RACING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10540, 17 March 1920, Page 8

RACING.

FIXTURES. -March 17— Ohinernuri J.C. Annua!. Slarch 17—Opunake B.C. Annual. March 17—Clifden R.C. March 18—Waimato K.C. Annual. ■ I:m-c1i 20—Mistorton K.C. Autumn. March 21 and 25—Southland .R.C. March 2-1 and 25—Kangitikei R.C Annual. March 27—Westport J.C. .March 27—Amborley R.C. April County .T.<V April 3 and s—Wairarapa E.C. April 3 and s—Riverton R.C. April 3 and s—Auckland R.C April s—Beaumont J.C. April s—Kumara K.C. April s—Waipukurau J.C. April 5 and 6—Canterbury J.C. April 5 and 6—Feilding J.C. April 7—Westland R.C. April 7 and 10—Avondalo J.C. April 9 and 10—Greyrnouth J.C. April 14—Reef ton J.C April 15 and 17—Wellington E.C. April 17—Hororata R.C. April 21 and 22—Manawatu R.C. April 28 and 29—Hawke's Bfry J.O.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By "Carbine.") ■ The Opunake races will be held to-day. The popular Taranaki fisturo attracts visitors from far and wide, and this year the acceptances are better than usual. In the Cup Perfect Day and Etethonia look likelv to fight out a race that bears a more open appearance than usual. Kairnanawanui has been given a fair chance of winning at Opunake if he is ready.' Cyresian is in work as a jumper at Opaki. He clears the fences well and good opinions hare been formed of him. His first public outing as a jumper may be at Trentham. Dainkv Step will be in the market, at Masterton. Her weight is a very handy one.

Uncle Ned will be a big fancy for the Aucklan-1 Easter Handicap. Sasanof and Golden Bubble are in demand, for Masterton. •

Gold Steel,., by Martian—Snowstell. and Danger Zone, bv .Martian—Crimson Rose, the two yearling colts recently purchased by Mr B. Joll, of Taranaki, at tb.9 sale of the Waikanae thoroughbreds, have arrived at S. Reid's training quarters at Hastings, and will shortly N b 9 put through the kindergarten stages of their education. •' Artilleryman is a (Treat three-year-old, and of him the "Australasian" says.— "It is doubtful if a tetter three-year-old than Artilleryman has ever raced in Australia. Hia mere 'paper' record falls far short, so of Poseidon's at the ■ same age, but still no' horse has won as much in Australia in stakes at three years as the brown son of Comedy King and Cross-Battery. Though Poseidon won as a three-year-old 11 races, including* the A.J.C. Derby, Caulfield Cup, Victoria Derby, Melbourne Cup, V'.R.C. St. Leger, V.E.C. Loch Plate, and A.J.C. St. Leger, hia stake winnings at that stage of his career amounted to less than .£13,000. Artilleryman this season has won the V.A.T.C Meaislo Stakes, made a- dead-heat for first place with Richmond Main in the A.J.C. Derby, won the (Caulfield Guineas, the Melbourne Cup, C. B. Fisher Plate, V.A.T.C. St. George Stakes, V.R.C. St. Leger, and King's Plate. He was beaten in the Victoria Derby, but was extremely unlucky to lose that race. Artilleryman's claim to be considered the equal of any past three-year-old rests on his Melbourne Cup /victory alone. He carried weieht-for-age and beat in that event a good field in most impressive style in the record time of 3min 24Jsec. New-haven won his Melbourne Cup at the same age in runaway fashion, and with a big margin to spare, but the field opposed to him was not a particularly good one. Other three-year-old winners of the Melbourne Gun were Banker. Lantern, The Barb. Briseis, Chester, Grand Flaneur. Martini-Henry, Auraria, Merriwee, Clean Sweep, Lord Cardimran. Poseidon, Lord Nolan," Prince Foote, Patrobas, and Sasanof. The performance of Prince Foote was a fine one, as he had to make np a lot of ground in the last mile anr> a nuarter. but no three-vear-old—or, for that matter, no horse of any age—was I equal to sprinting awav, from the field |orer the last three furlong= of the Melbourne Cun in the way Artilleryman d;d last November. That performance in its»lf constituted him a great three-year-old." .

What is known in- trotting circles as the Gleaming case was advanced a further stage last week (says a Christchurch paper), when evidence was taken before the Board of the New Zealand Trotting Association. The president had sunv moned the owner, R. J. Stone, and tha trainer,' W. Warren, of Gleaming to appear before the board. Richard John Stone, owner of Gleaming, said that h« had had nothing to do with iho late scratching of hiß horse for events at the Forbury Park Trotting Club's sprmi meotini;. He had not been present on the first day. of the Forbury Park Club's spring meeting, but had previously srivon instructions to his trainer to do so, if ho were- not present. When he arrived at Dunedin, Warren informed him that the horse was not right, and ho then gavo instructions to scratch Gleaming. Ho had not supported the horse, and in any case his betting limit was JJS. He did not suppose ho had spoken to « bookmaker in his life, and he did not back otbor people's horses. A lot <»* dirty, sneering remarks had been passed to him with regard to bookmakers having something to do with tho scratching of his horse, and ho .greatly resented it. H» v»» uot ftWßro that his horsu had been heavily backed with tho bonk-tna-kers A. Pringlc, a trainer had approached him with a view to riding Glearains, hoeauso ho had backed him for a large amount. This was after Monevmakor had won the big race. He did not recollect having boen offered any turn of money by Pringlc William Warten, trainor of Gleaming, said he had received authority from Stone to scratc.i Gleaming. Tho horso was off-colour, and in his work at Forbury Park show, cd he was not right. lie considered that so long as a horse was scratched within half an hour of the storting of n race he was keeping within the rules. A. Pringle had asked him to start Gleaming. Pringle offered him £250 if th» horso wfn and he wag allowed to ride it. J. G. S. Holmes was present at the time. This happened some time after tho biff race. The horse was not at its best, and he did not think it could liavo won. Mr Nicoll moved thai the explanation bo accepted as satisfae "tory. This was seconded by Mr DenAon *nd carried unanimously. AUCKLAND SCRATCHJNGS FER TJIKSS ASSOCIATION. '■ | AUCKLAND, March 10. Sasanof and Golden Bubble woro scratched at 2.20 p.m. for all engagements at tho Auckland Racing Club's forthcoming mooting.