NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1403, 1 April 1912, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[Bγ Glbnoob.)

Minis win at Maslcrton docs not eniail a penalty lor the Great Autumn Handicap. There is reason to believe that J. \\\ Lowe would be pleated had the grey linrse bren compelled |j put up a [H-nalty. Jura is si big, .strong horse, and it wi'll in; a difficult matter to get a Gsl. 71b. lad who will be able to do him justice. The Ballarat Cup, one mile omt n half, which was decided on March 21, was won by (he \ew Zealand-bred horse Chauv,'lin, by Soult—lnamorata. Since passing into his present owner's hands, Chauvclin has won quite a few good races, but prior lo this he had (ho reputation of being unreliable, and changed hands several times alter a lot of money had been lost on him. It is quite likely that his successes are due to the way ho is handled in a race, and K. Grace, who rides him, has the reputation of being üb'c to make "rogncs" gallop. Ones again Fort William 'has gone wrung, and it is not likely that the GisIxirno horse will be persevered with further. He dropped out of the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie at the final payments, us did another "resurrection" in Mauri King. Owners are reminded that nominations for the M'.uunvatu Racing Club's autumn meeting close at 10 p.m. to-morrow, with the secretary, Mr. .1. Jl. Johnston. During tiiu absence of Jlr. W. Ktratton in England his duties as secretary to the llawkc s Bay Jockey Club will be carried out by Mr. A. YY. Knight. Mr. Stralton. will leave by direct boat at the

conclusion of' Hie Cup meeting next month, and will be abssnt until the cinl of Ihe year. Ii: looks as if the reported injuries to Byron nrs not as serious as was at first thought., and us ho has not, so far, been reported os scratched, it is quite likely that his trainer may bo able to start, him. Further colour is lent to this by the fact that the b"ay gelding lias boon nominated freely at (lie Thompson Handicap Meeting, which opens mi April 17. The ox-Awiipuni train , . , ] , . T. Wilson, who has been on :i flying visit In Palmors'on North. is returning to Svilnev bv the heat lwivins Auckland to-niglit. This will onable him to be present at the A..T.C. nieetin», which opens on Saturday. Acceptances for tin; first day's events .it the l'fildiiijf Jockey Club's Easter ir.potins close to-morrow. Though no fewer'ban sixteen horses arc left in the Xew Zealand St. Legcr, which is to bo run for the hist time at Trentham on Apri' 20, it is probable that about throe-fourths of Mhem have been left in by mistake. When the starting time arrives, probably Byron will be opposed bv either Jfasterpieco or Counterfeit. ' At Jlaslcrton last week J. H. Prosper stated that Styx liml made a Rood recovery from the knock which he gave bis hoclc whilst contesting the Jackson Stakes, and if ho continued to train on. satisfactorily Ik , would be a runner in (he Challengo Stakes at tho Wellington Kncing Club's autumn meeting.

Jockey A. Oliver left for Uirrarton on Saturday night to ride ".Mr. HiVhden's" horses in their final i;;illops for (he Canterbury Jockey Club's nicotine. Acceptances for the first day's events at the W.'iirarapa IJicin.? Club's autumn nieotim; c!o-o to-irorrow, _ The 'Doucasler 11 an.licap will bo run in Sydney next Saturday. The Wansanui Trottiujj Club's (otalisator liteetiii!,' will take piiicc at the Wαnganui Uacecoursc on Ai.u'il (I and 8. A mi'PtiiiK of ■ .slswariN oi the S.K.C. was held Miter (he decision of tho last race on Thursday's programme to cn:iFi'drr several ma I tors of an urerant nature (fays (ho Southland "Times"). The conduct of two persons nssittins at Ihe lnectin;; came under review, amoiiß other tilings, and, as a result, ]'. Loijan, a well-known Irarseinnn, was fined .C 2 for nllesed insolence to .stewards, while .T. Ijooney was also called upon to pay £2 in consequence of alleged unseemly behaviour on the course.

The 'frentham jockey, W. Ryan, who rchirnrtl from Australia last week after a lengthy stay there, was unable to follow his calling for nearly four months of that time on account of serious illness, lip, • however, rorio several winners during the -period lie was out of the doctor's care. Ryan is now fully restored to health, and he will be a welcome addition to the local ranks. Capable jockeys that: can ride under 7>l. Hilb. are few ami far betwi-oii, and what with H. ({ray in retirement and li. Doeley probably engaged at the Auckland meeting, Ryan's «>rviees are sure to be in kern demand at Riccarton next Monday and Tuesday.

Gunboat, who is reported by the cables to have done a good gallop at Rnr.dwick last week, is said to have improved a good deal since he last won in Melbourne, and his work on the track points to his being able to stay over a long journey. Ho is engaged in the. Sydney Cup next Monday.

Mr. E. J. Watt's hurdle horse Wimmera is going along satisfactorily uiul-ar ]). J. Price's caro in Melbourne, and will probably contest the big hurdle races at Caulficld and Flemington in the winter. ,

Mr. J. AVliitworth's Fugne (Sir I.addo— Orchestra) developed respiratory trouble after being turned ont tor a spell, and is not likely to sport silk again in Aus(ralia. This was a stroke of ill-fortune for Mr. Whitworth, as Fugue showed great promise, and was expected to prove capable of winning a good race on returning to active work.

lu Saturday's issue it was staled that if a match were arranged between Bronsse and Counterfeit at Treivthain, the 'Wellington Racing Club would probably ofi'er a cup for the evont, Mr. A. F. Whyte, (.he club's secretary, points out, however, that under Eulo'lO, Part 0, of tho Rules of Racing, it would not be legal for the club to do bo. In tho circumstances it does not seem probable that a match will eventuate.

When the Notional Hunt Club decided to raise the minimum weight to 10st., a controversy broko out in the English sporting press as to whether it was fair to giyp the top-weight in the <irand National more than 12st. 711). Then when tlio weights for that event appeared and Jerry M. was only allotted I2st. 71b., many considered that,' fit and well, the race wa3 at his mercy. Tho newspapers, however, generally expressed, the opinion that any horso capable of bearing away tho cross-country Bluo Riband under 12.-1. 71b. had surely earned the distinction and that a handicapper was justified in regarding 12st. 71b., as a fair maximum burden. Jerry 51. was well bneked for tho Grand National lost month, and so was the third horse Pin, but Rathually, who if started did not gain a place, was a good favourite. The performanco of Jerry M. in winning with list. 71b. has been equalled but never beaten. Cloister carried list. 71b. to victory, for instance, in lSilli, and won by forty lengths from Aesop, with nothing elso' within hail of tho second. Before, first Cloister and then Manifesto won uuder 12-st. 71b., even that weight was regarded in many quarters as prohibitive, in tho same way us list. Sib. or list. 101b. is now. Vet L'Afric:iii:e, one of the best, 'chasers of all lime, on one occasion took the field at Aintreo with no less than 13st. 21b. on his back, lie van well, moreover, untU nearly knocked over by one of the others, and although nersevered with for a long wav afterwards he. was then pulled up. With G. Holman on his back he was well supported, despite his big weight, starting fifth favourite. The. winner that year was Mr. Studd's Salamander (Aloe Goodman up), who brought oil' a :!3 to 1 chained. Manifesto was another that carried over 12st. 711). with credit in the years following his victory under that weigh):. When third io Ambush 11, for example, the old son of Man of War had list. IMb. on his back, and he was again third in tho following se-ason to Shannon Lass. On that occasion ho earrio;] 12st. Sib.