NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1859, 19 September 1913, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[By Glencoe.]

To-night is general entry night for the. Napier and Dunedin spring mpetings. Mr. F. Hall, of Gisbonie, has now noil the Avondalo Stakes for two j'eara in succession. Last year Merry Roe ran away from the opposition, and fhis year her half-sister, by Marble Arch, scored a lucky win from Kitty licllairs, who was slow to begin. Tho Avondale Guineas (one mile) will be tho item of interest at the Avondale meeting to-morrow. Tho excellent showing of Merry Roe in the Cup will cause the filly to start a very strong favourite. Advices from Auckland indicate that Potoa was fortunate in defeating Tra-

ged.v King in the Henderson Handicap on Wednesday. Moravian's horse was ridden by an apprentice and bo allowed tlio favourito to get up 011 the rails in the last few strides.

Silver Chiso has gono wrong again, and will require a furthor spell. Mr. Jackson's iiorso was given a gallop at Ellerslio on Saturday, after which be pulled up lame.

Eggshell, by Kilcheran (imp.)—Seashell, won tlio Gnumballo l'lato at tlio Kalgoorlie meeting 011 September-4, and paid a remunerative price. Eggshell, who was bred by Mr. J. B. Reid, is a iivc-year-old half-sister to Sea lung, lung, and Savannah.

Ridiculous (lato Pert), by Martian— Clytie, has performed with a good deal of success since going to Australia, and at the Ascot (N.S.W.) meeting on September 6, she won tho Approved Stakes of 80 EOVS.

Tlio big field of twenty-seven runners in tho Maiden, at Avondalo on Wednesday, was evidently too many for the course, and a fall of throe horses took place, but only one rider was injured. This was C. Brown, who sustained a broken collarbone. Tho reduction in tho totalisator permits has made for bigger fields at nil meetings, and it becomes necessary to look into tho matter, and with a view to ascertaining whether it is not the duty of the conference to limit the size of tho fields. It is evident that the horses in the twenties of the draw for places can have littlo chinco of success as they must, of necessity, cover much more ground than those nearer tho rails. To guard against accidents a field of fifteen is enough in any race, and when tho acceptances number more, the events should bo run in divisions. The objection to divisions is that the macliino could not open on tho second division. Surely, however, this could bo overcome. [ Tho unbeaten English two-year-old The Tetrarch, who is described ks "tho most phenomenally fast two-year-old ever seen racing," cost his owner, Mr. D. M'Calmont, only 1300 guineas as a yearling. j