NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8352, 12 February 1913, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS

{By “The Judge.”) The autumn meeting of the Taranaki Jockey Club will bo commenced to-day at New Plymouth. A fair number of sportsmen went up from Wellington yesterday to assist at the fixture, which promises to be the most successful yet held by the,club. After his .double win at Hawera, Ngatiruanui is cure to have plenty of friends in tho First Hurdles at Now Plymouth to-day. The brown son of Maniapoto and Secrecy has taken to hurdling like a duck to water, and as he is very fit and possesses plenty of pace he should do well at the game. Overtime has been sent down from Auckland to run at tho T.J.C. meeting to-day. Ho is engaged in tho Stewards’ and Flying Handicaps, and may possibly start in both. The Musketry gelding, judged on his Takapuna running, is evidently quite ready to play his part to advantage. Goldsize had a bad passage down from Auckland, and was accordingly not quite at his best at the Egmont meeting, especially on the opening day. H© t is engaged in the Flying Handicap at New Plymouth to-day, for which he is sure to be well supported by tbe uoftbern visitors to the meeting. Despite his big impost. Undecided lt> sure to be well supported in the Taranaki Cup, and it is not improbable that he may start' favourite. There are some useful gallopers among hie opponents, aad the top weight will have to be on his best behaviour to win. Worcester will have a chance in the Timaru Hack Handicap of proving whether he is as good as so many of his Auckland admirers think him. There is a big field engaged in tho race, including some smart hacks, such as Lucerne, Crawford, and Grattan. The northerners are very confident that the brown son of Soult and Merry Maid will put up a big fight. Tho Gisborne Racing Club will hold its summer reunion on Thursday and Friday. They do not appear to rush the totaiisator in Central Queensland. At tho Rockhampton January meeting only X2OO went through the machine. The Rotorua Jockey Club will hold it° annual meeting to-day. There are an ■unusually largo number of Auckland horses engaged, and, as tho Hot Lakes township is full of visitors just now, a good, meeting should result. Nominations for all ©vents to be decided at the autumn meeting of the Napier Park Racing Club (Trial aad Maiden Hack races excepted) close with Mi 0. B. Gleadow, tho secretary, .at 8 p.m. next Friday. Tho Woodthqrpo Hack Racing Club’s meeting proved very successful, for the weather was fine and the racing, taken on the whole, interesting, one or two of the finishes being very close. R. McKay’s brown gelding Crocus (Merriwee — Daphne) won a double, as did E. Oakenfull’s brown gelding Grassmoro (Merriwee —Merry Kate). Tho Cup was easily carried off by L. Jones’s black gelding Hero (Turquoise—N o Name), and the Ladies' Bracelet went to Miss K. Noell’a black gelding Golden Louis (Gold Reef— Louisa). The New Zealand-bred Gold Seal won a race at Folkestone (England) in December. All the competitors refused at the second fence, but Gold Seal eventually got over and finished alone. Christchurch folk are keen on a trotting meeting. At last Saturday's fixture at Addington tho totalisator" figures beat the Canterbury Jockey Club’s total for the summer meeting by JJ9I7. At the Addington trotting grounds on Saturday, during an interval between two of the races, the pllicials of the,New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, assembled in the setwards’ room, at the invitation of the president, the Hon, y. Louisson, The gathering was held for the purpose of making a presentation to Mr R. O. Duncan, as a mark of the club’s appreciation of his services as honorary judge during a period of six years. In handing over the gift, which took the form of a silver rose bowl, Mr Louisson paid a high tribute to Mr Duncan’s qualities, not only as a judge, but also as a straight-going sportsman. Mr Duncan briefly returned thanks for the presentation. The Afrio, which arrived at Sydney last week, had on board the following thoroughbreds puronased in England by Mr H. It. Denison: Ch h The Nut (toaied 1905), by Amphion from Miss Hoyden, by Halliard; b- o (foaled 1910), by Spearmint from Kitty Grey, by Ayrshire; b f La Fiancee (1910), by Matchmaker from Belle Poole, by Gailmule; ch f Wenora (1910), by Winkfield from Anara, by (iokihneh; ,b m Australia (1905), by Trenton from Mai true, by Springfield, covered by St. Amant; b or br m Jovoy’s Neuk (1903), by Donovan from Fujiyama, by Timothy, served by Martagon; ch m La Bolero (1904), by Pioneer from Christabel, by Lyrio or Kendal, served by The Nut; b m Hampton Spree (1909), by Cupbearer from Elsie Hampton, by Hampton, served by Bally; h in Gold Dust (1907) by Bill of Portland from Goldlike (imp.), by Trenton, served by Black Sand; ch in Faustina (1909), by GalUnule from Film, by Enthusiast; and oh m Sister Sue (1908), by Cicero from Sister Lucy, by Ormonde or St. Gatien, served by Lochvyan. Messrs W. and F. A. Moses’ re-cently-acquired stallion Cardinal Beaufort (John o’ Gaunt —Katie Bengali) was on the same boat, as were five mares purchased by Mr S. Hordern. In England it has been mooted that it would be a good idea to confine apprentice allowances to lads riding for their own stiiblea. Tbe point has been productive of a deal of discussion, and those favouring the suggestion include bam Darling, Captain Dewhurst, Sir Charles Nugent, Felix Leach, and A. A. Joyner. On tho other hand, Richard Marsh is not very optimistic on the subject. He says: “It is my humble opinion that unless a trainer has a very large stable of horses with lenient and non-betting owners it would be a very difficult matter to produce a j ockey. Practice is what they require, and in a small stable I am afraid they would not get sufficient. I certainly agree with you that lads now ride much too soon and before they have the proper knowledge." He also adds that apprentices should be taught to ride tho proper lengths, which, of course, means in the old style. In that he will have many supporters, for after a boy has

learnt to ride properly in the old style, there can be little objection to bis shortening his lengths to his liking; _ but tbe principle of young lads riding with their knees cocked up in the air almost as Soon as they are put on a horse is entirely wrong, as in most cases they are merely balancing themselves by means of the horse’s mouth. 'The idea that any lad lias merely to ride ridiculously short in order to make emulation of tho deeds of Tod Sloan a possibility has exploded everywhere.