NOTES AND .COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1782, 21 June 1913, Page 7

NOTES AND .COMMENTS.

U3T QiiHNCOB.I The Napier Park Racing Club's winter 'taeeting takes place 011 Wednesday and Thursday next. Acceptances for the first day's events close to-night. _ Weights for the first day's events at the (Wellington Racing Club's winter meeting will be declared on Friday next; The nominations received by the clilbi last tight wero a record in every way, totalling fourteen moro than those for last year's fixture. No fewer than thirty-sii have been entered for the Wellington Steeplechase, whilo for the July. Steeplechase there is a splendid entry of 45. . Acceptances for the first day's events |at the Gisborne Racing Clilb'3 meeting iclose next Friday. Gay Lawless may yet go to Sydney, fiince her passage was cancelled last week, C. Pritchard received a further cablegram to send her on, but ho is waiting Blotter to confirm this. Osborne, who trail's The Guller, winner of the Chester Cup in May, can certainly look back further than most people, as he was born as long ago as 1833, and has thus lived in four reigns. No fewer than 61 years ago he had his first mount in the Chester Cup, and his subsequent career in the saddle was brimful of interest. Wearing the famdus Zetland spots, he rode Vedette to victory in the Two Thousand Guineas nearly sixty years ago, and he afterwards won tho same raco no fewer than five times—on Bothwell, Princo Charlie, Pretender, Camballo, and Ayrshire; whilst he scored a victory in the Derby 'on'PeTO Gomez in 1869. Osborne is still wonderfully hale and hearty, rind he has for maty feat's trained at Middleham, in Yorkshire. Ho was overcome with delight when The Guller passed the post first, and (says ah English writer) it did one good to see winners and losers join, in congratulating the .veteran on his success. Tho ex-New Zealand jockey, C, O'Neill* is back in Tasmania again, and at the •Newriham raccs on June 9 ho rode the winner of the jumping event. Prince Palatine has now won his second Gold Cup, and has conclusively proved his superiority to Stcdfast .and Aleppo. Both tho two last-named scored victories over the Prince last season on occasions whou ho was not at his best, but fit and well ho would always beat either of them. Seldom has the Ascot Gold Cup been won twice by any hora>. Tho Whito Knight end IsxViomy aro two horses who accomplished the feat performed by Prince Palatine. The special commissioner of the London ''Sportsman" has been bringing Tip to date tho rpcordu of tho diffeteut families as sixes of classic winners. The Tesult ehowa

that Bruco Lowe's five sire families ocoupy places in tho first 6Gv©h, and that No. 3, with 80 winners, is well ahead of all others. "It is a little curious that No. G, though quite fallen from its high estate as regards tunning merit, holds its own place exactly as a producer of sire? (says the special commissioner), Families ('t) and (5) aro comparative failures m this respect, but 13, 19, and 10 are all higher than in their running order. Most people would have expected to see No. IB well up, but it is not so, arid here, perhaps, we may trace some reason for the otherwise unaccountable failures of Desmond's stock in classic races. To have sired no more than seven winners in all these years is certainly a poor record for a distinguished family, but there might have been a much better result had Ormonde retained his potency and passed his life in this country. Having sired Orme and Goldfinch in his first eeason, he clearly had it in liim to havo given us classio winners of tho very best." _ , Many peoplo were wondering vrhv it was that Craganour could liavo fulfilled his Derby engagement after the death of his breeder, Sir Tatton Sykes. It appears, however, that for some years horses for whom liabilities have been taken for Sledmere-bred youngsters have been ©ntered in the name of Mr. H. Cholinondeley, a grandson of Sir .Tatton, and joint owner, so that the entries did not become void. 1

In spite of hostile legislation, American sportsmen do no.t intend to let the thoroughbred die out in their 'country without an effort. A cablegram to the Neir York Herald" states that with a view to repairing the great loss resulting from the exportation in recent years of famous thoroughbreds and tho dispersal of tho great breeding establishments, some prominent sportsmen have founded what is called a "replenishment subscription" for the purpose of purchasing yearlings in England and France. There are twenty-five cohtributora £d far. Mr. August Belmont announoes that twenty-five more are. Oxpected bef<n*e a committee of expttfte leaves to attond the July sales at Newmarket. An interesting iteiil of iiem) by the English mail id tthat Sceptre had foaled a colt by Cicerd This is her first colt, all her earlier five foals having been fillies; The yearling filly is also by Cicero, and it may almost bo said that Sceptre has already ireturned, her purchase money to Messrs. Tattersall. These yoiihgstort by Cioert out of her are almost Certain to be a great improvement on her earlier foals, for tho earlier foals commenced coming froih thfl first year of her paddock life, which followed on an exceptionally hafd racing career, and sha had a foal each year for four seasons. Then she ivas providentially barren for two years before producing hflr filly by Cicero. This year Sceptre ia to bo mated with Swynford.

When Hornet's Beailty woii thfe. Stewards' Handicap at the Keniptoh Park Jilbilee mee,tihg in England last month, the race wits marred by a nilfoftth-. ate incident. Bonnie Bird; before getting down to tlie starting post, bolted, and did such a long, gallop that Robinson, jvho trainS her, obtained .leave'from the stewards to have her iiiiinber taken down, provided hei could communicate with Mr. Coventry .before tHe filly came under his bfders. No#, in the absence of telephonic communication, this was manifestly impossible, as even had a mounted messenger been available it is doubtful if he could have reached the five-fiirlons starting poM; before the Ally- had fjot there, and the white flag had been hoisted. As it happened, there Was a long delay,, and the messenger reached tho start in time to tell Bonnie Bird's jockey that he was not to 'take part in the race, and No. 21 was taken out of the frame. At the same time, she is considered to have been a starter, and the 'money for which she was backed will have to bo paid.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. "Wager," Johnsonville.—According to New Zealand time, Birkenhead is sixteen now and will be seventeen on August 1.