by Rook Sand (a son of Sanfoin) from Topiary, by Orme (son of Ormonde) from Plaisanterie, by Wellingtonia (son of Chattanooga) froip Poetess, by Trocadero (son of Monarque) from La Dorctte, by The Ranger. At the luncheon given by Mr S. Lazarus at tho Bendigo meeting (says an exchange), Mr J. C. Bowden touched briefly on the question of tho introduction of tho totalisator. Mr Bowden suggested the holding of a conference between the representatives of tho principal provincial clubs and the V.R.O. to take into consideration this all-important matter as soon as possible. The suggestion was favourably received. Tho success of The Tetrarch in England has not only made sporting men talk much of tho Herod strain, but it has also made them dip into their purses. At the Doncaster sales, Roy -Scrode, the sire of The Tetrarch, was represented by five yearlings, which sold at 4000 guineas, 1200 guineas, 1400 each.

STARTING IN ENGLAND. Starting in England still seems to'be very bad. Writing to the “Australasian” of the Newmarket meeting, Mi Allison said: —“Complaints continue to be heard about the starting at Newmarket, not only in the Cambridgeshire, but also for other races. Starting such as was seen in many of the races during the four days reduces the sport to a mere burlesque, and in regard to the Cambridgeshire, it was veritably pitiable to see the labour of trainers that had done all possible to get their charges to the post in the pink of condition thrown away. For all the chance some of the horses had from the moment the tapes flew up, they might just as well have remained in their stables. Surely, it cannot have been altogether the fault of their riders —yet one is reduced to imagining this to have been the case, in the absence of any change in the methods employed, which can only be likened to those in vogue at the children’s game of ‘musical chairs.’ In that you may, if lucky, find a seat when the music suddenly stops, may find yourself confronted by an insurmountable chairback. Similarly, a jockey may have his horse’s head turned the right way when the gate is released, or its tail may |)e where its bead ought to be. It is seemingly a question of luck; a kind of starting sweepstakes, in which, if a Jockey is fortunate, he draws a good start.’’ Another “Sportsman” contributor wrote: —“I have seen it stated that it was the worst since Georgic’s Cambridgeshire, but then the startinggate, being in its infancy, was not so well under control as it is now. It then failed to act properly, only going up at one side, so that only half the field got away together. There was, however, no such excuse on Wednesday last, and half-a-dozen at least might as well have been in their stables for any chance they had. Such as Drinmore, Bugler, Fairy King, Wisemac, and Blue Stone never had the remotest chance from the moment the tapes went up. Marsh, who rode Bugler, told the trainer that he did not think it was a. start, and expected to see the recall flag hoisted.”