NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2785, 1 June 1916, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

[By Glencoe.]

The Dunedin meeting will commence and will bo concluded 011 Satur. day.. Ihe principal fiat event run on tho opening day is tlie Birthday Handicap, one mile and a quarter. Rorko's Drift is top-weight with lflst., but this is only 51b. more than he won with at Oamaru, where reports say he was badly handled, though he won. Ridden better to-day, ho must bo dangerous, though in Fiiiclhorn lie is meeting a very useful, horse, who, with an advantage of 141b., will bo very hard to shako oif up the hill. Ardenvohr was credited with .being unlucky at Oamarui, and may do better to-day. • Otngo Steeples, the top-ivoight is the Levin-bred Heatherlea. Ho is a great jumper, and this will stand to 1 n ." w^' 10 I'Sht-wcights, tho Riccarton, trained, Oratonu cannot bo overlooked. ' Entries for the Australian Jockey Clubs Epsom and Metropolitan Hand', caps closo on Tuesday next. It is understood that several New Zealand horses will bo engaged in both events. Attention is called to an advertisement notifying tho closing of. entries for the Napier Park Racing Club's' 1 winte- meet. ing. These must be in Iho hands of Sec retary J. E. Gleadow by to-morrow night at' 8. o'clock. ,

■ There was a lability in connection with the Steeplechase run at the Mentone meeting last month. Expeditionor fell and roiled on his rider, J. P. Edwards, who had his skull fractured and never regained consciousness. Edwards, who was 37 years of age, had been riding for quite 20 years, his most notablo victories being tho V.li.C. G.N. Steoplo on Zep. Huron, and tho VJV.T.C. Australian Steeple 011 Battleship, and tho* V.R.C, Cup Steeple on Expiation. But on Leah Kleshna, Moonbarra, Ungala, Statistician and others he also was successful. Tho deceased jockey's wife was present, and sho has been left with a younjj family to bring up. Edwards, during his career, had been singularly lucky over his many spills', and was never badly injured.

The New Zealand-owned Welkin colt. Three, had another reverse at Randwicls last month, when, carrying 9st. 111b. in tho Flying Handicap, Jdr. R. Euick'scolt was beaten into third phce, being only a head away. M'Lachlan had the mount on Three, and an exchange says he got a lot moro_ fight out of the colt than did the Victorian horseman, L. Fisher, who rode him at Moorofield the week previ. ous. ' '

Uenutation, Ifho has ueen fired, is to remain at- Mr. W. J." Miller's veterinary hospital at Raudwick until he is sent away for a spell two or three weeko henco, There is said to be every likelihood of the New Zealander racing again.

Maltegarde was given a light doso of physic after the Blenheim meeting, but sho is again in work at Trentham, and looks fresh and well.

Tho Trentham trainer, J. W. Lowe, is at present on a holiday jaunt to Dunedin. The Provocation—Soprano colt. Napoleon, seems to have thrown oft , his lameness, and is now galloping about the paddocks at Trentham, apparently quite sound again. His stable companion, Struggle, has built up a lot during her spell, and as she is inclined to be wayward, Trainer Telford is doing a little work with her to keep her quiet. , The Riccarton-trained Daytime and Samisen are due to arrive at Wellington this morning on their way to tho Otaki mooting. In connection with the Otaki meeting, which opens 011 Saturday, special train arrangements liavo been made to carry visitors to the course. AVellington patrons can leave at 7.15 a.m. and 8.15 a.m., and a special will leave Palmerston North at 8.10 a.m. Tho Awapiuii trainer, J.. Hathaway, leaves for Ellcrslic to-day with the jumper Lady Bibbero, who is engaged in the Hunters' events at the Auckland meeting. Martins broke down so badly while contesting the Oamaru Cup last week-that it was considered advisable to destroy him. At his best lie was a useful performer, arid it is bad luck for his connections to lose the Martian gelding, who was ,'ight 'it tho top of his form. Undecided, who was cmvn to compete in the Rohui Handicap at the Otaki meeting was again going wrong.

FIXTURES.

Juno 1 and 3.—Dunedin J.C. Winter. June 3 and s.—Otaki Maori R.C. Winter. Juno 3, 5, and 7.—Auckland R.C. Winter. June 15 and 17.—Gisborne R.C. SteepleJuno 23 and 21— Napier Park R.C. Winter. f , June 30 and July I,—Hawke's Bay J.C. Winter. July 12, 13, anil 15—Wellington R.C. Winter. Aug. 15, 17, and 19—C.J.C. Grand National. Nov. 4—Now Zealand Cup.