NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1681, 22 February 1913, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[By Giencoh.] The hurdle horseman, T. Pritchard, is still in the Mastcrton Hospital, and has undergone another, operation, in which it was nccessary to a rain break his leg. The many friends of tho horesmnn named will l)o pleased (o hear that at last hopes arc entertained that tho operation has this time been successful. l'pff. winner of tho Publicans' Ilnndicnp at Dunedin, has been successful in her last five starts. Tho South African jockey, 0. Childs, made his first appearance in the saddle in this country at tlio Woodvillo meeting, and acquitted,himself well. Tho opinion [ wns-.generally entertained that he will hold his own with tho local 'horsemen, and,'&s ho can go to soalo at-.a very light weight, ho should be assured of plenty of riding. ... The Trentham owner-trainer, W. Davics, who is shortly contemplating a trip to Australia with Sonitc, has placed several of his brood marcs under oner to a wellknown Victorian breeder. ' J. M. Cameron left Wellington for Sydney by tho'Moyaki last evening. His team of horses eousisted of St. Elmn, Sir liothe,' Merry Lad, Seatondale, and Golden Glade, a winner of two Scurry 'events at the . last Gisbomo rficeting. F. Creas has gone across to rido the jumpers, and E. Lowe will follow after tho Dannevirko meeting to steer the flat performers. It is never Safo to prophesy, but there is every appearance of Cameron having a successful trip, for, in- tho pa.'rt, when* he has gone over with horses not as'good as the present lot, he has always managed to win several races; Ho will probably return to New Zealand in time for the Wanganni Steeplechase . meeting in May, where Woollooinooloo is to run, and will then go on to . the Great' Northern fixture. If tho bay horse, survives thess two meetings, he is to be' sent across to Sydney to join tho other members of the team. There is every probability of Manitau shortly joining a well-known Awapuni stable. ■ * ' "Advices have been received., from Melbourne stating.'tliat the hurdle horseman, "Joe" O'Comioll, is meeting-with plenty, of support from owners, and that lie has decided to settle there permanently. ' . ft. Gray, of Hastings, has gonk to Invercargill to rido tho jumpers in P. T. Hogan's stubles at the Southland meeting next, month. . ■' . Sombrero Again suffered defeat when ■opposed to Soldiers'* Chorus on Thursday. ■It ; will he interesting 'to nolo how the Australian-bred 1 horse will perform when Soldiers' Chorus is missing from the Jockey Club Handicap this afternoon. He has a sort of habit' of registering • good performances when not onposed to Soldiers'. Chorus. Some little ago tho opinion was ventured in these columns that Sombrero was' not entitled to rank as the equal of Soldiers' Chorus, tho form in the Invercargili Cup hiing cited as ground for such. 6pimon. The following week the Dunedin writer, "Sentinel," penned the following:— , ■ Some of -the northern critics cast doubt on (ho possibility of Sombrero being as good as Soldiers' Chorus. . They are not aware that Sombrero's , rider broke a leather when he~finish- . ed-behind Soldiers' Chorus in the In- . vercargill Cup. There is reason to believe that Sombrero improved after that race. At Gore he gave Parable . 81)). and a stone beating. Parable ran a fair, fourth in the Midsummer under Sst. 711)., and if 221b. is placed •' oh lop of .that it will show that there , cani|ot bo much,of a margin between : the,- . form :, exhibited by Soldiers' , ;.,.,Qh6r,is ; <ind, Sombrero. Some' people ' will not accept a horse as any good . until it is-proved; beyond the shadow of a'doubt. No doubt "Sentinel" ' was • present al Wingatui on Thursday, and in all probability ho will be prepared to sdmit that there certainly is some doubt as to tho possibility, of Sombrero bailiff as good as • Soldiers' Chorus.,lt is.not.here suggested, however,■ that! Sombrero. is no good. l At tho annual' meeting of members of ' tho Newcastle' Jockey Club .held ,thjs • -months the.':fyuostidri. : of the increase r 'of 1 ' racing clubs in New' South Wales'was • brought forward by D. Doyle,, y/ho said : racing increased' out of proportion to the population.Ho„ thought, the N.J.C., which was thc -'premier club of the -dis-' . trict, hold up tho standard,• •of ' clwin ,racing, aiid not too much racing, and lie'asked the meeting to pass a reso- , lutio'n of protest and send' it to the At-' , tovney-General and, the A.J.C. He moved [ to. that eff6c.lv explaining that lie did not [ wish any date* to he taken off,-but that no hioro should bo granted. While somo . of tho speakers agreed that there was toe ~ much racing, members generally did not | fancy tho, rota of interfering with other cliibsi and communities. Tho resolution was lost by a large majority. ; .; The Soult mare; Antoinette, was ehipv .petr from' Auckland to" Sydney on Monday ■. fasti.l ! v. .' , ;■-Maxwell,'Winner of ; the South 'Auckland 1 I Cup at' Hamilton yesterday, competed at i : tho New' Plymouth meeting last week, " and was detained there for several days ■ after tlw racing. "In company with Gold- > size, he returned to Ellerslic on Wedues- ■ day ■ morning,' and as railed south to > Hamilton on. tho following day. . Tiresome'' and. Allegation have arrived . at Wangnnui to fulfil engagements at the '. autumn meeting on Thursday and- Satur- ; day next. W. Bell will ride Tiresome in ' the' Wanganni Cup on Thursday". 1 Tho Victoria Amateur Turf Club's meett irig will 150. concluded at Caulfield this afternoon, when tho Futurity Stakes will _ be decided., In spito of past failures, the imported horso Endorus is likely to bo ' heavily supported'in this,event. , Mr. Pollock'has declared tlio following re-handicapManawatu Trotting Ilandicap, two milos—Lucy Wallace, 25see. start. . • , ,

. FIXTURES. ; Feb. 22—Dunedin 7.C. Autumn. ;Feb. 22—Thames J.C. Annuitl. • Feb. 27 and March I—Wanganui J.C. Autumn. ■March 12- and; IS—Nelson J.C.- Annual.