NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2650, 22 December 1915, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

, , IBx (jlencoi.l As far as track work is concerned, MuilingaT has so far put up the best gallop of the. Auckland Cu]> candidates. Last week he got to the, end of a mile and a quarter in 2min. 18sec. Twelve months ago Warstep.and Reputation, the winner and runner-up in the Cuj>, put up the sama .Sine prior to the decision of the big race".

Seadown has arrived back at Trentham and is once more in active work. . The big fellow looks to have done nell during his spell in the paddock. J. fl. Prosser is leaving for Awapuni to-morrow with ilartyress. Stepney, Tango, Merry Dale, and the hurdle gelding Whanake. From .Awapuni'the team will go on to Morton, P. Mason, with Emperador, is expected to .; pass through Wellington on Friday bound for Awapuni, where the Charlemagne. II gelding will contest the Palrnerston Nor.th Stakes. This year a very weak field will oppose Mason s charge. JUulga Bill, was railed from Haiyera on Saturday, and went on to the.West Coast oil' Tuesday of this week. He is engaged in the Greymouth Cup with 7st. 111b.

. F. Davis is leaving Woodville to-day wfui iTTs team for the Auckland Meeting.

Jockey S. Eeid, w.ho' is to have the mount on Chortle in the MaimwatuCiip, is at present located at Woodville, where he ,is riding the Multifid gelding in his final gallops. Reid is spoken of as. a likely rider for Croesus in the Flying Handicap at the Manawatu Meeting. .

Maniaroa went through to Auckland on Monday night in charge of J. Ferris, so all- doubts as to where he will race at Christmas are now set at. rest.

The- nominations for the Wellington Meeting are highly satisfactory, and the only omission of any note is Merry Roc. Prominent absentees from the Waterloo Plnte are Warstep and Desert Gold. Probably their owners left them out 0.11 account of the penalty conditions. At the present time Nones would appear the best at weight for age of the lot engaged in : the mile.

At Moorefield oil December 11 the Imported horse Flash ,of Steel won the Rockdale Mile from La Balfour and Atlienic. The son of Orby was ridden by L. H. Hewitt, and started favourite. He occupied a similar position in the market for tile Villiers Stakes, run last Saturday, but he finished out of a place. The'winner, Lord Nagar, comes from Newcastle, and is owned by Mr. J. Chambers, who won. the Epsom Handicap twelve months ago i\'ith Portru6h. '

Amongst the winners at Aspendale early this month wan Posket, by-Positano from Lady Fisher, dam of Maniopoto. Posket is owned by Sol. Green, but is leased by Mr. W. Leyshon, of Melbourne. At the close of her racing career she is to go to the Shipley Stud.

At Kembla Grange on December 14 the New Zealander, Ivurnalpi, started favourite in the Brush Steeplechase, two miles, and won easily.

Killena (ICilbroney—Ena), winner of a two-year-old race at the New Zealand Cup Meeting, was one of the yearlings offered at auction in Sydney last autumn by Messrs. H. Chisholm and Co. on behalf of Mr. J. B. Reid. She failed to find a buyer, and was shipped back to. the Dominion.

Flash of Steel has a habit of putting his tongue out ijhen racing, and, this is believed to tell against him, a silk, handkerchief was passed over his tongue and tied under his lower jaw when he was sent out for the Welter- at Moorefield on December 11. The handkerchief was so fixed that, while it was almost impossible to slip, it effectually kept the horse's tongue in his mouth. Although some of the trainers present admitted they had never seen this done before, Hewitt, who rode Flash of Steel,, said it was by no means an uncommon practice in England,

The best price obtained at the salo of Mr. J. Grigg's horses at Invercargill on Thursday last was the 610 guineas paid by Mr'. F. A. Price for Korke's Drift, the four-year-old soil of Calibre and O'Rorke's Fancy. Others that made satisfactory prices were. Hardshot 220gns., Gunrcst 75gns., colt -by Calibre—Fidelma, GGgns., St. Hilary lOgns., Ally by Calibre—Britoness 43gns„ and filly by Calibre—Windy Steppe 40gns. There was little demand for the brood mares, which averaged under 20gns. each.

The acceptance of Welcome Nugget for the Stratford Cup would seem to be a con;firmation of the rumour that he is to return north after contesting tlio Manawatu Cup on Monday.

Included amongst the entries for the Wellington Cup are several horses that have in the past figured as sprinters only. Amongst the number are Dribble, Seddel Ba'lir, Bee, Mystified, and Bandy.

The following- additions to the nominations for tho Wellington Eating Club's Summer Meeting are advised by Secretary A. E. Whyte:— I Trentham Welter Handicap: Ballyhar. Nursery Handicap: ICilkei, Hyttus, Hyllus. Ruapcliu Handicap: 'Frisco' Rose. W.R.C. Handicap: Chortle. Slungaroa Welter Handicap: Ballyhar. Wallacovillo Welter Handicap: Ballyhar. Melrose. Welter Handicap: Sen Lord. ICclburn Plate: Native Lady. Kaitokc Handicap: 'Frisco Rose. City Handicap: Marco Bello. The following deletions are' advised:—AV.R.C. Handicap: Thoughtful. Consolation Handicap: Jlnrsinah. In tho. Handicap, tho name Julynix should read Idyllic, and in the ICaiioke Handicap the name Lacliet should road Le Chat.

Mauawatu Racing Club will hold a patriotic meeting on December 27, 28, and 2D. the whole proceeds going to t'lie wounded Soldiers' Fund. Train arrangements are advertised.

of the "Racing Guide," compiled by Mr. 13. G. Sutherland, is to hand. The main feature of the publication is a table of tho recent winning and placed form of all horses competing at North Island holi<?Tiy meetings. Many other items of interest to sporting men are also contained in TTTe Tioolilet, which is nicely illustrated, and is issued at a minimum cost.