RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18266, 6 December 1922, Page 8

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. December 6. 7-Lak« County Jockey Club. "« 6. 7-Woodvill« District Jockey Decerobo'r 9-W»ikato Trottinc Club. December 15-Waipa Racine Club (at 1« Awamutu). , . _, December 16-liotorua. Racmz Club (at le Awamutu). , , , _ December 2G. 28. January 1. 2-Auckland RaoDecember "26. 27-Dunedin Jockey Club December 07. 29. 30-Auckland Trotting

December 26. 27. 23-Mnnawatu Racing Club. De.ember 2G— Porangabau Racms Club December 26. 27-Wcst:and Racing Club. December 26. 27—Taranaki Jockey Uuo. December 26—Alexandra Racing Club. December 29. January I, 3—Greymouth Jockey Club.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

N.J.L.. Okahukura— Geoffrey (7.10) won the Te Aroha, Cup of 1021, defeating Prince Char'.eroi (7.4). Royal Abbey (8.10). and four others.

" Kata."—l. Desert Gold was eeven years old when sho ran her last race. She contested 56 races, and won (!G of her engagements. 2. H. Gray steered Wallalo to victory in the Australian Cup of 1011. " Haere," Taumarunui.—(l) Solfanello carried 9.3 when he won tho Stewards' Handicap at Riccarton. The- time recorded was lm. 113-, and Solfanello won by two lengths from Absurdum.

"Some Boy."—lt is necessary for a jockey applying for a license to do ao through the District Committee of the district in which he resides, and to furnish full particular in accordance with the rules on the license form provided.

" Bagpipe," Re.muera.—Ai three years old Gasbag (7.11) ran. third to Starland (6.11) and First Salute (8.4) for the Auckland Cup of 1920. , The judge declared in favour of Starland by a neck from First Salute, with, Gasbaj: a head away third.

NOTES BY PHAETON.

THE SPRING HANDICAPS.

The A.R.C, handicapper, Mr. F. J. McManemin, has good reason to be pleased with the manner in which his adjustments for the Auckland Cup and Railway Handicap have been received; for that presages a strong list of acceptances for both events. Advices to hand from Canterbury indicate that Foo Chow, Cupidon, and Royal Star may be expected to come North with a view to contesting the- Cup; and from Wellington, Insurrection, Scion and Royal Box are ticked oti as hkety to .make the northern trip. This sextette is popularly selected to play an important part in t.ie settlement of tho two-inue racfl at Ellersiie on ivoxing Day. Yvith regard to tho nailway Handicap, tne eituation 13 invested wun interest 01 u. vtry keen oracr: and it is considered that thsre is a good prospect of a, largo percentage oi tha horses weighted above 9.0 being found on the scene. Selections for the sis funonga take a. very wiao rauu-e, and it is on ail .aande admitted that tho A.K.C. handicapper has | submitted a very stiff problem to discover tn.e i>rouablo winner. ENGLISH-BRED VIOLONCELLO. Up to date the Ensiish-bred hor&e Violoncello has v.on stakes in Australia to the Vdue oi £11.152. V.olonctllo cost Sir Samuel Hordem 4uocsua in England. In reierrmg to Vio.ouctllo's recent aeries oi victories in Victoria, a Sydney writer remarks :--•■ Sir Samuel Hordem has reason to be proud ot his ownership of Violoncouo. He chosa Inni • all by himself.' It was % lucky speculation. Ho had a substantial winning bet at one of tho English raceLOiirses during his visit in and decided to play up his profits in tho Durthase of a good hcrse. Next day he saw Violoncello in a race, and bought him. Violoncello has landed only fivs races, but they have all been rich ones. in etakes he has earned £11,132. and in several of h.s races his owner has supported mm heavily, so that ho has turned out a very profitabio investment " LEAVES FROM MY NOTEBOOK. Rational followed up hi* victory in the Feilding Stake 3 by capturing the Orona. Stakes, and that gives the son of Absurd tho satisfactory record of three wins out of five starts this season. The Wanganui gelding figuring among the horses engaged in the A.R.C. Railway Handicap, much interest is centred in the decision which his. owner will come to, fur Rational is also engaged in the Palmereton North Strikes. The fact that Mr. H. It. Gibson also has Tamatete- m the last-named race may be expected to encourace him to give Rational an opportunity to extend his winning record at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

The Woodvillo Spring Meeting op©n« today. Tho lending ev»nt of the programme is the Wrodvi'le clandicfu> (one mile and aQuarterh in which the following horses are fnsjaced :—Scion. 9.0: Maioli*, Sunnrt, 8.9; Merry l>ay, 8-3; Admiral Codrington, 8.2; fitters. 7.9: Pnoamii. 7.8: Bujinntious, ?.5; Kilgonr, 7.3; Esperartce, 7.2: Dissertation. 7.1; Beloved. 6.11; Soldier's Lore, 6.10.

Amytha«. Ngata, Sunart. who are engaged in the Auckland Cup. >a!so figure in the Manawatu Cup: and as both events are *>?t dotro for ■decision on the same day the respective owners of the trio nam»d - will to make a choice as between Eherslie and Awapu'M (or their horses to carry silk on Boxing Day.

The Australian-bred filly Ga-'»worthy. who figure* in the A.E.C. Railway Handicap with 6.10, is down for an en esse'-"-".it at Woodville to-day in the F'ying Hack Handicap (six furlongs), in which she figures ton weight with 9.4. So far Gr-sewor+hy has only contested three races, and ehe has won two of her en^avrnevtp.

According to advices to hand from Wellington there, ia a good prospect of Soifauello being sent up to Ellerslie in order to- fulfil his engagements at, the Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting. _ Solfaneilo is confronted with a- stiff task in the Hallway Handicap w.tn !>.)v! opposite his name, but he has shown himself to be a first rater over three-quarters of a mile, and ho is not a stranger to Ellerslie, for ho won the Newmarket Handicap there last January, carrying 9.10. end he was timed to run tho distance that day in lm 13 3-ss, and he accomplished hi 3 task in convincing style.

The Hawke's Bay Bportsman, Mr. _A. B. Williams, claims a treble string to bw bow for the Auckland Cup in the shape, of Grasbag and the. three-year-olds Rapine, and King's Trumpeter. Rapine ia the particular one of that trio being singled out for special attention, but whether such is based on reliable grounds is for time to revi»al. With Gasbag's feat in the Canterbury Cup well tipped with . brilliancy it will be as well for those inclined to make Ijta-pinct a better favourite than his Well-performed stable mate to bo quite sure of their ground.

Though it is apparently tho popular view that if Mr. G. D. Greenwood is to -win the Auck.and.Cup. Cupidon.ia tho most likely one of bis team, to claim tho attention or tne judge, there is a certain section who apparently hold .the belief that Pluto is not m the. Ellerslie race as a- mere ornament, and tae Sutala gelding is ranged up with the second tavburues. So wr .Plmo lias nothing beyond 10 furlongs to his credit, and lie is to be taken on • trust for a ra.ee, tho distance of which extends to 16 furlongs, t Tho New Zealand-bred mare Truthful (by Demosthenes —Lily White), who was sold for 1300gus in September last in Sydney when Mr. W. G. Stead's horses went to auction, has so far failed to justify her purchase. In the decision of the Epsom Cup on November 25 Truthful (7.11) managed to get up into third place, and the £25 attaching to her position in the race- named is her sole contribution to the Victorian sportsman, Mr. C. Meyers, who bought her at lUOOgns.

Merry Day has been made to pay the full penalty for tho double victory she registered at the Feildmg meeting last week. When Mr. J. E. Henrys framed the weights for the Woodville Handicap he let Merry Day off with 7.0, but in the rebandicap for that race the brown mare's impost was raised to B.3—an increase of 171b.

The Grey Handicap, which is the concluding event at the forthcoming summer meeting; at Ellerslie, has attracted the .great entry of 80. which is, I think, a Dominion record. The race in question is run over six furlongs, and is limited to. what; is popularly termed the " hack" class.

Tho statement is again revived that the trustees of the Douglas Estate have decided to relinquish racing, and ail the horses, including the brood mares, will, it is understood, be disposed of.

A pleasinc feature of the nominations received in connection with the A.R.C. Summer Meeting is the number of horses engaged in the four hurdle races which figure on the programme.

The weights for the four minor events set down for decision on the opening day of the Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting are due to make their appearance on Saturdav ne:tt.

The early favourites, for the .STuchrand Cup are Insurrection and Rapine, Cupidon, Pluto, Foo Chow, and Boyal Box being most fancied of the others.

Boyal Present was struck out oi the Auckland Cup at 10 a.m. yesterday.