NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8343, 1 February 1913, Page 14

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By “The Judge.”) Night watch seems to be improving, and on Thursday beat Winning Way quit© easily over four furlongs. This shapely son of Treadmill and Glenowlet possesses plenty of pace, bnt lacks the ability to . get from the mark smartly. If it were not for this failing he might prove more dangerous than Antumnus in the Middle Park Plato to-day. A fiHy who can begin well and go fast is Warstep, who is to carry silk in the Middle Park Plate. She is by Martian from Stepdancer, and is of course a full-sister to the speedy Stardancer. It is to .be noted that the sensational Melbourne Cup favourite, Duke Foote, is missiug from the big autumn handicaps in Australia, so that he may not be given a run again ( until the spring. At the Nottingham (Eng.) meeting in December a big held left the paddock to take part in a steeplechase, but the event could not be run owing to fog. There was another void race at Derby the following week. This was because none of the horses sent to the post proved capable of jumping the fences. In connection with this an interesting point cropped np as to whether in a void race jockeys received their fees. The general opinion among the riders themselves seemed to be “no race, no fee.” So far as New Zealand is concerned, I do not think the Rules of Racing provide for such an unusual, but quite conceivable, happening. At the "Windsor (Eng.) meeting in December one of the steeplechases was won by Heather Lad, who is a six-year-old son of the New Zealand-bred stallion Gold Medallist. The latter is now doing stud duty in the Heather Lad has not done badly, as he has won eight races this season, mostly steeplechases. On the same afternoon at Windsor an Australian-bred sire in the defunct- The Victory gained posthumous honour through the success of his three-year-old daughter, Allegiance, who won a hurdle race over two miles in very easy fashion. Mr W. Allison’s annual compilation "Brood Mare Sires” appears in a late number of the 1 ‘London Sportsman,” and is headed by Isinglass, whose daughters produced winners of # forty races worth £29,097. Persimmon is second ; his daughters were responsible for forty-three races worth £21,919; and Galliums mares returned winners of fifty-six races valued at £13,927. Then follow St. Simon (£13,057), Orme (£12,833), Laveno (£11,886), Le Saney, French (£11,400), Ayrshire (£10,004), Martagon (£9951), and Surefoot (£9058). The “Winning Post,” which is conducted by R. S. Sievier, has for. some time been a severe critic of its erstwhile friend, R. Wootton. The latest from London is that Wootton has issued a writ against the paper for substantial damages. According to the “New York World,” Mr W. K. Vanderbilt has paid £12,000 for seven of Mr J. R. Keene’s brood mares, which were sent to Mr Vanderbilt’s stud in France. The mares are Maskette, by' Disguise 11. put of Biturica; Court Dress, by Disguise 11. out of Hampton Belle; Pope Joan, by Disguise 11. out of Editha; Megg’s Hill, by Ben Brush out ofßunaway Girl; Stepping Stone, by Ben - Brush out of Running Stream; Early and Often, by Voter out of Cinderella; and Mosquito, by Commando out of Sandfly. THE C.J.C. MEETING. The summer meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club will take place today at Riccarton. The chief events are the Middle Park Plate and the Midsummer Handicap. The former event, which is confined to two and three-year-olds and is run over six furlongs, has eight left in, of which Sir George Clifford owns three, Antumnus, Winning Way, and Nightwatch. The question will bo can the best of these prove equal to defeating Salzburg, who. at Trentham proved himself to be a rather smart galloper. Most people prefer the two-year-olds in a race of this kind, and it must bo admitted that neither Autunmus nor Winning Way as shown any form this season-which favours their chances against a good two-year-old. Under the circumstances Salzburg will probably start favourite. The Midsummer Handicap is run over a distance of one mile and a half,' and in it pride of place is occupied by Ooroniform, with 9.2. He ran three consistently good races at Trentham, and on that form will be well fancied, although he may find a difficulty in. conceding 221 b to Anna Carlovna, who is said to be particularly well at present. The other events have attracted fair-sized fields, and no doubt the sport, although only of local interest, will be worth seeing. PROTECTING THE ARAB. For the improvement of the purebred Arabian an international society has been founded in Egypt. Among the members are a brother and cousin of the Khedive and Prince A. Sherbatoff, of Moscow. The purpose of the society is to arrange shows and sales of purebred Arabian horses in Cairo. The society thinks that Egypt is the best country for this undertaking, because it is within easy reach of Syria, India, and Mesopotamia; but the wish is expressed that breeders of the Arabian horse from all parts of Europe, Africa and Asia will join the society, so that the breeding of this horse may be regulated on a common principle.

Breeders of Arabian horses complain that it is to-day almost impossible to find good Arabian stallions with an authorised pedigree. In a pamphlet published by the society it is pointed out that the evolutions and revolutions in Arabia are a menace to the purebred Arabian, cross-breeding already being in vogue. The society will try to bring about an understanding between the Bedouin tribes of the Syrian desert and the dealer in’ Koweit, Mossol, and Bombay, and*vill also interest the European breeders of Arabians. The proposed shows are not only to bo open to the purebred Arabians, but also to crossbreds and blood relations, such as the Anglo-Arabians in France, AustriaHungary, and Russia. Prom the lastnamed country the Oxloff and Strellet trotters are to be sent to the shows. There are also projected races for Arabians over a distance of at least sixty miles, to bo ridden by officers in their campaign at catch-weights. Excessive pace and the overdoing of horses will bo prohibited. The scheme provides for an expenditure of £20,00(1 —£2000 for purchases in Syria, £6OOO for the transport and the maintenance of 200 horses, £6OOO for prizes and stakes, and £6OOO for the organisation of the society and press publications. THE TAKAPUNA MEETING. The summer meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club will bo concluded this afternoon, when some sport of an interesting character should be seen. The T.J.C. Handicap is the big event, and in it La Reins, whose repealed seconds have earned her a lump of weight without giving the owner the satisfaction of a win, has to shoulder the big impost of 9.7. She will meet Jolie Fille on 51b better terms than in the Cup, which suggests that so far as the pair are concerned La Reina will once more finish in her accustomed place. Eloctrakoff ihas been a disappointment, but he is very nicely treated on the score of weight. In this race last year he gave 261 b and an easy beating to La Reina, whereas to-day she has to concede him 201 b. lied Lupin seems to have quite lost his form this season, having made a very poor showing in most of the events he has contested. Otherwise hs has been given a splendid chance to score at Takapuna to-day. The little fellow might be benefited by a short holiday. Shebeen won his race at Takapuna on Wednesday in such hollow style that he is fairly certain to start favourite in the Maiden Hurdles to-day. He is a son of the Gossoon horse Spalpeen, who was a failure on the flat, but turned out a particularly smart customer over the battens. It will be interesting to note how Toreador shapes in the Moana Handicap to-day under such an impost as 9.8. In the Ferry Handicap on Wednesday it was considered that he could not lose, and so it proved, for he made a sorry exhibition of the field. If he wins to-day ho will have to be classed as the best hack in the north.