NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1438, 13 May 1912, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[Br GlkNcoh.l Acceptances for tho first day's events at tho Wanganui Jockey Clubs meeting close on Friday next. The present week will he a quiet one so far as racing is concerned. The next totalisator meetings are those cf the Wanganui Jockey Club and the North Otago Jockev Club, both of which commence on May 23. Though the Fordell trainer, F. Tilley, has a very large (onm under his care, very few of them are doing much at present, and probably not more than three will be taken to tho Wanganui meeting. ■Vs B. Deeley will be required for Dealest C. Emerson will take, the mount on Mulga Bill iu the Connolly Handicap at Wanganui next week. The most notable defections from the Great Northern Hurdles are Whnkaweira, Merriwai, and Idealism, and irom the Great Northern Steeples, Black Northern, Red M'Gregor, and Merriwai.

Though looking in anything but his lies' condition, nothing moved more freely in his preliminary before the M'Kac Memorial Handicap at Ilnwera than did Coromandel. In the race he was prominent the whole v;ny, and finished'second to Mulga Bill. He will meet the last-named on a stone better terms in the Connolly Handicap at Wanganui, and en that form should hold tho llawera horse sale, while, if he improves as he should do, the race may not be entirely beyond him. A considerable number of horses are being exercised daily at Wanganui, and the available stable accommodation is being booked up fast. The prospects for the forthcoming meeting of tho Wanganui Club, from a racing point of view, could not bo more encouraging to the executive. Sea King and Probable were, double winners at the Asliburton meeting. Extensive improvements are being made at the Optmake Club's course. Included among them are the erection of six more loose-boxes, and the ploughing up and remodelling of the course proper. Considerable inconvenience was experi. enccd by visitors to tho Asliburton County Racing Club's meeting on account of the failure of a large number of owners to race their horses in the colours which appeared on the programmo (says the "Lyttelton Times"). It is a long time since there were so many alterations in colours at a meeting held on a Canterbury course. The "halt and the lame" were much in evidence at Hawera last week, and amongst those were Sir Solo, Piriwai, Galtee, and Mnstoi Tupuhi. Tho first-named went wrong the morning before the meeting opened, Piriwai received a kick in the stiile just prior to racing in the Opeke Handicap, and tho other pair, though raced each day, liail done no work since the Opunako meeting. Tho continued success of Fakau on Sydney courses makes it appear as if R*umac and Captain Bell will both* win races on tho other side. Admitting that Pakau lias improved a great deal sinco being sold for Sydney, still (from what we saw of the Conqueror mare here) there is little doubt that, were any of the New Zealand weight adjustors to franio a handicap with this trio engaged, tho marc.would receive a lot of weight from (he Feeding pair. Tho poor showing made by Idealism in tho Hack Hurdle'races at Hasling> has convinced Trainer S. AVaddell that it would be futile to take (he Birkenhead gelding to Ellerslie. He has, therefore, been allowed to drop out of his engagements there. Tho stable- however, still has Napper engaged in both jumping events. Tannliauscr's success in the Asliburton Cup was his second win as a three-year-old. His other win was in the Publicans' Handicap at Dnnedin in February. More Auckland horses have been nominated in the jumping events at Wanganui Ihis year than has been tlie case for >v long time. Those from the north, which are' spoken of as likely to be brought to Wanganui, include Hautere, Doggerbank, Spltinx, Fuss, Don Quex, Antarctic, Okailiair. First Barrel, and Taiaha. The victory of Probable in the Fairfield Welter Handicap at the Asliburton meeting occasioned considerable surprise, as ho was the outsider of the field. When owned by Mr. G. Palmer, Probable won a number of good races, and in the season 1008-9 he was successful in the Asliburton Countv Racing Club Handicap, Gcraldine Cup. MosgieFHandicap, and Peninsula Cup. He was afterwards raced for a lengthy period by tho liiccarton trainer, H. B/Emme'rson. who failed to score a win with him, and finally passed him on to his present owner a few weeks ago, tho price paid, it is understood being .£5. Messrs. Whitworth, who used to race in these parts a couple of years ago, are having a turn of ill-fortune with Elfbolt as the Birkenhead gelding has twice filled second berth during the past fortnight, when ho was: well backed. Australian files to hand by Saturday's mail show, however, flint Black and Gold (Ladnrlad—My Colours) won the Nursery Handicap at Canterbury Park for Messrs. Whitworth. ,Tho filly started favourite in a big field and won easily. On May 3. tho V.A.T.C. Committee had racecourse "undesirables" under consideration. A number of bookmakers were brought beiore the committee in respect to their "runners" (says a Melbourne exchange) and they were cautioned not to employ them in future under pain of drastic measures being adopted to stop this particular class of racecourse "undesirables." A Sydnev paper recently published a picture of Mr. if. D. O'Brien's well-known aged performer The Acolyte (Portunatus— Incense) and his stable mate a goat known as "Billv." It appears that wherever The Acolyte 'goes his companion must be with him,' otherwise he frets and becomes ill— tampered. "Billv" is a silnt tout, and watches the horses gallops on the track' in the early morning- A dog or any other animal is absolnlMv refused admir-iou to the huvseV b,x while "Hilly" is in chaise. During walking oxcroi-e. boll, morning and al'lerimoi! "Hilly" lead- lln- way.

-iloiipin;,' l'i'i-<|ii;nll.v In »ce where hi-, companion'is. The.v cat together, and when

Tho Acolyte turns to drink tho goat inspects his feed-box. Should it be empty "Billy" rears up to tho half-open door of (ho box mid ba-n-s for moro feed. "Hilly' has been connected with the tiirt all his life, and his present owner would not part with him for anything. FIXTURES. Mar 23 and 24—Wangamii J.C. Winter. .May 23 and 24-Nnrth fttogo J.C. Winter. Juno 1 and 3—A.K.C. Winter. Juno 1 and 3—Duncdiii J.C. Winter. Juno 3 and 4—Otaki Maori J.C. Winter. Juno 19 and 20—Ha who's May J.C. Winter.