NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1698, 14 March 1913, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[BY GLENCOK.]

The Napier Park Racing Club's meeting will bo concluded to-day. Nominations for tho Wellington Club's autumn meeting close at 9 o'clock tonight with the club's secretary, Hi'. A. E. Whyto. Owners are reminded that acceptances for the first day's events at the Wairarapa Racing Club's meeting close to-night with the-club's secretary, Mr. E. A. Laery, Featherston. By his success in the Flying Handicap at Invereargill, Obsono has„inourred a 51b. penalty in connection with the Great Easter Handicap at Iticcarton. Cheddar's victory in the Napier Cup menns tlmt he will have to shoulder a penalty in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton, and also iu the Great Autumn Handicap. In connection with (he trouble that occurred over tho running of the Kssendon Stakes, at l'lemington, it appears that though A. Shanahan was sn.-pended for three months, ami later At. (.'oiinoll was liued «ClO, the information officially supplied the Melbourne Dress evidently, did

not go beyond the bare announcement of the punialiment meted out to the riders named. "Terlinga," however, says that after- the Essendun Stakes, M'i.achlan (Almissa) and K. Lewis (Eudorus) had high words with Council, the rider of Piastre, in the jockeys' room; and then continues; "From pretty good sources I gathered on Tuesday tljat -Almissa, Euciorus, aud Cudonia were all pretty badly dealt with in the Estendon Slakes, ami that the scrimmage arose through the rider of Ofl'a mistaking what Council said to him in the race. Council told j'jhaualiau to pull in. Instead of pulling in Shanahau pulled out, and took I'iastro out. On realising his mistake, ho nulled iu, and came on top of Eudorus, Almissa, and Cadonia, who had made for the opening which Oifa and Piastre had left. Under the circumstances, it is not surprising that Lewis aud M'Lachlaii made a few remarks to Council when they got into their room after the race. Almissa was the worst sufferer by the bumping. The majority, of course, did not know what had happened, and Piastre became a hot favourite for the Australian Cup, while Almissa drifted out." The crack "pony" jockcy J. Killorn gained his first victory at Flemington on l)iabolu in the Autumn Handicap on March G. lie subsequently won the concluding event, River Handicap, on Loch Amos. Killorn was. loudly cheered on returning to scale alter each of his winning rides. It is seldom that a horse lias started over a mile and a quarter c-ourso on the flat in New Zealand with such a weight as Soldiers' Chorus carried 011 Wednesday in the Southland Cup. Therefore, although the son of Martian did not earil a prize his performance is a notable one. Gapon is engaged in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton, and as a ie.-ult of his victory in the big race at Invercargill yesterday will have to carry a penalty, . but oc.'en then, however, he will be one of the .light-weight division. ICaween (Spalpeen—Waimangti) has recently" been well supported to' win the Easter Handicap at tlie Ellerslie meeting. G. Prico did not go to the Napier Park meeting. Two members of his team— Bertrada and Lockwood—were nent iu charge of A. Oliver. . Price' goes south next week, but so far it lss not been stated what horses he interftfe to take to Riccarton with Bronze. Coroniform lias .not been entered for the Sockburn Handicap, to lie run at Eiccarton on Easter Monday, bo presumably lie will be a starter in the Great Easter Handicap. It is understood that his party do' not favour his chance in that event so much as in the Great Autumn Handicap, to be run on the second day. In the latter event they consider his chance second to none. . Those who remember Culprit's very fine | performance in the Summer Handicap at 1 the last Trentham meeting, consider the Charlemagne 11. filly has been' given a great chance in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton. .Reports from Awapuni state that Sanguinary is going well on the tracks in view of Easter engagements. . Messrs. 11. Cranny and W. M'Dougall, two well-known members of the Sydney Tattersall's, complete their holiday tour of the Dominion to-day, and leave for Sydney by the Manuka. Also a passenger by the same steamer will bo Mr. \V. Scott, another member of Tattersall's, who is leaving Wellington to settle permanently in Sydney. Of recent years backers have not been particularly successful in their efforts to select the winner of the first leg of tho Doncaster and Cup (says a Sydney exchange). Wakeful, in 1901, was the last favourite to win the mile race, aud since then 110 fewer than seven absolute'favourites have missed a place. In another instance, North Head, who shared favouritism with Wandin, ran nowhere, the latter.filling second place on that occasion. Backers have not found the Sydney Cup quite such a puzzle as the Doncaster Handicap, as.since/.-Wakeful -won the firstmentioned race in 1902, two other first favourites in Dyed Garments Trafalgar have been successful.. iTlie/'booksVhave -also'had their tnfn< during' ; that" period,-110 greater outsider than Moorilla ever having accounted for the race since its inception.. •'"' . .-FIXTURES. March 17— Opunake R.C. Annual. ilarch 22 and 24—Auckland R.C. Autumn. ! March 22 and 24-W.airarapa R.C. Autumn. March 22, 24, and 28—Australian J.C. ..Autumn. March 21-Waipukurau J.C. Annual. March 24 and 25-Canterbury J.C. Autumn. March 24 and 25-Feilding J.C. Easter. . March 24 aiid'2s-Rrvcrtonß.C. Annual. March 2G—Westland R.C. Autumn. April 2—Reefton J.C: Autumn. April 2 and s—Wellington R.C. Autumn. April 9 and 10—Manawatn R.C. Autumn. April 1G and 17-Kawke's Bay J.C. Autumn.