RACING FIXTURES.

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 110, 5 November 1925, Page 21

RACING FIXTURES.

November 7 and 9—Auckland fi.O. Spring. November 7, 9, 11, and 14—Canterbury J.C. Metropolitan. November 14 and 16—Waikato R.C. Spring. November 18—Ashhurst-Pohangiua R.C. Annual November IS and ID—Winton J.C. Annual. November 21—Levin R.C. Annual. November 26 and 28—Soutb Canterbury J.C. Spring. November 28 and 30—Taknpuna J.C. Spring. November 28 and 80—Feilding J.C. Spring. December 26 and 29, January 1 and 2—Auckland R.C. Summer. December 2G, 28. and 29—Manawatu R.C. Summer. The tracks at Riccarton are decidedly on the firm side, and will be very fast unless rain falls before Saturday. With regard to training gallops on the plough, it is worthy of note that. that track is anything up to two seconds to the mile, faster at the close of training • operations as compared with the very early morning. The plough is heavily watered overnigiit, so that obviously the early birds have all the worst of it from point of view of time. This should be remembered when comparing gallops. In the telegraphed reports of the track work at Riccarton on Tuesday it was stated that.S.unart defeated Rapine over a mile and a quarter. This was the reverse of the actual result, _ for Rapine came away from his companion over the laat part, the gallop being one of the best of the morning. Lady Cavendish sprinted very fast on Tuesday morning at Riccarton. She does not please the critics by her appearance, and by many is not expected to see out the full journey in the Stewards' Handicap." All is not well.with the Comedy King two-year-old Joy King. He is suffering from -sortie - internal trouble, and was given a dose of physic on Tuesday. It is very unlikely that he will be seen out at the New Zealand Cup Meeting. Belore racing at Trentham Te Kara was showing slight signs of lameness, but it is now history that it did not prevent him from racing very well. The same- trouble is still in evidence at Riccarton when'in his slow paces, but for all that weight of big money threatens to bring him to the position of first favourite on race day. R. Reed's mounts at Riccarton' on Saturday are Tresham, Mimetic, Decoy Bird, My Hobby, and Malaga. ' H. Goldfinch, who arrived at Ricearton yesterday, stated that he had been engaged definitely to. ride Commendation in the Welcome Stakes. , The crack two-year-old has done ■ well -at ■ B.iceartsn, and has excited much, favourable comment. • . •■■• .•• '. .■■, . ■ ( With regard to the gallop- between Licinius and Ilka at Riccarton- on Tuesday morning, when the. former had. the best, of- a fast five-furlongs, it is'understood that LiciniUs had about three'stone the best'of the weights; From present indications it is feared that many of the North Island horses will leave Riccarton after racing, on the third day. The Royal Show stock from ; the North Island will take up all the : available steamer space from Friday, 13th, to about Wednesday, 18th, so that trainers will be delayed for practically a''week if they see the meeting right, out. So far the acceptors for the Linwood Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday exceed the safety number (25) by five, and the club's officials at present do not expect that there will be sufficient with.drawals to obviate a division. There will be no division in the Riccarton Welter. The Racing Conference has amended its ruling in regard to the safety numbers, or rather the space allotted each horse, which has been reduced from 4 feet to 3 feet 6 inches. This means, roughly, an increase of one-seventh of the safety numbers, but it does not apply to all courses, for on some less than a distance of 4 feet was allowed heretofore. Gold Light did not make the trip to Riccarton after all. Her veteran trainer, who has gone on to Riccarfon, had hoped: to take her South, but feared to risk a complete breakdown. Landrail, the dam of Chimera, has foaled a colt to Grandcourt. Pronto has been retired, to the stud, and has been mated with Hymestra. Martian Miss and Bonetter have been sent to the same horse. It is reported that L. A. Pine's fractured arm is not -going on satisfactorily, and the insertion of a silver plate was found to be necessary. It is unfortunate for Pine to be placed on the casualty list at this busy part of the sea J son. The probable ri'd6rs in the New > Zealand Cup are as follow:—R. W. M'Tavish (Te Kara), L. G. Morris (Sunart), F. C. Porter (Count Cavour), H. Goldfinch (Tanadees), J. Beale Deucalion), R. Reed (Tresham), M. M'Carten (The Banker), D. C. Watts (Merry Day), E. A. Keesing (Kilfaire), L. J. Ellis (Ravenna), J. J.. Potter (Shining Armour), T. G. Stokes (Kalakaua), R. H. Burns (Carpentier), R. Coveny (Lucinette), C. Eastwood (KuUume), and N. Trillo (Waetea). So far no decision has been come to as to who will ride Mr. T. H. Lowry's gelding, Phoenix Park. Although it has been given out in the South that C Eastwood is to ride Victory Bond in the Stewards' Handicap at Riccartoi), it 'is understood that the Riccartou lightweight will be on Father O'Flynu, whom he rode at Trentham. Vaward will be ridden by T. Tito in the Mitchelson Gup on Saturday. He would have to improve considerably on anything he has' done yet to have much chalice of success. Heather Lad was relieved of his Riccarton engagements because of injuries received when he fell at the Gore Meeting recently. He is to have a brief spell. There will be a good representation of Taranaki horses at Ellerslie on Saturday with Income, Muraahi, Te Monanui, and Vaward engaged in the Mitchelson Cup. In the other races there are Oration, Royal Mint, Star Area, Seatown,Helen, Tuki, Aropeta, The Lamb, Price, Poiima, and Yoma. It is not often that Mr. W. R. Komball's colours are missing from Kiccarton at the important meetings, but Una year the Masterton owner, has nothing in work up to metropolitan form. J"lij3 may be only temporary, as several :wo-year-olds are being tried out, and may improve sufficiently by the time the autumn meeting comes round. Owing to a disarrangement «n connection with transport from Gisborne, Automne and Automaton will not be shipped tn Auckland. Mr. D. J. Barry is very disappointed at the turn .matters have- taken, as Automne was giving every indication that lie would be at the top of his form at ,the spring wecLing at Ellerslie, and Automaton is also in the best of nick. Windbag, Manfred, and Pilliewinkie, who finished first, second, and . third respectively in the Melbourne Cup, were discussed recently by. a Melbourne writer as follows:—Windbag is an undoubted chaiopion. Some critic* fault

him for an event like the Melbourne Cup became he displays a tendency to "get up in front." In trotting circles a horse with similar action • would be classed as a trotter as distinct from a pacer. The favourite term applied to him is "pile driver." Amongst this other critics say that stayers are more often found amongst "pile drivers than amongst smooth-actioned gallopers, such as are represented by The Night Patrol, Bold and Bad, and others.. The only danger, as regards Windbag, seems to' be that, having been racing since July, he may go a trifle stale as a result of his transfer from Sydney to Melbourne. Such things have happened, but the gallop recorded by Windbag last; week indicates that all is well with him, and it seems that Manfred will need to be on his best 'behaviour, both at the barrier and in the race, to beat him. Pilliewinkie, the ex-New Zealander, purchased by Sir Samuel Hordern .with an eye to the Melbourne Cup,, being a, proved stayer, must be reckoned, with. His galloping in Sydney, both on the track and in weight-for-ago events,, was impressive. He is a handy customer in a field; can be ridden behind without difficulty, and appears to be _ a great candidate to support on a win-and-a-place basis. . Mr. J. M'Mahon, chief stipendiary steward, who has recently returned from a three months' holiday trip to Australia, commented on the racing in the Commonwealth as follows:—"The appointments at the principal Sydney courses are expensive and very complete, but I am still of the opinion that racing here is much more enjoyable than over there, as we do not have the rush, bustle, and noise attendant upon bookmakers operating and the public trying for the longest odds. Further, we do not have the large attendances and, in consequence, have more elbow-room." In addition, he considers that apart from the real top-notchers in Australia the horses were not particularly high-class, and that the New Zealand horses would compare very favourably. Passin' Through has been put into work again after a well-earned spell. For the first three months of the current season Kilbroney's stock have placed him at the head of the list with £4572. Solferino is next with £3785, and then come Lucullus £3215, Paper Money £2834, Quin Abbey £2830, and Martian £2754. If there is a suggestion of centralisation of racing the country clubs are immediately up. in arms, yet many of them take the first opportunity of racing on citiy courses. This has been particularly prevalent in Canterbury, and formal notice is now being made that the Methven Racing Club will race at Riccarton on sth December.