NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1912, 21 November 1913, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[By Qlincoe.]' Nominations for. tho Wooovillo, Taranaki, and Dunedin meetings close .tonight. In ' connection with tho Tarahaki Jockey Club's Christmas meeting, owners aro reminded tliat nominations for all handicap events close at 9 o'clock to-night with the club's secretary, Mr; E. P. Webster, New Plymouth. Secretary E. Goodbehero, of the Feilding Jockey Club, has a. reminder to owners in this issue, stating that acceptances are due this ..evening;. also final payments for the Feilding Stakes. A special feature in connection/with tlie two-year-olds racing at the recent C.J.C. meeting was the success of stock, sired by imported sires. Nine different two-year-olds, representing eight sires, were placed during the meeting, and; tho only colonial horse in tho list was Uoyal Fusilier (the siro of Brocade). Martian was tho most successful siro represented at the meeting. He had seven wins to his credit, including five of tho leading events on the programme. While at Christcliurch -for the Now Zealand Cup meeting, Mr. C. Tricklebank purchased the Martian—Hebrew Maid filly. The youngster is a :: full sister to Thrax. She is a-lopse-limbed sort;'and seems likely'to-turn out a galloper. At present, the filly has hcou left at Kiccarton.'along.with the hurdle horse Bravest,-who is to race at Timaru next week. ■"■,'..' -..,'"'. ■,• ''.' That good performer, Berapoon lias now won Upwards of £11,700 in stakos, and thercforo. takes rank next after Piastre, whoso total is £12,468 for seven winsj in tho list of'notable Australian-, winners. Carbine heads the list with £20,470 in stako earnings. . Bcragoon is now enjoying a spell, and will not be raced: again until tho autumn. -• Tho cabled announcement that Frank and Stanley Wootton will not do any more race riding after this season will not surpriso anyone who knows how heavy those jockeys became of late months. As a matter of fact, Stanley Wootton practically retired long since, while it was only by almost continuously in Turkish baths that Frank AVootton was able to accept even picked mounts. Of all the big riders in England this season, Frank Wootton had had fewest opportunities up to last month. He had only ridden in 273 races, whereas A. Whalley had had 445 mounts, S. Donohoo 443, E. Wheatley 357, and D. Mahcr 318. Hut the lecords. show that Frank Wootton has not lost any of his cleverness in the saddle, and his percentage of wins— 28.93 —was the best. Tho brothers Woot-. ton will pay Sydney a visit aL the beginnig of next year, and then return to England to ultimately take over Ticadwell House and stables, the residence of Mr. 11. Wootton. Frank Wootton commenced riding in England in 1006, and since then lie has won nearly every race of note with the exception of tho Derby. Tho .hurdle jockey, 11. Coker, passed through horc last week on his way to Hastings to take charge of tho jumper Metric Valet. The Mcrriweo gelding has been purchased by «• South Island owner, and tho price Is stated U> bo^

100 guineas. At this figure lie should bo a bargain, and, well placed, ho should win plenty of races in the south. Backers had all the best of matters at tlio Blenheim meeting. On the first i day seven favourites scored. The. Melbourne Ciw won by Posinatus was tho 53rd of the line, and the stakes distributed in connection with those races totalled £230,973. Tho smallest Cup so far as tho prize money was concerned was that of 1863, which Ban. kcr won. The total value of the- stake was £510, and Banker's owner took £400. In Carbine's year—lß9o— the stako reached its highest point—£lß,230, and tho winner's share was £10,230. Tho tlircc following years were also fat ones. Malvolio's owner took £10,» 124 out of £13,124, and Glcnksth's £9907 out of £12,909, while the next biggest Cup was Tarcaola's. The total in Tarcoola's time was £10,150, and the winner got £7150. Iu 1836 tho aggregate value of the stako fell to £4148. A prominent pcnciller stated yestor* day that backers with liabilities over tho Now Zealand Cup were slow in putting in an appearance. This' rather suggests that many of them had a losing meeting. Sartovna, who got on tho winning list at tho Blenheim meeting yesterday, is a half-sister to, and rung' in the same interest as did Khamsin, who won just on £1000 for "Mr. Lam«>'"\Vood" two seasons ago. Tho owner of the filly was unable, through pressure of business, to visit tho Marlborough mooting to seo his colours carried successfully, Mr. A. M. Samuel; owner of Semaphore, has decided to try 'Vm oh-estiuit maro over fences. The daughter of Signalriiau is a rather unruly customer, and a 'course of jumping may steady her. . The bay horse St. Folix changed hands recently, and is now doing stud, duty in tho Porirua and Pa'hautanui districts. Such a well-bred horso should not lack patronage. He has a doublo cross of the Musket—St. Simon blond, and this is a line much in favour with breeders. A notice in this week's .Gazette states that in pursuance and exercise of the . power conferred upon him by Section 11 of the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, his Excellency the Governor has prescribed that tli© limitation of the amount of in-terest-bearing deposits in tho Post Office Savings Bank, as fised by tho said Section IT, shall not apply to certain deposits' of the Now Zealand Racing Conference (in respect of deposits of tho Apprentice Jockeys' Fund), provided that a copy of the regvilatiofts of such body, and' of every amendment thereof, shall bo forwarded to the PostmasterGeneral as soon as possible after the making thereof,- together with the names and addresses of the trustees and other officers for tho time being in office, i : ;■'"-.■'■-