NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8852, 1 October 1914, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The sporting reporters of the metropolitan and leading country journals, who attended the Maori Racing Club's fixture at Otaki in the ’ interests of the. general public, were subjected to scant courtesy by the officials of the club. Complimentary tickets were sent to each paper, but when the representatives arrived at the course they were compelled to pay an entrance fee. besides purchasing a programme of the events. A complaint was lodged, and it appears that the privileges were sold, the officials of the club forgoing their jurisdiction over these matters, and could offer no redress. Canterbury trainers are making preparations for Dunedin. Some or the horses are to leave at the end of the week, apd it is stated that the competitors from Christchurch will form a record for the southern spring meeting:.

Considerable controversy has been occasioned by the handicaps allotted the competitors for the Dunedin meeting at Wingatui, and the general opinion is that not enough attention has been paid to'form.

Baron 9. A. Oppenheim heads the list of winning fla't race owners in Germany. he having won since the beginning of the year in stakes. Herr B. Haniel is second with £9680, and Herren A. and C. , von .Weinberg third with .£8370. ■ • '

The Dunedin Stakes, for two-year-olds. is likely to prove a decidedly interesting race, •by . reason !of the fact that nearly dll the "leading . stable* juveniles engaged: Prom present indications the race 1 should ■ prove, a good trial amongst the., southern-owned youngsters "for the Welcome Stakes, and the result will he keenly awaited. The following. fromaLondon paper, shows that proprietary racecourses do not pay as well in England as in Australia :-i"As the shareholders have failed to raise the; money to pay off the debentures in, the Clifton Park Racecourse Syndicate, Ltd.. Blackpool, the receiver, Mr Jas. T°dd, is' selling the concern to Mr Carver, of Blackpool. The ordinary share capital is .£61.000 in .£1 shares. Three years ago. after the opening of the summer steeplechase meeting, they sold' for' 30s. It is intended to continue the racecourse, and steeplechase dates have been granted for next season.'

hmmolino de to be mated with.. Wildwood Junior. Both these trotters have splendid records. Wildwood Junior has accomplished two miles in iminß3sec and Emmeline in 4nun 30sec, eo that their progeny should inherit great speed. By winning the Wanganui Guineas with Reputation, htr W- E. Bidwill has nlaced hi® rame among - the winning owners for this event for the first time. It is estimated that the patriotic race meeting held in Adelaide on Saturday will yield a profit of -£3OOO to the fund.

W. Kerr lost during the week a three-vear-old filly by Galindo from Authoress. The filly, who showed great promise, had not raced, and was a full sister to T. Kett’e mare Merce. Authoress, • the dam, was by Wildwood from Thelma, and therefore full sister to Willowwood. Wildwood Junior, and Mane Corelli. She was never raced, owing to an accident, but had proved her worth as a nroducer before she died last year from ah' attack of strangles-

Royal Arms (Royal Artillery—Barley Breeb winner of the recent New Zealand Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton, is among the acceptors for the New Zealand Cup, in which he has 7.6. However success in some important race on the flat after racing oyer hurdles is nothing unusual. Realm, 4 for instance, won the V-R-G. Grand National Hurdles and Caulfield G.N. Hurdles (now the Australian Hurdles) ip July and Aug , 1906 and in March and April respectively of the following year won the Australian and Sydney'Cupe. In. the Ju y nrior to winning the Melbourne Cup or 1885 Sheet Anchor ran nowhere in the VB C Grand National Hurdle Race, tor which ho started a 5 to 4 favourite. At Riccarton recent rams had a goon effect on the track, and some fast worn was done.

In a companionship gallop over s®ven furlongs Chrysotis proved too much tor ‘Skene Dhu. Quarantine is looking extremely weil, and reeled off six -furlongs with Wharfinger and came away nl “ J > at the business end. Warstep omd Marso were also out together, the termor giving a very satisfactory displayFirst Glance galloped at a fast pace over seven furlongs, finishing in a. very convincing manner. Good work w « done by Court-martial, Pnnce Delaware. Effete. Twelfth Night, Taimhausor and Martugese. Banaus, who is now one of the popular picks for the Metropolitan, has not won a race since the Canterbury Handicap in August of last year. Xu th© Spring oi last season h© finished second to Buko Foot© in the A.J.C. Spring Stakes, and on the strength of that form was made favourite for th© Metropolitan, m which, however, ho ran nowhere with 8.2. -ti-e was ainontr the runners for the last Wuliamstown Cup, aud with 8.10 fiiushed -fourth to Sea Prince (8.9). Cagou (9.7). and Mountain Princess (8.8). About a fortnight ago his owner backed him for the Metropolitan at a pric© about five times as long as that now bn offer, but was unable to get anything approaching aVlarga sum from the few bookmakers wno are doin - straight-out business on that race. Danaus is now seven years old.

Herr L. A. ilantascheff. who it will be remembered was a big buyer at the last December sales in England,. recently brought off a fine double, winning the Russian Derby with Gainst (a grandson of Galtee More) and the Russian Oaks with Holenta. Herr Lazareff, who of late years has almost farmed the Russian Derbv was again not far behind, his colt McMahon figuring as the runner-up to Gainst. The latter is hv Galtee More s son Galilei out of Innalissa. The Posita.no colt Lancer Plume, is now in Mr T. G. Doyle’s veterinary hos-

mtal at Eandwick. and after a course of treatment will start upon, a lengthy spell. Most of the sporting institutions in Sydney have contributed largely to the patriotic fund, and during the course of a social at the National Club a bottle of champagne was sold and re-sold until it realised £SB, while two cushions were sold for £3O each. Altogether, nearly .£2OO was totalled for donation to the patriotic fund. Entries for the English Derby of 1916 appeared in the Eacing Calendar on the 20th ultimo. They number 463, including 23 made in New York and 42 in Paris. His Majesty has entered Sir Dighton, General Probyn. Dog Star, Marconi. Spey Pearl. Pinmark and Minimum. The entries for this year’s Derby only numbered 375, and for the next season 429. Entries for the Oaks of 1916 total 3C4. including 14 made in New York and 17 in- Paris. Tho King is represented by Willow, Esther. White Pearl, and Marie L’Estrange. Tho Fordell trainer. F. Tilley, won four races for his potions at Wanganui last week. He is one of tho most consistent men in the game, and his successes aro thoroughlv deserved.

Tho late Major Eustace Loder willed some £BOOO to his old regiment, the 12th Dancers, as well aa liberal bequests to the hands employed at his stud farm and racing stable. In Ireland at the commencement of last month half a dozen race meetings were abandoned owing to the inability of the railway companies in that country to guarantee the dispatch of horses to the various fixtures.