NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9091, 9 July 1915, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

The rumour that is current m sporting circles that the ' Wellington Racing Club is endeavouring to make arrangements to hold its winter meeting at Riccarton is not .borne out by facts. It‘ is true that several country clubs have placed their courses at the disposal of the Wellington body, and while the courtesy is highly appreciated it is recognised that to hold the meeting on a country course is out of the question. As regards Klccarton, the question has never oome before the stewards of the local club. When_mterviewed yesterday - Mr J. B. Harcourt (president of the Wellington Reeling Club) stated that he had no knowledge of an inquiry having been made I in this respect, but that it, was pos- ' Bible the Canterbury Jockey Club had offered the course for the holding or the meeting. The stewards, he was certain, would not agree to. the meeting being held anywhere other than ott their own course at . Trentham. As matters stand it is questionable if the course at Trentham will' be out of the hands of the military authorities by the end of August, and to hold the meeting at Riccarton after the Grand National, which, if. it is held at all, will have ,to ■ be done,-would not bo a wise undertaking. Horses that had been trained to a state of fitness for the southern meeting, would, after competing in some strenuous races, be unfit for further tussles almost immediately afterwards, and many would undoubtedly be taken home after the Grand National, which would rob thb meeting of its main interest. There is another phase to the question, and one that wilfhave to he settled before the meeting is held, and that is the question or a totalizator permit. . At present the Wellington Racing Club has a totalisator permit for nine days’ racing, at stated periods of the year, and in order to secure a permit for a further two days a special Act of Parliament is necessary. - There should be no difficulty in haying this brought about under the qircuinstahces, but still the fact remains that such ,a course wonl(l be necessary before the meeting could &held.' Should the meeting be held ;er on, it may be taken for granted that it will ho on the club’s own course at Trentham, unless something unforeseen .takes place in the meantime. • It is certain that should the Wellington Racing Club decide to hold its postponed winter meeting early , in the spring a' " rearrangement of the programme will be necessary. CrossCountry events will not create so much interest, arid it is reasonable to suppose that owners will not keep their horses in training for a meeting that may not eventuate. The handicaps for the Manawatu Hunt Club meeting disclose that the Feilding-owried gelding Gondolier has been given pride of position in the Manawatu Steeplechase with 12.10. This aged son. of Gipsy King won the. Hunt Cup at Marton last season with 11.3 with the greatest of ease in 6mm 34sec, and in a two and a half miles Hunters’ Steplechase at the Wellington spring meeting was successful witJi 10.12 in a fair field of jumpers. Bandalero, who has 12.2 • in the Manawatu Steeplechase,' was the winner of the Hunt Cup Steeplechase at the ' Hawke’s' Bay - winter meeting recently. The distance is a mile further, and he , has an extra, stone to carry, which will trouble him somewhat. Last season he started on four occasions and ran second to Daylight Bill in the Spreydon Hurdles at the Canterbury Grand National meeting. 1 . i The tracks at Riccarton, which have not * been-' in the best of condition' for work, have dried" up considerably during the past week and are now reported to be in splendid order for track, work. So far little has been done to call for comment, and although a large number of horses are out each day only' light tasks are allotted to them. The postponement of the Wellington meeting has had its effect, arid trainers/instead of schooling their charges and

giving them fast work in preparation for their engagements at Trentham, are restricting the horses to steady pacing.

Stone Ginger, who has a steeplechase or two to his credit, is reported to have injured his shoulder so severely that it is likely he will not be fit to race again.

Comment has been rife of late as to the dam of El Gallo being brown 'll colour; Lobelia, who was the dam of El Galfo, was a jet ’ black marc sired by Albert, a stallion - that was at the stud in the Bay of Plenty district. She was owned by Mr G. W. Varcoe, of Tauranga,, who also owned Repetition. She won several races at Tauranga between 1895 and. 1900, and her dam was unknown, and is thought to have been a Maori Jiorse. . , Gold Fran, who went wrong at the Gisborne meeting, is not expected to race for some time.