NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 15, 13 October 1919, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By Glencoe.)

Tho Masterton meeting will be held on Thursday, and Saturday of this week. The announcement that the jockeys throughout tho Dominion have banded togother and formed an association with tho intention of approaching the Racing Conference with a view, to securing better conditions, hardly comes as a. surprise, for .the matter has been talked of for somo time. It will bo interesting to see how the authorities view the formation of the union, as in the 'nineties when a similar attempt was niado it was quickly squelched. Providing the unionists go about their business on sane lines it does not appear as if. the authorities can take any exception. Joekoys are, in a great maiiy cases, married men with families, and.they feel the increased cost of living as much as anybody else. This is given out as the principal reason for the formation of the union. On tho grounds stated above the riders aro certainly entitled to an increase in their fees. Eacli year owners race for bigger stakes in this, country, so they cannot complain if they are asked to pay higher riding fees. It is understood that tho secretary of the npwly-fqrmoti union is to go 60uth to-night, and will interview tue president of the Racing Con-' ferenca to-morrow, when the suggested demands of tho union will be put before him.

Byl winning the Grantham Stakes at Raiidwiek on Saturday the Martini) three-year-old Rossini made amends ■ for his previous failures. The son of Grand Opera raced consistently enough throughout tho trip, but each time.ho met something a shade too Rood for him. He seems, to he gifted with more brilliancy than staying ability. _ but time may enable him to get a distance successfully. The failure of Surveyor in the Caulfield Stakes will not be heartening to'his backers for the Caulfield Cup, but the issue is not entirely beyond redemption and it can be expected that the three-year-old will be all the better for the race. Oil the other hand it is a singular fact that the Caulfied Stakes winner is rarely successful in the Cup. Onee again the Cliokeboro representatives have played a very strong hand in the settlement of tho weight-for-age races on the Dunedin programme. Winter Wind seoms to have inherited the speed of his sire, Antagonist, and it is to bo hoped that ho will keep sound longer than did the last-named. Royal Stag accounted for a useful field 111 the Guineas, and if he 011 he will have to bo reckoned with in tho settlement of tho C..T.C. Derby. A Press Association message from Mel bourno states that Toison d'Or linn boon se.iatcliiid for the Caulfield'and Melbourne Cups. ™ Excellent support hns been rocelro'l for the seven events at the Canterbury Jockey Club's Spring Meeting, for which entries closed 011 Friday. Altogether, !K)S horses lie.ve been engaged, compared willi L'fi2 in I '16, und. as they' includo representatives from all tho-'Dominion's prominent stables, the success of'the fixture seenis assured. Both Desert Gold and Gloaming .havebeen engaged in ttr» Stead Memorial Gold Cup at '.lie Spring Meelinc. Another lest of gallupiii;; ability between tlio two champions would bo very welcome.

- According; to a Napier authority, somo "crook" totalisntor tickets got into circulation at the Hastings races. Before the Tomoann Hurdles was run, a speculator picked up a ticket on Maraetotaro, which won tjio raeo, and also saw on tho ground mother torn-up ticket nil Uie same horse. Tho finder prcsontcd the ticket at the "tote" to collect the dividond, and was severely cross-«*anunnd as to where he had procured it, Fearing trouble, the visitor overcame bis indignation at being requested to account foi having the ticket in his possession, ami acknowledged having picked it up on the lawn. Payment on the first was delayed for about ten minutes, but no explanation of the "crook" tickets has been forthcoming, The totaliaator clei-k informed the speculator in question that a number «f tho "crook" tickets yore in ciiculation. Mr. J. B. Eeid's three-year-old Sunart has been freely noniinated for tho Canterbury Jockey Club's Spring Meeting, from which it would appear as if ho was making a rapid recovery from tho injuries lie received recently through being kicked. Winter Wind, who won the M'Lean Makes at the Dunedin Jockey 'Hub's Meeting, is by Antagonist from 'Windwhistle, by Clanvauald—Wenthereye, bj Maxim—Galatea, a iine from which Sit George Clifford has had many successful performers. Windwhistle was. a very useful galloper, and on retiring tp thestud she started •veil with Whistleeraft, who was followed by Full Sail, a really smart galloper, who went to Australia. Then came a lot of failures, leading up to Don Pacifico and Wild Night, loth of whom went to the south. From present appearances it looks as if Winter Wind would proves very useful sort.. He is a particularly handsome colt, full of ' quality and with a resolute style of galloping. There was nothing out of the way in his success -it Dunedin. but lie may have to bo considered In other juvenile events. . Tho name of Voluble has been claimed for the Mystification—Tattls gelding en gaged in the Nov Zealand Cup. As ho has not.been engaged in the other important handicap events, it is doubtful if he will fulfil his Cup engagement. Several New Zealand Cup candidates claim engagement in the Wellington Handicap, and a win for any of them will entail a penalty of 101b. for • the A'ovember race. Trainer F. Christmas lias found it necessary to li.\ve Gleiuluwer fired 011 the foreleg that hay been giving trouble, and the Glenapp gelding will not be seen out until this autuiiiii After the Napier Park Meeting Bjorneborg was bought by Mr. J. S. Barrett, and tliti Finland gelding raced in that owner's iuterest in the Spring Handicap at Hastings'oll Wednesday last.

FIXTURES. Oct. 16, 17—Ashburton County R.C. Oct. 16, 18—Masterton R.C.. Oct. 25, 27—Gore R.C. Oct. 25, 27—Wellington 'R.C. Oct. 27—North Canterbury & Oxford J.C. Oct. 27—Wnvcrley-Wnitotariv R,C. Oct. 27—N'nipawa County R.C. . Oct, 30, 31—Poverty Bay Turf Club. Nov. I—Tarntahi-Carterton R.C. Nov. 8. 12—Auckland R.C!. Nov. 8, 10, 12, 15—Canterbury J.C.