RACING NEWS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9835, 5 December 1917, Page 8

RACING NEWS

FIXTURES. Dec. s—Woodyille J.C. Dec. 6—Woodville J.C. Dec. 13—Wairarapo. R.C. Dae. 17—South Canterbury J-C. Dec. 26 —Taranaki J.C. Dec. 26—'Dunedin J.C. Deo. 26—Manawatu R.C. Dec. 27 —Manawatu R.C. Dec. 26—Auckland R.C. Dec. 29—Auckland R.C. Jan, ] —Auckland R.C. ■Tan. I—Stratford R.C. Jan. I—Hawke's Bay J.C. Jan. 3—Hawke's Bay J-C. Jan. I—ilarton J.C. NOTES AND COMMENTS('By Tohunga.”) Tha Wocdvillo meeting commences today and given fino weather the turnout should bo a good one. Nominations for the Stratford meeting close to-night. A West Coast paper has the following to say regarding cho poUcv of the Government m regard to racehorees. have racing clubs on., the, West Coast hare been in communication with too Got Sent relative to providing sary accommodation on the coa-s., radwars, especially on the Otira line. Hoi.vOa formerly left Christchurch in me morning and were landed m Grey m tho same evening. The Government has now ouncovered, after a number of year s riming without accidents, that the trucks used are dangerous and henceforth must not be used on express trams, ihe po=itioa at present is that horses and their attendants will be forced to stay overnight at Otira. and be brought to Grey br the goods trains on tup tollowing dav. There is no reason why the West Coast should rot be provided with the special horse-boxes used on express trains. The Railway Department do not appear anxious to assist in /he matter, though the racing clubs provide substantial sums yearly.

Thestius. who has been on the tracks at Blcoarton lately. O. mgkmg quite a lot of noise, even after a five furlong gallop.

fßee, who has boon outside of Sydney for some time, will return to the centre immediately. She will commence her preparations for tha autumn meetings immediately.

A Sydney paper says that Immortel fMartian —Everlasting), who was disposed of at the recent Sydney .sales, has undergone a slight oneration, and will have to be spelled for a while. The nature of the trouble has pot been disclosed.

There were five starters foe.-the Irish St. Huger, of .£ISOO, run at the Curragh in September. Odds wear laid on the Irish Derby winner. First Flier, who carried 9.4, but ho was beaten, in a canter bv Double Scotch (8.11. The win3ier is by Seaforfcb from Forfana.

Followers of racing in Johannesburg had an unusual experience on August Bth, when the weather was so bad that the Turf Club meeting had to be abandoned. Not once during the day did the fall of sleet and snow cease, and on the following morning all three courses were covered inches deep in snow.

Notwithstanding the September sales, at Newmarket (Eng.) were so successful, a fair number of youngsters were passed in. Touching on this, Mr W. Allison, tho London special commissioner, said he knew one breeder who was leaving several yearlings at Newmarket to be put up again, and if they were not sold they wore to be shot. A New Zealand' writer (says tho Sydney "Referee”) recently remarked that it Sir George Clifford has an enemy or two that is inclined to own a racehorse, ho should make them a present of some of his standard-bearers at present on the turf. Some of the team are not nearly class enough to carry the popular bluc-and-gold chequers. There are Australian owners In tbo sjiino position as Sir George Clifford, and that some horses are keo-t in. work must surely p be duo to the ability of their respective trainers to "toil a flattering tale.

An unbacked colt named _ Determination won a two-year-old selling race at Newmarket (Eng.) in October, bis upset price being £IOO. On being submitted to auction bo realised 1350gns, which left a surplus of a little over £IOOO to be divided between tbe race fund and the owner of the second horse, Do Havjland. As tbe latter only cost 290gns a fortnight earlier, his owner was not long in getting a return of bis purchase money, though in a rather unexpected fashion.

Sporting men will be much _ interested in a judgment just given in Auck. land by Mr E. C. Cutten. SAL, in a claim brought by A. M. Pa ton, G. o rack) n, against B. Oliver, horse-traaner for £IOO damages in respect of alleged negligence in the training and treatment of the racehorse Blue and Black. The circumstances (reports the New Zealand Herald”) under which the claim was brought were that the defendant agreed to take the horse, race, it at several meetings near Palmerston North, and bring it back to the plaintiff by June 6th. The horse was returned to Papakura unattended some weeks after the due date in a very poor condition. The magistrate said the claim for damages in respect.of races which the horse might have won was too remote. In regard to that part of the claim dealing with a sum of money alleged to have been overpaid to the defendant, ns would give judgment for £6, being tue amount claimed for the training of the horso after J une 6th. In regard to-gen-eral damages, he was of opinion that the plaintiff had proved that the horse had been ill-treated and was returned to him in a very low state. The horse may have suffered permanent injury, and he would give judgment for the plaintiff for £3O and costs. Horse-owners are reminded that nominations for all events at the Marten meeting close on Friday, December /th, at 9 p.m. The total stakes for the oneday amount to XIBOO, which are evenly distributed over the eight events. As this meeting follows the Manawatu summer meeting on November 26th and 27th, and the racecourses are only thirty miles distant, owners who have nominated at Manawatu should also boar in mind the date of closing of nominations for Marten meeting—Friday, December 7th.