NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 32, 1 November 1918, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

fill' GWINCOIi.I Tho Avondalc .Took';y Club will commcuco its Spring Meeting on He course tomorrow, when the Avondalc Cup and Stakes will be decided. Monday will sec the opening of tho C.J.C. Spring Meeting, when tlio Now Zealand Cup, Stewards' Handicap, and Welcome Stakes will bo vun. The Y.R.O. Spring Meeting . will commence at Fleniington to-morrow, when the Maribyrnong Plate, V.1t.0. Dorby, and Melbourne) Stakes will be decided. Tho iirst-montioned race contains some smart .youngsters, and included in the event are the recent winners, Artilleryman, Coorlma (who so far lias won two races), Sue, Angelin, and Bumlella. A coll, by Kine ilufus from the good mare Bronze also claims an engagement. Mr. 1). U. Benton has a colt" by Kenilworlh from Widd.cn Lass entered, and if ,he can gallon like his Tirother Wolaroi there would be no need to look further.

With Gloaming back in the Dominion, Mr. Lowry's colt Finmark may he equal to winning the. Derby, though he will meet strong opposition from Outlook and Uuscbius. On October 16, Outlook won the Eclipse. Stakes from end to end from Wolaroi, and though the three-year-old was in receipt, of 131b. from the black horse I ho performance was nevertheless a distinctly good one. Kusobius this _season has won the Men-Hie Stakes (nine furlongs) and tho Caulfield ■ Guineas (ono mile), and

on this form he possesses more than an I outsider's chance. The Held this year will not he largo, and with a little luck l'lniiiiirk may credit Mr. Lowry with his llrst V.1i.0. Derby.

The Melbourne' Stakes, weight for ago, is run over a mile and a quarter. The held this year is a high-class one, nuil at present, the race looks very open. Amongst those cmitiiicd are Desert Gold, Bstland, "Wolaroi, Ceiigne (who won the race last year, in record time for the event), King (Ma, -Magpie, Wediie, Helms, and Kenuaqulmir. The Stakes l.'.is been a had race for first favourites, they having only won on seven'occasions iu seventeen years. The event docs not always afford a reliable light on the Melbourne Cup. Though' Jlalua and Carbine won both events iu their respective years. The Victory was second in 1902; Lord Cardigan, second in 1903; Apologue, second in 1907, and each won (he Cup in those respective years. The Parisian 11911). Piastre (1912), and Westcoui'l (1917) lllled third position in the Slakes," and ilie second day came out and won the Cun.' It will lie interesting to note how the winner of io-morrow's race will shape (if he or she is engaged) iu tho Cup. That good Now Zealand-bred maro Oarlila, who lias dune all her racing in Aus-, tralia. has foaled a lilly to the imported sire. Linaci'c.

In connection with the V.B.C. Derby, to be run to-morrow, the following New Zealand-sired and bred horses have won the Blue Kibanil classic:—.Martini-Henri (1883), Nordenfcldt (1885), Sti'atby/.oro (1891), Carnage (1893), and Carlita (1914). In addition, Biplane wou tho race for New Zealand, but he was bred iu Victoria. The Melbourno Stakes was won by the New Zcalandors, Carbine, Lancaster, and Solution, whilst Necklet, who won the Maribyrnonsr Plate in 1888, was bred in this country

The stirring finish of the first 'four horses in the Craven Plato at Kandwiek last month has brought to the.mind of Australian writers the finish for the Melbourne Cup of 1885. As two of the participants in that finish were bred hi New Zealand—Auckland, to be description, of the finish, as narrated by a writer in the '{Australasian,'" is of interest. . Ho says: "Sheet Anchor, bussing the rails, led into the straight, Trenton and Nordonrcidt in the centre, and Brown and Hose pn the outside showing nromineutly. Once in the straight, Grace Darling came from the crowd, and, getting on terms with Trenton, Nordenfeldi, aim Minerva, the lot settled down to catch Sheet Anchor, tfordonfcldt's great couragu served him, but (he pace was the most, desperate ever rpn at the end of such a race, and. despite all his efforts, the Derby winner (Nordcnfeldt) remained locked with the leaders as they raced to tho post. Sheet Anchor, Grace Darling, Trenton, Nordcnfcldt, and -. Minerva, clustorcd, fought 6ut a great buttle, the upshot of which was a head victory for Sheet Anchor from Grace Darling, Trenton half a head away third, while Nordenfoldt wan only separated by a neck from Trenton, and Minerva a short neck away fifth."

The report, of the death of the Irish stallion- Symington, which was published in' Homo papers in August last, wub a mile' premature, as when the last mail left.Symington was still alive and carrying his twenty-six years of age well.

After the second forfeit for the Melbourne Cup, thirty horses remain in, ineluding Mr. Lowry's trio, Desert Gold, Jutland, and Finmurk. It is , expected that tho Hawko's Hay owner will start the two brothers in the Cup, nnd reserve the marc for tho valuable weiglit-for-agc races at the meeting.

It is reported from Sydney that- YV. 11. UTjachlafi is to hove the mount, on Bstland in tho Melbourne Ouj). and that If Fiumark should start K. Bracken will very likely he found in the saddle. In t[ie Derby tho o,olt, will- be. ridden by M Lachlan. who so' far has not ridden the winner of that classic event.

■, Bee managed to run second to Bursar in the City TattorsalM Handicap, run on October 19. This is the first time tho.Martian marc has-been in a place siuco she won the Dunedin Cup and finished second in the Hazlett Plate at Wirigatul in February, 1917.

The Australian horso. Oagou has retired from racing, and goes to Queensland.-His present owner, Mrs. O. C. Flemmicli, won with him the Metropolitan and Brisbane Cup. Ho had previously scored in the Metropolitan, and is the onlv liorao to win that race twice. His stake" winnings' exceeded £15,500.-

A, notable record. waß put up at a small Australian meeting rccontly, when horses owned by a Mr. A. Hopkins won Hie programme. Tho horses were Lord See, by I'arsec; Burcille, by Facile; and Drocille, oy luetic. Tho last-named nair cadi won two races.

A Press-Association cablegram from Melbourne states that there'arc seven acceptors for tho Victoria Derby, including Finniark and Killowen.