NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10610, 8 June 1920, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By "Carbine.") The Gisborne Steeplechase meeting is fixed for Thursday and Saturday of this week, but a glance at the acceptances will convince anyone that the meeting has been spoiled by the jockeys’ dispute. The absence of transport facilities has prevented outside performers from reaching the East Coast town, and if the meeting is proceeded with local horses will have to provide all the sport. Arch Lassie ran badly at Otaki. and It was decided not to bring her back to Trentham. The Marble Arch mare has developed a big knee, and there is little chance of her racing again tor a considerable time. Goldscreen, one of J. H. Prosser’s, showed a lot of .pace in the Welter atOtaki on Friday, but did not see the journey out. Gold screen is a six-year-old gelding, by Gold Crest—Vallance.

Among the southern horses likely to make the trip to the Wellington winter meeting is Bombproof. He has recover, ed from the injuries ho received when racing over hurdles at Easter, and is again in regular work, Simon ran unplaced on the opening day at Otaki, but on the second day, when more favourably handicapped, and with R. Reed in the saddle, he won de eisively after getting something the worse of the running. It is reported that B. Jarden intends to retire from the trotting sport, with a view to taking up farming. M. Edwards is another trainer of trotters and pacers who is said to contemplate retirement. It is understood that Jarden has disposed of his training establishment to a well-known amateur reinsman, who intends setting up as a public trainer. It is not unlikely that some .racing trill be got out of Marc Anthony thi» winter and in the corning spring. He appears to be sound, and is working satisfactorily on the tracks. We all make mistakes, but when a racecourse judge makes several errors in a couple of days there is no option but to draw attention to the fact. To ensure the success of race meetings, the spoiling public must bo given every possible confidence in the judging, and to the end- it would be wise for some clubs to engage stipendiary judges. It was common talk at Otaki that the club there will have some such proposal before it when next it meet*. The, Century Hurdles winner. Sir Fisher, is in work again at Awapuni, and hope* of getting him fit to race once more are entertained. A couple of seasons back the Maniapoto gelding was among the most useful hurdlers in the country. After scoring in the Century Hurdles ho went on to Ellerslie and ran a close second in the Great Northern Hurdles to that -remarkable performer Bon Here. The race was run in record time; and Sir Fisher met with ah acci dent in the running. Coming on to Wellington, he ran second to Gladful, and was a little nnlucky not to win.

The Advance gelding. Bitters, ran a really good -race m the Ohau Welter on the concluding day of the Otaki meeting. Going to the front as soon as the field had lett the straight, McCarten set a solid -pace for the heavy division to follow, and ho was still 'in the van when the turn for home was reached, though one of the light-weights who had tried to go with him had been shaken off. Simon and The Digger both head-ed-Bitters in the run to the judge, but the three-year-old hung on determinedly, and’was -right on the premises at the finish.

The races got behind time at Otaki, and it looked as if inadequate totalise, tor accommodation was the cause. During the war totalisator arrangements remained at a standstill in most places, and now that racing is booming as it never boomed before, many clubs find difficulty in handling the money await ing investment and running to programme time. However, there should be no such difficulty, for the long waits between events—forty minutes in some cases, forty-five in others —allow ample opportunity for catching up lost time. No doubt Otaki will fit its course out with modern totalisator arrangements as soon as possible. The Otaki meetings are very popular, and it would bo a pity not to have everything reasonably up-to-date.