NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1090, 31 March 1911, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

• [By Glencoe.]

The ex-Wcllingtonian, Mr. 51. Melrose, now racing in Victoria, recently sustained a stroke of ill-luck, when he lost his yearling colt by Mcnschikoff from Litigant. . Returned New Zealanders who wero present at the Queensland Turf Club meeting speak highly of tha stock of Nonette, who has got some splendid horses now racing at Brisbane. Already he has been represented by several winners. for the Feilding Jockey Club's Easter meeting close to-night. Gladiole continues to exhibit great pace in her work at Awnpttni. Although she has u big weight, she will, if she sees the post, be certain to start favonri.tc in tho Flying event nt the Manawatu meeting next week, and, as ,at Wanganui, she may scatter thcvficld very quick'}'. . ;,Tho Sydney trainer, F. M'Grath, recentily. wrote, to Mr. J. B. Eeid, suggesting that Lady Medallist should be entered jfoE„kW(yhai«licap events .a.ti :the.,.A\J.C... Imeetirig, "but tho Canterbury sportsman .declined to fall .in with this suggestion,' and it is very unlikely that the daugh:ter ■of St. Alwynnc will be ■ stripped in other than weight-for-age events at Randwick next month. slr. J. B. Reid will leave for Sydney by the Marama this evening, iii order to ■be present at tho forthcoming meeting of the Australian Jockey Club, when his colours will be carried by Lady Mcdali list. » Merrivonia; who was lame in the shoulder after racing in the Wanganui Cup, is now quite herself again, and, as she is n constant attendant on the tracks nt. Trentham, it may bo safely assumed that her owner intends to start her at Riccartpn. Her half-sister, Lady Kilcheran, will probably sport . silk at Tauherinikau. In appearance the great slashing colt r by Achilles frmn The Shannon (now located at Porirua) is more like a four-ycar-oll than.two-year-old, and, in days to come, he should make a rare weightcarrier. Apparently no time has been lost in commencing his education, as ho now trots and canters "like an old hand. Mr. T. Butler, whoso lease of Jlanupai expired at tho end of the present month, has been fortunate enough to get a renewal for another year. Kildonan is making such excellent recovery, from . tho accident that he met with at Napier Park that his trainer considers he has good prospects of setting him going again within three weeks' time. I r Lady Trances and Burton have already arrived at Awnpuni to fulfil their engagements at-the Maiinwatu Racing Club's meeting.. 'At the present time the grass tracks at Awapuni are much in need of rain, but tho plough keeps them in good order, nnd.it is said that not a single horse, trained-on-it this season, has shown any I sign of lameness. Bobrikoff is now getting through some useful work on the try-out at Napier Park, and there is every indication that the black champion is coming back to form. Birldiiie continues to please track watchers at Awapuui, anil is making improvement every week. Bully, who. won the Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie in 1809, is now coming back to his best form, and is being supported for the Brighton Hurdles at tho Auckland Racing Club's Easter meeting. Tho Napier "Daily Telegraph" states 'that Mr. E. J. -Watt's horso Midnig'ut Sun (brother to Noctuiform) is to be shipped to Sydney to-day, to join his stablemates, Bridge and Maori King. The Highdon horseman, A. Oliver, is at present in the city ou private business. He returns to Palmerston to-morrow. Last week A. Wood returned to Karamu the five-year-old half-brother (by Renown) to Bootle, and, at the present timo, Wood is engaged in educating a four-year-old full-brother to Miscount. - Sonite's full-brother, owned by Mr, E. J. Watt, has recently been taken in hand by T. Quinlivan, junr. ■ Mr. J. M, Johnston, secretary of the Racing Commission, returned to Palmerston on Wednesday from the South Island, where the Commission has been inspecting the racecourses in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. Tho Commission covered 1011 miles by motor-car, 450 by rail, and 30 by coach. Tho racecourses on the West Coast of the South Island are now being inspected. The members of tho Commission will be present at tho Manawatu Racing Club's autumn meeting next week.. In connection with the Autumn meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, general entries, acceptances, and forfeits, close with the secretary to-day, at 8 p.m. FIXTURES. April 5 and G—Southland R.C. Autumn. April 5 and C—Manawatu R.C. Autumn. April 12 and 10—Greymoutli .1.0. Autumn' April 15 and 17—Wairarapa R.C. Autumn April, 15, 17, and 18—Aucklaud R.C. Autumn. April 17—Patea R.C. Annual, April 17 and 18—Cnnrerbtirv j.(J. Autumn April 17 and 18.-Feilditig J.C. Easter. April 20and i!l —Westlund U.C. Autumn April 28 and ID-Wellington R.C. Autumn' May 3 and 4—Marlborough B.C. Annual. May 10 and 11—Hawko's Bay J.C. Antumn. ■ May 11 and 12—Ashburton. County R.C, Autumn. Juao 2 »nd 3-Duaedln J,C. Winter,