NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1443, 18 May 1912, Page 13

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

175T Qlkncoe.l A new arrival at W. Davies's stables at Trentham is a four-year-old gelding by Field Battery from Trix. He was bred by bis owner, and is a very fine-looking horse. The Oamaru Cup is to be run on Thursday next. Cylgad, who beat the One Thousand Guineas winner Tagalio in the Nowmarkct Stakes, is engaged in the Derby at Epsom next month. Two Trentham representatives, with engagements in the Connolly Handicap, are leaving for Wanganui on Monday morning. They are tho mares Khamsin and Merrivonia. Both look well, tho former especially so, and it will bo no surprise to find her playing a prominent part in tho decision of the big one mile and a quarter handicap.

The Soult mare, Dearest,, was shipped south last night to fulfil her engagement in the Oamaru Cup. She is to be ridden by S. Reid in the Cup, but. J, Beale will do tho subsequent riding on her.

A horso that is highly spoken of in connection with tho open six furlongs at Oamaru is Palisade. This good-looking three-year-old carried all before him at the Otago country meetings, and the opinion is expressed that he will bo heard of in more classical company thnn ho has so far met. It will bo no surprise to find Palisade favourite, as, ri"htly or wrongly, the opinion is held that Blue Lake may not be seen at her best till tho seoon<l day.

Advices reoelved here yesterday announced the Kilo of Stepney to a" wellknown Hutt sportsman. Mr. J. Buckley, flm late owner of tho Achilles colt, is reducing his team considerably, prior to leaving on an extended trip to the Old Country.

Whilst schooling at Wanganui on Thursday morning, Sir Lothe, after fciicing faultlessly for a couple of rounds, got into flio final obstaclo and unseated his rider, "Rangi" Thompson, who was slightly injured about the head. Those who have seen the steeplechaser declare that ho never looked so well as at the present timo.

The Native's old pilot, E. Murtagh, was up on him in a schooling gallop at Wanganui on Thursday morning, and the black gelding, though going by himself, fenced in his usual proficient style. It is a singular coincidence that the son of Warry never fences so well for dnyone else, and the Hutt horseman and he seem to hit it very well together.

Autarkic, i-s to-be ridclon in the \Yaiigaiiui Slwplertinse by J!. Peri'ivul. 'l'liu cTif'itniit has arrived ut 11n' scene of action, anil is to I* .schflolwl this morning. lu souiy quarters tlic suggestion is made tbat Napper will be etjnal to winning both tho JTurdle? and Steeples at ISllcrslie next month. This is a tall order for any horse, lot alone a oomparotivo novice at tho Suae sucb m tie BlrkwUwid gcldijjg is,

Howovor, it is stated that ho is a sure starter in both oventa, and, moreover, jump? big country far better than ho does hurdles.

Tho ox-Now Plymouth trainer, J. Evn, will in future train Gladiolo ajicl Rosalye for Mr. T. O'Neill at Awapuni.

'Acceptances for the first day's events at the Auckland Racing Club's mooting closo on Friday next.

Handicaps for tho first day's events at tho Otaki liituro will be declared next Saturday.

The acceptance for the Wanganui Steeplechase must ho regarded as an excellent ono. Though t lie absenco of i'ora?.on, who was scratched last week, is much to ho regretted, the presence of Antarctic, Continuance, Sir Lethe, Pleiades, Whakawoira, Lovell, Kaipctipeti, and Doraiuio will provido material' for an excellent race.

Dearest is, of course, the most notable defection from the Connolly Handicap, and tho field has been reduced by a number of horses nt tho foot of the handicap failing to accept. All the well-backed horses in tho Century Hurdles stand t heir ground after the acceptance.

A. record was created .it Kensington on May 8, when the programme ran into ono of 13 races. Amongst tho winners was Lady Aloma, who accounted for a good field in the first division of the 14.2 Handicap, and subsequently a rnn-off with Swanmore. This filly, who is a three-year-old sister to Lady SledalList and the Sydney Cup winner Moorilla, appears to have just como good, and promises to further distinguish herself. Slio was ridden in Wednesday's race by J. S. M'Donald, who only recently returned to the ranks of tho pony horsemen.—"The Arrow."

B. Deeley leaves Auckland for Wangar nui to-morrow to rido Mulga Bill in tho Connolly Handicap.

From tho decision given in regard to bookmakers' runners by the V.A.T.C. committee, it would appear that there wiH not bo much alteration in the state of affairs in this connection at Caulfield (savs a Melbourne exchange). The committoe, as a matter of fact, eeemed to ho embarrassed by the action of their private detective in bringing before them seven bookmakers who were alleged to havo employed runners. Men may be employed by bookmakers io back horses for them, say tho V.A.T.C. authorities, but such men must not "run" to give early information to their employers as to tho-backing of horses in other parts of tho ring. Ono objectionable feature about tho bookmaker's runner is that in his hurry to impart information to his employer ho often rushes through the ring heedless of whom he knocks down. The V.A.T.C. authorities say that he will not bo permitted to do this in future. He must do his business in a seemly manner, Tho chief object of a bookmaker in employing a runner is, of course, to Eecure early information by which he escapes laying a legitimate price about a horse th*t an ouner is desirous of backing. The bookmaker may, however, occasionally nso the runner as a commissioner to back with other bookmakers horses that he has overlaid in his book. Tho runner, as such, will, it would appear, still flourish at Caulfield, but ho must in future do his business in a more dignified manner than in the past. It will bo interesting to see what action the V.R.C. committe® takes when tho question of the employment of bookmakers' runners at Flemington comes up. There is, of course, something to be said on each side. While it is against the interests of the turf that on owner should bo blocked from getting a legitimate price about his horso, the bookmakers can hardly bo blamed for protecting themselves against th.o so-called professional punters, oae of whom is paid to have more ''runners" working for him than any bookmaker.

FIXTURES. May 23 and 24—Wanganui J.C. WinUr. . May 23 and 24—North Otago J.C. Winter, June 1 and 3—A.B.C. Winter. June 1 and 3—Dunedin J.C. Winter. June 3 and 4—Otaki Maori J.C. Winter, June 19 and 20—Hawke'a May J.C. Winter.