NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 862, 13 September 1906, Page 6

NOTES.

(By “ The Judge.”)

Phaetonitis and Ability are to be given a long spell, which rest from toil they have fully earned.

Brown Rose, by Explosion out of Miss Rose, on Monday produced a colt to Soult.

Paritutu continues to be a strong favourite for the New Zealand Cup, and in the event of all going well with him should start at a very short price indeed.

Mr. J. Chadwick has been appointed to do the handicapping for the Whangarei Jockey Club.

A notification of interest to totalisator investors at the coming Avondale meeting will be found in our advertising columns.

Salvadan has three very nice-look-ing two-year-olds to represent him. Possibly the pick of the trio claims Winsome as dam.

Mr. Taylor tells me that his wellknown greyhound bitch House Girl (Megaphone —. Federation) has whelped a litter of ten to Better Days. Five of the pups will be brought up by a foster-mother.

The work of filling in and levelling off the ground at the back of the Ellerslie grandstand is being actively proceeded with. Filling in is also being carried out beyond the Derby stand.

The jumper Rongoa has been sent across to Sydney, having been purchased by a sporting resident of “ the Harbour City.”

The famous mare Cruciform is to be mated this season with the Martagon horse Martian. This is a chance for the young stallion to lead off with a good one to represent him.

Boniform is said to be greatly pleasing the touts at Randwick, and he should be very dangerous at the A.J.C. spring meeting.

The A.R.C. Committee are calling for tenders for the erection of a new totalisator house. This will be situated much nearer the Derby enclosure and will be far more convenient for those in charge of the machines. The old buildings are to be removed forthwith.

F. D. Jones is returning from England, and will be back in time for the New Zealand Cup. He rode with a fair measure of success in the Old Country.

This time last year there were 158 horses in training at Ellerslie. There must be a considerable decrease in these figures this season, as there are only about 64 doing fast work.

One of the best-looking two-year-olds at Ellerslie is Carmania, a filly by San Francisco from Campania. She is a chestnut with three white stockings. In her morning gallops with Aqua Regia she moves along very nicely.

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Metropolitan Committee, gentlemen riders’ licenses were granted to Messrs. A. C. and F. P. Selby, C. Crowther, D. B. Crowther and H. C. Tonks. Trainers’ licenses were granted to Messrs. A. H. Blatchford, A. McMillan, M. McKinnon, P. Jones, A. Mitchell, J. Gainsford, H. • Barr, W. Mobberley, and F. Stenning. Jockeys’ licenses were granted to C. Cress, W. Marchant and L. W. Jellings (for three months), and R. Wilson, A. J. Hill, A. H. Blatchford, A. Mitchell, H. Phillips, G. Henderson, M. Quinton, F. Burns, J. Gallagher, H. Johnson, T. Scott, R. Woodward, C. Little, A. McMillan (jun.), and R. H. Todd. A temporary license was granted to F. L. Speakman.

The Auckland Metropolitan Committee has approved of the following programme:—Thames Jockey Club, December 27, March 25; Whangarei Racing Club, January 11 and 12; Taumarunui Racing Club, November 9; Mercury Bay Racing Club, October 20; Kawakawa Racing Club, January 29; Waihi Hack Racing Club, December 1; Parenga Racing Club, January 11; Houhora Racing Club, January 1; Waipapakauri Racing Club, December 26; Otahuhu Racing Club, October 10; and Auckland Trotting Club (four pony races), October 20 and 24.

Solution is a warm favourite for the A.J.C. Metropolitan Stakes. If the New Zealand mare can stay the distance she should be very hard to beat, but most people would have preferred the daughter of Soult for the Epsom mile.

The death is reported of Flying Fox’s brother Flying Lemur, who was recently sold to the Hungarian Government for 7500 guineas, a figure which was said to be far beyond what he was worth.

Handicaps for the opening day of the Wanganui J.C. spring meeting are due to-morrow.

Mr. George Morse has been appointed handicapper to the Taranaki Jockey Club.

Those who attended the Waikato Hunt Club meeting last week speak well of the Leolantis gelding Cachuca, who won a double in fine style.

The annual meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club will take place next Wednesday at eight p.m. * * * ♦

I notice in a contemporary that an argument has arisen as to which was the better horse, Carbine or Abercorn. Of course most New Zealanders would immediately plump for the former, but having seen the pair in every race in which they met, I am by no means so convinced of the fact. There is no doubt that Carbine was a wonder over all distances, and he never seemed sick or sorry. . Abercorn, on the contrary, had his days, but on those days no better horse has ever been seen in Australia, and as a five-year-old he was simply invincible, beating Carbine each time they met. Perhaps Carbine was the most reliable, but to me Abercorn showed the greater- brilliancy, and in writing this I am not forgetting the Cup of 1890, when I formed one of the cheering crowd after the great victory of the son of Musket.

The following notice appears in a recent issue of the “ English Racing Calendar:”—“ Notice: The stewards of the Jockey Club give notice to owners, trainers, and jockeys that the following instructions have been given to starters —The start is to be made from a ‘ stand,’ and jockeys (especially the seniors) who wilfully prevent their horses from standing still should invariably be reported. Unruly horses must suffer for their bad behaviour, and if they cause prolonged delay, they should either be started at a ‘ stand’ behind the rest of the horses, or left.”

Once again we go from home to learn news about ourselves. The “Sporting Life” says: “The burning question of the hour in sporting circles is the starting-gate, and it is generally conceded that the present system is bad, or the starters are lacking in their duties. We understand that in the colonies the start gives greater satisfaction than here, and is seldom commented on. The reason is not far to seek, as the horses are better trained to face the gate than at home. The method usually adopted in big stables is that a webbing is stretched across the stable door, and has to be released before any horse is permitted to go into the yard. This is always done, and thus accustoms the horse to the standing start, and hence the reason of the better efficiency in getting away. The starter also is invested with much greater power than here, and should any horse prove fractious he is invariably left, and does not, as we are accustomed to see, get away and never headed.”

There are thirteen horses left in the Great Northern Guineas. If he retains his form of last season, Cambrian should prove very hard to beat in it.

There are indications that the Spring Meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club will be one of the most successful ever held. But for the dates clashing with the Avondale Meeting, a number of Aucklaid sportsmen would have gone down for the Southern fixlure.

Mr George Morse has been appointed to do the handicapping for the Avondale Meeting, which takes place on September 22, 26, and 29, and he is also handicapper for the Wanganui Meeting, which will be held in September 27 and 28. This looks as though he will have to do the Avondale handicapping by telegram without seeing the running, which is hardly a satisfactory, proceeding.

Much interest is being taken in the approaching meeting of the Avondale Jockey Club. Capital entries have been received for all events, and the handicapper appears to have set punters some knotty problems for the opening day. Owners should not forget that acceptances for the first day’s events close with Mr. Hayr to-mor-row evening at nine o’clock.

Solution was given top-weight of 9st 131 b in the Rosehill Cup, but has been scratched. The eight lengths’ victory in the Rawson Stakes must have impressed the handicapper. Certainly it was a fine performance for the crack three-year-old Collarit, in receipt of 181 b, could only get third.

'There are twenty-one horses in the A.J.C. Derby. Huascar’s most dangerous rivals will be Collarit and Antonious.

A friend forwards me a programme for a recent meeting at Auteuil (Bois de Boulogne). It falls far short in appearance of our local racebooks, although the particulars supplied are the same as any of our clubs give. The course for the various events, seems, however, remarkably complicated, so much so, indeed, that a map of the track is given in every race. The course is shaped like the figure eight, and even with the map it seems somewhat difficult to know which is the correct track.

Messrs. A. Buckland and Sons will offer the mare Tambourina by auction next Friday.

The Menschikoff —The Slave filly has been named Quadroon, and the Bluejacket—Radiant filly will be known as Bluelight. Both are very happy efforts at nomenclature.

His many friends will be interested to learn that the well-known trainer, C. Weal, has purchased the Ellerslie Hotel. He will continue training operations, however.

Private advices from Melbourne state that the New Zealand steeplechaser, Up-to-Date, has gone all to pieces and will take some time before he again gets into winning form.

The Middy, one of D. Moraghan’s string, has not been doing much lately. This is a great pity; as Bluejacket’s halfbrother gave promise of being a stake earner.

There is a coincidence about the Maiden Welter and the Electric Handicap at the Waikato Hunt Club Meeting. They have been won by the same horses during the last three seasons. In 1904 Neles, 1905 Miss Winnie, and 1906 Cachucha, a fact worth keeping in view for

What becomes of all the good-look-ing yearlings? queries a writer in the London “ Sporting Times.” Just now, if we can believe the writers who have been describing the young thoroughbreds in various parts of the country, the Derby field of 1908 ought to be the biggest on record. But is it not always the same ? Of the yearlings we have seen ourselves, the majority are as near perfection in looks as breeding can get them. With quarters, stifle, and hocks, or with shoulders and feet there is little fault to find; they have everything that is wanted to make up the high-mettle racer; yet what will the continuation of the tale be this time next year ? Is it not the same every season i Where are the yearlings we heard so much of twelve months ago, and twelve months before that ? How many good three-year-olds have we ? When we have named Spearmint, Keystone 11., Black Arrow, and Troutbeck, we have to pause and begin making excuses. There seems to be something wrong somewhere. Is it in the breeding or the training ? How is it to many supposed cracks deteriorate into crocks ? Can it be for the same reason that so many of our pretty little girls grow into gawks ? Are they being educated and exercised in the wrong direction ? We leave it to the experts to think out. THE PAKURANGA HUNT CLUB’S SPORTS MEETING. Next Saturday the principal event to interest sportsmen will be the annual sports meeting of the Pakuranga Hunt Club. This will, as usual, be held at Alexandra Park, and a number of extra cars will be put on the Epsom line for the occasion. Mr. F. Yonge, the secretary, can be relied upon to have all the arrangements for the comfort of patrons efficiently attended to, and with a fine afternoon there should be a good attendance. Mr. R. Wynyard’s allotment of the

weights has given satisfaction, and the fields should be well above the average. The prospect of seeing some good sport seems good, and the winners should prove hard to find. The following may run well: —Farmers’ Plate, Miss Drury; Hunters’ Hurdles, St. Harp; Open Handicap, Aqua Regia or Millie; Hunt Club Steeplechase, Perseverance; Pony Handicap, Inspiration or Sonoma; Heavy-weight Steeplechase, Brigham; Bracelet, St. Harp or Tip.