NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2657, 31 December 1915, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

fBY •JLK.ICOI'.I Owners wlio intend making the Randwick trip at Easter should note; that entries for the Doncaster Handicap and Sydney Cup close on January 1. Mi'. A. B. Whyte, secretary of the Wellington Racing Club, is empowered to receive entries up till 4 p.m. on that date. To-morrow (New Tear's Day) there w.ill be race meetings at Auckland. Stratford, Marton, Hastings, and Tauherenikau. Visitors to the last-named meeting should note that special trains will leave Lambton Station at 6.35 a.m. and 8.30 a.m., and. the return trains leave Featherston at 5.12 p.m.,. 6.45 p.m., and 7.35 p.m. Chortle was allowed to drop out of the Marton Cup,' and it was intended to takfc him to Auckland for the Summer Cup and A.E.C. .Handicap, but after the appearance of "the weights for the Cup his trainer decided not to niako the trip, and tjie ilultifid gelding, will, not Tie raced again until after the holiday meetings. The I'orangahau Racing Club's annual ■meeting, which had to be postponed on Boxing Day on account of the weather, was held on Tuesday in fine weather. Lord Laddo, by Sir Laddo—Ladv Stockwell, won a double, while Mr. F. Armstrong, of Atitio,' who is always a strong supporter of the club, won three events, two with the aid of. the useful Cherry Blossom, and tho big handicap with Sleight-o'-Hand. Tho last-named, who is by Mystifioatjon, was runner-up to Lord Laddo in the Tahoa Handicap. Another of the progeny of Mystification in Instep won the Flying Handicap after being run-ner-up to Cherry Blossom in the big handicap. The Ayr Laddie gelding Pot Luck was twico placed second during the afternoon. Royal Tiger started twico during the afternoon and at his second attempt lie filled third place in tlie Farewell Handicap. His owner was so disgusted with his poor form that he took tho bridle off him and turned him loose. He eventually became 1 the property of a-shepherd, who will, try him in some other sphere where ho may be more useful. By defeating Colonel Soult in tho Summer Cup yesterday at a difference of 41b., Eligible showed that he has mado great improvement 6ince his visit to Ellerslie

last mouth, when lie won the City Handicap, with Tst. in the saddle. Eligiblo i<s a fuli-brothcr to The Toll', winner of tho Foul Stakes, ami his next appearance will bo in the Derby to-morrow, when ho will measure stride.-! with the flying Desert Gold. His victory in tho Summer Cup will lengthen the machine price Against Dcsc-it Ciokl. Ilyttus, winner of tho Criterion Handicap'at. Ellerslie yesterday, has been consistently unlucky in his other races this season, but he has always had a great private reputation. 'Yesterday he was in receipt of a stono from The Toff, and lie will probably meet him again in tho Royal Stakes on Monday. 'Tho Toff, Tenacious, and Tinoreka, who ran prominently at Ellerslio yesterday, were not telegraphed through as figuring amongst tho acceptors. Returned visitors from the Auckland Meeting state that AVarslcp was pulled up after going nearly a. mile in the Cup, and' was found to have broken down. The injury was not as serious as was at fir»t supposed, and though very tender on the affected joint tho mare w;alked liomo without limping. FIXTURES. Jan. 1 and 2.—Auckland R.C. Summer. Dec. 31 and Jan. I—Greymouth J.C. Midsummer. Jan. I.—'VVyndham R.C. Annual. Jan. I.—Waikouaiti R-C. Annual. 1 Jan. I.—liararaea R.C. Midsummer. Jan. 1 and 3. —Hawko's Bay J.C. Summer. Jan. 1 and 3.—-Marton J.C. Summer. Jan. 1 and 3.—Wairarapa R.C. Summer. Jan. 1 and 3—Stratford E.C. Annual. Jan. 5 and 6.—Wcstland B.C. Summer. Feb. 3 and s.—Gisbor.ne E.C. Summer. Feb. S.—C.J.C. Summer. The cirrrent issuo of tho "N.Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review" is well up to the high standard it always maintains. The opening of tho racing season at Ellerslio on Boxing Day is shown in two pages of fine views ivhich depict tho largo crowd around tho totalisator, and tho winning thoroughbred racing and after the race. Portraits Of well-known turf celebrities, together with a sot of fine news which snow the race for the AuckI land Cup from the start to tho dramatic finish. The frontispiece is devoted to lino picture of Miss Minnie Love, tho dashing musical comedy actress now appearing with the J.C. Williamson Comic Opera Co., while pictures from the different seats of wr and portraits of NewZealand's wounded soldiers, together with views of the ceremony of farewell to tho Tunnelling <sorps and groups of the 9th Reinforcements resting after a march over tho Kimujakas, make up a most interesting budget of news and pictures.— Advt.