NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1605, 23 November 1912, Page 13

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[Bx Qlenoob.3 It is reported that lOOOgns. wag recently offered and refused for Masterpiece. The offer was made by an Australian owner who is at present visiting this country. The Manchester November Handicap will be decided in England to-day. The Auckland horsemen, Desley and Coiv quest, returned from the Blenheim meeting yesterday, and proceeded north by the Main Trunk express. They will be riding at Takapuua on Wednesday next, and will then como south for th<3 Feilding, Woodville, and Bulls meetings. Accoptanccs for the first day's events' at tlio Woodville Jockey Club's meeting closo on Wednesday next. The three-year-old filly Lady Georgia, which was taken to Melbourne some time ago by T. Wilson, has, so far, not been raced in tho Victorian capital, though nominated on several occasions. According to latost advices, Carbine is still well and hearty despite tho fact that ho is now in his 28th year. Ho is still at tho Duke of Portland's Welbeck Stud. Erry Oge, winner of tho pony raco at Sunbury, Victoria, early this month, is a well-bred three-year-old filly by tho imported Soult (son of St. Simon) from Erry Roe, by St. Hippo from Ellerslic, by Trenton, and was bred 'in New Zealand. She was purchased as a yearling by Dr. Bonnett, of South Australia, for 155 guineas, and ho raced her as a two-yoa'r-old in Adelaide on no fewer than 11 occasions without scoring a win. St. Bees, who has been off tlio seeno for nearly 18 months, during which timo ho was gelded/made his reappearance at the Blenheim meeting. Ho looked fresh and well, aud ran a good race in both attempts tho first (lay. Ho started at a very short price on Thursday, but tho two races on tho opening day had boon, too much for Mm, mid ho wiin early In trouble. When ho gets ov« tiua tiin. 1»

should not be long in striking winning form. It is interesting to note (taya our Foatherston correspondent) that Eigaro, the first thoroughbred horse imported into New Zealand, was ovned by a Wairarapa settler, the late Mr. C. R. Bidwill, sen., on, whose property Eigaro died in 185 G. It is proposed to remove his bones to the Tauherinikau racecourse, so as to commomorhte an historical event in the annals of horse-breeding in this country. Figaro was by Operator (imported),- dam Adelaide, by Theorem (imported), and was foaled in 1839, being bred by Mr. Icely in New South Wales, and sold to Mr. James Whatt, of Wellington, Zealand, in. 1840, from whom Mr. C. R. Bidwill, sen., purchased him. Rock Eerry, who scored at Timaru on Wednesday, was formerly a member of J. M'LaugMin's team at. Napier, and by being carefully placed ho always paid his way. Later on ho passed into the hands of H. Solomon, ana for a long time was trained at New Brighton. Ho is now a member of A. M'Aulay's Riccarton team, and runs in the same colours as Coroniform. His success illustrates the old adage about a run of lucb} for recently the owner of the gelding has had some Splendid wins with Coroniform.. . The trotting events at both the Timaru and Blenheim meetings seem to have been unsatisfactory races, and the wonder is that racing clubs retain them .on their programmes. Generally speaking, this class of raco pays o. dub very well, .as only a small stake is- givQn, and a big totalisator return results, but if the evonts continue to furnish suck unsatisfactory contests the clubs will be far better without them. » . ' ' The Awapuni horseman, A._ Oliver, who has been confined to his bed since the New Zealand Cup meeting, is now much improved, and expects to be able to fulfil riding engagements at the Feilding Jockey Club's meeting next Saturday.' The colt by Sigaor—Simonia, purchased at the southern sales by Mr. J. Chadwiok, has gono into i\ M'Manemin's charge at Ellerslie. . C. Brown, the Auokland .light-weight horseman, got "a nasty fall on Monday at Ellerslie. He was riding Blue Mount in elow work when the son of Bluejacket whipped off. the (lack, throwing his rider, who was dragged for some distance -before he got clear. . At one time, it looked as if he would be badly hurt, as the horse trod on him several times, but fortunately when, picked, up it was found that ho nad escaped -with a severe bruising. The orack three-year-old filly Bleriot has been on the easy list since tho A.R.C. spring meeting, suffering from a nasty cutbelow the knee. The mishap occurred during the Tunning of the ping Edward' Memorial Handicap (says the • Auckland '"Star"). Bronze, who claims an engagement in the Auckland Cup; is in steady work at Awapuni, but no arrangements have yet been made for shipping tho Field Battery filly to Auckland. Ermengarde was not herself at the Riccarton meeting, and since returning to Awapuni the Charlemagne II filly has not improved. At the present timo it seems improbable that she will bo seen out at the ! Feilding masting next week. The other members of G. Price's team are all going along satisfactorily in their work. It is expected that before the end of the present month the New Zealand Racing Conference Committee will announce the appointment of two more stipendiary stewards to complete the three recommended by the conference last July. My Lawyer's time for the mile and a quarter on the first day of the Timaru meeting has only once-been beaten in New Zealand, by Counterfeit, when she won the . Stead -Memorial Gold Cup at Riccarton in 1911.