SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 July 1925, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES, July 23 —Waimat < Eistriet Hunt Club. July 23, 25 —Gisborne E.C. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Maecenas.) If a runner for the Hadlow Hurdles at the South Canterbury Hunt Club meeting on Saturday the ex-northernei Kaikahu' should show up well. The coming racing season will be opened by the Christchurch Hunt Club and the Uoverty Bay Hunt Club, both of which race on August 1. The sire Solferino, who was sold for a few hundred a few months ago, has topped the winning sires’ list for the current season, hit* progeny having won over £28,000, of which his son Count Cavour contributed about a fifth. In Eerie and Passin’ Through Hawera holds a strong hand in the Grand National Steeplechase, and the pair named may be found equal to keeping Sir Rose berry doing his best when they meet at Riccarton.

.Passin’ Through has put tip a iemarkitble reconl on the Riccarton course, for in live starts on that track the son of Guianforte has won three steeplechases, and two hurdle races. 11. Burt Inis piloted the gelding on each occasion.

According to Australian papers Count Cavour is second favourite for the Metropolitan Handicap. It would bo interesting to know just why the New Zealand three-year-old is in that exalted position in the betting. It cannot lie due to leniency on the part of the handicapper, as Count Cavour is weighted quite up to his best form. _ It cannot he on account of any betting move on behalf of those interested in the stable, for at present the New Zealander is a very remote starter in the Metropolitan or, for that matter, any race in Australia this spring. Santiago is going well at Wanganui, hut does not appear to lie as good as he was this time last year.

As R. Reed has accepted the ride on Kuliio in the Winter Cup, he must be convinced the black horse has a chance. Kuhio finished well on the first and third days at the recent Wellington meeting, but his showings were much lielow Winter Cup form. At present there is a dearth of capable riders of jumping horses, and for this reason the chances' of some of the good horses engaged at Riccarton will be jeopardised. .For a horse to win over the Riccarton “country” he wants some assistance from his rider; at present this very necessary asset is hard to find amongst the big percentage ol New Zealand hurdle jockeys. It is stated that the connections of Boomcrdav were prepared to sec 11.0 opposite this gelding’s name for the Grand National, so with 10.10 on they must be well pleased. Southerners say that ’Frisco Mail 0.10 catches the eye as well in the Grand National Hurdles. If ’Frisco Mail is well handicapped in being placed within a. stone of Uoomerilay the latter must lie the “eve” of the handicap, as In tlio Campbell Hurdles at the last Auckland meeting Roomerday 10.10 won, .with ’Frisco Mail 0.5 second. Neither has raced since this event. That capable Australian rider, F. Dempsey, who lias met with fair success in England, considers the English, thoroughbred less generous, and therefore more difficult to ride, than the colonial racehorse.

After racing in the Avondale Cup last spring it was decided to operate on. Pompey for throat trouble. He made his reappearance ill public at tho June meeting at Ellerslic and, considering his condition, ran fair races. Pompey runs a good seven or eight furlongs, and may he worth remembering at Riccarton next month. For a long time many prominent men with the welfare of the sport oi racing at heart have advocated ( tho elimination of short distance racing, which is most popular with t-ho majority of owners, for the- simple reason that any "squib” can muster up a, certain amount of pace over a few .furlongs, hut it takes a horse with stamina and training to win a. race of eight or more furlongs, hence the proposed reform lias many opponents. However, the Auckland Racing iCUib has set a precedent by lengthening the races on its future programmes, lmt unfortunately few clubs can dictate as the premier northern club, for that flourishing body gets more nominations and runners than-it wants. Owner-trainer H. L. Russell has done so well with the progeny of Civilisation in Siaosi and Civility that it did not come as a surprise when he secured the two-year-old half-sister to the pair named (Berenthia). The last-named has shown the family speed, and it will be surprising should she not do well in the coming season. Another promising inmate of Russell’s team is the Hawke’s Ray Guineas winner, Mount Marta. This gelding may be found equal to winning some good handicaps run over middle distances.