NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 294, 31 August 1918, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS

rBY GI/ENCOIU

Tho Marlon Jockey Club's Spring Meeting will be held on Wednesday next, and with it the flat season will be inaugurated. The fixture is a one-day affair, and racing will commence at 11.30 a.m. Private advices received by Mr. W. Richmond, prior to his departure, for Sydney siatc that Luke Wilson continues to be seriously ill at Chnstchurch. and the. services or a throat specialist have been secured for ltim The Trentham horses for the Marton meeting arc to bo railed up on Monday. In England, up to 1833. all racehorses took their ago from May 1, but in that year the 'Jockey Club decided that those racing at Newmarket should date their ages from January l. but that at all other places in England May .'. slionld continue to hold good. In 1858 it was decided that January 1 should bo the general date. Excellent entries have been received for the Dannevirko Racing Club's Spring Meeting, which is to take place on September 11. Acceptances, together with entries, for the Trial Stakes, elose on Tuesday next, at 8 p.m. That smart mare Poftrina. who is by The Welkin from the New Zealand-bred Armigeru, still continues to show winning form In Sydney. At Warwick Form on August 17 she carried 10bi. 1011)., and won the Pace Welter Handicap, six furlongs, in lmin. 15sec A Sydney writer says:—"Wo hear and read a lot about racing improving tho thoroughbred. The correctness of that is undeniable, but it is equally certain that the improvement of their finances is thi point principally considered by most-not all-owners and breeders where racing is concerned. There are comparatively few owners in Australia who, if they wero certain of winning a lot more money with k half-milcr than a good two-miler, would not give the former preference, ind if the average individual who breeds for tho thoroughbred market were surer of getting higher prices for snuibs than possible stayers, there is little doubt as to which course he would adopt. A lengthy experience of the turf tends to scepticism -ib to whether many "men can claim that.anxiety In connection with the improvement of tho thoroughbred, was primarily responsible for their association with racing either as breeder or owner."

Owing to the continued indisposition of Secretary W. Dobson his duties at tho forthcoming meeting of the Dannevirko Racing Oliib will be carried out by Mr. Griffiths, for many years assistant secretary to the Wellington Racing Club. A report has been circulated that tho Government has decided that there shall be no morn shipment of racehorses- out of New Zealand to Australia or to other places. Thus statement is contradicted by Ministers, who say that the Government has never at any time considered tile mat. ter. Nominations for the Ashburton County Racing Club's Spring Meeting, which is to be run on September 19 and 20. will close at <l p.m. on September 2. The Auckland Cup winner Fiery Crass, who has been resting recently, i? to bo put into work again very shortly. The annual report and balance-sheet of tho Manawatu Trotting Club disclose tho fa-ct that the club is in a very healthy condition. During tho yoar the club paid the Government, by way of taxation, £918 16s. 9d., made up as follows-.—Tolalisator ditty, .£430; dividend tax, £423 3s. 6(1.; amusement tax, £10 3s. 3d.; tax on privileges. £8 15s. 6d.; tax on stakes. £6 13s. The club also gave £156 to patriotic funds and £7 to the A. and P.. Association. The balance to profit and >; loss account now stands at £1369 19s. 2d., matle.up as fol-lows:-Arrcurs. £37 12a. til; P.O. Savings Rank, £600; War Loan. £680; cash account, £72 6s. Bil. The totalisator turnover for the year amounted to £18.803, as against £9492 for the previous year. Reference is made in the report to the fact that the club will hold their noxt race meeting on December 28, the da-y following tho Manawatu Summer Meeting, when it is to be hoped that the club will eclipse all previous records. The committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club has aoproved the conditions of the New Zealand Cup. The stake is 2000 sovs, tho same «s last year, but the penalty conditions have been modified. Last year the winner of any race, after declaration of weights, of the. value of ICO sovs., had to carry 31b. extra; of any race or raeeß of the value of 200 sovs., 51b.; 300 sor»„ 71b.; and 500 sovs., 1011). This year, however, the first penalty Is s!b. for the winner of a race or races of the collective value of 250 sovs, while winners of 350 sovs. incur 71b., and of 500 sovs., 101b. extra. Tin alteration is one which will enable owners to race-their Cup horses more liberally without endangering their Iliccarton prospects, while it will bone/it owners in another direction, by removing tho chief obstacle in !.ke way of increased stakes at many of the early spring meetings. The Mowing nominations have been received for the New Zealand Trotting Cup, the principal event of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's November meeting:-Agatho'', Admiral Wood, Moneymaker. Author 'illuu, MaU-hlight. Sherwood, Cathedral Chimes, Hardy Wilkes, Evelyn, Kmilius, Erin's King. Frandocia, Sungod, Adelaide l)ire::t. Oinako, and John Dillon. ' The race, is to lie run over a two-miles courso, and the stake is £2500. Of tho horses engaged thiß year Adelaide Direct, Cathedral Chimes, Author Dillon, Agathos, Admiral Wood, Erin's King, Evclvn, Oinako, John Dillon, Moneymaker, and Hardy Wilkes contested last yeor'fl race