NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2254, 14 September 1914, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

, [Br GLENCOE.] % The Avondale Jockey Club's Spring Meeting, which opens on Wednesday, is the attraction for sportsmen this week. On tho opening day the principal events are the Avondale Stakes for two-year-olds, which is the first juvenile race of the season, and the Avondale Cup, one mile and a quarter. At the Amberley meeting on August 29, Forest Belle made a very promising debut over hurdles, by finishing third in her first attempt in a jumping race. At Ashburton on Thursday, in tho First Hurdle Handicap, she came to grief at the first fence, and brought Hatana down at the same time. Instead, of jumping the hurdle, Forest Belle swerved to the inside of the track, and attempted to jump tho course railings. She got her forelegs across, and was hung up for a few seconds, but fortunately the rail broke, and she got clear with no worse ,injury than a few scratches. Luckily, both jockeys, H. Lorigan and W. Emerson, escaped unhurt. Forest Belle got round rafcly on the second day, and finished just behind the placed division. Samiel and Don Francisco, the winners respectively of the Braemar Welter Handicap and the Hack Handicap at Ashburton on Thursday,, were making their first public appearances. Samiel is a three-year-old gelding by tho Ajrshirc horse Downslnre from Ha'mattan, by Stepniak—Brisa, by . St. Clair—Mistral, by Gorton—Lady Gertrude, by Cadogan—No Name, by Traducer. Don Francisco is by San Franciscd.from the Trenton mare Madowla, and is therefore half-brother to Quarryman, Glenowlet, Kirriemuir, Madam Madcap, and Masterpiece. Though tho cable does not mention it, there is every probability that the exAustralian W. Huxley, formerly an apprentice of R. Wootton, rode Black .Tester in the St. Leger Stakes last Wednesday, as this season he has been doing nearly all of Mr. J. B. Joel's nd-' ing. . B. Deeley is to ride Soultane in the •Maiden Plate, Mullingar in the Cup, and Monathol in the .Maiden Welter on the opening day at Avondale. The following visiting jockeyß will be at thej Avondale meeting: A. Oliver R, Emerson, W. Bell, W. Ryan, L. Wilson, F. M'Cabe, L. Traill, and J. I)eerey. 1 On _ the conclusion of the Fairfield Handicap at the Ashburton meeting the Judicial Committee investigated a complaint against A. Reed, tho rider of Waitara, for interfering with Purseform. As a result Reed was fined £5, and was cautioned for careless riding. Probably the most impressive, performance registered at the Ashburton meeting was First.Flight's hollow victory in the Tinwald Handicap. In each of his essays last season the s-on of San Francisco and Fleetfoot showed most promising form, but generally managed to spoil his prospects hv a reluctance to face the barrier. After racing in the Great Northern Foal Stakes he went wrong in one of his kncea which caused his retirement for the rest of the season. Should he keep sound the Chokebore three-year-old looks to have Derby prospects second to none, for there can be no question as to his.brilliancy, and everything points to him developing stamina. Woorak, Mountain Knight, and Ravello, whofilled tho places in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, are all engaged in the A.J.C. Derby, to be run on October 3. Woorak's form last season suggested that, although he was possessed of exceptional brilliance, lie might not develop tlie staying power necessary to win a Derby. His recent track work has, 'however, been of a character to . surprise the critics, and his ■win at Randwick on Saturday is certain to result in his being established a firm favourite for the Derby. Tlie imported horse St. Spasa, who won the Spring Handicap at Tattersall's Sydney Meeting, is_ engaged m the Epsome and Metropolitan Handicaps, and the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Firm and Pongo, who filled the places, also figure in some of the big spring handicaps.