NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 272, 6 August 1918, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

["BY Q I,ENCODE Entries for tho Marton Spring Meeting close on Friday of next wcok. The report that H. Gray will bo unable to ride at liiccarton |b stated to be a little promature, and it is thought that thu crack horseman will bo ablo to fulfil his engagements. The Australian Hurdle liace, which was run at Oaulfield on Saturday, was won by Fastolf, who was steered by the exNew Zealand joclrey, H. Cairns. Another New Zealimder was,on the third horso in H. J. Thompson.- At tho recont Y.R.O. Steeplechase Meeting, Oobram wop tho Stcoples and Naranquong the Hurdles. Both these animate aro grandsons of Oarbine, and on Saturday tho seoond and third horses in th* Oaulfield race wore aired by sons of "Old Jack." Rosyth, who finished second,'is by tho defunct Wallace, from that great mare Cruciform, who ran in New Zealand in tho late Mr. G. G. Stead's colours. Pistol, who sired the third horse, lMstolier, is by Carbine from Wenonali, and previously had a winning representative in. 19U in Arqnebuso. l'he timo, 6min. 32£ sec., is a record for the race, tho previous best being held by Bnllista, who encompassed tho Journey in 6min. 37Jsec., in 1913. Tho defection of Vascular from the National SteeplechaßO was not unexpected as the Ivaramu-brod gelding has been giving his trainer .trouble Binca ho raced at Trentham. Ho'-bas not been engaged in any other events at tho meeting and will probably be turned out for a lengthy Bpell. Ormesby and Moddne, who aro llrst acceptors for the National Steeplechase, have also bueu x entcrcd lor the liutield Steeplechase, run on tho same day. Threo very useful horses over a short course, in Master ilamilton, Bore, and Arlington, aro also engaged in the short event. Don Priwiiisco, Jeannot, and Wishful have been entered for the Trial -Hurdles at Iticcarton, and they may race in this event instead of tho National liurdles. Tho entries received for the niiuor events at tho C.J.O. Meeting aro not so numerous as was expected. North Island owners will have lour meetings within easy range next month, and this probably weighed with them in deciding not to uudertaKe tho trip south. Not by any Btretcli of imagination can Coalition bo said to have been lucky this wiuter, as he has been runner-up in tho Great Nortkoru and Wellington Steeplechases. LLis trainer is very hopeful that ho will improve ou this record at Kiecarton next woek. Private advices received from Christchurch on Saturday state that the best work amongst the juniperß was done by Collector and Sleight-ol'-ilaud. Apparently the horses named are fast getting over the minor troubles they encountered last month. Jeannot, who has been amiss lately, was on the tracks at Iticcarton on Saturday, but was restricted to walking exercise. ' At Iticcarton on Saturday, Nita, Yellow and Black, Bore, Oollector, and St. Mnin provided an interesting bit of work in a school over a round of tho fenoes. Yellow and Black got oil in front of the others, and ho was always going well. Boro soon joined the loader and remained near the front to tho end, fencing very smartly. Collector gave a good exhibition, and he was going ou very strongly at tho conclusion of tho round. St. Elmn blundered at tho .second fence, and lie seemed to bo making hard work >of his task. Nita was outpaced, arjd she had to be ridden hard to hold her position, though she jumped safely. The new totnlisator to be installed at Ellerslio will bo capable of registering investments more speedily and expeditiously than the one in uso for the past five yoars. So far, tho old machine remains In position, but tho engineer in chargo considers it will only tako a fow weeks to removo it and place tho new ytotalisator in working order after arrival. The prospects are eaid to ho favourable Of having tho improved totalisalor established when llio spring meetiug comes round. Yolo, who hoads the list in the Winter i Cup, won more in stakes last season . than.,

any other horse engaged in tho race. ]lo earned £1770, Opaki horses accountcd for about £10,000 In stakes last season. An Auckland report states that A. 3'. Jl'i'linu will rido Iliero in the Winter Cup. Lady General, who haa been spelling, is to bo taken up again shortly. It is now six years atro einco Charlemagne II was sold for 2300) guineas at the Elderslio dispersal salo. Tho St. SimonPerfect Dream stallion has been domiciled in New South Wales since then, but he bus still a fow representatives on the New Zealand turf. Last s«iHon tho stock of Charlemagne II won 6036 soys., whilst this season ho is credited with 3959 aovs., the principal winner being tlmt good horse Parisian Diamond, who won 1679 mts. The last-named horse is looking and going well ■on the Hastings traokß, and though he will be called upon to oarry big weights tho brown gelding is sure to acquit himself well in his five-year-old career.