NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2490, 17 June 1915, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

. [BT Qiencoe.l Friday, next will be a busy day with owners who are required to nominate for the' Winter Meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, and also fo? the principal weight-for-ago races for next season.. Tho Wellington nominations will he received up till 9 P-m. Liquidation, who is a son of the well- 1 performed Solution, scored in the Welter Handicap at Hoonee Valley on June 9. He still races in the colours of the Flemington trainer, Jas., Lynch. Mr. H. Whitney's horse Odessa has again gone wrong and mil be retired to his owner's farm at Waikanae, where ho will ■ take up stud duty. Grey King, who had a meteoric career as a hurdler last winter, when he was boomed as • a champion, after winning three races against moderate opposition, is again in training in Poverty Bay. It is quite probable that Clynelish will shortly be retired from the Turf, as his owner intends using the son of Soult for stud purposes next season. Xanthos, tho two-year-old colt by Achilles or Bezonian, from Sunglow, who won the Autumn Nursery Handicap at the Easter Meetins. at Biccarton, has rejoined If. J. Mason's team after a few weeks' spell. The D.J.C. has voted to tho cause of the Sports Queen in connection with the big carnival that is now going on in the southern city. Sir Georee Clifford's brilliant three-year-old. First Flight, by San Francisco—Flee tf oot, dropped dead after doing steady work on the sand at Riccarton on Tuesday. X. Shore, who was ridine him at the time, luckily escaped uninjured. The son of Fleetfoot was one of the best of his age in the Dominion this year, but- met one a bit better in R«iTutatnn; otherwise he would probably hare proven the record stake-earner in one season for Chokebore Lodge, only the narrowest of margins separating him from the thick end of the purse on thre? o«C3«Ion». Generally sneaking the going at Hastings at this time of the year is as near perfect as and "this time the prospects for fine weather are aeain favourable. Jt cannot bo said that the class engaged in the big races this year is equal to that of previous contests, but still there is the material for -good races. Recent events -in the City point to Soporific starting, a first fancy in the Bteeolechase, but providing Leapuki acts up to what he has the reputation of bein? Me to do in private, it ifl on tho cards that Soporific will have to put up a belter performance than he has yet done ; In some quarters there is a,'disposition to regard him as a non-sta.yer, but if he gets round safely his staying abilities are not likely to be questioned by ouv of Ihe others, filenmore, the top weight, will probably be in want of a r.Tv> or two. Bonny is a great lepper, but two miles is generally as far as he cares to go. Naupata is a promising horse, but he lacks experience ever the big fences, and he is more likely to be seen in a favourable light with another year on to him. The cablegram riving the result of the New Derby makes no mention of whether the icing's colt Friar Marcus started. It is more than probable that he was not a run nor. Marc's the nity, for the country is deeply interested in tho fortunes of (he colt at this period, and a victory for him would be well received throughout the length and breadth of the Empire. In the absenco of Friar Mirr.ni I'otnmern .would be the favonrito after his success in the Two Thousand Guineas. The winner was owned and bred by Mr. S. B. Joel, whose first success it 'was in a classic race. §. Donoehue, wlio rode the winner, is at the head of the liit of winning riders in Eneland, and when the last mail left, ho hnd ridden 33 winners for the season. This was nearly 30 more than his nearest attendant on the winning list. Tt will be interesting to see whether tho generally admitted lack of first-class horses racing at Hastings |o-morrow will affect the attendance. The prolwibilities are that if will not, for generally siicalcing the public love crosscountry events and this branch of the sport is particularly popular in the Hawke's Bay district.