NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 64, 8 December 1917, Page 3

NOTES AND COMMENTS

fBY QI/ENCOE.I

Owners who contemplate making a trip to Sydney for the autumn meeting should note that entries for the Doncaster Handicap, one mile, and Sydney Cup, two miles, close with any of tho metropolitan secretaries at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 1918...

Acceptances for all events at tho Watrarapa Meeting close on Monday next nt 8.30 p.m., with Secretary C. J. Carlyou, Fcatlicreton.

Mr. J. Ormond, eon of the late- Hon. J. D Ormoud, haij given S. Waddell four horses to train, and the veteran has now nine horses under his charge at Hastings. A number of his team aro nominated for tho Manawatu Meeting, but ho has nothing engaged at Ellerelic, and will be absent from tho A.1t.0. Summer Meeting for the first time for years. , P. Davia has engaged eight horses at Green Lane, and his team for the A.R.O. Summer Meeting will consist of Desert Gold Estland, Egypt, Kipling, Finmark, Killowcn, Kilhope, and Grand Duchy.

The two-year-old filly Zia, by EotebyStepka, did not go back to tho I'oriruastable after racing at the Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting last month. Sho was returned to her breeder, Mr. J. F. Keid from whom she wag held on leaee. Mr Held has retained other members of this family, including Pavlova, for his own stud. His partiality for tho breed is not surprising, ae Stepka is by St. Lcgcr from Stepfeldt, who, in addition to her own great record as a brood marc, has tho recommendation of being a sister to Stepniak, the sire who brought the Eldcrslio stud such credit for many years.

E D O'Donncll has half a dozen horses in work at Yaldhurst. Nono of them .will be racing during the holidays, but they should be ready for engagements later in the season. The two-year-olds, Almoner and Melee, are well forward, after the work they did in Australia, while Cyrisian by Elysian-Oyirma, is another of the same age. The older membere of the team aro Koesian, Wishful and Bon d'Or, all of whom are going along well. t Bascular is gettiug through steady tasks at Eiccarton. The Vasco gelding showed promising form as a steeplechaser, and ho should pay his way among tho jumpers next winter.. Kilhope, who made a successful debut in the Maiden I'late (it Woodyillc, is a two-year-old son of Kilbroncy and Angele Though this was his first appearanco under silk, his victory was well anticipated on account of his track work, which had been.of a most attractive nature He is one of Mr. Lowry s three representatives in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, the others being Finmark and Killowen. Tho last-named, who was unplaced in the race won by his stable companion, is a sou of Kilbronoy and Success. 800 has returned to J. Burton'fJ stablo at Bandwick, and is to be put into work for autumn racing.

Murray Hobbs is now located at Caulfield at Bellamy's stable!!, where he has in hand Beltane, Kilflinii, Kill'cm, Kilfoylo, Kiboy and Shrill. The news of James M'Cluskcy'a death, at tho early age o£ 36 will be heard with extreme regret by sportsmen throughout tho Dominion. For many years M'Oluskcy held si very 'nigh placo in tho ranks of New Zealand horecnicu, and though o( late lie had seldom been ecen in tho saddle, that wa3 the result of failing health. In the early part of this century "Jack" did 'most of the riding for the Chokcboro stable, and on severing Sis connection with it rode as a free lance, lmiluded in hiH long list of successes may bo mentioned the C.J.C. Members' Handicap on Glenogle, the 0.J.0. Stewards' Handicap o'u Captain Shannon, tho Canterbury Oup on Treadmill and' Elevation, the Great Au. tumn Handicap on Glcnadale, tlio Dun.ediu Cup on Stepdanccr, the. Forbury Handicap oir Cannio Ohiel, tho Wanganui Guineas on Treadmill, and the Wcllcslcy Stakes and North Island Challenge* Stakes on Treadmill. Of an unassuming nature, M'Cluskey made many friends iu sporting circles, all of whom will regret his early death.