NOTES ON THE MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 1004, 3 June 1909, Page 6

NOTES ON THE MEETING.

Kairoma is regarded as an unlikely starter in the Great Northern Hurdles. In company with Belario and Waione, Kairoma started for a schooling task over the hurdles on Tuesday morning, but he fell at the first fence and injured himself. Jack Pot has been strongly supported to win the Great Northern Hurdles during the last few days. If he is, as rumour says, as good as Moifaa, there is a chance of him annexing the double. However, he has yet to prove himself as good as Moifaa. Nestator has cut a very sorry ngure on each of the last two occasions that he has attempted to negotiate the steeplechase country. On Saturday the chestnut ran off, while on Tuesday he fell. Le Beau and Kiatere were sent a round of the country on Tuesday morning, and both acquitted themselves attractively. Le Beau is in strong demand for the Steeplechase. A horse who is fast coming into favour for the Hurdles is Reservoir. The chestnut never gave Waipu a chance in a gallop over a circuit on the flat.

Lady French put up an attractive performance at Avondale, when she came home in the van, and she appears to be well treated in the Members’ Handicap this afternoon with 8.4. The minimum weight is 8.0. Red McGregor, who figures amongst the acceptances for the Maiden Steeplechase and also the Hunters’ Hurdles this afternoon looks like turning out well. In the Maiden Hurdles at Takapuna, won by Pukenui, Red McGregor finished close up fourth, after making up a good deal of ground over the last three furlongs. Bachelor figures top-weight in the Hunters’ Hurdles.

Santa Rosa is galloping atractively just now, and never gave Waimangu and Sir Artegal a chance in a gallop over a mile on the sand on Saturday. Leo put up an attractive performance when he finished in front of Reservoir and Creusot over a round of the hurdles on the course proper. Leo is engaged in the Maiden Hurdle race this afternoon.

Te Arai, who figures in the Great Northern Steeplechase, has given a very poor display on each occasion he has been asked to face the country at Ellerslie.

In a schooling task with Kiatere, Capitol and Red McGregor, on Saturday morning, Nestator tried to run off at the old water jump under the willow trees, and brought down Red McGregor.

After his performance with Kairoma over the hurdles on Saturday morning, Waipu has come into favour for the Great Northern Hurdles. Irish did not appear too sound on Saturday morning. At present it appears that there will not be more than seven or eight starters in the Great Northern Steeplechase. However, quality, if not quantity, will be there, should Kiatere, Sol, Jack Pot, Capitol, Creusot, and Le Beau all face the starter. The first race at Ellerslie to-day is timed to start at 11.45 a.m. Pafitutu was an absentee from the track oh Tuesday, but it is said there is no cause for alarm on the part of hid supporters.

The much fancied Belario won the Ladies’ Bracelet on the opening day of the Northern Meeting last year.

The winner of the Members’ Handicap last year, Foremost, has 9.5 to carry in the same event this afternoon.

The Hon. J. D. Ormond, who had three strings to his bow when the weights appeared for the Hurdles, will probably be left without a representative. Audax amiss, North Head sold, and Kairoma lame is the cause.

The Great Northern Steeplechase has only once been won by a horse carrying the minimum, 9.7. This was in 1893, when Despised scored and returned his 21 supporters on the machine outside the large dividend of £93 ss, while those on the inside machine received £37 12s-

Sol (12.2) and Kiatere (12.5), who figure amongst the field for the Great Steeplechase, have each previously won the event. Sol won in 1906 when carrying 11.3, but Kiatere goes one better, the son of Castor having scored in 1905 and 1907, on the first occasion carrying 11.0, and on the second the heavy burden of 12.13. Can Kiatere win a third time ?

Belario (The Officer —Sprite), the latest winner of the Century Hurdles, was bred by the Hon. J. D. Ormond, and was sold as a two-year-old at Palmerston North for 14 guineas. Last season Belario started upon 24 occasions, winning awards coming his way three times, his annexations being registered in the Welter Handicap at Marton, the Welter Hack at the spring venture of the Feilding Jockey Club, and the Ladies’ Bracelet at the winter gathering of the A.R.C. Last year Mahoe represented Mr. J- Bull in the Century Hurdles, but failed to get a place. The racehorse Don Hannibal has been purchased by Mr. W. Lyons, and it is stated that he will be shipped to Sydney at an early date. The price realised for Don Hannibal has not yet transpired. If anything were wanting to show the interest taken in the present meeting, it was afforded on Saturday morning, when the number of touts present reminded one of the scene in the morning during the final gallops for the Auckland Cup. Wairaka, who showed promise of turning out well when in C. Weal’s hands a couple of seasons ago, figures amongst the acceptances for the Maiden Steeplechase to-day with the minimum, 9.7. Wairaka’s best performance over country is, I think, his second to Swimmer at Takapuna. But that is a long time ago. Starboard put up a promising performance at Takapuna on the second day, when he won the five and a-half furlongs’ race very easily, and the son of Daystar has been acquitting himself well in his work. Starboard is one of the large field of 24 in the Jervois Handicap. Waione, concerning whom good reports come to hand from the South, went well in company with Belario over the hurdles on the course proper on Tuesday morning. Waione will be amongst the starters in the Maiden Hurdles this afternoon.

Stayboy, who has 11.5 in the Maiden Hurdles, also figures in the Cornwall Handcap with 8.5. Evidently Stayboy has plenty of pace. Maidi will be ridden by that clever horseman, W. Young, in her Auckland engagements. Old Scotty is moving nicely in his work at present, and may not be a past light. STIPENDIARY STEWARDS. The Wanganui Jockey Club, which has taken a lead in advocating the introduction of stipendiary stewards, will move, through their delegate, at the meeting of the Racing Conference to be held in July, 1909, as follows: — That rule 2, part V., of Racing (page 22), be amended to read as follows: — (a) Any metropolitan club or any number of metropolitan clubs jointly may from time to time appoint any number of persons not exceeding one for each metropolitan club and not being members of the committee of any racing or jockey club to act as stipendiary stewards at any registered meeting held within the areas of their respective jurisdiction and may by resolution define the term of office powers (including the power to disqualify) duties and remuneration of such stewards and shall determine by what clubs and in what proportions such remuneration shall be paid or provided for. Provided that at any race meeting held under the management of the metropolitan club the powers of such stewards shall be confined to investigating any matter which in their opinion requires investigation and to reporting thereon to the committee of

such club or the stewards of the day of such club and recommending what penalty (if any) should be imposed either by way of disqualification or otherwise.

(b) At any registered meeting held under the management of any club other than a metropolitan club the stewards appointed under this rule shall have and may exercise the powers conferred upon them in the same way as the committee or stewards of such club could have or exercise the same and every decision given by the stewards so appointed in respect of any matter occurring at any such meeting as to which they shall have power to give a decision shall for all purposes be deemed to have been given by the committee or stewards of the club under whose management such meeting is held and shall be subject to appeal to the committee of the metropolitan club having jurisdiction in like manner as a decision of the committee or stewards of a club.

(c) The committee of any metropolitan club having jurisdiction may by resolution determine who shall act as stewards or as a steward under this rule in the event of all or any of the stewards appointed undei’ this rule not being present at any recognised meeting. (d) One or more of the stewards appointed under this rule may, if requested by the committee or stewards of any metropolitan club be present at any investigation or inquiry held by such committee or stewards. MELBOURNE TROTTING CLUB. SIRES’ PRODUCE STAKES. Regarding the Sires’ Produce Stakes trotting events that will take place on the Richmond racecourse in July, 1912, under the auspices of the Melbourne Trotting Club, it is intimated by advertisement in the present issue that sires must be nominated with the secretary, Mr. A. J. Gray, 197 Bourkestreet, Melbourne, on or before 16th June, the nominators of mares being due on 14th July. No nomination fee is charged for mares. The prize money offered is £5OO, for trotters and pacers, and the liberality of the club in thus allotting a large sum for. competition is deserving of recognition by owners.