NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 91, 19 April 1911, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By Sir Bedivere.) Moqrilla, who won the Sydney Cup, is an own-sister to Lady Medallist. Lady Menschikoff, whose success at Feilding cam© as something of a surprise, is the first of Menschikoff s stock to win over a lengthy course. Her dam, Sister Francis, was a half-sister to Sister Mary, the graflddam of Audax, and hails from one of the best families in the English Stud Book. - Cheddar was reported to have been backed from the right quarter to win the last New Zealand Cup, for which, however, his owner declined to start him. Qurnlivan has always 1 maintained that although the little gelding was not brilliant, he could stay. Blue Lake, who won decisively on each day of the Wairarapa meeting, is a very handsome filly indeed., She is a quick beginner, finishes well, and promises to hold her own in better company than she met at Tauherenikau. Undecided, who had a hollow victory on the second day of the Wairarapa meeting, used to be badly affected in the wind. Thic was his first appearance in public since he underwent what was evidently a successful operation at the hands of the Wellington veterinary, Mr. F. Crossky. G-awain, who has not carried silk since he contested the Telephone Handicap at Masterton, won three years ago, was saddled up on Monday at Tauherenikau. He was not nearly fit to race, and after giving trouble at the post he finished down the course. If there was one thing more than another over which the Wairarapa Racing Club was deserving of compliment in connection with its autumn, meeting, it was the totalisator arrangements. It was quite a relief to attend a meeting where there were no complaints under this head. Maxwell, who scored in the A.E.C. Autumn Handicap, is an own brother to the famous sprinter Soultline. He is named after his breeder, and though he has not the brilliancy of his older brother, he is evidently the better stayer of the two. Until recently Macmanemin was unable to do much with him, as he appeared to suffer from rheumatism. In winning the Great Autumn Handicap at; Eicearton in 2min 34 3-ssec, Cheddar established a record for the race, the previous best, viz., 2min 35sec having stood to the credit of another of Mr. Watt's representatives in Boomerang, who scored in 1 1m>6. The yearling colt by Achilles from Volley, who was bred by Mr. W. Hume, i was due to arrive at J. Cress's stable,

Trentham, yesterday. He is extraordinarily like his sire, in colour, markings, and general conformation, but carries a rather plainer head. Two-year-old form daily becomes more difficult to follow. First we hear of Miscount, who was- neveT dangerous at Awapuni, turning the tables upon Orton. Then Counierfeit, who was badly beaten by Peirene at Awapuni, wins th*> Champagne Stakes, in which Peirene only managed to finish third. Finally Culprit, whom Peirene put down in the Champagne Stakes, comes out and beats Mr. Greenwood's filly in the Autumn Nursery, in which they were again meeting at even weights. The latter reversal is not) so difficult to understand, as the race was run over five furlongs instead of six, but really it seen^s as though Culprit, Orton, Miscount, Peirene, Masterpiece, and Counterfeit would, at any time, be liable to run a dead-heat. Miss Winsome, who had been off the scene for some time prior to contesting the Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie, can be very little, if anything, behind them. Were I, offered my pick of the buncli I should have no hesitation in selecting Masterpiece. This colt is not a brilliant beginner and 1 still appears to suffer from greenness. He is a resolute finisher, however, and as he is an exceptionally big one he may be expected to show much improved form next season. I Sol's success in the Autumn Steeplechase at Ellerslie was well overdue. He had not won a race since he scored under 12st 121b in the Sperry Steeplechase at the meeting given at Ellerslie in honour of the visit of the American fleet in August, 1908.