NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8358, 19 February 1913, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By "The Judge.”) The attention of southern sportsmen will turn to-day to Wingatui, where the Dunedin Jockey Club will make a start with its three days’ summer meeting. The principal event in today’s programme will be the Dunedin Cup, of 760 sovs, one mile and a half. Although by no means the oldest race of the Dunedin Club, it was established as far back as 1874, when Lurline won it for Mr H. Redwood. That good horse Templeton won it twice, while other double winners were Mata, Lady Emma, and Stepdancer. Some good horses figure in the list of winners, notably Sir Modred, Vanguard, Nelson, Gipsy King, Liberator, Advance, and Los Angelos. The time record for the race, viz., 2min 35sec, was put up by Oiyoi in 1910 v while Lurline, the, first winner, holds the weight record of 9st 9ib, Los Angelos being second in this respect with 9st 51b. In to-day’s race there are no horses of the class mentioned above, but a useful field of nine runners is engaged, and an interesting race should result. Anna Carlovna, who brought off such a brilliant performance in the Midsummer Handicap at Eicoarton the other day, is fairly certain to start a warm favourite, and she ought to run well despite a big lift in the weights. The North Island representative Mira has been responsible tor one or two good track _ gallops since his arrival at Wingatui, and many expect Mr Hall’s grey to put up a big fight. Coroniform has done consistently good work this season, and of the others Brown Owl is wonderfully well treated, if she would only run somewhere near her best form. Altogether the race is not likely to be the runaway affair some people think will bo the case. . The Sylvia Park mare Redwing, who has an engagement in the Autumn Hurdles at Wingatui to-day, has been going in good style and is expected to run prominently in the race mentioned. She is a smart fencer and has a considerable amount of pace. Out of a field of ten in the Dunedin Champagne Stakes Sir George Clifford has three engaged. These are the brown colt Nightwatoh (Treadmill — Glenowlet), the chestnut colt Veritas (Elevation —Brave Heart), and the bay colt Glencannich (Glencullqoh —Cresset). It is probable that Nightwatch will carry the first colours, as the course should suit him. Soldiers’ Chorus is undoubtedly a good one, but he is set a big task in .the Publicans’ Handicap at Wingatui, when asked to concede 141 b to two fine sprinters like Obsono and Pilgrim’s Way, 171 b to My Lawyer, and 231 b to Peg. If the Martian horse can pull it off the win will be fully deserved. There are only four horses in the Apprentices’ Plato at Wingatui, in which event Medallist is likely to be a warm favourite. The difficulty in getting likely apprentices to ride is probably the cause of the poor field. The Woodville Jockey Club's autumn meeting takes place to-day and to-morrow. A number of Wellington sportsmen left town yesterday to assist at the gathering. Lady Moutoa has been getting through some good work of late, and she is likely to be a good deal fancied for the Woodville Cup. M. McDonald, who has been riding with much success, will have the mount. C. Pritchard’s team at Woodville consists of Sir Moutoa, Gay Lawless, Cadonia, and Knutsford. All are well forward on the score of condition, and a stake or two may go to the Trentham stable at tins' week’s meeting. Mr H. Whitney believes in giving his horses plenty or opportunities to pay their way. He will have four at Woodville to carry the “heliotrope jacket and black cap,” these being Naumai, Mt. Victoria, Aema, and Mediterranean. As J. Scott has the quartette in nice racing condition the trip may prove a profitable one. Yankee Doodle, who got on the winning list at New Plymouth, has an engagement to-day at Woodville in the Maiden Plate, for which ho is now ineligible. Tho big fellow will probably be given a run instead in the Whariti Hack Handicap, in which he has a very Ight weight. The mad-headed Divinia is engaged in tho hack hurdle raco at Woodville to-day. She is one of the worst behaved animals at tho barrier in the Dominion, and it will bo interesting to note whether a course of hurdling will effect an improvement in her manners. A race or the kind will necessitate the services of a stronger jockey than the Sylvia Park mare has been accustomed to of late, and this, of course, will bo a point i n her favour. Mr Durrant’s mare Sinapis has been given the big weight of 9.9 in the Nelson Cup, but is very likely to start favourite, as the opposition is weak. Ceylon, if at her best, may prove a formidable' opponent at a difference of 91b. The annual meeting of the South Auckland Racing Club will take place at Claudelands, Hamilton, on Friday and Saturday. Time was when this fixture was a comparatively small affair, but it has steadily grown in popu-

larity, until now it is one of the most important of tho county fixtures m tho Auckland provinces. lor this weeks races the entries are very large, and the gathering should be about the best ever held by the club. The Hastings trainer, J. M. Cameron, .will make a start for his Australian trip by the Moeraki next Iriday. He will take a team of five horses with him, among them being the well-known jumper Sir Lethe, whose pace should stand him in good stead in jumping events on the other side ot the lasman Sea when tho distance is not too far. On tho subject of tho next English Derby “Vigilant” in the London “Sportsman” says: “As far as one can hear, Craganour, who would unquestionably be favourite were there any market, is wintering to the complete satisfaction of W. T. Robinson at Foxhill, although he has not grown much, and, in fact, passes the standard a trifle under 15h 2in, which is a little under tho average of first-class horses. But in all other respects he is as nearly perfection as can be expected, and his quality undeniable. When fully extended he covers an enormous lot of ground in his stride. Shogun comes next in consideration, but has not the same tremendous speed of the son of Desmond and Veneration, nor do I think ho is possessed of such a good and generous temper, the probability being that he resented his double dose at Ascot, when, after making mincemeat of the opposition for tho Coventry Stakes, ho was pulled out for the New Stakes under a big penalty. Newmarket hopes of supplying the hero of next year’s Blue Riband are mostly centred in Louvois and Sanquhar, and it has been denied that Lord Rosebery’s colt last-named is touched in his wind. I can only trust that there exists no foundation for tho report, but none tho less am somewhat sceptical on the point. But wo shall see what we shall see, and for that matter we have yet to learn if Craganour will develop into a genuine stayer, always a doubtful contingency where such a speedy colt is concerned. No doubt all these horses will be seen in public before the classic races come on the tapis, and we may, I suppose, take it for granted that whereas Maher will have the handling of Sanquhar if he runs, Saxby will renew acquaintance with Craganour, while, of course, Frank Wootton will be the pilot of Shogun.