NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 20, 18 October 1919, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By Glrncoe.)

The Masterton meeting will be concluded to-day. Wellington patrons can journey up by the maii train, which arrives at Opaki iu plenty ot' time for the first event, .which starts at 12.15 p.m.

The track got a shower of rain yesterday. and should afford splendid going to-day. The acceptances are quite as good as couid be expected, and a good day's racing should result.

Tho first eveat is the Hack Hurdles. Whiro, list. 21b., is top weight, and he is more seasoned ■ than his opponents, but he has a long string of failures opposite his nams since changing ownership. The Trentham candidates Sonnino and Rienzi will be making their first appearance over battens, but both have schooled admirably on the training tracks.

The field in the Grandstand Hack Handicap, seven furlongs, is not a strong one, and Galore, who finished vorv fast on tho opening day, may be better supported than, the useful Railand. Kilgour was well supported on Thursday, but lie did not go far enough to suggest that he will win to-day.

All the runners in the Telephone Handicap, five furlongs, rto possessed of a lot of speed, and the draw will have a lot of bearing on the machine speculation. If the inside position goes to either Ermine, Murihiku, or Samarang, tha drawer may bo favourite.

Of the runners in the Juvenile Handicap Saima is tho only winner. He is very smart at the barrier, but Askari will be well suited by the long straight at Opaki.

The three top weights in the Waipipi Handicap will all be well supported, and the first two may divide the honours. Nobleman may be a triflo more seasoned than tho mare, but the latter can be depended upon to put up a big effort.

Lord Astolat is such a big gelding that the extra weight for Thursday's win is not likely to trouble him. He came from an impossible position on tho openins day, and the form appeared, to bo good.

The' Open Welter Handicap will only have a small field, and Matatua and Morris Poto may be in the front division at tho finish.

Smart beginners in Nursing Sister, Sweet'Moniory, and Elculins arc engaged in the concluding event, and again the draw for positions is likely to have a bearing on the result.

Finmark saw the wholo field home in tho Metropolitan Handicap.

Gloaming, Afterglow, Karo, and Rossini are on the liiverina, duo at Wellington on Sunday. They are accompanied by the two-year-olds Dewdron (The Welkin—Carissima) and the Varco— Farawav colt.

Biplane is at present out of work at Randwick. 110 is to be spelled

Rebus has now won .£11,735 in stake money. His successes aro the Rosehill Maiden Slakes and Rawson Stakes, tho Sydney Cup. Epsom Handicap. Villiors Stakes and Metropolitan Handicap. Ho is without doubt one of the best handicap horses Australia has ever seen. The son of Radium and Quibble has yet to win a weight-for-age event.

At the Sherwood Park Stud, Victoria, Cross Batterv has foaled a bay filly to All Black. The youngster is a half-sis-ter lo the A.J.C. Derby dead-heater, Artilleryman.

After the A.J.C. Derby tho blue riband was placed by Lady Helen Munro Ferguson first on Richmond Main and then on Artilleryman. The A.J.C. Committee decided, in view of the historic nature of the race, to have two extra duplicates of the riband made, so that there will be one for S"' Samuel Hordern, one for Mr. A. D. Murphy, and one for Mr. "J. Baron."

Tho Gisbnrnp-owned Heather Sprig is now located at Ellerslie, where be is working nndci' the supervision of J. Williamson.

At Hastings Parisian Diamond is still on the easy list ,and W. Kirk now gives most attention to Statuette, who is doing pood pacing work, with a sprnt sandwiched' in here and there. This filly is in the pink of condition, and should be ready to race at very short notice.

A private cablegram received in Auckland states that H. Hobinson has been engaged to ride Sasanof in the Melbourne Cup.

. Lucid is the only three-year-old engaged in the Mitchelson Cup, and ho has been assessed at 51b. under weight for age.

After giving Bisogne every chance, W. Sharp advised Mr. Alexander that it was no use persevering with the horse, and the son of Bezonian was shipped back to New Plymouth from Auckland last week.

The two-year-old by Solferino—Eager Eyes, owned by the SouUiianu ,-

man, Mr. E. Russell, in whose colours Mohawk used to race, is expected to arrive at liiccarton shortly, when ho will go into W'. M'Donalil's stable,