NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10559, 9 April 1920, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By '‘Carbine.’’) Tigritiya was a bit unlucky in the A.B.C. Easter Handicap, for she struck trouble and lost a good position at the fire furlong post. Mr C. C. Sheath, secretary of the Mew Zealand Jockey’s Association, who has been very ill, is making a good recovery, and expects to resume duty very shortly. Wake was raced on the second, day *of the Wairarapa meeting, and shaped well. The Highden trainer, G. Price, will not bring a team to Trentham for the coming Wellington meeting. It was intended to bring Listening Post to the Wellington meeting, but his owner missed the nominations.

A very promising two-year-old is the bay filly La Paloma, who was seen out at Taunerenikau. Although she looked far from ready, she ran a, good second to Insurrection on, the opening day, and was only beaten by a head on the second day. La Paloma is by Hallowmas from Helen Portland. The Trentham mare Sweet Memory got rather badly knocked about at the barrier in one of her Peildiug engagements through a couple of other horses camming into her. She has not been, brought home yet, and at present is under veterinary treatment.

Mr E. W. Alison, junior, abandoned his projected trip to Australia, but instructed a commissioner to act for him at the Australian yearling sales, so wo may have some mors valuable additions to the bloodstock of this country. So far Mr Alison’s importations have turned out well.

Fred Ellis is again doing riding work at Eiooarton every morning, and the popular southern horseman, who got such a bad smashing up, should soon be seen with the colours up once more. , The time (Imin 39 3-sseo) which GaziqUe took to run the A.B.C. Great Easter on Monday is a second outside the record for the race established by Uncle Ned last year. However, the pace all the way was solid, as the following intermediate times will show:—One turlong, 13sec; two furlongs, 24 2-ssec; three furlongs, 36sec; four furlongs, 49seo; five furlongs, Imin 1 2-sseo; mile, Imin 39 3-ssec.

• The English bookmakers must have had a great day when Poethlyn failed to win the Liverpool Grand National. The great steeplechaser was looked on as a certainty, but he fell at the first fence. Advice from Australia is that Westcourt has broken down and may nevei race again. He was a decidedly useful horse over a distance.

The weight's for the Wellington meeting have made their appearance and interest in the coming gathering at Trentham has been quickened. Chief interest will be taken in the Thompson Handicap, the most popular mile event in New Zealand. As everyone expected, Mr Coyle has placed Arrowsmith at the head of the list, and as ha has the big weight of 9.9 it will be interesting to see if his owner will leave him in. Fiery Cross at hia best is such a groat horse over a mile that his party could not have expected to Be far from the top of the handicap. A versatile sort in Vagabond ia in with 8.11 and as he can manage weight well he is sure to be sought after if still left in on acceptance day. The field of forty-one includes the Great Easter favourite (Onslaught), Tigritiya, and Hymestra, who ran second and third in the A. 8.0, Easter, Koyal Stag, Bed Ribbon, Rockfield, Maioha, Imaxibhon, and Punka.

When Bunting raced in New Zealand it was generally recognised that he was a good horse, and his performances in various parts of Australia all point in the same direction.- One of his best performances on this side of the Tasman was his Wellington Cup, when, beautifully handled by Ashley Reed, he got up and snatched the race from Eangitero by a head. After being taken to Australia he ran a lot of good races, and in Queensland was very successful. In the Eosehill Handicap last month he started at a very long, outside price, and went • within inches of bringing off a tremendous surprise. He was in charge inside the distance, but that great horse Poitrel beat him in the last stride. Bunting carrried 8.1 and Poitrel 9.12. The distance was a mile and three- furlongs, and the time for the race was 2min 20isee. , An Auckland Press Association telegram states that the racehorse Oak Abbey was passed in at auction, but was subsequently sold to Mr D. Green, of Hauraki Plains, for 590 guineas.