NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2341, 24 December 1914, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

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In connection with the Manawatu Racing Club's summer meeting, to he held at the Awapuni racecourse on December 26, 28, and 29, special train arrangements are announced. On Saturday nest, December 26, a special train will leave Wellington for Palmerston North, via the course at 7.10 a.m. This train picks up passengers at Ngaio, Khandallab, Johnsonvillo, Ota&i, Paromata, Plimmerton, Puekaka'riki, Otaki, Levin, and Longburn. A train leaves Paekakariki each day at 6.40 a.m., calling at all stations en route. The up and down New Plymouth, Napier, _ and Wanganui relief mail trains will stop at Awapuni to pick up or set down passengers. On Saturday excursion fares are not available by the New Plymouth mail train.

Mr. J. F. Hartland, secretary of tho Auckland Racing Club, notifies by advertisement (that no person who has at any time since the passing of tho Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment. Act, 1905, followed the occupation of book, maker or bookmaker's clerk, no disqualified or undesirable peraon will bo admitted to tho Ellershe racecourse, during the summer'meeting, and ifanyshch person is found on the course ho will bo removed theTefrom and prosecuted for trespass.

Wellington racegoers, who intend to be present at the Taratahi-Carterton Eacing Club's meeting on Boxing Day, should find the railway arrangements satisfactory. Special trains will leave Lambkin Station at 6.10 a.m. and 8.30 a.m., stopping where required to pick up passengers, and arriving at Clareville at 9.1-1 a.m. and 10.-20 a.m. respectively. On the return journey trainß will leave Carterton for the city at 5.6 and 6.30 p.m.

Local sportsmen will be catered for at. Awapuni and Taratahi on Boxing Day. Special train services have been arranged for at each meeting, and a large crowd will no doubt patronise both gatherings. The light-weight horseman, W. Bell, has be«n engaged to steer Byron in the Afanawatu Cup. Sir' Geo. Clifford's sole representative at the Dunedin Meeting will be that smart two-year-old Holiday.

Advices from Ricoarfcon 6tate that Autumnus is doing very little work on the tracks, and he is unlikely to be seen out again until the C.J.C. Easter Meeting. It is reported from the north that Astov has been sold, and is now owned by ■a Wanganni sportsman, in whose colours he will race at New Plymouth-on Saturday and Monday.

Meltchikoff, a cast-off of R. J. Mason's stables, is a greatly improved horse, and he may start favourite in the Trial Stakes at Dunedin. He is now a member of \V. M'Donald's Ricoarton team.

Hatana is an unlikely starter in the Hurdles at Wingatui on Boxing Day. This may cause Beacon to start favourite. Parable, who won a double at Ashburton in tho spring, will be a runner and will be ridden by H. Cokor.

The Otaki trainer, N. Williams, is taking no fewer than eight horses rto the Awapuni Meeting, while P. Higgott will have six. C. Carmont, of Lovin, will have three at Awapuni, and Ludify goe« to Taratahi. Prom Trentham J. Lowe has gone to Awapnni with eight horses, and J. Ayers has taken 'three. J. Cress, H. Telford, and A. Crawford have each got one horse running during the holidays.

Secretary W. J. Stratton, of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club, was on a business visit to Wellington early this week. He anticipates a record meeting on New Year's Day, when the fields will be vary largo.

As Quarantine has not put in an appearance at Awapuni it looks as if he will bo missing from the Manawatu Cup field.

J. W. Soott intended racing Merry Guy over fences at the Stratford Meeting, but though he forwarded his entry iu plenty of time the letter, by some means, went astray, and was'not received by the Stratford secretary.

J. Deerey will bo on Fashion Plate in the Grafton Hurdles at Ellerslie. Tho big fences there may not suit the bay mare, who has been schooling vory badly of late.

The Trontham-trained Mowbray was operated on>for throat.troubles on Tuesday. Should the operation turn out a success his now owner would quickly get back his purchase money, fqr Mowbray at his best was a sprinter of no .mean order. "Comet," of the "Southland News," is responsible for the following:—lt is rumoured that both of the governing bodies of racing, the New Zealand. Racing Conference and Trotting Association, are prosecuting inquiries into alleged irregularities of two owners in Southland. FIXTUHES. Dec. 26-Taratahi-Carterton B.C. Annual. Deo. 26 and 28—Dunedin J.C, Summer. Deo. 2G and 28—Taranaki J.C. Christmas. Dec. 26 and 28-Keefton J.O. Midßumnier. Deo. 26 and 28—Thames J.C. Summer. Dec. 26 and 29, and Jan. 1 and 2—Auckland B.C. Summer. Dec. 26, 28, and 29—Manawatu E.O, Summer. Deo, 31 and Jan. I—Greymouth J.C. Midsummer. Jan. 1 and 2.—Wairarapa B.C. Summer, Jan. 1 and 2.—Marion J.O. Summer. '■