NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 300, 15 September 1919, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By Glencoe.)

Owners aro reminded that acceptances for the first day's handicaps at the Otaki meeting close at 8 o'clock to-night. Acceptances for tho Wangantii meeting are due on Friday next. J. W. Low© and C. Pritchard will start their Otaki teams from Trentham on Tuesday next. ■ The walk mil take two davs. The Endeavour Lodge team will consist of Royal Exchange, Mascot, and Motuihi, and C. Pritchavd will send Hatatua, Esperance, and Dick. Though tho price was not made public at tho time, it is now stated that Mr. E. W. Alison gave 1000 guineas for Some Bov whom he recently purchased in Sydney. A feature of tho Randwick meeting on Saturday was the complete failure of tho New Zealand team. Four of the Steadliichmond team competed, and with tin; exception of Golden Bubble, who finished second in the Novice Handicap, ono mile, none of the team filled ft place. Surveyor failed in tho Tramway Handicap, as did Sasanof and Spanner in the Chelmsford Stakes and Taunaha in tho Welter Handicap. Tho failures of the Hawke's Bay team would be costly to its followers, as it was considered that tho competitors were well forward, and it was expected that they would _ win. That wonderful little horto Wolaroi scored 1 in the Tramway Handicap, seven furlongs, but in doing so he had to put up a fresh Australasian record to beat tho unlucky Greenstead, who several times in the autumn acted as runner-up in important races. The Newcastle owner, Mr. J, Baron, won two races during the afternoon. His successes were gained with Richmond Main iu tho Chelmsford Slakes and Princo Viridis in tho Spring Handicap. The win of Richmond Main will bo the means of putting the* three-year-old in Die position of favourite for tho A..T.C. Derby. Two years ago Mr. J. Baron won the same two races with Prince Voritis and Wallace Isinglass. Tho beaten division included the New Zoalanders Rossiui, Sasanof, and Spanner, and probably tho Derby favourite Milliome also Eigaroon and Pershore. Thoso who havo watched Rossini working maintain that lie is the possessor of a soft spot. It will bo remembered that as a two-year-old lie ran in the liussley Plato at the C.J.C. Easter meeting, and was beaten by the Chokeboro colt Night raider. At the timo Deeley was blamed for losing the race by over-confidence, but since then tho trnck work of tlip Martian colt shows that ho lias great paco, but is inclined to turn it up when pinched. Prior to his defeat on Saturday, Spanner was ouo of tho favourites for tho Caulfield Cup, but his showing in tho Chelmsford Stakes is 6uro to cause him lo rccodo in tho market for that race. Tho failure of Aftorglow in tho Spring Handicap would also bo a disappointment to New Zoaland sportsmen, but when it is remembered that tho ten fur-

longs was run in 2min. ssec., it is not surprising that Afterglow failed to gain n, place. Tho Demosthenes maro can bo .depended on to do better with' a raco into her. A Sydney writer, in the course of an article on the abuse of whip and spur in races, states that M. Council, Bracken, Lillyman, Walker, Meddick—horsemen of uote—disdain torture as an -aid to success, for the all-sufficient reason that ppurs <lo not command success. Ho adis that at Kensington W. 11. Smith on one occasion took up his whip to King's .Cross in a long race beforo passing the grandstand the first time, and did not cca.se the flailing until he squeezed homo from Lady Diffidence and Tulkeroo. Originally the Waugamii Guineas promised to bo a good raco, but with the railway restrictions in force it may now. develop into a tarns contest between Warplane, who is already on the scene, and one of Mr. G. 11. Currio's three-year-olds, either Rose Queen or Farce. The absentees will include Surveyor, Miss Gold, Golden Bubble. Lady, Ball, and Rossini, who are in Australia', and Sir-George Clifford's. A. M'Donald's, the Douglas Estate' 6, T. 11. Lowry's, V. Riddi ford's, and A. B. Williams's representatives, -who are unable to get to the meeting. It' is not likely that owners • will send , valuable three-year-olds by road.