NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 140, 2 March 1918, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

|Bl' KIiBKCOE.I

Owners'and traiucrs arc reminded that acceptances for the Napier and Wairarapn Meetings close on Tuesday next. While competius in the hurdle race on the second day of the Waiißamn Meeting tho ohestnut marc Portland Ludy broke down and haa finished her racing career. Tho Grand National winner blcight-of-Hand, who has beon apcllinß mnco llio Marton Mcetint", is asuiu in work at Atfu- " The black colt by Autumnus-Ukraiuc, a half-brother to the Melbourne Cup wiunci Sasanof, has been purchased by Mr. w. R, Kcmball, of Maatcrton. The youngster was brc'l by Mr. Lance Wood, who fatal ° w'hilo racing at the Damicvirko Meeting F.uuai-i bled at, the nose. Her owner, Mr. E Shotl, of ftlldliw. did not regard he tronblo as at all sorlous.' and he told the writer that while, being -paddled up for tho,race-tho marc hud thrown hoi Head un and got a hard knock, lie was of the opinion that thifl started the bleeding, and it only became apparent durine ho race. There was not enough of it to load ono to suppoeo that it was due to the bursting of a blood vessel. Judging by the demand for accommodation on tho racecoureo at, Tauheremkau the coming meeting of the Wairarapa Racing Club promises to be far and uvay tlin moßt Biiccessful yet held by the club. It looks as if tho committee acted wisely in milking tho change from Epti-r. Tho Victoria Racing Clubo AutuinU MffitiiiK will commence at I'leinington to-day, when the Newmarket Handicap and Essendon Stakes will bo run. LoCnl, sportsmen will bo iiiteioHtcd in the decision of tlio latter race in which the New Zealand crack Deserl, Gold is eugaged. \\ l'.cn llio last, mail left Melbourne, Panacrc was favourito for tho Kewmarket Handicap, whilo there was of money for tho Bobadil horee-Hoprig, who Iβ owned by the ox-Mastorton trainer M. T. MOrath. The 2-ycar-old Coiirtflold. by Elyaian, who was gelded after racing at Riccarton in tho spring, lios again been put iuto worK bv J. W, Lowe,, at Treuthara. Ayah who paased into J. M'Laiighlin'B hands at the conclusion of tho Wellington Sup Meeting. wiUinoßt likely make her first appearance in ho- new owners colours at the Wairarapa. Meeting this month. The Jlpisrs Riddiford, who formerly owned A?ah"haw another All Red marc running out on their station, but unlike the majority of the Stopniak horse's etock this ? oiio is rather small, and docs not look like crowing' much more. That racecourse thieves arc no resßcc: tors of persons was proved at a Melbourne course recently when a recruiting officer, while making his speech, hart his pocket nicked and a, wallet containing £8 was stolen A number of sportsmen, on hearingot the soldier's loss,, took up a coleetlon, which brought in £9 10s. iho arnonnt was thus made good,.and he was 3 to hand over the additional monoy to a patriotic fund. Thieving at racecourses has become so common that more is one of the unlucky performers in tho North Island. She started the season well b» winning a race at Waverley in October, but sincei then she has been five times in "■•The IreStoßt mare I ever rode," was W. H M'Lachlan's tribute to Desort Gold, after she had won tho St. George's Stakes at Oaulfleld (states a Sydney writer). Continuing MXaehlan said she was the bes of cither sex ho had ridden over a short course such as a milo or nine furlongs. Of course, he could not express an opinion bU be was surprised to find that as soon as he rode her vigorously she responded at once and then he realised that the maw l«d been "loafln? on him." "She d d thisTn her races in Now Zealand, and' in tho "allopa in which I have ridden her, vr-TooViMTi added. "It aeems that she will ritdi her best unless she is driven a, TUuo"Victor, winner of Hie Warrein Hurdies at tl 0 recent Oaulfleld Meetlils. is triined by the ex-Riccartomto p. J. Price. K winner is by tbo Auckland Cup winder Bluejacket, and was bred in Quceuslaud.