NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2454, 6 May 1915, Page 3

NOTES AND COMMENTS

TBy GlEncoe.]

The Marlborough Meeting will be concluded at Blenheim to-day. Reports from ■ Hastings state that Cervulus has been sold, and will in future race in a South Island owner's colours. llr. F. Armstrong, of Dannevirke, who is at present on a business visit 'to Wellington, has received a cablegram from G. Price, who is in England buying blood horses, that he has purchased a two-year-old filly for him. Ruapara, v/no scored in the Opawa Welter at Blenheim, was bred in the district, but lately he has been trained at Awammi. He is a seven-year-old gelding by Sensation, and has won several races at the Marlborough and Nelson Meetings. The report of the Racing Permits Commission seems to have given general satisfaction. Most sportsmen reckoned tho Ashhurst, Pahiatua, Horowhenua, and Waipawa Clubs would be reinstated, but there was a difference of opinion as to where the other permits would go.

B.' Deeley was suffering from a bad cold, which appears to liave developed into pneumonia, when he was leaving Wellington for the Blenheim Meeting, and yesterday he was unable to fulfil his riding, engagements. The Napier owner, Mr. P. P. Neagle, hRd a day out at Blenheim yesterday, when his horses Diavolo and Evadne appropriated the two principal handicaps. A. Goodman, of Trenthain, took Rene, Hap Dha, and Multoe to the Blenheim Meeting, and the trio each filled second place yesterday. Mr. T. H. Lowry's filly Desert Gold has started in twelve races this season, and has never been out of a place. She has won Ji374fl in 6take6, which is a record for a two-year-old in New Zealand, the previous best total being .£3070, won by Autumnus. E. J. Mason is giving Empcrador a spoil in the paddock, and it looks as, if he Ihas finished racing for the season, though he claims engagements at Wangalrui this month. His stable companions, Bimeter and Banksia, are still being kent ill strong work, and they are evidently required for winter racing. The Ashburlon Meeting opens Jo-day.. Good fields are engaged in the different events, and the racing' should be brimful of interest. Uu a dump track Cluysotis

would be favourite in the Cup, in which she ihas the handy weight of 7st, 101b. Optician, 9st. 21b., is nicely in the Hurdles, in ivhich the class is not strong. Fabrikoff is engaged in both the Welter and Open six furlongs, but he is to start in the former ovent, and will be ridden by J. Pine, who was successful on him at Riccarton. Glenowl, who has been doing well on tho Riccarton tracks, is to be ridden by Emerson, and will take a lot of beating. The distance will suit the old gelding well, and outside of the top-weight they are not a good lo't ongaged. Dinner Gong has done a lot of travelling and racing lately, but she seems to thrive on it. At Hastings and Awapuni she was very unlucky, but if she, leaves tho mark on anything like terms with her field the Grove Farm Handicap, six furlongs, should easily fall to her bid.

Mr. John Murray, the chief secretary, has taken several opportunities of saying that he thinks racing in Victoria is overdone, but so far (says "Terlinga" in the "Australasian") there is no sign of any attempt being made to limit fixtures, and we question if any good would come of Parliamentary interference in the matter. How is pruning to be effected? It' is not so very long smco Parliament dealt with dates, and gave Mr, John. Wren 48 days for his unregistered meetings. Would a majority of members cut down Mr. Wren's supplies? We think not. No legislator seemed to mind Mr. Wren having all these days when fixtures were last considered, and the position is much the same now as it was then. It can hardly be argued that registered racing round Melbourne should be cut down. An English writer says:—The trainer, G. Johnson, yho a number of years ago left England for Germany, 'according to "Deutscher Sport," became a naturalised German subject a 'long time since. Our contemporary has thought it worth while to give prominence to the.fact that Johnson has substituted German for the English names of several mares he owns. In nnnlauding his "patriotic" action, "Deutscher. Sport" omits, to inform its readers that Johnson is not English, but American by birth, hailing from U;S.A.