TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 47

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel.

A RUSH OF RACING.

Inhere will bo a rush of racing within tho next few days. At this end wo will bo principally concerned with what is lively to happen at Riccarton and Addington, and then with a jump away comes Raverton. Acceptances _at Riverton are not too pleasing, but still supply good material for interesting racing. Palladio and Silver Shoe will again fight out their recent battles at Invercargill, and the former as a good fencer may be sent out favourite in tho Great Western Steeples. Tin Soldieron Invercargill form should start favourite for the Riverton Cup, and Thaddeus may be sent out second choice. Others likely to bo fancied _ for Riverton engagements include Redshiro and Red Admiral. At Tuapeka a better card than usual will bo on offer, and All Ready and Thistlecrown will probably have a close call for favouritism in the Jubilee Cup, _ whilst Erroneus, Zephland, and Killeney will have a strong following in whatever race they may contest. What is likely to happen "at the Beaumont meeting will bo _ greatly dependant on tho result of affairs at Lawrence. There is, however, plenty of sport available during the holiday meetings.

RACING AT RICCARTON

The eyes of the sporting "world will be concentrated on Riccarton early next week. Olassio events are booked to take place at Auckland, but they are overshadowed by the betting considerations .surrounding the two principal handicaps coming up for decision at Riccarton. _ Such splitting of forces is obviously detrimental to the best interests of sports, but it will take a tremendous lot of work to bring about a change in that respect. _ When summing up the possibilities of important handicaps the dominant factor, weight, has at times to be either ignored or greatly discounted, and for the reason that a horse on public form may be entitled to a good weight, whereas track form or private reputation may place a completely overshadowing aspect on the figures* of form. Sasanof is one of the best horses seen out in Australasia during recent years. His form clearly points to the very unique possession of both speed and stamina, and as recent form indicates his retention of brilliancy, he seems entitled to start as good a favourite as anything in the Great Easter. Punka is entitled to very strong consideration, as she would probably run as good a seven furlongs or a mil© as anything in training. _ She has only a handy weight, and were it not for the fact that recent track work suggests Gay Lad's superiority, the daughter of Cooltrim and Drowsy would hold a great chance. Gay Lad has demonstrated unquestionable ability to gallop, and his full strength is as yet an undetermined quantity, because he has won without being fully strung up to concert pitch. For that reason Sasanof may find it very difficult, if not impossible, to concede the English colt 281 b over seven furlongs. Gay Lad is not, however, too smart on his legs at the rise of the barrier, and that may seriously discount his chance, but if- ho should get nicely away ho would take a power of beating, as ho has obviously trained on since he ran comparatively as good or better race than. Bon Spec at Ashburton. Bon Spec ranks as the smartest beginner in the field, but that very fact may tell against him, as, with his reputation, the starter may take care that the Boniform—Signal gelding gets nothing the best of it. Such seemed to be the case at Ashburton, and where that of affairs could bo conceded in a comparatively weak field, it would be a serious matter in such an important event as the Great Easter Handicap. Bon Spec, however, only requires to get well away, with no advantage over others, to take a tremendous lot of gathering at the finish, and when tho betting shuts down it would not bo surprising to find < Bon Spec and Sasanof disputing favouritism, with Gay Lad and Punka pressing them closely for tho

honours in that respect. The Great AutunUj field may, of course, carry a different aspect after the Great Easter is At the present stage no pronounced favourite has been discovered, but there seems to be a good deal of money for Reel Ribbon. Both in concert pitch, Margerine would probably run aa good or a better raoe than Red Ribbon, and Punka was not at her best when she dead-heated Red Ribbon and Rowi Poto piloted h«r homo in the Wellington Cup. Glendower is doing well, and should give a good account of himself, and one must entertain a great respect for Heathercote. who is galloping well, and on his best form on a par with Kilmoon at 7.6. In the New Zealand Derby Heathercote fully extended Kilmoon at the finish after standing him up several lengths U\ the last half-mile, when both were chae* ing Gloaming. On Hazlett Memorial form Punka should bo in front of Hethercote, and hero again form points to Mr J. B. Reid's mare as holding a good chance. At the present time Margerine is regarded as one likely to start favourite, but Glendower, Heathercote, and Rod Ribbon may closely press her for the honour; whilst Rorko's Drift, if patiently handled, may be a sharp thorn in the side of the best goinff to the post. Surveyor and Gloaming will no doubt monopolism the - bulk of business jn the Champagne Stakes and Challenge Stakes, and Kilbrogan and Eleus may put up creditable performances if reserved foi some of the minor events.

BRED FOR STAMINA. Doubts are expressed as to whether Bon &veo will see out a sound seven furlongs. Ho has been able to get a good six furlongs, but his fighting, tear-away style may find him lacking if ho is seriously tackled when it comes to tho business end of £ sound-run seven furlongs. Still, his admirers expect him to make a great show, win oti lose. Bo.i Speo with ordinary luck should, make a smart hop-away at the rise of the barrier, and perhaps a glance at his breeding may inspire further confidence in those who hope to see him stay seven furlongsHe was got by Boniform from Signal, byBanner—. Foresight, by Artillery—&pec, by Anteros—Ethelred, by Riddlewortb —Vista, .From the Vista taproot the best horses we get are Specialform (sister to Bon Spec) and Recluse. Banner, the sire of Bon, Speo's dam, was got by Escutoheon, one of the most attractively-bred horses left by Musket. Escutcheon was got by Musket from Rosette (dam of Scottish Lassie,. the dam of Clanranald), by Lord Lyon fron* Rougo Rose (dam of Bend Or), by Thormanby. Foresight, the second dam of Boa Spec, was got by Artillery, a son of Musket and Ouida, so that the Great Easter can* didate boasts of three strains of Musket and other stout lines to help him to oarry, on his natural turn of speed. With such a, pedigree he should get a fair distance if Ji« did not fight himself to a standstill in the early part of a race, and so leave himself without a punch at tho finish. It may b 4 taken for granted that Bon Speo will strip; in condition to race, as J. M'Obmbe wa* taught in the right school under the late H. Goodman to see that a horse is saddled up to stay whatever journey he may be set.

DOUBTFUL ETHICS. Mr Allison, the world-wide-known special, commissioner of tho London Sportsman, prea/jhee a brand of racing ethics with which many will not be inclined to agree,Ho claims that an owner is quite justified in racing a horse -without any serious intention of winning, so long as indication* (presumably market indications) "Bugged that the gallop under silk is merely part of a preparation for more important evem* ahead. Many a horse is raced in thui country more with the object of imparting racing experience than with any hop© of winning; but if. any such horse caught a weaker field than expected there would be a hullabaloo (whatever that is) if hi* rider palpably stopped his mount. Under no circumstances whatever should a hors* start in a race unless it is sent out to M if possible. It is quite permissible for 4 rider to drop his hands on a beaten horsey but it would bo utterly wrong in principle to tolerate the running of a horse obviously out for an " airing." Mr Allison ia, however, not alone in his opinion, as infer* entially Mr Wat-son, tho editor of the Bad* minton Magazine, in--a recent issue apparently agrees by quite casually alluding to a horse having an " outing ' r before being saddled up for important engagements, However, let Mr Allison speak for himself > "One of the most senseless forms of criticism that ever misrepresents racing is thas which cavils at owners and trainers who run their horses when not fully wound up with tho object of giving finishing tomohesJjQ a preparation._ If such people, says thftliipecial commissioner of the Lon* don Sportsman, " advise their friends anq the* publio to back their horses on thesa preliminary races it is a different matter* but their right to take a schooling gallop in an actual race without attempting to deceive anybody is unquestionable. Trainers on the flat will rarely trust their charges to "win an important event without a sharp-ening-up gallop in a race a week or two earlier. The art of bringing a horse to tho post for his first race fit and experienced enough to win it is to some extent ( a lost art, though old 6tagers used to do it with certainty, as when Blair Athol made hia debut in the Derby."

A PAST PROWESS. The list of Great Easter winners contain* many interesting- memories for old Ehmedinits sports. Hippomenes, carrying- the colours _of the late "Mr John Stephenson, the racing partner of the late Mr Hazlett, father of the present-day owners —Mr W, T. Hazlett, Mr L. C. Hazlett, and Mr Ceci} Hazlett, —won tho first race run under its present title. Three years later tho late Mr Harry Goodman won with Casket, and a couple of years later Mr J. Loughlin's Goldspur landed tho stake. Four years ' later Pampero carried the lato Sir Geo, M'Lean's Zetland spots to the fore, ana then after a further interval of a couple* of years Messrs W. T. and 'L. O. Hazlett scored with Vladimir, _ and beat another Otago horse in St. Dennis owned by Messrs Griffon and M'Combe, who are now represented by Bon Spec. Since then Otago has not saddled the goods capable of heading" off the opposition in the Great Easter, and in connection with Vladimir's win in both the Winter Cup and Great Easter Sir George M'Lean's reply to the writer when expressing regret that the son of Stepnlals and Mist was not racing under the Zetland spots, Sir George said that as he still had the dam, and could procure the Ecrvices of tho sire, he always had tho chance of breeding another Vladimir. The fact remains that, although Stopniak and Mist were mated again on several ocoasions. thG com-

bination rosultod in nothing within gunshot of the racing prowess of Vladimir. Strange to say, when Messrs W. T. and L. O. Hazlett wero racing Vladimir (.who was trained by J. Ruttledge), thoy were achieving so much success that the combination neld good prospects of beinji quite a big factor in the sporting world. However, the partnership split up. Mr W. T. Hazlett went to Inveroargill, and galvanised the Southland Racing Club into a more ambitious policy than it ever previously entertained. Mr L. O. Hazlett seem 3 to havo lost tho raoing punch whioh he once threatened to administer, even though he maintains a stud and several horses in training. It seems as if " Bill" and " Loo" Hazlett weakened their power of ownership when they divided stables, and incidentally J. Ruttledge also lost reputation until ho showed that he could still saddle' up a good winner when Michaela joined his Btable. When Euttledge was winning with, Canteen, Vladimir, and others he could have linked up with some of the best owners in the Dominion, but he hung on to Wingatui. He, however, has come back to prominence, and it yet remains to be seen if the Messrs Hazlett, sons of their father, a strong racing man in his day, will yet be a strong dominating force in the racing arena. These ideas are called to life by a glance over the racing records which show where Hippomenes won the first Great Easter. Occident and Tempest won the Dunedin Cup in 1893 and 1894, and Gipsy Grand, one of the best that ever carried a saddle in this country, followed on under the same colours in 1895. A Gipsy Grand to-day would clear out and carry the colours as conspicuously as a Gloaming, Biplane, and Desert Gold, but these sort are hard ! to find, and are really dips in the lucky bag of sport. ■ COMING EVENTS. Horse-owners should note that the near future carries some important dates so far as they are concerned. On Friday of next week, April 25, at 5 p.m., nominations close for the Dunedin Jockey Club's winter meeting, for which a particularly attractive programme has been issued. The programme has, in fact, attracted widespread attention, and there should be a lengthy list of nominations gathered on the date mentioned above. On the same date nominations also close for the South Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting and the North Otago Jockey Club's meeting. On the following week nominations are due for the Otago Hunt Club's meeting. THE OTAGO HUNT MEETING. The Otago Hunt Club's programme for June 14 is entitled to strong consideration, and the incidental patronage of sportsmen, because it takes rank as a particularly attractive card when regarded from a Hunt Club point of view. The principal events are to be the Liverpool Steeples of 225sovs end the Otago Hunt Club Cup of 225sovs. These events are supported by the Petre Hunt Steeples of 150sovs, the Gimcrack Handicap of 150sovs, Hunters' Hurdles- of 115sovs, Maiden Plate of lOOsovs, Jumpers' Flat of lOOsovs, and the Disposal Handicap \ of : lOOsovs. Nominations are due on Thursday, May 1, at 8 p.m. THE NORTH OTAGO MEETING. ■ The Nortn Otago Jockey Club's winter programme is featured by the Oamaru Cup, of 30050v3, seven furlongs, and the President's Handicap, of 200sovs, one mile and B-quarter. The club has decided on a sevenItem card for each day, and the balance of • vents consist of the Empire Hurdles, of 175sovs; Trial Plate, of -'lOOsovs (open to two-year olds and upwards); Electric Handicap, of lOOsovs, five furlongs; Railway Handicap, of lOOsovs; Fernbrook Welter, of 150sovs; Stewards' Handicap, of SOOsovs; Pecifio Huidles. of 145sovs; the Shorts, of lOOsovs (open to two-year-olds and upwards); Sandon Handicap, of lOOsovs; Waitangi-Handicap, of lOOsovs; Te Pake Welter, of lOOsovs ; and Members' Handicap, of 150sovs. Nominations are due on April 25 at 7 p.m. t THE N.Z. TURF REGISTER. The second issue for the season of the N.Z. Turf Register pocket edition comes ' to hand most opportunely, as it supplies an easy means <of refreshing the memory as to recent form both in connection with racing and trotting. A glance through it? pages will greatly assist students of' form in locating possible winners at the coming Easter meeting, and. that being so, it should meet with a brisk sale. The booklet is published, as usual, by the Christchuroh Press Company, and is on sale at.all the leading booksellers. \ IN A NUTSHELL Silver Link is reported to haiVfr broken down. The speedy Antagonist gelding Wrestler is again in work. purchased Palladio. Latest reports state that Hector Gray will ride Sasanof in the Great Easter. Nominations are due on April 16 for The Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting. \ —Affectation will probably start favourite f' r the Great Northern Champagne Stakes. F. E. Jones may have the mount on Borke's Drift in the Great Autumn Handicap. have the ride on - Tigritiya in the Great Easte,:. The Wellington Racing Club has voted £IOO to the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Clubhouse. Tho North Otago Winter programme contains two events for which two-year-olds are eligible. The imported colt Gay Lad beat Punka over ocven furlongs at Riccarton on Saturday in smart time. A starting machine made by Mr E. J. Smith, of Wafimate, is to be given a trial . at Addmgton this week. Wardancer continues to stand up to his work, and is keeping the clock fairly busy whon sent out to gallop. Sas-.inof. Bon Spec, and Gay Lad a.ro the most-talked-about horses for the sevenfurlong battle at Riccarton. Afterglow will probably start as good a favourite as anything in her engagements at the Auckland meeting. Mr R. Conn i 3 standing for tho position of representative of Otago country clubs at the New Zealand Racing Conference. Braid is showing plenty of dash in her work, and her speed should mark her off as a winner before the season ends. The principal event at the South Canter- . bury Jockey Club's auiumn meeting will be the Timaru Cup, of 400sove, seven furlongs. The Achilles—Celaeno mare Briseis put np a smart gallop at Rosehill recently by winning over six furlongs in 1.133 under HO. Gloaming has been overshadowing all

gallops against the watch at Riccarton. In fact, he 'seems to b» the Eclipse of the day.

According to track reports Glcndowor was better than Margerine ovor 10 furlongs, which they galloped in company on Saturday.

Pamphlet, a threeVyear-old sister to Single, won the Rydalniere Mile, run at Rosehill on March 29, and beat a large field.

—J. Wallis, who was injured whon Chappal Moh fell with him at Invercargill, is making [satisfactory progress towards recovery. Desert Gold and Sasanof are amongst tho entries for the Trentham Gold Cup, run over two miles at tho Wellington autumn meeting . Heatbercota is travelling well in huv work, and should assist ,in making the blue' and gold chequers prominent at the autumn meeting. \ ~ , . —T. L. Reid has been retained to ride Old Gold in th« Great Easter Handicap, and F. O. Porter will ride Margerme in her engagements. Bon Spec skipped over five furlongs in 1.2 2-5 on Saturday. . Gay Lad and the former will help to make things merry m the Great Easter.

After lapsing for some few y*ars owing to the war, the Tuopeka a-nd Beaumont meetings will resume their call for patronage on Saturday and Monday next. —J. is at present an inmate of trie Inveroargill Hospital, and although there is ncthiing seriously amiss, he may not be seen in the saddle at the Easter meetings. Additional regulations under the New South Wales Totelisator Act make a person Liable to a penalty not exceeding £2O for any attempt to disturb the queue of intending investors. —E. Ludkw has been engaged to ride Bon Spec in®the Great Easter, but there is a proviso that he may be asked to stand down if a stronger rider should be available at tho weight. The smart two-year-olds Murihiku and Rose Wreath are accompanying Affectation and Torfreda to Auckland. The quartet represents a nice bunch of speed to saddle up during the meeting . The Trenton gelding Revenue, who holds tho record for . being the shortest-price favourite that has ever landed the Melbourne Cup, is said to havS"* been killed in acttion in Palestine some months ago. The South Island is represented in the nominations for the Thompson Handicap by Gay Lad, Afterglow, Kilboyne, Heathercote, Moorabbe, Melee 1 , Almoner, Glendower, Punka, Bon Spec, and Caverock. The two-year-old gelding Sunart has trained on since he won at the North Otago summer meeting, and if he is a bit smarter off the mark than'when he last appeared in public, should run a good race at Riccarton.

"ELilland is not opposed by anything great in the President's Handicap, run over a mile land, a-quarter at Auckland. The Kilbroney gelding has. not- yet reproduced his best iSouth Island form since crossing the Straits.

—lt is difference of opinion which makes the spice of racing, ' and it is worthy of note that Desert Gold has to meet Taunaha on 13lb worse terms at Auckland than she was asked to meet him over a furlong less ground at Riccarton. Botafogo,- the champion racehorse in Argentine, has been sold to Senor S. Martinez de Hox for 40,00Osovs, and his late owner ia to have the privilege of 10 services for selected mares. Botafogo joins Cragamour at the stud. Kilbrogan will start one of the bestseasoned horse 3at Riccarton. It is worthy of note that he has not run a bad race this season, and has always been there or thereabouts at the finish of his races.

—lt would not be surprising to find Heathercote making a bold show in the Great Autumn. On his best form he is about on a par with Kilinoon, and the latter at 7.6 would, fit.and well, be as well fancied as anything in tho Great Autumn.

The pocket edition of the New Zealand Turf Register, showing the public form of all horses raced at totalisator meetings from November 14, 1918, to April 4, 1919, has been issued. Trotting events covering the same period are also included in the booklet. The two brincipal events to be decided at the Otago Hunt Club's meeting will carry stakes of 225sovs. Hunting men should strongly support such a liberally endiowed programme. Owners should note the fact that nominations close on Thursday, May 1, at 8 p.m. ;

The postponement of the A.J.C. autumn meeting is a serfous matter for bloodstock breeders, as it will hold up the sale of about 700 yearlings, and 'in all probability will have a diminishing effect on their value when the youngsters come under the hammer.

Amongst the winners at a recent Rosehill meeting was Golden Bronze, a gelding by Bronzino from Golden Slipper, the 4500 gs daughter of Multiform and Aura. Golden Bronze' is a- chestnut, and won hie race by four lengths after covering l seven furlongs in 1.275. AocorcD'ng to traok reports from Riccarton, Bon Spec has been causing his trainer some little anxiety by a slightly sore back, a cut mouth, and a cold. The Boniform—Signal gelding was on the easy list for four days last week, but is now said to be all right again. A recent winner in All Aboard. an Queensland, is expected by local critics to moke good in future events. All Aboard is owned by Mr E. J. Watt, and was got by Ml Black from Float, by Captain Webb from Bonnie Idee, by Nordenfeldt from My Idea, the dam of Nelson.

—R. S. Sievier, cno of the best-known figures (in the English sporting- world, won the Lincolnshire "Handicap, the first important flat race of the season, with Royal Bucks. He also won a selling early in the season, and landed a big S.P. coup in connection with the success.

Marsa is at good price for her engagements at Riccarton, and*perhaps one reason is due to the fact that she has never been peen at her best when racing on that course. Over 12 months ago the writer noticed her beat Rorke's Drift over 10 furlongs in a work out on the Riccarton grass track. The North Otago Jockey Club has iseuod a programme carrying 2OOosovs in stakes for the winter meeting, dialed for Mla.v 22 and 23. The principal events will be the Oamaru Cup, of 300sovs, one mile; and the President's Handicap, of 20050v3, one mile and n-auarter. Nominations are due on Aprl:] 25.

During the currency of the Hawke's Bay meeting Mr A. M'Donald purchased from Mr T. H. Lowry the yearling filly by Finland from Landrail, the dam of Chimera. Landrail is an Australian-bred mare by Grafton—Langrel. by Projectile—Gold Dust, by Niagara—Goldlike, by Trenton. Niagara and Trenton are both sons of Frailty. Apparently we are getting snowed in with rules of racing in this country. As an indication that that is so we arc informed that the reason why Hetana and) Taunaha wero coupled in the Hawke's Bay Stakes was due to the fact that Mr W. Richmond,

the owner of the latter, is one of the trustees of the Douglos estate, which races Hetana and other horses.

When Cathedral Chimes went against the 4.22 2-5. record at Auckland he stepped his first half in 1.5 2-5, mile in 2.9 2-5, mile and a-half in 3.15 4-5, and the two mri.Vw in 4.24 4-5. Cathedral Chimes, was training 1 well over tho first mile- and a-half, but then commenced to tire. These figures are interesting, because they show what a champion should do when up againsl the watch. The London Sportsman announces that racing is Ito be resumed in Belgium on April 21. The Germans made away with as many thoroughbreds as they could gather when they v invaded Belgium, and a recent census of the bloodstock remaining :"n the country giives th§- return as consisting of 30 stallions, 220 brood mares, 63 two-year-olds, 58 three-year-olds, 44 four-year-olds, and seven of more mature age The New Zealand-bred colt Finmark put up an attractive performance at Rosehill on March 29 by coming from the ruck and finishing close up in third place in the Rosehill Handicap, run over 11 furlongs in 2.20 J, a Teoord gallop for thf* track. Finmark carried 8.10, and was giviing the winner, West Molong, 311 b, and 15lb to Greg, the second horse. The unplaced lot inoluded Kennaquhair, Single. Rebus, Poitree, The Fortune Hunter, and several others. Finmark is evidently in good shape for his autumn engagements. Amongst the winners at Rosehill on March 29 was a two-year-old filly Golden Molly, a daughter of The Sybarite from Molly Mars. The Sybarite is Hie half-brother to Craganour, who made 6000 gs when sold wlith a Sledmere stud batch of yearlings. It was subsequently claimed that The Sybarite was a roarer, and his breeder was sued, for a return of the purchase money. The matter was ultimately settled by her breeder taking back the oolt and allowing the purchaser the pick of the following year's crop of yearlings. Golden Molly is the jirst of The Sybarite stock noticed in the list of winners in Australia. Another notable roarer who became a prolific sire of' winners after importation to Australia was Bill o' Portland.

Australasia has in. the past allowed good lines of blood in tail male such as that represented by Fisherman and Traducer, to peter out, and now the Musket line lis in danger of the same fate. The Musket line, however, is more appreciated than some of the older strains which helped tp lay the foundation of the Australasian thoroughbred, and keeps on asserting itself. " At Rosehill recently an attractively-bred colt in Bigaroon was amongst the winners of the day/ He was got by the Multiform horse Beragoon from Marasca, by Maltster (son of Bill o' Portland) from Mangasteen, by Lochiel from Chutney, by the Galopin horse Gossoon from Canella, by Chester—Cinnamon. Beragoon was .got by Multiform from, Wigelmar, by Bill o' Portland from; the Trenton mare Etra Weenie, so 'that Biragoon's sire carries two •strains of Musket fortified with a double strain of Bill o' Portland on to a granddaughter of Galopin. One of .the finest performances'ever put up in ths Great Easter Handicap was achieved by Cruciform when, as a three-year-old, she handsomely scored with 9.9 with L. H. Hewitt in the saddle. idea of the merit of the performance is supplied by the fact that Red Gauntlet, who ran third with 7.9, afterwards came out on the second day with 8.0, and Hewitt in the saddle, to win handsomely an the Templeton Handicap. Another extraordinarily good performance was achieved when Pampero; as a three-year-old, also with Hewitt up, won under 8.10, and afterwards ran a good second with 8.7, and Hewitt up, to Palaver in the Great Autumn. Pampero's form on that occasion was probably the best ever achieved by a three-year-old in connection with the time-honoured double. In those days Hewiltt stood right under the spot-light, and could always win on a good, horse., whereas to-day they expect him to win on bad horses whilst the good mounts go to others, and some expect him to apparently achieve the impossible. —lt seems to have escaped notice that one of the Waikanae stud yearlings is -bred on particularly interesting lines, as they are somewhat slimilar to those in the pedigree of Gloaming, who has established himself as the smartest horse at present in commission in Australasia. The colt alluded to is the son of Kilbroney and Portland Lass. The dominant lines of Gloaming's pedigree are .Stockwell, through Flying Fox, the sire of The Welkin .on to Light (dam of Gloaming), whose dam No Trumps, is a half-sister to Bill o' Portland by Orvieto, a tall male descendant of .'Stockwell. An interesting feature of Gloaming's pedigree is that fact that his dam is inbred to Sunshine, the fourth dam of Martian and Boniform. Kilbroney, the sire of the Portland Lass colt, is a tail male de scendant of Stockwell through Orme, the sire of Fying Fox, and he also claims connection with _ the Sunshine taproot, as Laveno, the sire of his dam, is a grandson of Sunshine. Portland Lass lis a daughter of Bill o' Portland, and with the Kilbroney— Portliass Lass colt there is a liberal mixingup of the Stockwell line through Bend Or and v Orme with Galopin such as supply the leading features of Gloaming's pedigree.

Sasanof was scratched for - the Great Autumn Handicap at 11.45 a.m. on the 9th, and Rebekah was scratched for the Gtac.t Easter at 3.60 p.m. Bonny Briar has been scratched for the Easter Handicap at the A.R.C. meeting. Silver Link has been scratched for all engagements at the A.R.C. meeting. The Masterton Racing Club made a profit of £263 over its autumn- race meeting.