NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2388, 18 February 1915, Page 3

NOTES AND COMMENTS

TBy QlEncoe.] Tlie Woodville meeting wil be coacluded to-day, and tho Duuedin meeting will bo advanced a further stage. iiartyress, win nor of the Maiden Plaita at Woudville yesterday, is by Uymettus rami Martyrium, and is owned by Air. li. Gaisford, of Oringi. Sho was purchased at the Karamu dispersal sale somo twelve months ago, aud is the first horse to carry tile D<uinevirko sportsman's colours to victory for a long time. Mr. Gaisford bought several other lots at the same sale, but 60 far none of them have sooied.

Waratep's victory in the Dunedin Cup yesterday is a record from a weight-carry-ing point, of view, and it is certainly the best performance she has put. up to date. She will be seen out again to-day in the Hazlebt Memorial Stakes, a weight-for-age event of seven furlongs, and though sho has a stone penalty this will not prevent the public from making her a hot order. The daughter of Martian is entitled .to rank with the best mares that have raced in the Dominion. H. Ellis, for many years a prominent trainer at Wingatui, is now working his team on the beach at New Brighton. 'I'he ex-hack Toa Tere is • expected to arrive in Wellington ito-night, and will lie shipped to Melbourne to-morrow. He will join Lord Multifid at Caulfield. The generous action of the Canterbury Jockey Club in devoting the net totalisator commission on the Sockburn Handi-. cap at its Easter Meeting to the Belgian Fund, is one that will meet with tho approval of all sportsmen. Such an excellent example might well be followed by all racing and trotting clubs throughout the Dominion.

The Sir.Laddo horse Sir Knox is going along in quite his old stylo at Opalri, and appears to have thrown oil all trace of the trouble which affected him just prior to the Wellington Summer Meeting. He will be seer, in action at the Masterton and Wellington Autumn Meetings.

The Victoria Racing Club's Autumn Meeting will open -on Saturday next, when tho Newmarket Handicap, St. Leger, and Essendon Stakes will be decided. Woorak is a firm favourite for the big six-furlongs event. Included in tho runners for tho St. Leger is the A.J.C. Derby winner, Mountain Knight, and the V.R.C. Derby and' Oaks winner, Carlita. The meeting between the pair will excite a great deal of interest. The Essendon Stakes is a weight-for-age event, run over 12 furlongs. Included in the runners are the New Zraland horses Di Gama, Bon Ton, and Mconbria. The field also includes the impoited horse, Land of Song,who accounted for Mountain Knight in the St. Leger Stakes, nine furlongs, at Cauliield on Saturday, and Wishing Cap, who is one of the prime fancies for the Australian Cup. Di Gama may have a pull over Land of Song on the score of condition. Tlu Sires' Produce Stakes also comes up ■for decision on Saturday. Mr. E. E. D. Clarke has the two fillies Two and Lesbos to carry his colours.

"When tho last mail left Sydney Di Gama was the fancy for the Australian Cup, and strange .to say the Americanbred Lempriere, who has won four races on ond, including the Bond Cup, ono mile and a half, was not mentioned. His weight in the big event is 6st, lllb., but he will have to carry a penalty of 71b. With a view to making room for the English purchases, it ia "Mr. Highden's" intention to get rid of some of the horses

"lie" now owns, and with that object four two-year-olds, a three-year-old, and a brood man are to be sent to Eandwick for sale. The two-year-olds represent Elevation and Achilles.

At the Williamstown meeting early this month, Honorine, ithe full sister to Anna Carlovna, was made favourite in a field of nine for the Welter Plate, and ridden by J. Killorn she duly won. J. N. M'Gregor has been relicensed by the V.R.C., after an absence of many months- from tho saddle, caused by a badly-broken leg. It is estimated that the average life of a horse in the firing line in France or Belgium is ten days. Of course, a horse is a'fairly big "target, licnce tho big loss, but it al6o shows what a big drain the war will prove on the world's supply of horses. A Sydney paper says that W. H. M'Lachlan is to ride Moonbria in the Australian Cup, but that ho would far rather ride Di Gama. M'Lachlan holds a retainer from Mr. E. J. Watt, who owns Moonbria. According to a Brisbane exchange. E. Lowe is leaving that city for Melbourne in order to ride Sir Solo in his Flc-min;;-toii engagements. Sir Solo has been something of a "boom" since he ran fairly for-

ward in the last Melbourne Cup, but he has yet to win a race in Australia. Referring to jumping raccs in England, a London exchange of a few weeks back mrarkc-d: "Voung as is the season, wo have seen a lot of very suspicious riding, followed within a few days by an improvement of form nothing shont of startling, and paradoxical as it seema to venture tho opinion, we liavo known horses actually to win where defeat would palpably have been more oonsistont with, intention." Seemingly capable Stipendiary stewards are badlv needed at English jumping meetings. " FIXTURES. Feb. 17 and 18—Woodville District J.C. Autumn. Feb. 17, 18, and 20—Dunedin J.C. Autumn Feb. 19 and 20—South Auckland R.O. Annual. Feb. 25 and 27—Wangantii J.C. Autumn. March 3 and 4 —Daunevirke B.C. Autumn. March 10 and 11—Nelson J.C. Annual.. March 12 and 13-Napier Park B.C. Autumn. March 17—Opunalco R.C. Annual. March 18 and 19—Masterton R.C. Autumn March 24 and 25—Rangitikei B.C. Annual.