NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10207, 18 February 1919, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By "Tohunga.”) It is understood that Desert Gold will not bo a starter at the Wanganui meeting. The contrast between the luck of A. Wood and G. Hutchins in the Anniversary Handicap was striking, says a Sydney writer. Hutchins rode Arch Vlarol la when- ho won the Summer Cup, and would have been on him again, but contracted illness a few weeks ago. , , trainer of Arch MayelD feared that ho might not recover in time to ride the gelding, and engaged Wood for the Anniversary Handicap. Hutchins did recover in time, onlv to find, himself on •the third horse, and to incur a two months’ suspension for interference during the race. Commenting on the decision of Mr A. K. Macomber. the American owner, to resume racing, a writer in the Chicago "Daily Facing Form" says" From tho , looks of things there will be great rivalry between the Eioss and Macomber stables, as they will be about the dominating establishments. Commander Ross has the bulge on Mr Macomber, having snch stars as Billy Kelly, War Pennant. Milkmaid, and other coming three-year-olds, and a number of good horses in other divisions, including the mighty Cudgel. War Cloud is the only horso of prominence in the Macomber stable at present. It was first intended to retire War Cloud, but now that the Macomber colours are again to be seen in public it is probable he will be trained next year.” In many ways the great bloodstock auction at Newmarket meeting recently was a. truly remarkable one. Altogether 549 lots changed hands in the course of the four days, and the total sum realised amounted to 215.538 guineas. As is usually tho case an connection with these sales, a number of the horses which passed through the sale ring without maWng their reserve price were subsequently sold privately. Although it was a great misfortune for Mr A. W. Cox, better known in racing circles as Mr ‘Tairie, '..lien Bayardo died at an earlv age, the gentleman named is singularly fortunate that ho himself possesses Gay Crusader, Bayardo’s best son. Possibly there may be some disagreement with this description of Gay Crusader on the part of those who incline to the view that Gainsborough is an equally good classic winner. The opinion expressed, however, is a purely personal one,-and whether one prefers Gay Crusader to Gainsborough, or vice versa, both colts are immensely creditable to their defunct sire. Thus, as remarked at the outset, Mr Cox is decidedly fortunate in that Gay Cruader is his own property instead of bor.ng in other ownership. The horse filled at a 400 guineas fee within a week of being advertised as a stallion, and bv the time Bayardo’s last crop have made their appearance on the racecourse the first of the Gay Crusaders will have come upon tho scene. The presence of dogs at Taumarunui on Saturday might have caused at least two accidents at the home turn during the progress, of the racing. Glenopal narrowly missed becoming entangled with one of the breed near the straight entrance when the Cup was being run off, while later in the afternoon Mountain Gold had to be eased up by u,. rider in a hack race owing ti two dogs racing across the course. The Taumarunui officials would do well to try and prevent the presence of dogs on race clays. '