NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9257, 26 January 1916, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

The performances registered by Sweet Com, at Trentham have puzzled those who make n study of horses and form. The filly had been heralded prior to the meeting here as being not in form, and on the first day she certainly ran up to anticipations in that direction. She was first out in the six furlong race at the end of the book, but died away after traversing a couple of furlongs. Two days later she started in the last race of six furlongs also, and no one saw the way she went. She simply knocked three-fifths of a second off tho Australasian record for the distance. Considering the number of sprinters of quality there are in Australasia her effort was a magnificent one, as tho time for six furlongs had been reduced to what one would imagine to be the minimum before Sweet Corn started to race. She was not paced in her record-breaking effort, as she led all the way. On that occasion the public had no confidence in her, and those who were lucky enough to invest on Number 8 had returned to them a handsome sum. After a lapse of (another two days Sweet Corn again started in a six furlong race, this timecarrying 101 b more than when she established her record. She met nothing better bn Monday than she had defeated on Saturday, in fact Saturday’s field; was the better of the two. Horses like Flying Start, Bimeter, and Dpwnham are something to defeat over six furlongs. With 7.8 on Monday and hundreds of pounds of the public’s money behind her (she was made first favourite) the filly started with a good boy up over the same distance as she had contested on the previous days. She, led to the bend, and was, in a half-hearted way, acclaimed the winner, but at the entrance to the straight her reign ended. She fell back .amongst the also starteds, to the disappointment of her supporters and the utter chagrin of those who take the trouble to endeavour to understand the horse.

Once more has Chortle proved what a good weight-carrier he is over a mile. He won his race on Monday, with 9.5 up. just like a racehorse.

It was a nity Emperador did not start in the Summer Handicap on Monday: it would have been a sight worth seeing to have watched, him going with Chortle, who was conceding 31b.

Flying Start failed to stay the mile cn the last day at .Trcntham. He was in the, hunt for six furlongs, and then, .as anticipated, faded out. The Maniapoto gelding, Rewi Pole, tried hard for a stake at the Wellington meeting, but they were too fast fur him.

The company competing at Trcntham has hardly ever been equalled on a course. The field that contested the Gup must be put down as the strongest put. There were only two missing in the event—Desert Gold and Eligible. Had these two warriors been engaged the cup of completeness would have brimmed over. The quality of the field says'a great deal for the ,-Wellington Racing Club’s popularity. Some concern was evinced by Ashley Reid regarding the condition of Expect, just prior to the start of: the Summer Handicap. The horses wore lined up. and Reid was noticed to take his mount, who appeared to. favour his near side hind lee to the rear and commune with the officials.' Expect was lined up later but did not show up at all on ths journey. '

Much was expected of Marco Bello, but he failed dismally. He was going well for some of the way in the Bummer Handicap, but after warming up he closed up like an oyster. The Gold, Boult people expected better things of the Gold Crest horse than “vent their way on Monday. Gold Boult was well supported by his connections. Recorder ran well for six furlongs in the Summer Handicap. She may be worth watching in future. She is by Varco—Pedometer, and has some pace. The Finland gelding Findhom disappointed; hie connections during the meeting just concluded. Fourth place in two starts as not much good to the expenses account.

The Invercargill ' Cup winner, Down, failed to turn up at Wellington. Ho ran honestly, but the fields were too hot for him.

Hydrus ran well in the Kaitoko Handicap on Monday and upset a lot of calculations. Limpet was fixed for the race, hut the cerise jacket carried too many guns.

The half-sister to Panmure, Eevalenta, which is racing in the interest of the Highden stable, is a nicely made filly. In the cage on Monday she looked the best of tho bunch, but she was a bit on the green side to win. Happiness appears to be troubled in the same way as Chakwana. She does not possess that last ounce of ginger that enables them to pass the post before the others get there. , Wishful, who did well at - Auckland, ran on each day at Trenthara, hut was most disappointing. After his dual win at Auckland, the latter one being over a.mile with 9.1 in limit Msec, most people imagined that the son of Boniform would have accounted for some of the company he had to meet, but he failed to turn up. Sir Alba is a horse of points. At the recent Tauherenifcau meeting he ran absolutely nowhere in Cup, run over the same distance as th© race he won on Monday. In the Wellington Cup he ran nowhere, in the R.C. Handicap he ran very prominently for nine furlongs, and then closed up. On Monday, over a mile and a quarter, he came at the distance and landed the stake.

■ Hymettius did the usual in-his start for the City Handicap on Monday. Ho smashed the tapes and bolted with the boy, pulling up at the post as if he had won the event. The starter did not wait for the return of Hymettius, which was an act of judgment on his part, and the field went off without him, which, again, was unfortunate for hie- supporters. Horses should learn manners before going to the post.

The Martian filly Bee has come into her own at Wellington. J3he won Jhe Nai Nai Handicap at Trentham in 1914, beating Beldame and Peronilla. At the following summer meeting at Auckland. Bee was beaten by a head for tho Newmarket Handicap by Bimeter, Mr Bert Taylor, the owner of Bee, has been wandering about the globe of late, probably looking for good animals. It has been stated that the owner was a wool broker. That was erroneous, for Mr Taylor, who does not follow that profession, is the owner as aforesaid-