NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 135, 3 March 1919, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

[Br Glencoe.]

The Hamilton Meeting will bo concluded to-day. The annual meeting of tho Nelson Jockey Club will take place on Wednesday nnd Thursday of this week. The Napier Park Racing Club's Autumn Meeting will be held on Friday and Saturday. There was a big acceptance the Cambridge Handicap' at Hnmilton on Saturday, but only six horses went to tho post. Tho issue was generally regarded as lying botween 80-Peep and Spanner, and the pair filled tho first two places. Victory rested with the Wel-lington-owned mare, who has been racing very consistently during the past couple of months, but without much luck. Tho Welcomo Stakes winner must bo made of solid stuff, for she has done a lot of travelling and racing, but is still able to muster up her best pace.

• The victory of Rude in the Hamilton Cup was fully expected, for the handic.ippsr did not consider it necessarv to penalise the Australian-bred gelding for u performance at Wanganui that was full of merit. Hendra, who finished behind Rude at Wanganui, has won twice since, and this drew pointed attention to tho chances of Rudo on Saturday. Those who supported the winner ivero agreeably surprised at tho return they got. The Opnlci trainer, J. Jamicson .sxpcetctl Hoso Wreath to win the two-year-old handicap at Hnmilton, but the best the Kilbroney filly could do was to iinisli third hehinu Taiamai and Canowindra, both of whom hail from Ellerslie. After riding at Hamilton to-day. G. Price, A. Reed, and 11. Gray are hastening south, and will be on the boat for Nelson to-morrow. After riding there on Wednesday and-Thursday, Gray will get back for the To Aroha Meeting on Saturday. After winning the Peninsula Cup on Lionskin on Saturday, G. Young was railed before tho Judical Committee f'oi (wring Achilledes. Young explained that his mount was lianßinpr out, and his explanation was accepted. Acceptances for the first day's handicaps at the.Napier Park Meeting are due to-morrow night. , . ' Elocution's correct -weight in tlifi Plying Handicap at Napier on Friday is Bst. lib., not Sst.' 71b., as was telegraphed last week. Cooing is not to he-taken to tho Nelson Meeting, and her name appeared in the list of acceptances in error. Tho Eoniform maro is doing well, and has been entomb for. tho Wairarapa and Woodville Meetings. . - The report that all is not well with Red Ribbon is unfounded. The chestnut maro 13 working 'regularly at. Ouakl, and.will be n.; runner ,at the - Tauhcrenikau .andAVoodvilie fixtures. ■ -' Trainors C. Pnl chard'with four horses, and H. ■ Kingan, with three are leaving for Nelson by the Pateena, which sails at 1.80 p.m. to-day. ■ Battle Song is to fulfil his engagement iu the Napier Park Cup, and will be entrained at Trentham on Tuesday. So far no rider has. been .engaged for the Signor gelding. , Menelaus was. given a few days spell after- returning from . tlie Wanganui Meeting. He is not likely to race again until the Autumn Meeting of the .Wellington Racing Club. ■ The following, are corrections of the Napier' weights-.—Esk Hack Handicap: Honey Bee 7st. 81b., not 7st. 71b. Trial Hack: War March should read Ward 'Guard, who is not eligible to start; Ethiopian 7st. (lib.,: not 7st. 811>. Flying Handicap: Elocution, Sst. lib., not Bst. 71b..

.Sydney writers state that MK W. R. Kembnll's horses did not land there iu good shape after their long voyage on the boat.

The Divnedin Jockey Club has decided to'extend its winter meeting over three days. The Programme' Committee was instructed to increase (lie stakes to .£".-.00. •' .

Australian papers state that Master Strowan is likely to go there to contest some of the big steeplechases, lied Rib- 1 bon is also mentioned ns.n probable visitor. ...

At a meeting of the committee of the Waipawa Racing Club . .the chairman (Mr, T. Butler) rend a wire reCeived.from tho secretary of. the Racing Conference stating, that a racing data was available if. the club' wished to hold a totalisator. meeting during the" present racing, season. After .discussion it was decided that owing to the limited time in which to prepare the course the offer bo not .accepted, the club preferring to wait for their usual date,M,abour Day. A statement presented showed the finances of this' club . were in a satinfactory, position, good iiac having been made of the course for farming operations during the time racing bad been suspended. "In connection with this a voto of thanks was passed to the chairman and Mr. Vf. H. liathbono. It was decided to hold the annual niwiii.g at an early date,.when a certified balancesheet will be presented.

Waterform and < Sensative, who have not been long in work again after a lengthened holiday, are 'reported to he doing all right in their track essays at Napier Park. A South African exchange says that rerecently, in nn endeavour to make their meeting as free from crook practices as possible the City Sporting Club (Maritzburg) installed telephone communication, between each of the four starting posts and the judge's box, in order that an irregularity in the running of horses (might bo noted by the starter and communicated to the judge. Tins apparently interfered willi tho trade of. the bucket shop gentry, for the discovery had been made that two receivers, even though tho latter were removed after the meeting and locked up in a building, had been smashed beyond repair, while all the wires had been sevnrM at the starting posts and the judge's box.