MOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9092, 10 July 1915, Page 11

MOTES AND COMMENTS

In answer to an inquiry respecting the turf performance of Lobelia, the dam of El Gallo, it is recorded that she won the Produce Stakes at the Tauranga meeting in 1805 as a two-year-old, and three seasons later won the Tauranga Cup, on which occasion she heat Princess of Thule among others. On the same day of the meeting, the Bay of Plenty Stakes fell to her lot, while on the second day of the fixture Lobelia won the Publicans’ Purse. In the Cup race at Te Puhi meeting, she ran second to Voltigeur 11., and at Tauranga, in 1899, finish ed second in the Cup race behind St. Ursula, and won the Bay of Plenty Stakes for the second time, and won the Publicans' Purse, on which occasion she turned the tables on St. Ursula. At the Tauranga meeting, in ■ 1900, Lobelia started in three races. In the Cup, which was won by Admiral Hawke, she finished third, and was in a similar position in the Bay of Plenty Stakes, behind Arupeta, who was also sired by Albert. In the Final Handicap at the meeting; Honesty beat her. During her racing career, Lobelia was ridden in her engagements by the late George Bonner.

Taringamutu, who has been suffering from an attack of strangles, is now on the high road to recovery, and is picking up splendidly. It is reported that Ladoga, who is also in J. Ayre’s stable, has been attacked by the same disease.

Nimblefoot, Brookfield, and Dogger Bank hare returned to Auckland, after ttielr engagements at the Gisborne meeting, and the latter is stated bo be showing signs of unsoundness. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, a motion was brought forward to reduce the stakes for the New Zealand Cup to £IOOO, on account, of the war, but the motion was rejected. Had the motion been carried, the stake would have been reduced to half its present amount.

An effort was reads at the meeting ol the -New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting | Club by Mr W- Black to have the limit I in the -New Zealand Cup reduced iron i 4miu 3/seo to 4mm 36sec, his grounc for advocating the reduction being that there were thirty-four (horses capablt of 4min 37 sec, and the race might be i spoiled by large fields. It was pointed out that although the list contained horses capable of 4mm 36’sec, there were : among them many that had not done ( the time. At last .November meeting there had been only twelve starters out of thirty-four horses eligible for the Cup, and on the last day, in a race for £750, in a 4miu 30seo class, there were only ten starters. It was l eventually decided not to alter the present time.

According to a statement made by Mr U. M. Richie, who presided over the annual meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, the club (had donated £733 towards the war funds, and the committee were considering methods of further helping the patriotic fund. Improvements to the club’s grounds had been authorised, and when these were paid tor the club would be in debt, and under these circumstances there were no funds available at present for the purpose . A southern writer, who (has paid a visit to Mr C. Hudson’s stable at Dunedin recently, states that he saw the lately-imported American-bred trotting stallion, Lorene Todd, and expresses the opinion that he is a pure-gaited trotter, with beautiful action, and a bold manner. His sire is Sorrento Todd (3.111, the fastest son of the great brood mare Sorrento. One of her sons (Bondsman; sired Colorado 12. (2.4}), a champion. 1 lie Todd family descends from Bingen (2.6 i), sire of Uhlan (1-58), the fastest trotting gelding the world has ever seen. Mr Hudson's horse comes from the greatest sire line m the world, and from a dam that has produced 2.6 speed. Lorene Todd was brod in Kansas five years ago, and is a dark cherry bay with four black legs and not a particle of white. Sweetmeat, who was made favourite for the Waimate Handicap at the South Canterbury trotting meeting, is a throe-year-old filly by Sweet Patch, and with a little more age and experience should account for a race or two.

The Rothschild four-year-old gelding Moneymaker, who was most fancied for the Timaru Handicap, only started on one occasion last season, and won the Invercargill Trot at the Southland autumn meeting.