RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19209, 24 December 1925, Page 8

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. December 26, 29, January 1, 2 —Auckland Racine Club. December 26, 28. 29—Manawatu Racing Club. Docember 26. 23—Dnnedin Jockey Club. December 26—Alexandra Racine Club. December 26, 28—Westland Racine Club. December 26, 28—Taranaki Jockey Club. December 26—Waipukurau Jockey Club. December 31. January 1. 4—Greymoutb

Jockev Club. January 1, 2—Hftwke's Bay Jockey Club. January 1. 2—Marton Jockoy Club. January 1. 2 —Stratford Racing Club. January 1. 2—Wairarapa Racine Club. January 1-—Tirau Racing Club. January 14. 16—Thames Jockey Club <at Tak.iDUna). January 20. 22 . 23— Wellington Racine Club. January 22. 23—Foiton Racine Club. January 23—Nsaruawahia Racine Club. January 23—Bav of Islands Racine Club. January 29. 30—Takapuna Jockey Club. February 6, B—To Kuiti Racing Club. February 13. 15—Rotorua Racine Club. February 27. March I—To Aroha Jockey Club.

BATES OF COMING EVENTS, December 26—Auckland Cup. December 26—Manawatu Cm). December 26—Otago Handicap. December 29—The King's Plato. January I—Great Northern Derby. January 2—A.R.C. Royal Stakes.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Wager."—There were only three starters fnr tho C.J.C. Derby in 1905. viz.. Noctuiform. Gay Spark, and Not.ua. " Ranei." Te Aroha.—The race in connection with which St. Hippo was barred on tho totalisator was tho Great Northern Derby of 1893. The action was taken with the full consent of the ownor. tho late Mr. L. D. Nathan.

" Chesterfield."—Hangawera is a maidon four-year-old. His dam, Hamadryad, was got by Eton from Tho Doll, 'by The Officer from Dryad, by St. Leger from Woodnymph, by Muoket. Hangawera finished second to Santa Fe in the Trial Plate at Taumarunui on December 5. NOTES BY PHAETON. Gold Light is stated to bo training ull steadily at Hastings, and tho trainer, Stewart Waddell, is quite hopeful that tho brilliant chestnut mare will make a reappearance under silk before long.

A summer meeting that holds a atrong place on the Racing Calendar is that for which the Manawatu Racing Club stands sponsor, and tho approachiue Leathering fixed to be held at Awapuni on December 26, 28. and 29 promises to bo well UD to tho moat noteworthy of its predecessors.

An outstanding fact in connection with the Great Northern Foal Stakes is that only three winners of that raco have won the Great Northern Derby, viz.. Renown (IS<J9). Menschikoff (10001. and Desert Gold (1911). Mimetic won tho Foal Stakes last year. Can he break tho spell that has followed the Foal Stakes winner since 1914?

Germany is again building up its bloodstock, and on© of the latest purchases made in England for the German Government Stud is a grandson of Carbine. The horse purchased for transportation to Germany was Poisoned Arrow, a six-year-old sou of Spearmint, who proved himself <fc stayer and weight-carrier.

When a horso is tubed for roaring it is unusual to hear of any subsequent attempt to raco it without the tube. However, England Hns ai IciLst one exception. After Verneuil 11. won the Bromford Selling Plato at Birmingham on November 3 a London paper had the following reference to him: " Verneuil 11. provides a verr interesting study for veterinary science. He once went wrong in his wind and he was tubed. He got better, and the tube was removed, and there was no trace of any noise after he pulled up following his remarkably easy victory."

Tho Queen's Flate. with which event the racing opens at Ellerslio on Boxing Day, has every appearance of attracting a large fiold. for the 27 paid up for last Friday are found holding their position. The race in question is for three-year-olds and upwards that have not won a flat race of the value of £250 or flat races of the collective value of £SOO at time of starting, and the conditions are that three-year-olds shall carry 8.0 and four-year-olds and upwards 8.9, with a slb. allowance to mares. Six of the probable contestants figure in tho Great Northern Derby, viz.. Star Stranger, Mask, Mosaic, Diogenes. Mint Leaf, and Nippy.

A limited company to carry on the racing of horses is not permitted under the rules of racing in England, and that fact recently received a strong advertisement in the Old Contry. It is stated that a serious proposal was made to turn Mr. H. E. Morriss' racehorses into a limited company, but thu was against tho rules of racing and was quickly abandoned. A London journal remarks:—"No objection is raised in connection with horses which are only at tho stud.. Charles O'Mallev, a celebrated winner, was ' floated' for £40.000. and a syndicate dealt with his stud earnings. How great these earnings may be is shown by tho fact that the Duke of Portland's St. Simon earned £250.000 during his years as a sire. A stud fee of £SOO is sometimes chnrged for famous horses. Among racing stables Kingsclero was formerly a limited company."

Several Australian sportsmen who have recently returned from abroad are unanimous in their opinions concerning the high prices obtained for yearlings in England. A filly sired by Tetratema, a son of Tho Tetrarch. was sold for 12,000gns. which is tho largest sum ever paid for a filly. " Anything at all that looks like galloping early or is bred tho right way is quickly purchased." said an ex-tourist. " Values are very high." said he, " and when it is remembered that thero arc so few two or three-year-old races in England in which tho winner's share exceeds £2OOO, it is useless for Australian buyers to think that they can pick up a likely horse at bargain prices. Up to September 25 of this year in England 335 yearlings had been mid at auction at prices from lOOOgns to 12,00&L r ns. Of these, 30 realised from 2000gns to 2900gna; 14 realised 3000gns to :S9oogns; nine, from 4000gns to 4800gns; three, from SOOOgns to 5800gns: four, from GOOOgna to 6200gnn; one. 8200gns: ono. 9200gns; one, 10,500gns; and one. 12.000gna."

Haze, the four-year-old son of Demonihenes, continues to hold his position firmly as one of the leading favourites for the Auckland Cud. and it can bo said that this is very largely due to his figuring in the raco with an impost 251b bolow weight-for-age. Haze has yet to win a race, but it can bo ursed for hiin that ho has been very close to the winner on several occasions. According to *' Tho Watcher." R. J. Mason will not have it Chat tho gelding is as good as peopio think him. Tho Wellington writer thon remarks: —"This makes tho position all tho more interesting. When Ha7,o finished second to Ranino in tho Metropolitan Handicap ho carried 7.7 to Rapine's 9.7, and was beaten by two lengths very decisively, for at tho distance Haze looked a winner, but was unable to withstand the determined finishing effort of the top-weight. Rapine also stood him up some, ground from the straight entrance, for Haze w.v. alwavs well up. just in behind the pacemakers. This would point to Haze not being so very good after all. especially in view of the subsequent defeats of Rapine by Tho Banker in the Canterbury Cup and Runnymcde in the Stead Gold Cup. In the Auckland Cup Haze receives 51b the better of the deal, but if the Metropolitan form is repeated it will hardly be sufficient to reverse the order between the pair. Then if Rapine can dispose of Haze, what about The Banker? Tlie Kilbroney gelding may have been somewhat lucky to win the New ZalanO Cup, and it looked as if he was; but after the cup he won on his merits. He is » four-year-old. and therefore haß the advantage of Rapine, and it is only reasonable to expect him to be more improved' than the Martian Bix-year-old on their Riccarton form. Ho meets Rapine at tho weigh t-for-age difference, and. all things considered, the form at tho Now Zealand Cup meeting is in favour of the New Zealand Cup winner."