NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1405, 3 April 1912, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[By Glrnooe.) The prospects of tho Highden filly Erniengardo continuing in wnmiir;,' vein at Riocarton would appear lo be very good, .-specially on flic, lira, (lay, when die. will not be opposed bv Jirow.ii Owl, who is believed by liuvnv to be the best two-year-old flic' redoubtable Chokoboro stablia shelters. The opposition in the Chnmpagno Stokes wilt probably consist id Don Ton, Canute, and probably either Autummis or Winning Way, but as lho latter has not been pleasing in "or work lately she mav have lo stand aside tor Autiimnus. On all recent public form one cannot; see how the bay coll is to defeat the fillv. and as the other (wo wits are not deemed to lw too reliable tlio prospects of the filly as stated above would appear to be of the rosiest hue. But what of the Challenge Stakes on tho Tuesday, when (lie dislance is a furlong further and several Ihree-year-olds", notably Hoval Scotch, will have to lie. encountered? Anvono who saw the Jackson Stakes run would say that, with a furlong further to go Royal Scotch would have Ix-en an easv winner, but I here is more opposition than Mr. Watt's thrce-VNiv-flld. for Jirow.l Owl is engaged, and thi-, beautiful big filly hns repeatedly shown form enough to suggest that sho could take her place with the best that the Dominion could produce. There is every probability of Die Challenge Slakes being much more interesting than the. Champagne Stakes, which is confined to two-year-olds only.

Those interested should bear in mind that final payments for the C.J.C. Great Easter and Autumn Handicaps must be made to-night. Counterfeit, in charge of H. Cutts, is to arrive from the south ll'.is morning, and will be railed to Auckland by the second Main Trunk express. The presenco of the crack filly will doubtless _ prove of great interest," even though it is responsible for reducing lho size of tho field in the "Ladies'" race. . .

There have been repeated inquiries at this ollice as to the time of (he official scratching of Tneuni for lho March Handicap at Masterlon, and in answer to a telegraphic message tho secretary of tho club yesterday wired that Tnoimi was withdrawn at !.3S p.m. on Monday, March 'li.

In what aro usually well-informed circles, it is stated that Ilcatherbrao is a doubtful runner in tlio Great Autumn Handicap at Riccnrlon, and if sho appears at all at the meeting it will be in somo of the minor events over short courses.

Tho Napier-owned "Wee Rose is under offer to a West Coast sportsman. Tho Merriweo gelding is a good beginner, and should be at hoino on the circular tracks on the West Coast.

The following' from a Sydney exchange will be of exceptional interest to local sportsmen:—Tile Victorian ("{elding Gunboat, who, by tils w;*\ camo originally from New Zealand, gave a lino exposition of galloping ability at Raudwick yesterday moruiiig, by running 1} mile on (ho mi Idle grass course—the full distance —in -mill. lOsec. It: is not easy to recall such u fine effort as Gunboat was responsible for, and many heads went nodding at the close of it, the horse's owner laughingly remarking that change of air had evidently improved Gunboat';-' galloping ability." Gunboat, is n i stranger to tho members of the ring, in fact, ho has tho credit of establishing a record against them. Not many weeks ago Gunboat was so solidly backed by his owner, Mr. E. Connolly", for a rnco at Melbourne, that he hail the layers tf odds beaten. It seemed that only Gunboat was in tho race, and such a rod in pickle was he, that not a member of the ring cared to mako an offer against him when the field went to tho barrier. It takes something to stop the ring, but Gunboat did. hi duo course Gunboat won tho race, and his owner a small fortuno in bets. It was tho same Giinboat who electrified the spectators yesterday morning. Gunboat was oaiked oil Monday by his owner at long prices for the Sydney Cup, though with Bst. to carry, he is weighted quite up to his tat public form. .Terry M., winner of tho Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase- last week, was entered for the Lancashire Handicap Steeplechase to be run on Monday next and by tho peculiar conditions of the race ho will carry no penalty for his Grand National win. Horses' originally weighted at list, and over nre exempted and-Jerry M. was weighted at list. 81b., or only lib. more than his Grand National weight. In the Lancashire Steeplechase, however, the minimum weight is 9st. 71b., as against 10st. at Aintree.

The horses engaged at the Wanganui Trotting Club's meeting, which opens on Saturday, inclndo Holly Maid, Grattim Chimes and John H„ winners at the Hutt Valley T.C. meeting on Boxing Bay. Lady Mcnschikofl', who ran a good race in the Wanganui Cup, is nmong tho acceptors for tho Feilding Cup in which her opponents include other Wangainii Cup starters in Undecided, Kauroa, and lihlando. At Fcilding, Lady Mcnschikofl: will meet both Undecided and Kauroa on bettor terms than at Wanganui. Tho Marton-ownrd Keneo Clair considerably improved on bis best winning time when he ran second to Reuben (conceding 7?ec.) in the Final Handicap at tho Gere trots—beaten a length and a half in 2min. 25=ec. Ho has accepted for two events at Wanganui on Saturday. Vola Clair (siro of Eenee Clair) was imported from America.

There will be racinir on Saturday at Paiihorinikaii and at Ellcrslie. These two ini-p!in?s will continue on Monday and in addition others will like place at Kiccarton. Pa tea, Waipukuraii, and numerous other places. Alberlorious (Ml), tho cliamninn trottor of tho Dominion, and Gold Bell, a pacer, meet in the principaLevent at Wamraluu on Saturday. At the Auckland slimmer mcetim?, Gold Bell won in tain. M.tsec. He is a full-brother to Jnurlc, owned by Mr. IT. W. ICitchinsham, ot Grovmoiith. They are nicely bred, bv Capitalist (by Hothschild—Berlin Maid bv Berlm-Bliio Grass Belle, imp.l dniii Merry Bell by Hatta-Silvcr Belle by Blackwood Abdallah-Famiy Bello (imp.)