NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2847, 11 August 1916, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

JBT GMNCOE.I ■: - It should hardly be necessary to remind owners and' trainers that acceptancee for tho minor events at the C.J.C. Meeting, fall due. to-night. There is also a payment for the tnree big races due at the same time. ■ . Advices from Wangamii state that Record, who was recently taken in hand by C. Gordon, is schooling well over "hurdles. ( The jumpers Leonta and.Wirokino were on tho boat-which left forLyttelton last evening. 1 '

The annual meeting of the Hutt Valley Trotting Club will bo held at Petone on September 11. The balance-sheet to lie presented discloses a very satisfactory state of affairs', there being a credit balance of considerably over <£100 for the year's working.

Tho Auckland jockeys, -B. Deelov, J. O'Shea, C. Browne, and H, Goldfinch, passed through hero yesterdhy on their way to Riccarton.

Nones's withdrawal from the New Zealand Cup prior to the declaration of weights was tho outcome of tho filly going slightly/amiss. The trorublo is iii her joints, and,-rather than-risk ..'breaking down the brilliant daughter,! of,iMartian, E. J. Mason:.haS. decided: to reserve her for short-distance racing.

.El Gallo's ■' Great ''Northern. successes place'him .at'.the head of'the successful jumping- horses j last season. He uon 2310 sovs. in stakes. Other jumpers whose winnings run 'into four figures are Braeburn. 1325-sovs., Ngatoa 1215 sovi.,' and Bransfield .1035. sovs".

Entries for the\Man'awatu Hunt Club Meeting close to-morrow/night.

When running • out'-in 'a paddock at Riccarton on Tuesday afternoon, says a southern paper,- Ivooya' fell, and hurt .one of her hocks..'Tho.mishap will keep ber idle for a few-dajis. So far, the full extent of the damage has not been ascertained.

Mr. J. Jackson, owner of Marconi, went south ' last. evening. He stated. that he had <had no word, as'to the Soult-geld-ing's reported injuries, and -Tie thought the trouble must be of a minor nature."

.'Sentinel," in the "Otago' : Witness," pens the. following"According to* the official report of the Racing Conference, last month in Wellington, the proposed motion whereby anyone appearing beiore judicial stewards, a district committer of judges appointed by the president, could claim the assistance of ..a Vcgal practitioner or layman friend, lapsed for rant of being seoonded.. It seems strange that .the proposed which recently passed into racing Jaw in New South. Wales, should-dio in'the cradle; as it.,were, when it, .came up for. consideration in this, country. .The adoption of a. similar rule in 'Australia won general approval, particularly when it involved the interests ■of apprentices or comparatively young and inexperienced riders, who became practically : defenceless when on the carpet, because they were" sometimes tongue-tied, when' confronted by a number of stewards and interrogated as to the why and wherefore of something .which has happened in'a race. Taking a rider direct from the saddle and whilst he is stiU probably tingling with the "excitement of •battle," and subjecting 'Kim to a run. of questions does not give the person under cross-examination a fair sporting chance to collect his thoughts and make whatever explanation he may have to offer. Every effort should be made to elevate the sport to the highest possible plane; but no such desirable state of affairs should be achieved by methods savouring of the 'third degree' system of investigation. Oases could bo quoted where disqualifications were imposed by stewards, but vj-hich had to-be 'annulled on further investigation. They were imposed in the first place by stewards inspired by suspicion, which the revelation of facta subsequently dispelled—that is to say, indisputable faots not clearly recognised, by either the stewards or persons charged, say, for instance, with inconsistent mnning. In common law every accused person has the right of obtaining assistance to provo ihis innocence if possible, and the 6ame state of affairs should exist in racing law. It is not contended that stewards do not endeavour to carry out inquiries in the fairest possible, manner; "but the methods adopted in some cases liave been certainly open to question. It is almost invariably tho case that there is an array of stewards on the one side and a solitary, unsupported accused on tho other."

Tho Auckland 'horseman, J. Roach, w.ill havo tho mount 011 Te Onga in the Great .Northern Hurdles.

There is every indication that Marconi will be the : final fancy for the Great Northern . Hurdles. Tho Soult gelding is now racing more solidly than was his wont in the past, and on the flat nothing goes better than him, while he iumps well and stays on in his races. He w'iil have an outing in the Jumpers' Flat Handicap on tie opening day, and his connections expect him to do considerably better in. this event than ho did' at Trentham.

Ringform's gallop at Biccarton yesterday will have tho effect of causing him to harden in the market for the Winter Cup. The chostnut horse seems to bo sprinting better now, and tliis will enable him to get a position early in the nice, while his weight, lOst. 21b., is not prohibitive. ' , .

Visitors from Auckland slate that no liorso at Ellerslio looks hotter than tho five-year-old llulliugaT. Tho Marble Arofi—Roraola horse Vill, it is under-

6tood, be Riven a preparation for the New Zealand Cup.

Tho annual report of the W'airarapa Racing Club (registered) for till© year ended July 31 states that the year commenced with a credit balance on the working account of '.E7GI 16s. lid., and ended with a credit balance of ,£597 19s. Improvements carried out during that period consist of the installation of a water service .throughout tho racecourse, and alterations to several buildings, which will provide better conveniences for the clubs patrons. A new jockeys' number 'board has also been erected. It \vas decided by tho stewards to make a grant from the club's funds of JJIOOO for tho benefit of soldiers in camp at Featherston, which will. make the total of contributions by the club to various patriotic purposes JEIGTiS. The tax paid to the Government during the past year on totalisator receipts, etc., aud stakes, amounted to ' £3673 Os. • Id. The racecourse buildings are still held in occupation 'by the Defence Department for military hospital service. Leave 'of absonce lias been granted to Lieut. D. H. S. Riddiford, lI.M. Grenadier Guards, who is now on active service in France. For tho coming year, it is recommended that a sum. not exceeding £5000 bo allotted for stakes.

# Incidents relating to the war are ingly featured in this week's issue of the "Sporting and Dramatic Review." These 'include recruiting rally in London; Lord Kitchener memorial service; veterinary patients at Salonika; a Poilu sculptor modelling hi£ oomrades; French infantry waiting to entrain; fate of a German Zeppelin; in the African campaign; Uus-' sian prisoners maki,ng German roads; protecting. Salonika from aerial attacks j "released prisonors of war, etc. A special page is devoted to the military funeral of Lieut.-Col. Fitzgerald, victim of the 'Hampshire disaster, whilo the New Zealand Roll of Honour occupies prWhinence with lot portraits of heroes. A 'fine picture of Allan Wilkie, the great Shakespearean actor, and other illustrations of varied interest, complete a superior' publication.—Advt.

FIXTURES.

Aug. 15, 1", and 19—C.J.C. Grand National.' Aug. 23—Dannevirko R.C. Steeplechase. Aug. 24—North Tarannki ■ Hunt Steeplechase. Aug. 2G—Pakuranga Hunt Annual. ■ Aug.' ■ Hunt .Steeplechase. Sept. .6—Marton J;C. Spring. Sept. IS—Pahiatua E.C. Annual. - . Sept. 14—Woodlands Hunt Annual. Nov. 4—Now Zealand Cup.