. . NOTES. . .

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 835, 8 March 1906, Page 7

. . NOTES. . .

(By

“The Judge.”)

Quarryman was shipped South on Saturday last.

Kola Nip still continues winning at country meetings adding three more firsts to his credit at Rotorua last week.

Little Mabel, by Medallion —Kilmorey, is on the private sale list.

Putty and Landlock are striding along nicely in their work at headquarters.

Returned racegoers speak in the highest terms of the arrangements at the South Auckland meeting.

Te Taniwha, by Muskapeer—Natator mare, has been sent down from the Waikato, and has joined C. Weal’s team.

Syren, by Cyrenian—Torment, has been repurchased by her former owner, Mr. F. L. Armitage, who has recently returned from a trip to the Old World.

The latest addition to C. W. Coleman’s team at Ellerslie is the six-year-old gelding Kruger, by Sabretache, dam Woolbroker mare. He is a useful-looking sort, and will no doubt improve.

At a recent meeting at Canterbury Park, Sydney a double was won by the six-year-old Mulison, by Osculator, by Hotchkiss —Pungawherewhere.

Porcelain, by Multiform—Saucer, showed a great dash of pace in the Jackson Stakes at Wanganui, after being three lengths away last at the start. She put in a great run and finished second to the flying Achilles.

Grey Seaton, the half-brother to Canteen, won a race at Hobart last month.

Pearl Necklet, in Koss Heaton’s stable, is a full sister to Pendant, winner of the Newmarket Handicap.

Mr. W. Knight, the handicapper, who left for the Old Country some months ago, is back again in Auckland. Like many others, he think’s there is no place like New Zealand.

Ropa dropped down dead after competing in the Wanganui Cup. Paritutu, when making his run in the Wanganui Cup, got shut in and had to come round his field.

Nonette broke down badly while running in the Wanganui Cup. We have probably seen the last of this good horse on the racecourse.

Grenadier, by Soult —Hotcherina, was a recent winner at Moonee Valley, Victoria. Second place in the same race, a Maiden Plate, was filled by Dora Grey, the sister to Achilles.

Lovelink slipped his shoulder when running in the Petre Welter at Wanganui, and it seems doubtful if he will race again.

The totalisator receipts at the late Wanganui meeting totalled £26,060, being an increase of no less than £5496 over the investments at the same meeting last year.

The result of the Caulfield Futurity Stakes, which was run on Saturday, February 24, draws pointed attention to the position occupied by Gladsome at present. Burdened as she was with a 151 b penalty, she was presenting all the other starters in the race with a lot of weight. Machine Gun, for instance, had only 71b above weight for age, Pendant was in at scale weight, and Duke of Melton had a 261 b allowance, partly through being a maiden and partly on account of being bred in the northern hemisphere. In winning under such a big burden Gladsome accomplished a feat which Wakeful found too much for her, and there can be little doubt that the Seaton Delaval mare is the champion of the Commonwealth just now.

The sad and sudden demise of such a well-known racecourse figure as the Flemington trainer, Frank Macnamara, came as an unlookea for surprise on Saturday, and was received with much regret by his many friends. Frank Macnamara had a happy knack of making friends wherever he went, and was always cheery and genial, no matter how the luck barometer stood. Having the gift of being able to mind his own business, and never interfering with that of others, he made friends among all ranks. Though for many years he has trained for some of the biggest bettors on the turf, to whom the betting ring is the most important factor in the business of racing, he never adopted the cunning practised by so many of his contempararies, nor dooned the mantle of mysteriousness, which usually only has the effect of exciting suspicion. He was open-handed and open-minded, and never averse to the public, or the public’s representatives (newspaper men), seeing his horses galloped out openly. He held that there was nothing to be gained by trying to deceive, and that a first-class track trial before the eyes of all had less influence on the betting public than a mysterious moonlight gallop. Macnamara never controlled a large team of horses, but won a goodly share of races during the past 17 years, and seldom were his big betting patrons called upon to take a false price. He recognised that the ring was hard to beat at any time, and that the only possible chance an owner had of holding his own was to get 6 to 1 about a 2 to 1 chance. Owners who take 2 to 1 about a 6 to 1 chance seldom last long at the game. Some years ago Macnamara trained for that princely plunger Mr. David Greenaway, and won him some good betting races with Tarcoola and Russley, and in recent times he did more than well for his principal patron, Mr. S. Green, with Independence and Gladsome, the last-named of whom he regarded as one of the best milers Australia has known, and it is to be regretted that the genial South Australian was not spared another day of life to see, or hear, of his great favourite winning the Futurity under the extreme penalty.

The trotting pony Eric has been sold to a resident of the Waikato.

Menschikoff has arrived at Caulfield, and is now in regular work.

The following is Mr. J. Wren’s description of the stipendiary stewards who officiate at the gatherings held in Melbourne under his management: —A solid phalanx of cast-steel “ fearnoughts.” Enemies of milk and water methods. Earnest experts to whom the ensuring of clean sport to the public has become almost a religion.

AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

The Avondaie Jockey Club’s Autumn Meeting, particulars of which will be found in another column, takes place on Saturday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 4, which is the date of the second day’s racing. Given fine weather, the function promises to be an enjoyable one, and the number of events on the programme should ensure an excellent two days’ sport. The biggest event is the Avondale Handicap of 200sovs, to be run on the first day, the distance being one mile and a-quarter. The Autumn Handicap, to be run on the second day, ranks next, with 150sovs. Nominations for this popular fixture close with the secretary, Mr. Harry Hayr, at 9 p.m. on Friday, March 9. HORSE-OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION The meeting convened for the formation of a Horse-owners’ Association, at the Rutland Hotel, Wanganui, on March 1, was well attended, and it was decided to form a North Island Horse-owners’ Association. The following gentlemen were elected: —President, Hon. J. D. Ormond (Hawke’s Bay); vice-presidents, Messrs. Newton King (New Plymouth), W. J. Ralph (Auckland), J. H. Nixon (Wanganui), T. H. Lowry (Hawke’s Bay), and J. D. Duncan. A strong committee was formed, with Mr. C. McMasters, of Auckland, as secretary. Briefly, the objects of the association will be to guard the interests of owners generally, to oppose any oppressive proposals, and to bring the same as well as al matters deemed to be conducive to the interests of racing and the true advancement of sport, under the notice of the conference. The next meeting of the association will be held in Wellington at the Thompson Handicap meeting. ROTORUA MEETING. FIRST DAY. The Rotorua J.C. annual meeting took place on Wednesday and Thursday last, and favoured by beautiful weather, the attendance, although not phenomenal, was, on the whole, good, but the scarcity of horses competing militated against the speculation. The handicapping was also faulty; no less than six horses won doubles, and another error that country meetings make is not having a rehandicapper or penalties; any horse winning the big handicaps should have to carry a penalty. The stewards and all the officials worked hard to make a success of the gathering. Next year the club intend to have the saddling paddock and grandstand enlarged, and also to have the racing track ploughed up and levelled and put into permanent grass, which will no doubt encourage owners to risk a better and more numerous class of horses. In the absence of Mr. Chadwick, Mr. Wynyard made the handicaps for the second day’s raccing. Quite a number of followers of Isaac Walton were present. The bowlers also rolled up in goodly numbers, and the little township had on its holiday attire.

The ball opened with the Handicap Hurdles, which was the best field at the meeting, and the lightly-weighted Sophia went to the front and stayed there, winning by about 20 lengths. Lady Clare and The Frenchman filled the places. Mangamahaki, Pekepeke, and Hauraki also started.

Omati was made a strong favourite for the Electric Handicap, and the issue was "never in doubt. Ben Blair and Lunette filled the places. Three other moderates started.

Kola Nip, Perfor mand Seatonia started and finished in this order in the Cup. Kola Nip was made an even-money chance, and led form start to finish.

The District Hack brought out four horses, and the placed horses, Kruger, Hopkiss and Radium, were

pretty evenly backed, and they finished in this order.

Bacchus made a runaway race of the Waimangu Handicap, the distance proving too far for Discoverer, the favourte, who could get no nearer than trird place. Stepney was second. Starette also started.

Sophia again proved a hard nut to crack with only 21b more to carry than in the first race, and won with something in hand from Seatonia, who had a decent load (11.0). Four others started. The Railway was a soft snap for the Cup winner, Kola Niu, and he only had one opponent, Lucrece, and as he had no penalty to carry he got home with something to spare.

Four started in the last race of the day. the. Shorts Handicap, and Omati again proved himself too fast under the light weight (7.13), left the company toiling in the rear, and the gelding won pulling up. SECOND DAY.

On the second day the meeting almost resolved itself into a series o matches. Omati was an absentee, the gelding pulling up rather sore. In the Second Hurdles Seatonia and Sophia fought their battles over again, and the latter could not stand a rise of 261 b in weight, and although struggling along gamely, was easily beaten at the finish. Mangamahaki likewise started.

The Stewards only saw Bacchus and Stepney start, and the Castor gelding proved too good for the latter.

Three faced the barrier in the Arawa Handicap, and Kola Nip was a red-hot favourite, but getting badly away, and the outsider, the little daughter of Soult —Postmistress never gave her opponents a chance, and had them well beaten a furlong from home, and finished up in the good time on a rough course in lmin 46 l-ssec.

Kruger won his second race, the Boy of Plenty Handicap, much easier than he did his first, with Radium second and Hopkiss a bad third. These were the only starters. Four started in the Geyser Handicap, and Ben Blair had no trouble to settie the other three moderates, with Lunetta second and Fortification third. Stepney also started. In the Kia Ora Handicap the same old brace fought the issue out, and the little castliron Seatonia was again victorious.

The Hot Lakes Handicap only had a couple of starters, and the winner, Kola Nip, was an odds on favourite, and won easily from Bacchus. In the last race of the 16, 10 to 1 was laid on Ben Blair, and the punters were quite right, as the winner had no trouble to settle Bacchus. SOUTH AUCKLAND MEETING. The South Auckland annual meeting took place on Saturday last, and was a complete success, both from attendance and racing point. The attendance must have been almost a record one. There were some very pretty finishes; the totalisator was well patronised in the absence of bookmakers, who were not allowed on the racecourse.

The Trial Handicap was the first item, in which nine lined up before Mr. O’Connor, and Haeramai (the double winner at Matamata) was made favourite, but could get no nearer than third, the winner coming from an outsider, a half-sister to Leonato, by St. Hippo—Waipa, who won very easily at the finish from the pony Tommy Dodd.

Seabird, Seatonia and Lady May were the order of the Hurdle Race at the finish. After two false starts the horses got away in line, and Seabird led all the way, but at the last hurdle blundered and had to have the whip pulled out to defeat the game bit of stuff, Seatonia, who was not affected by the four punishing races she competed in at the Rotorua meeting.

Backers were a bit puzzled which to back for choice, Le Beau or Nervine, in the Cup, but both were eventually pretty evenly backed, and the result was never in doubt. Le Beau made play in the first seven furlongs, and the winner had the strength of the field and won easily in 2min 12sec, Bromide and Agrapus, the outsiders, filling the places. Le Beau whipped in the field.

The good field of eight saddled up in the Tradesmen’s Plate, and the winner of the Cup, minus a penalty (which surely must be a mistake), although getting away badly, having got chopped out at the start, did not make a forward move till the back stretch was reached. The winner

could then be seen treading his way through the field, and when the head of the straight was reached he had his field well in hand, and rattled home in the good time of Imin 44sec not a bad performance for a country course, the two outsiders, Te Taniwha, second and Bromide third, the rest of the field well strung out. Another good field of 10 lined up in the District Hack (all carrying 9.0). Freebird, a Thames representative, was thought to have a good chance, and it was also whispered about that No. 13 (the devil’s number), Integrity, was a carefully kept rod in pickle, and such proved to be the case. The daughter of- Soult, getting well away, kept with her field till they reached the home turn, when the mare was given her head, and romped home in Imin 19 4-ssec. A protest was entered, but afterwards withdrawn. The favourite was a bad second.

Six out of 12 started in the concluding event of the meeting, the Flying Stakes, and Takaroa was pounced upon by eager punters, and . they proved true prophets, as the winner, getting well away, was running well within himself, and when the straight was reached the race looked practically all over, but in the last 100 yards the chestnut gelding had to be shaken up, and won all out by a length in Imin 3sec, the lightlyweighted Aristocrat getting second. Both first and second paid 13s.

THE BETTING MARKET.

Messrs. Barnett and Grant report as follows on the EASTER AND AUTUMN HANDICAPS. 500 to s—Achilles5 —Achilles and Solution 400 to B—Munjeet8—Munjeet and Delaware 300 to 6—Porcelain and Savoury 300 to G—Achilles and Boomerang 300 to 6—Achilles and Savoury Messrs. Ross and Bradshaw, Wellington, report the following business on the EASTER AND AUTUMN. 1000 to 10—Achilles and Multifid 1000 to B—Achilles and Solution 1000 to 6—Martian and Savoury 1000 to s—Munjeet and Melodeon 800 to B—Munjeet and Savoury 800 to 4—Solution and Melodeon 500 to s—Master Alix and Savoury