NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9824, 22 November 1917, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By “Tohunga.”) The Ashhurst meeting, which was held, yesterday, was very satisfactory, notwithstanding the bad weather. The anticipations, published in Tuesday’s issue, were not very far astray. Ashhurst is a small course, and anything like soft going is bound to upset calculations. Matters connected with racing and horses at Trentham are fairly quiet just now. That good mare, Miss Do Val, has developed suspicions of unsoundness, and she is being eased. Johnny Walker and Menclaus have been worked right-handed (the other way round) at Trentham , which would indicate that both of these horses wiiv fulfil their Auckland engagements.

Bo Peep also is more than likely to make the Auckland trip a matter ot fact. Judging by the way she finished in the Electric Plate at Christchurch the other day, the extra distance up North should suit' her.

Albert Goodman, the trainer of Bose Pink, has been congratulated upon all sides on account of providing the winner of the Ashhurst Cup. Horses trained in New South Wales won the following races at the Melbourne Oup meeting:—Melbourne Cup, Westoourt; Maribyrnong Plate, Sweet Lady; Melbourne Stakes, Cetigne; O. B. Fisher Plate, Wallace Isinglass; V.It.C. Handicap, The Fortune Hunter; Batman Stakes, Pali Bing; and Hotham Handicap Dingle. As New Zealand took the Derby, Linlithgow Stakes, Flemington Stakes, and Maiden Plate, nearly all the race© ot importance went to owners outside Victoria. In addition to the winners. New South Wales also supplied second and third in the Cup, Melbourne Stakes, and C- B. Fisher Plate. it Is not unusual for all the Cup placegetters to come from _ this State, this being the third occasion of a similar occurrence during the past five years. In 1913 the first three were Posinatus, Belov©, and Eva’s Isle, in that order; and in 1914 Kfngshurgh, Sir Alwynton, and Moornhria, Restriction of racing is the order of the day in South Africa as well as elsewhere, and’ in its notes on * The Latest’ ’ (Durban) says: —“It is understood that the bill has been passed, and is likely to come into force on or about November Ist next. The licenses of all the four Rand recognised cubs have expired, or will expire during the present month, and it will remain to be seen what dates will bo allotted them for the coming season. The prohibition of the issue of free posses to the various courses will, doubtless, affect Auckland Park and New Clare more than it will those racing under Jockey Club rules, and has, no doubt, been introduced as an attempt to minimis© gambling. Whether it will make the slightest difference is extremely doubtful, as if the people want to race they will do so, whether they have to pay for admission or get in free, and while it has been suggested that the issue of free passes tended to improve the tote returns, this is also more than doubtfuL The only really sensible rule passed appears to he the one prohibiting anvone under the age of 16 from being admitted to racecourses. No one will dbjeot to this, unless it is the mothers of large families who used l to picnic on them, but there may be some difficulty in deciding the age limit, especially where flappers are concerned.”

Messrs P. H. Morton and S. M. Osborne, owners of the Caulfield Cup winner, Bronzetti, entertained the members of the Victorian oClub with wine and cigars the other day. Wcstcpnrt’s owner refrained from similar procedure, being of opinion that at this juncture money could be better spent than in providing wine for people who were not in need of it, and many of whom would have been well pleased if Westcourb had been defeated. Which reminds us that on a similar occasion a few years ago a disappointed backer remarked relative to the owner of a Oup winner, who was setting up wine: “I wish ho and his horse had broken their necks a week ago.” But he drank the wine, and joined in the “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” chorus Just the game.”