NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 3, 28 September 1918, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

TBT GMNCOE.-. By her win <vt Gcraldino Hose Pink Imb earned a 51b. penalty for tho Kurow Handicap, and tho Trontham maro will now ha-vo to. carry 9st. lib. Tho fixture is duo to take placo on Wednesday next. Since racing at Ashburton Ilylans has not.been doing much, consoqucnt on a cut received while contesting tho Firßt Hurdle Eaeo. Promptly to time Mr. J. E. Henrys has published his adjustments for the Now Zealand Oup. It cannot be said that the entries thia year are up to the ptandard of previous years, but tho only noticoablo defections are Piery Cross and Adjutant. In tho caso of the former, Mr. D.H. Roberts-evidently intends to rely on Glendower, the Great Autumn Handicap winner, and in Adjutant's oaso it is well known that Sir Qcogo Clifford does not favour tho Now Zealand Oup for his horses, mainly because, in common with many othors, he holus'fhe view that horses that are. prepared for the Oun distance so early in tho season are not much good for tho rosb of the year. The absence of R. J. Mason and tho other Now Zealand tminers in Australia also tended to kc3p down the Gun entries. The three top-weights in this year's contest are not badly treated, but it has to bo romembered that the hißtory of tho race is all against tho success of horses carrying much weight. Sasanof is treated very nicely, and tit and well he would keep tho others at top, but all last season ho failed to win a race, and was always iuo:e or less unsound. On his Croat Autumn form Glendower, 7st. 41b., Tcads as well as anything in tho race, as no Is a stayer. Devotion and Koso Pink ta.vo also nothing to complain of on the (cole 01 weight Interest on war bonds brought tho Wellington ltacing Olub in a sum of £408 last yoar. Tho sum of. £60 a day is about tho amount the Wellington Kaoing Olub has paid in taxation since tho beginning of tho war. Tho total amount is £68,000.

lVhon Mr. j. B. Harcourfc was re-elected president of llio Wellington Eac'ine Olub yesterday ho' entered on his eighteenth year in that office. Mr. D. M. Pindlay observed at the meeting of the club that ho thought that some recognition of Mr. Haroourt's services should be arranged for.

Tho ti'uo sporting note is struck by the Australian writer, who remarks on tho New Zealand invusion, us follows:—"If tlio New Zcalanclers win the principal events of the spring wo will not begrudge them their successes. The prizes, both In Sydney and Melbourne, are there to be won by the best horses, wherever owned or wherever bred."

Although Wellington is tho chief city of the Dominion, the Wellington Jlncinpr Club in not, in the matter of the stakes offered, the leading turf body. Thin has not escaped the notiro oE the rflcimr public, and at yesterday's meeting of the club it win remarked by two of the members. The president (Mr. J. B. Ifarconrt) introduced, the topic by observing: "This is a metropolitan club, and it has metropolitan responsibilities, but it docs not giro metropolitan stakes, stakes which horse owners have a right to expect and which the sporting public appear to be pTfrclly willing to provide." Mr. D. Jf. .Findlay was the other speaker. He said that ho was in entire accord with .any suggestion to pay higher stakes. He hoped that the Wellington Club would improve its position in tin's respect, and some day advanco ahead of some of tho metropolitan clubs. Thorc had been increases in stakes, but to would like to have seen that, increase spread mora in tho direction of the weight-for-ago raccß. One of tho great services our much-abused racing rendered tho country was tho assistance in tho maintenance of tho duality of the bloodstock, and one of tho best ways in which tho clubs could assist was the giving of Rood stakes for wcight-for-age ovents. "I can a-BBuro you," said fir. iiarcourt in reply, "that only tho war has .prevented us from increasing thb stakes much more than they havo been increased." Tho nominations received for the spring meeting of iho Wellington Hoeing Club nro exceptionally good numerically—"better than ev*" it. is reportfd. In tlio chief event (tho Wellington Handicap), .for which the ataka has been increased, there is a falling-off. For tho Champion"Plate, to bo rim next month at Trcntnam, six of tho New Zealand horses now in Australia have been entered. These aro Killowen, Kilhopc, Finmark, Dlonming, Almoner, and Biplane. In addition, winners of big races in Mcneliius, Sasanoif, Depredation, Parisian Diamond, and Donnio Maid, aro included in tho list.

Mr. W. G. Stead has claimed the umbos of Cashmere for his two-year-old colt by Foramorz, and Athens II for Hie geldingr by Demosthenes from Los Vegas. Tho New Zealand Trotting' Association adviso that tho new rules of trotting as adopted by tho conferenco of New Zealand Trotting Clubs on boptembor 1 may bo obtained on application to Mr. J, B. Morris, secretory of the aßEOoiatlon.