NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 130, 1 March 1928, Page 14

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Bv

Vigilant.

“Wager.”—ll. Gray rode Statuette and A. J. McFlinu rode Sweet Memory.

The Marlborough Racing Club's meeting to-day has drawn very fair fields.

In the Marlborough Cup Royal Game is top weight with 9.0, but he does not seem to D: at his best at present. Black Mint seems to be returning to form, and he and Wild Pigeon are likely to be well supported.

Quantum has three engagements through the day. ami whatever race she starts in she will probably be one of the favoured ones.

Alyson also Ims three engagements, and at tile last Wellington meeting she finished fourth to I.e Choucas.

The St. Leger this year has no outstanding tbree-vear-old engaged. Agrion and Martarma, Aybo represent the Dominion's best, have unfortunately gone wrong, and in their absence the rest of the field are not a very formidable lot. In consequence, it will most likely be a better race, with the good ones missing. Satrap has shown staying qualities, but Great Charter, who is a late foal, should be a dangerous opponent.

High Pitch has been a long time in returning some of his purchase money. It; is last December, twelve months, since he won a race. His victory on th? second day of the To Aroha meeting is the first for his new owner.

W. Raynor lias Episode, Lysauder and Damaris’engaged al Trantham. Episode is only entered in the Pacific Handicap on the second day.

F. Tillev has M.andane, Laughing Prince, Limited and Consent, engaged at the Wellington meeting.

W. H. Dwyer Ims War Wings, VexilItim and Limosa engaged at the Rangitikei meeting.

Now that the tracks have become easier Archon is to be schooled over the hurdles. The Archiestown gelding has shown that lie knows how to jump, and he should do well at the game if ho keeps sound. He will probably lie teen out as a hurdler at Bulls.

The three-year-old filly Skyquest Ims been sold by Sir George Clilford to the Ricearton trainer-owner. 11. Adamson, who purchased Scrambler from the same stable in November last. Both Scrambler and Skyquost will be taken Io the Coast for the Easter fixtures.

Star SI ranger IT is now an inmate of E. Scoullar’s. stable at Ricearton and will be given a race at Motukarara on Saturday.

Lady Desmond has appeared again on the tracks. Hw filled leg has fined down well (says an exchange).

Phillippic is to be tried over fen furlongs at the Motukarara meeting next Saturday. He was going away from his opponents at Ricearton over seven furlongs, so possibly he should be ablo to run the extra distance. Margaret Birney will have the services of C. Emerson in the Kinloch Handicap at Motukarara on Saturday next, and the distance, seven furlongs, should see her in a favourable light. At -last year’s meeting she won the Peninsula Cup, and although consistently filling places in subsequent engagements, she has failed since to get on the winning list.

The three-year-old gelding Idun, who was third in a close finish in the Waitoa Handicap, seven furlongs, at the Te Arolia R.C. meeting on Saturday, is a full-brother to the Invercargill-owned two-year-old Red Sea, by Valkyrian— Whitianga.

King's Jester, whose name appears in the list foe the Motukarara Juvenile Handicap on Saturday next, is a three-year-old gelding by Clarcnceux from the ex-Stonyliurst mare Sweet Smile, by San Francisco from Winning Way. He has yet to face a starter, but sh.tpes well on the track.

The imported horse Gothic, which won the Futurity Stakes last Saturday, is a brilliant sprinter, and he bent the previous record for the race, held liv another imported horse, Top Gallant. Gothic is by Tracery, and therefore related to Pantheon and also to Mr. T. H. Lowry’s imported horse Psychology. Under the heading. “A A’ersatile Rider,” the “Australasian” of a recent date had the following:—“A numbei; of riders have come from New Zealand at one time and another and settleif down in Melbourne, but none with more success than IT. Cairns. Tt does not seem 18 years since he arrived, but it will be in a few months. He came here in 1910 on the advice of D. J. Price. Cairns had been having some luck at the Auckland meeting, and came when Price had that unlucky hoi;se Afaahua in training for Mr. E. Manifold. The previous year Ataahua had the Caulfield Australian Hurdle Race at his mercy when leading nearly a furlong, but fell. Cairns rode him in the Grand National at Flemington next year, but ran nowhere. Cairns's chance came a little later on Clontarf and Mr. L. K. S. Mackinnon's Mernnqua. He was a great rider over hurdles, and won other important jumping races, but his services wore in such request for races oil the flat that he gave up the iinvning business. How he won the Melbourne Cup on Spearfelt, and his wins on that great horse Heroic are well known to all racegoers.”

AUCKLAND NOTES Dominion Special Service. Auckland, February 29. The tracks at Ellerslie are again very quiet after the Te Aroha meeting, the only incident, of note on Wednesday being’ a schooling bout over the big hurdles by Simplicitas and Lord Guy. The former jumped well, but Lord Guy’s effort was not at all encouraging. After falling at one hurdle, he cleared several others in a slovenly fashion. Ho is not making the improvement expected. W. Garrett has made all arrangements for taking Sir Rosebery to Sydney, and the big follow, who is in good order, will be shipped by the Marama on Friday. A. Cowan is handling a rather nice youngster by Lucullus, the name of her dam not being available. In the Shade and Prince Otto were taken to Te Aroha for the second day’s racing, but they were allowed to drop out. Royal Doulton is said to have been kicked at the barrier before winning the President’s Handicap at Te Aroha, and doubt is expressed about her being able to carry out immediate engagements. More may be known about (hat next week. The Romeo mare is unlucky in this respect, as she was also kicked badly at the A.R.C. summer meeting when contesting I he Queen’s Plate. Princess Ronnie is coming on well, and will race at Pukckohe. She may still be in need of racing, and may show up better on the second day of the fixture. Cynthia N, who was rather disappointing at Rotorua, is being kept going. She is a very lean customer, who does not. require a groat dea] of fast. work. Her best efforts are likely to be recorded on big tracks, and the sharp turns at Rotorua probably accounted in some measure for her failures there. Bright Dawn and Gay Cockade, who showed winning form at the Kawakawa meeting, are due to make a reappearance at the Franklin meeting. Gay Cockade is an improving sort. Sir Archie is one of I he Ellerslie division that is relishing the slightly easier conditions. He is to be tried over ten furlonge at Pukckohe, and if he gets a sofe track, is likely- to make a good showing. Piet was solidly backed for the ten furlong hack race on the second day at Te Arolia, but after getting a perfect run, he failed badly. It wns hard (o account for the support accorded him, as neither his private, nor nublic form has been anything .out of the wav. Speechless seemed sore at Te Aroha. and ran poorly on the second day. She

is better than she has yet shown this season, and maybe will do better when easier conditions are ruling. High Pitch was well beaten on the first day nt To Arolia, but came to light on the' soft track on Monday. The Sarchcdon geldiiig has won only three races, all of his victories being achieved on soft tracks, so that in future ho will be ranked as a good proposition only as a bad weather horse. WAIMATE HANDICAPS BY Telegraph.-Press > i-aiciAnoN Timaru, February 28. The following handicaps have been declared for the Waimate Racing Club's meeting on March 15: — STUDHOLME HURDLES, of 115 sovs. Thirteen furlongs.—Wharncliffe, 11.13; Koauau, 11.2; Beauty Light, 10.9; Red Heather, 10.1; Bonatic, 9.13; The Babe, 9.12; Goldtown, 9.6; Captain Sarto, 9.5; Hard Prince, 9.5; Rhondda, 9.0; Krasnoi, 9.0. WAIMATE CUP, of 275 sovs. One mile and a quarter.—Sir Roy, 9.0; Nincompoop, 5.13; John Bradbury, 8.12; Taboo, 8.12; Countersign, 8.11; Overhaul, 8.9; Heather Lad. 8.4; Wayward, 8.0; Battle Colours, 7.13; Carnot, 7.9; Lucy Loeket, 7.9; Money Peer, 7.2; Fabriano, 7.0. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, of (40 sovs. Six furlongs.—Solrosc. 9.0; Sagit- • tarius, 8.11; Gold Brick, 8.9; Black Duke, 8.8; Polydectes, 8.6; Gay Sonnet, 8.5; Mime. 7Ji; Money Mine, 7.0. WAITANGI HACK HANDICAP, of 110 sovs. One mile.—Luminnnt, 9.0: Rotor. 8.8: Money Peer, 8.7; Master John, 7.13; Rhondda. 7.12: Princess Mafahla, 7.12; Exide. 7.7; Little Duchess, 7.7; Fairness, 7.7. STEWARDS’ HANDICAP, of 125 sovs. Seven furlongs.—Taboo, 9.4; John Bradbury. 9.3: Fairv Herald. 8.13: Sagittarius. 8.11: Black Duke. 8.11; Gold Brick. 8.11: Heather Lad. 8.9: Gay Sonnet. 8.8: Wayward. 8.7; Polydectes, 8.7: Carnot, 8.2: Lucy Locket, 8.1; Mime, 7.9; Rotor, 7.7.

W. S. BAGBY’S LICENSE. Auckland, February 29. The granting of a jockey’s license to W. S. Bagby by the Racing Conference

formed the subject of a protest by the Auckland District Committee, which nt the same time passed a resolution indicating its intention to appeal. The necessary conditions having been fulfilled by the local committee, the secretary of the Racing Conference has notified the appealing body that the case has been fixed for hearing at Wellington to-morrow afternoon.