NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 175, 13 April 1918, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

[By Qiencoe-1 The Manawatu meeting will bo held on Wednesday and Thursday of next week, 'l'he opening event is timet to start at 11.30 a.m., and the Awapuni Gold Oup will be run at 3.20 p.m Itain has fallen at Awapuni during tho last couple of days, but it was not enough to seriously affect the going, and if tho weather lioldß iine for next week's meeting the track and enclosures will bo in perfect order.

Tho suspension inflicted on Jockey 11. Young by tho Wanganui District Committeo has been 'ilted and the Fordell horseman will be riding at. the Manawatu meeting neit week.

' Seldom, it efer, in tho history of racing in tho Dominion has a contest created so much interest as tho coming Awapuni Gold Ouip. AU eyes will bo for Desert Gold and Biplane, both of whom it is pleasing to record, are likely to strip at their best. So far nothing • definite iB known as to whether Estlaud is to ran, but there is little doubt that, providing there is. no recurrence of his sorcitoss, that ho will be stripped and sent to the post. As 0. Emerson will have to ride Koesian tho services of H. Young will probably bo scoured for Mr. T. H. Lowry's second string.

Since tlie inception of tho Awapuni.Gold Oup thero has been Feveral strikiug contents for tlio race, and its inclusion on the Manawatu Olub'r Autumn progjammo was one of the beet moves ever mado by tho club named It is Bafo to predict that the race has como to Btay, and when the war ifl over the stakes' will probably be raised considerably, and tho race will then rank in importance with afly. open weight-for-age race in the country. Tho well-known Kew Zealand liprseman, P. W. M'Oabe who won tho' Victorian Grand National Hurdle Itaoe on Obi, and tho Australian Steeplechase on Bullawarra, was in England on leavo when tho laßt mail leit. He enlisted a long time ago, and served at Ypros and elsewhero without receiving: a scratch. At' Windsor; a year ago, M'Oabo came, down with Pompons m a steeplechase, and had a shoulder cracked and some ribs-broken. Leaving hospital, ho returned to the front. MOabo had a mount in a hurdle race at Windsor in January, but failed to get ft place. A returned 2\ r ew Zealandor who was reoontly in Melbourne, states that tho Mas-terton-owned Three (The Vr'elkin-Teppo) has lost aU form for some months past, and tho brilliancy whiohihe had used to show in his two and threo-year-old races has entirely loft him. Hi? owner, Mr. R. Buick of Jlasterton, is considering retiling him to the stud next spring, but so far ho has not decided whero to Btand him.

The Kilbroney yeustihgs purchased some time ago by Mr. J. Wren, Melbourne, have been broken In, and are now trained by P. Musgrave at Caulfield. When Happy Valley stayed out tho six furlongs- in the Maiden Plate at Avondale ho surprised those who knew him best However, n>w that the son of Bunyail has broken his maiden status, he may bo 'eipected to do further good service for his Giaborne oyrncr-tralncr, F. Loo ml). After ho defeated Oardrona In a halt-mile sprint at Bllerßlie during last weelt. there was a desire on the part of a well-known sportsman to purchase tho chestnut, but no business resulted. Needless to say : thn figure placed on him after tho captured tho Maiden at Avondale ran into nunMr. J. 0. N. Grieg has notified the Canterbury Jocwy Club that he wishes tho Dtake won by Gay Lad at the Easter meeting to be handed over to tho Red Cioss Fund. • ' Kill'em is reported to have changed "hafidij nsain. Ho was sold by Mr. ft. S. Luttrell to .Mr. S. P. and passed on by him .to E A. Connolb and now h. Robertson is said to bo tho orvner.

Owners of trotting hr.reos the c&mlnj? Mannwatu meetliiß should note that acceptances for all events close at 10 o'clock to-night with Secretary A. H. Hanson. ' _____