ROUND ABOUT ELLERSLIE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1142, 29 February 1912, Page 10

ROUND ABOUT ELLERSLIE.

On Tuesday morning all the work was done on the sand. Some of the Te Aroha and Paeroa nominated horses were put through their facings. Gold Size and Ashby strode round the track in 2min 2 2-ssec. Le Reina and Bleript had half a mile spin, run in in 54 l-ssec, finishing together. Prophet and Delegate did good three-quarter pace work separately. 'Maunina, who has been resting put in some useful work and looks well. Sir Artegal was given a lesson over the small schooling hurdles. The chestnut did not shape with any confidence.

Absolum’s pair, Pyralis and Tangewai, skipped over half-a-mile in 53 4-ssec.

Bow Bells run the same distance in 52 l-ssec.

Bully popped over a few hurdles, putting no heart into his work. Antarctic, who looks light after his spell, was exercised by Julian. A resurrected one, Dinkum, and Lloyds had a round over the schooling battens. The latter will have his name on the winning list shortly. St. Amans, who was very queer after his race at Hamilton, was quite sound this morning. Rumour says that he will be reserved for the A.R.C. autumn gathering. Frank Loomb’s pair, Monorail and Lanacost, look in blooming health and will be ripe by next month. J. Rae’s two, Rakau and Tui Cakabou, took jumping exercise. The former jumped the hurdles and the latter the steeplechase fences. Frank Weston leaves on Monday for Sydney in charge of Seldom. The Avalanche colt gave Barney Chaafe a surprise by jumping from under him; neither the boy nor colt were hurt.

The Caulfield Cup stakes are to he increased from £3090 to £4OOO.

Julia 8., a sister of Waimangu, has won a couple of races in Western Australia this month. The Soult — Roxana mare was purchased by Tommy Burns, the ex-champion boxer, in Auckland, and taken by him to Australia.

“Vigilant,” of the London “Sportsman,” considers that there is only one handicap in the world that has a hold on genuine sportsmen and public alike and that is the Melbourne Cup. The Cesarewitch is the nearest approach to it, but at a very long interval.

The disbandment of the committee of handicappers in England has given satisfaction in many quarters, it being recognised that though you may have three men acting in conjunction the work is in a great measure

that of the strongest one of the party. At best it cannot be otherwise than a matter of give and take, for where there is a marked difference of opinion regarding the merits of one horse, a compromise generally is effected, and a horse gets a weight that does not really reflect the opinion of any one of the trio who weighted it. Of course, with three men to review the weights before they are issued, the possibility of any glaring mistake is minimised, and that, in my opinion, is about the best that can be said for the committee system.

According to the latest information by the English mail, very little antipost betting is being indulged in there on the English Derby and Lomond is sure to remain favourite. Two foreign-bred colts, in Lorn and Montrose 11., are expected to be among Lomond’s most formidable opponents, the idea now obtaining that White Star (Sunstar’s brother) will scarcely be proportionately as good this season as he was last.

The Railway Department have arranged a special time-table to facilitate patrons attending the Wanganui Jockey Club’s meeting this week. On February 29 and March 2 trains will leave Palmerston at 6.45 and 7.10 a.m. for Wanganui, and return trains will leave the racecourse for Taihape and Palmerston at 5.15 and 5.55. The usual 3.50 p.m. train ot Hawera will be delayed and leave the racecourse at. 5.35. Excursion tickets will be available till March 4.

Two three-year-olds in Wilari and Crown Grant are monopolising a lot of attention in the Australian Cup. As winner of the Derby and Ooaks Wilari’s public credentials read the better of the pair, but Crown Grant is said to be very fit, and his friends assert that he will take no end of beating. Crown Grant hails from T. Payten’s stable, and the Australian Cup has been a very popular race with

that trainer, who has won it five times —on each occasion with a three-year-old. Wilari is galloping in great heart at Flemington, and she is said to be better now than in the spring.

Gladiole, winner of the Grandstand Handicap at the Taranaki meeting on Thursday, is a five-year-old mare by St. Clements, by St Leger—Satanella, but her dam, Daisy Clipper, does not appear in the Stud Book. Gladiole has been a consistently good performer over short courses during the past two seasons. Her record last season included eight wins and six places out of sixteen starts, and she has registered some smart performances this season, among them a win at Trentham a few weeks ago.

Mr. G. P. Donnelly, the Hawke’s Bay sportsman, has entrusted A. EL lingham with the training of his horses. Moifaa, the noted jumper and winner of a English Grand National Steeplechase, was first schooled over jumps by Ellingham.

Countermine and Sgt. Aidan were the only withdrawals from the Dunedin Cup, the latter having gone amiss whilst doing a working gallop the same morning. Parable and outlander were always out in front, the firstunentioned being ridden out to win by a fair margin at the finish. Masterpiece was sent out favourite, but although he loomed up close to the leaders as the field swung into the straight, he was never really dangerous. Odessa ran well for a little over a mile, but Martine and Rose Noble never looked as though they had a winning chance. Soldiers’ Chorus was well placed throughout the race, but failed to come on at the business end of the journey.

The New Zealand Cup winner, Vice-Admiral, has Peen taken in hand by R. J. Mason with a view to competing in racing events during the autumn.

The leading cross-country riaers in England are Kept very busy. During 1911 season W. Payne had 266 mounts in hurale races and steeplechases, and rode 7’6. winners. R. Chadwick had 55 successes and Frank Mason 52 winning mounts.