NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[Bt GtExcoE.] • •!. ...••'V In thisissuo the secretary of (Fs Napier . - Park Racing Club draws attention to the ■ . closing of nominations. on Friday; Febru-' ': : ,ary. 14, forjthe.'club's autumn meeting: v Tho the Ofrunake Racing Club's annual.;meeting ' appears in, . this issue,:and is well worthy of" tho attention of owners of hacks in tho Wanga-' . nm and Taranaki districts: . : . The principal events the Racing ,Club .Handicap; endowed- with. 120 soys. -Nominations' . ; close, on .'Monday next; • • :- ( ■ A writer -in. tho Oarnaru "Mail" pays the following tributo .to R. Barry, who is attached ; to J. Loire's 'I'reutham stable; :an<l \yho is at prcse'nt-at tho'headof tho ; 'Vlist.,pf'''winning jockeys :~"No. one over A sees much >of-young; Borry. in the city Of. 'Wellington,'-'.; .When.he is hot working in . the stable or away at some-race meeting, he takes' a; gun, -• crosses tho • Hutt ■ River, and 'walks,'.over.'..the' hills'-for an -hour's ... rabbi I,shooting: 'V: .This s keeps him in' better form' than jhevwould ;btf-in if Jhe.follotted the example of some of his brethren, and spent his spare hours smoking: cigarettes in billiard rooms. .' The lad- ' certainly.,; deserves .to .succeed. ' lt< is a .. pity> tliefe are not a great manjr more . like him. It would, bo a good thing for tho'Jierf Zealand turf if there were. Acceptances for the" first day's handi-' caps at the Woodville meeting and on- ■ tries for the. Maiden and Scurry races ■ closo on Thursday next at 8 p.m. • Friday'-next is acceptance day for the' Dunedin Cup meeting, which" opens at Wmgatui .on Wednesday, February 19. The Gisborne sportsman, Mr. J. Harding. who has-been on a business visit to ; Wellington, returns homo this corning, His ,mare Hirini recently died as. the' re- , su\t. of , n kick when running.in tho pad-, dock. She .was in foal to Multifid at the ~ time .of her, death. ' National -winner,. To Arai, is now feeing hacked about the loads at Gisborne, and, so far, he seena to bo pei- , fecljy sound. Continuance, who aiso , brought ' fame to Gisborne, has been o.' blistered on both front legs, which at , present .bear a very enlarged appearance, My Lady, a full-sister to Iney, who won .three races at Wfiiroa .and, two at the Poverty Bay'meeting, is described as tt very speedy mare, and likely to turn , out better than her relative.' -. - . Tho, record as to-the moft'successful three-yeftr-old'in Gormany.has b'eencstab- . lished by Gullivpr.ll, who has won .close upon .£12,000 for tho Graditz Stud, lower- ' ing tho colours of Faust, who in 1008 claimed .£10,815 for tho Messrs, Von Weinberg. • ■ ; > The sale of the American-bred youngsters took place prior to my return to . Sydney, and it struck mo that an averago Of 20-lgns. for a dozen was excellent ' "(says "Pilot," of the Sydney "Referee'.'). However,. things aro not always what • they seem, and it appears-that a few lots wero brought in, owing to the prices offered falling considerably short of Mr. Wheatcroit's valuation. Four of tho youngsters nro now in T. F. Scully's stable; and two of these—the Filigrane —Intermezzo and St. Savin—Topsy Over fillies—will bo raced by that trainer, on ■ bis own behalf, while ho will train the St. Savin—Obin filly for Mr. J. M'Master, •and the St. Savin—Miss Simplicity colt for Mr. Wheatcroft, who has determined upon sporting his colours on-Australian Tacecourses. Mr. 11. do Latour, with was tho principal winning owner at.the Poverty Bay Turf Club's meeting Inst week. 'At.tho annual meeting of tho Wood-! tlior.P'3 Hack Racing Club, held on Saturday, tho Cup was won by Hero (Turquoiso—No Name). . There,, were two . ilouble winners during the day, namely, Crocus (Mcrriwce— Daphne) and Grassmero (Merriweo— Merry. Kate). Mr. J. :Tracey rode threo winners. / Mr. H. Ghisford will net as judge nt the-annual meeting, of the Woipnkurau Jockey Club "oil Easter' Monday, Mr. J. 13. Henrys has been aopointed handicapp;r, and Mr. A.Wood starter. Overtime was shipped from Onehunga 'io N"iv Plymouth on Friday by tho Rarinvn,' iind will bo a competitor at the

Taranaki Jockcy Club's fixture next week. J. Conquest may pilot Overtimo.

J. E. Pike, who/is undoubtedly one of Australia's best horsemen, contentplates revisiting England. It will bo remembered that i'ilto went to the Old Country in'company with his employer, Mr. W. Kelso, in 1008. During hi 3 stay there he had 20 mounts for two wins, two second?, and four thirds. This year ho will, be at a disadvantage, for, as all tho leading stables havo already made their riding arrangements, his mounts will necessarily bo of tho chance' order.