NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1530, 28 August 1912, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[By Gmntoe.] Mira, who went sore at the Grand National meeting a fortnight ago, has recovered his freedom of action again. Although the nominations for tho C.J.C. Stolvnrds' Handicap do not close for some considerable time, an effort has already been made to back Ferouea-l for that race coupled with Undecided in the New Zealand Cup. Tho Bezonian—Chainstitch filly in J. W. Lowe's Trentham stable will bo travelled to the Wauganui and Hastings spring meetings for educational purposes, but will not bo a competitor at either of those fixtures. R.- Berry, who is employed in Lowe's Trentham stable, is on the tracks regularly, and tho local trainers avail themselves freely of this capable light-weight's services for tho gullops. Berry is assured of plenty of riding during the coming season. At the Marton Jockey Club's spring meeting, ho has already been enj gaged to ride Odessa and Peggy in their engagements. - Tho acceptances for the Egmont-Wa-nganui Hunt Ciub's meeting are so good that the fixture promises to bo more interesting than usual this year. Tho best horse in Trinidad is Houghton, by Desmond out of Tragedy Queen. Recently (says an exchange) ho won throe races in one afternoon, one of them a milo affair, in which ho carried lOst. slb. He secured from the Friday to the Monday no fewer than seven races. He- is a SDven-year-oid gelding and is a threeparts brother to the Melbourne Cup winner, Comedy King (by Persimmon), who was bought in England as a foal, together with his dam, lor 1700 guineas, by Mr. Sol. Green. . Shuja, who was taken to Sydney at the conclusion of | tho Trentham 'fixture, }s entered for a milo welter race to be run at the Mooreiield meeting next Saturday. According to the "Thoroughbred Record"; (Lexington, Ky.), Mr. S. C. Hildrcth, who is training in France for Baron Rothschild and Mr. C. Kohlor, is a believer in a light preparation as far as keeping his horses high in i.flesh goes. When the trainer rides out to superintend exercise he is accompanied by the son of the well-known jockey, F. O'Neill. The youngster rides his own pony, and although only four and a half years old ho speaks English, French, and German, and acts as interpreter ,for Mr. Eildreth, who says that the child has more sensible ideas than a Philadelphia lawyer. •Prosper has left j. Jamieson's stables at Awapuni, and is at present being given a spell at his owner's place. Since the Riccarton meeting, where the Advance horse acted.as runner-up to Magdala in the Winter Cup, Mr. Simmonds has been inundated with offers to lease the horse, but he has replied to all ( such that ho has not intention of parting with him. Khamsin, who was badlj- injured at the last Otaki meeting, is still ruiining out at Trentham, but she is improving daily, and exercises herself freely in the paddock. The stable of which she is an inmate will be represented at tho Marton meeting by Deploy, who is engaged in the open sprint ovent. Another New Zealand rider has struck trouble in Australia. This time it is'the light-weight, A. Shanahan, who was sus-' pended from riding until the end of September for interfering with W. H. M'Laehlan>in the August Handicap at Rosohill. Just now the Porirua beach presents a busy appearance after breakfast in the mornings, when some half dozen 2-year-olds are put through preparations to fit them for spring racing. Amongst, the number aro Mr. Harvey pair— tho Achilles—Strathspey colt find the Achilles—Bulbul filly. The former is— like his elder brother—a big 'towering 'horse, but despite his size, he is very active on his feet. The filly is a well-grown chestnut, and can gnllop fast. So far tho pair have been restricted to short bursts out of the barrier and each of thenr have been able, to hold-their own With, their stable companions. The other youngsters in the stable are a well-shaped bay filly hy Charlemagne II from Stepka. This youngster is rather backward at present, this being due to the' ftact that he was taken in hand late and a,!so to being a dainty feeder. A colt by Achilles from Report, bred at Waikanae, is a very racy looking youngster, and on appearances, should come to hand early. A filly by Bezonian from Prologue completes the list. 1 In addition to tho youngsters named there is nlso attached to the "after breakfast" brigade, a 3-ycar-mld filly by St. Ambrose from Stepka, Gipsy Belle, who has just como in again after a good spell, and is looking remarkably well. Jan also is being prepared for the Hawke's Bay-Guineas. The latter is still tho property, of Mr. John Buckley, but it is understood that negotiations are now in 'progress for his purchase by a local sportsman The team that is worked in the early morning consists of Aratiatia,, Stepney. Styx, Aloha, Dirge. Torbclle, Hawick, Parky, St. Felix, and Lace Collar. Dearest is still spellius in the naddock, as is the Varco Belle Clair colt ftho property of Mr. J. Monk). Tho stable will be represented at the Marton meeting by Aratiatia, Aloha, Stepney, and Styx, and in the absence of Deeley and Emerson the Auckland horsemen. Conquest and O'Shea, will do the riding. H. Telford, who has been locnted at Porirua since the National meetinsr. returned to Palmerstort North yesterday. At tho Adelaide Racing Club's meeting on August 17. the Fulham Tark Plate— the first two-year-old race of the seasonattracted a field of 31 youngsters. Rapine, a daughter of the Auckland-ljred Machine Gun, led from start to fini=h, and won the half-mile easily in 50« e- Rapine was bmurht at auction for the moderate sum of 105 guineas. FIXTURES. Feptember 4—Marton J.C. Soring. September 11—Daunovirke R.C. SteeplochaM. September 12 and 13—Ashburton County R.C. September 23 and 24—Otaki Maori B.C. Spring. September 2G and 27—Geraldino R.C. Soring. September 2G and 28—Wanganui J.C. Spring. October 2—Hawke's Bay J.C. Spring. October s—Napier Park R.C. Spring. October 9 and 12—Duncdin J.C. Spring. October 29 and 30-Greymouth J.C. Spring. I met a friend the other day all muffled to the ears. His countenance a fiddle's length, his eyes wet as with tears. - T greeted him with deep concern, said I, "Friend, what's to do?" He smiled a smile most wne-begone, and simply said "Ah-chu," He sniffed and said, "ah-chu." He coughed and said "ah-chu." His eyes with handkerchiefs, he wiped, his nose he loudly blew, "Ha, ha," said I (Ah-chu," said he), "Now don't procrastinate, Go and take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure before it is too late. 129* Up till 1809 it was necessary to havo a license to sell pepper in the United KingJ.dom,