NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10002, 20 June 1918, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By ‘‘Tohunga.”)

Tie Napier Park Club commences its meeting to-morrow. The racing should be goon, as excellent fields aro engaged, botn numerically and from a quality standpoint.

The going may be heavy at Napier, in which case the top weights in the Moteo Hurdles, Wishful (H.o) and Seadown (10.12>, .will 'be at a disadvantage. A. horse likely to run well is Golden Glade, who has 10.9. Otara ran well at Gisborne, and should finish in trout of several of the others. Bjorneborg had a race at Gisborne, and, with bis pace, may find a place. Nino horses are engaged in the Petano Hack Steeples, of two miles. The top weight. Expedition, who has 10.9 to carry over the distance, should he equal to the occasion. On recent performances Jem will hardly see out, the two miles, but Waioturo may.

The Stewards' Handicap presents an open question. There are twenty-two acceptors, and quite a number of ithem have something to recommend them. The top weight, a good 'horse, does not seem to be running up to true form, but Cleft (10.1) has Gisborne form as a recommendation. (Lady Louisa, who ran so well at Wanganui,_ is in at 9.12, and she may run along in the van, if she can get there early. In any case she is a good finisher. Bagdad should be able to see out the mile as well (if not .better) as most of them. On recent performances Braeburn will undoubtedly command more respect than most of the horses engaged in the Steeplechase. The field is net a very strong one, and of the others probably Collector and Master Timi. willcome in for a great amount of consideration.

Some fair performers are included in the field engaged in the Ladies’ Necklace, run over ten furlongs. Lord Nelson is very fit just now. and should make a good showing, and if Bio can see out the distance there should be something doing. ■puraefiller is putting up such great performances now that her defeat in the Ahuriri Hurdles seems impossible, though all kinds of queer things ■ happen in hurdle races. Art will be well supported, and so will Kauri King, who won at Gisborne. The Settlors’ Handicap, of six furlongs, is a puzzle. Retard should run as well as any of those engaged, and Orawia appeara to have struck something like form, taking Gisborne as a guide. Utiwai should run well. At a meeting of the stewards of the Otaki Maori Racing Club, held on Monday, the attitude of the Judicial Committee in regard to the refusal of the club to allow W. H. Bowden to use the Otaiki course for training was endorsed. Servera! of the Bicoaiton trainers who have horses engaged at Wellington are bringing their charges on.

Vascular is giving good exhibitions of jumping at Iticcarton. Eon Francisco and Vascovia are also shaping nicely. The imported horse Gay Lad, who has been enjoying a spell. Is to be recommissioned at the end of the month. Favourable reports are being received regarding ’the jumping qualities of Oxenhope, who will probably make bis debut at the South Canterbury Hunt moating next month.

The youngsters leased by Mr J. G. (Duncan to Mr E. S. Luttrell have had the following names claimed for thorn: Colt by Martian—’Nerve, _ Flight Commander; colt by Bezonian—Satisfaire, Spns tJouci; colt by Mar-ajax—Nettie, Talamon; filly by Martian—Tortußa, Tortrix; filly by Martian—Purity, Fair Fight; filly by Marajax—Faverolle, Favorita.

Magdala has gone amiss in both forelegs and is unlikely to stand another preparation. His chief success was the ■winning <>f the Winter Cup in 1913.