NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3106, 9 June 1917, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

IBt Glehcoj.l Weights for the Napier Park Racing Club's Winter Meeting are duo on Monday, and acceptances close tho following Friday. » The entry of Desert Gold in the prinv oipal handicaps at Sydney and Melbourne probably means that Mr. T. H. Lowry has decided to send another team to Australia, and the champion mare will most likely he accompanied by Estland, who has an engagement in the A.J.C. Derby. Tho mare will certainly rcceivo a lot of attention from the handicappers, and is more likely to race in weight-for-age events only. Estland should be a possibility for the Derby, as ho is a solid sort of colt, and should develop into a good three-year-old. His most formidable opponent will be Biplane, for of tho Sydney two-year-olds seen out last season none stood out as did the two mentioned above. Thrice, by The Welkin, came from Melbourno and beat the best in Sydney, but the progeny of the Flying Fox horse have so far produced merely sprinters and do not give tho impression that they would be suited by a Derby course.

In notifying the sale of the Itototawabred youngstere in the Australian papers it was stated that the trio had been in work two or three months, and were intended for Mt. Bidwill's own racing. He has no other horses of this age, and his sole reason for wishing to sell was on account of the unsatisfactory state of New Zealand racing owing to the war conditions prevailing here.

Mr. G. L. Stead's rising two-year-olds (Martian—Formless) and Almoner (Boniform—Cassock). have boon nominated for the Breeders' Plate at the coming Australian Jockey Club's. Spring Meeting.

The imported Eotberingay, who so far has failed to win a race for her owner, has been nominated for the Epsom Handicap, to be run at Randwick in October.

A local sportsman who was present at the Dunedin Meeting has a very high word of praise for Dionysius; and he considers that with a little luck he would have won both hurdle races. He also speaks of ,Glenspire as a very promising steeplechaser, and considers he was unlucky to lose the big jumping race on the second day. The Quicksilver gelding is usually a most reliable fencer, but in the race in question he was brought down by getting entangled with Kirkby and Kauppkanui, who fell in front of him.

At the Epsom (Vic.) Meeting, on May 30, the ex-New Zcalander, V. O'Neill, won tho Jumpers' Plat Race with Rose o' Melbourne, who is by the French sire Rouge Croix. On the same day Mr. 11. C. O'Connell's Two Lights was runnerup to Telecles in the principal handicap.

At Riccarton E. D. Jones has the yearline filly by Kilbroney—Arai-te-Uru in band, and she is processing- well with the early stages of her education. She is not so tall as her sister Kilrea. but she is a' solidly-built filly, who should turn out useful when the time comes for her to race.

St. Elmn was the most consistent of the jumpers seen out at tho Auckland Racine; Club's Meeting, and he looks liko taking a fairly liieth place in the list of 'chasers beforo tho season closes. On tho opening day he ran Gladful to a head ,in tho Great Northern Hurdles, and on Monday occupied third place behind Gluepot and Troublesome in the big cross-country event. Despite these two excellent .showines he was in less demand than El Gallo and Waimai for the Winter Steeplechase, but though El Gallo put up a great performance he had no chance with the lightly-weighted 6on of St. Ambrose. St. Elmn has every qualification to make a successful steeplechaser, and the experience he gained at Ellerslie should stand him in good stead for other important events to be decided later in the season.

Mr. W. E. M. Buckley has been reelected chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club,

Quite the star performance associated with the Auckland Racing Club's Meeting was that recorded by El Gallo in tho Winter Steeplechase. Thousrh burdened with the steadier of 12st. 101!).. the Spalnecn gelding negotiated tho course safelv, but had no chance of conceding St. Elmn 3st. Contrary to expectations El Gallo has not been engaged in the big Australian steeplechases.