NOTES AND COMMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 148, 26 June 1934, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

By “Kestrel.” The appearance of the handicaps toI morrow for the opening day of the Wellington. Racing Club's winter meeting will be awaited with interest, and the indications are that the whole fixture, with its increased entry list, will attract attention. Wanganui Suggestion. It is understood that a topic for discussion at the annual meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club next month will be a suggestion that the winter race meeting here be sandwiched in between the Auckland and Wellington winter meetings, preferably toward the end of June. No official intimation has been received by the club itself, however. Secretaries’ Conference. The conference of racing club secretaries, to be held at Wellington next month, promises to be an interesting one, for the topics for consideration will be many and varied. One which should find favour is an agreement to permit of defaulters’ fees being collected by another club if that club has any stake-money claimed by defaulting owners or trainers. Closing Time. Most clubs in the Wanganui district close their nomination lists at 9 p.m., this being in accordance with the district conference’s decision. In other quarters 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. are favoured, but throughout the Auckland province 5 p.m. has been adopted and has proved eminently satisfactory for several years past. Some secretaries in the Wanganui district hold the opinion that many nominations would be lost if 5 p.m. were adopted as the closing time, but such does not appear to have been the Auckland province’s experience. In Upper House. Congratulations will be extended to Mr. James McLeod, of New Plymouth, on the honour which he has won (in being elected to the Upper House. The newly-appointed M.L.C. has attended many racing conferences as the representative of the Taranaki Jockey Club, and was one of the first advocates for the win-and-place system of speculation.

New to the Game. The Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, attended his first race meeting when he was present with Mr. J. H. Thomas, Secretary of State for the Colonies, at the Kempton Park “Jubilee” meeting recently. Mr. Thomas es a keen enthusiast, and there is a three-year-old racing in England named Jim Thomas after him. Another Racing M.L.C. Another newly-appointed member of the Legislative Council is Mr. Eliot Davis, of Auckland. He has been a prominent owner both in New Zealand and in Australia, and in partnership with Mr. O. Nicholson has won many important races in both countries, their horses including Limarch, who was successful in the Australian Jockey Club’s St. Leger Stakes this season. Consent Over Country. After his failures over the battens Consent is apparently to be given a chance to earn distinction over the larger obstacles, for he has been accorded a nomination in the Dannevirke Hunt Club Cup. This event ns run over a distance extending to two miles and a-half. Senior at Randwick. “The rising four-yeai -old Senior is now a member of G. Price's team at Randwick. Senior is by Chief Ruler from First Blow and thus is a halfbrother to Second Wind, who won the Williamstown Cup in 1930 and 1931. A Good Season. Mr J. M. Samson, of Dunedin, has had a good season with horses trained ; for him at Riccarton, the total being . placings for £2918 in ■ prize-money. Southdown, trained by | A. McAulay, has won £BlO and Cleaner, ' Red Dance. Cup Bearer Bell Hill and J Guarantee, trained by P. McGrath, i £13.88. Guarantee was stationed at i Riccarton for part of the season early and now trained by ID. P. Wilson in • Dunedin.

Speedy Hack. Knockfin. who was returned the winner of the Moreton Hack at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday, after the judge’s placings had been reversed, had not had a race since she won four races in succession at the West Coast meetings in December and January last, her long absence being due. to >uble. There are not many Hunting Song fillies that have made good, but Knockfin can claim to be one of the fastest gallopers in the hack • < 1 rained at Riccarton for some time, slates a Christchurch writer. She is not blessed with much size, but is full oi duality. and the ability she has shown in stay on makes it likely that she will bp seen to advantage in some impcitint races in the new season. Rangitikei Hunt Club. To be held on the Marton course on July 25. the Rangitikei Hunt Club s steeplechase meeting should be well supported bv district owners and trainers. An attractive programme has been arranged and nominations for all events will close on the Friday during the Wellington winter meeting, July I;;. Some verv good trophies are being offered for hunt events, including a 15guinea trophy for the Rangitikei Hunt Cup Steeplechase.

Lower “Hack” Limit. Notices of motion to be brought before the annual conference of racing club representatives may result in the lowering of the “hack” limit. Iwo proposals are made for a change in the status of “hack” performers. The Canterbury Jockey Club has again tabled a resolution that hack races be confined to horses who have not won a race to the value of £2OO to the winner, or races eolleetivelv worth £4OO, instead of £250 and £5OO respectively, as at present. The South Canterbury Jockey Club proposes to go still fuither reducing the amounts to £lao and £350 respectively. It is quite possible that the principle, will find support from tike necessary majority this year, and that one of the resolutions will be incorporated in the rules. A Narrow Escape. At Kempton Park on May 12, Gordon Richards had a narrow escape from serious injury. His mount, Old Folk, after passing the post third in the two-year-old Stakes, came down heavily and Richards in a nasty fall bruised his head badly. Despite the injury, Richards rode in the last race, and moie-