RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19217, 5 January 1926, Page 6

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. January 14. 10—Thames Jockey Club (at Takapuna). . January 20, 22, 23— Wellington Racing Club. January 22, 23—Foxton Racing Club. January 23—Ngaruawahia Racing Club. January 23—Bay of Islands Racing Club. January 29, 30 —Takapuna Jockey Club. February 3, 4—Egmont Racing Club. February 6, B—To8 —To Kuiti Racing Club. February 11, 13—Taranaki Jockey Club. February 13, 15 —Rotorua Racing Club. February 27, March I—Te Aroha Jockey Club. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Magpie."—Gladsome defeated "Wairiki in the Auckland Plate at the same meeting at which the last-named horse won the Auckland Cup. " Wager," Otahuhu.— Bisogno ranged as a four-yes'.r-old when he won the A.R.C. Royal Stakes under 9.10. The race in question is now confined to two and three-year-olds. NOTES BY PHAETON. Player, who won Tattersall's Cup at Randwick on New Year's Day, is owned by Mr. E. J. Watt, late of New Zealand. The New Zoaland filly Minjerookah, who won the December Nursery Handicap at Randwick on the "19th ult., romped in an easy winner and she compassed the fivo furlongs in 59i». David, who has contested 93 races, and who has recently been put into work again, is stated to look so well that he may be a winner again before long. Bidding was very disappointing at th<s sale of blood stock at Ellerslie yesterday, and the only lot Quitted was Mies Bramble, a six-year-old mare by Spalpeen, who was sold for 13gns. It i 3 stated to be quite possible that several yearlings passed in at the recent sales at Ellerslie may be transported to Sydney with a view to their being offered by auction there in April next.

Star Stranger seemed to stand his hard race in the Derby satisfactorily, but the effort in the classic event 'evidently took some of the steel out of him, for he was well beaten in tho Grandstand Handicap ■ and that, too, some distanco from the winning post. The nine-year-old gelding Silvo, who was sold a few months ago in England for 10,600gn5.. had his first run in the colours of his new owner, Mr. W. H. Midwood, at Liverpool on November 11. Ridden by F. B. Rees, Silvo won the Becher Steeplechase, of £420, 2i miles, from three others. The defeat of both Commendation and Lysander in the Royal Stakes at Ellerslip on Saturday was a leading incident in an afternoon's sport, punctuated by surprises of the sensational order. Commendation certainly made a good run from tho head of the straight, but Lysander was well m trouble when it came to real business, and the strong race was not to his liking. Count Cavour is another noteworthy horse that failed to command attention when offered by auction a3 a yearling, for he was passed in at lOOgns. Mr. J. S. Barrett bought the son of Solferino from the breeder, Mr. J. Brannigan, and the chestnut richly rewarded the Canterbury sportsman, for his winnings in stakes to date amount to £8205. The imported stallion Moabite, of whose sale at 9000gns. we heard last week by cable, was bought by the Messrs. Thompson, owners of the Widden Stud, and he is now in the same establishment as that at which Valais is located. Valais cost the Messrs. Thompson 14,400gn5., and with Moabite now included in the stud. the. Widden Stud owns two horses whoso combined cost stands at 23,400gn5.

The course manager at Ellerslie, Mr. A. Hill, has such a wide gra3p of everything connected with his responsible task that the most complete arrangements can always be expected on the A.R.C. ground. The recent summer meeting once again tested the racecourse staff, and a warm compliment must bo paid to Mr. Hill for tho marshalling of his forces which brought about such ad admirsible result. The spiritless character of the bidding for young stock at the recent Auckland sales has formed the subject of much discussion in turf circles, and it goes without saying that various theories are advanced for the cause. Whatever the 'cause, it can bo said that few buyers wero present at the ring-, side, and that breeders received such poor encouragement that some contemplate a considerable shortening of their operations. When Rapine was produced at Ellerslie on Saturday to contest the Clifford Plate he carried a bright coat, /but it was quite apparent that he had gained bulk in the interval after his victory in the Auckland Cup. In the wcight-for-ago raco, Roy Reed was riding the Martian gelding hard two furlongs from home, and with Count Cavour bounding along with a very free stride, Rapine's defeat was always certain from the distance. Count Cavour is well entitled to a special paragraph for the consistency of his form at the recent Summer Meeting at Ellerslie. The Solferino gelding stood the three races exacted from him in splendid style, and he came back to the paddock on Saturday after defeating Rapine in the Clifford Plate without any signs of distress. "The Count" has furnished nicely and as he appears to be very sound on his legs he may be expected to earn further distinction ere ho closes his four-year-old career.

Sydney papers to hand credit Mendit, an aged gelding by Brakespear, with a recordbreaking performance over hurdles at Randwick on December 19. Mendit is stated to have run the December Hurdle Race in 3m 38Js, which is claimed to be a world's record. There is, however, a little tag performance. The distance of the rafißin which he is credited with putting up his record is given as about 2 miles, so that some doubts will exist as to the distance travelled, for "about" may mean anything. The Auckland Racing Club has no cause to regret the step of reducing, the number of ejents each day to seven. There was, of course, a division of the Railway Handicap at the recent Summer Meeting, which made eight races on the opening day, but even with 29 races against 32 last year at the summer gathering an increase in totalisator receipts was recorded. It is perhaps a little too early yet to regard the seven races per day as permanent for some years at Ellerslie but matters can be regarded as promising for an extended term. Tho brace of victories registered by Joy King at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting brings the Australian-bred, colt well into the limeright, and it is pleasing to find Mr. A. B. Williams once again in the position of holding a prospective candidate for Derby honours next season. Joy King's manners at the post are not, however, above reproach, Sind it ia t.o be hoped that lie is not going to develop a temper that will make him troublesome. Joy King, who was bought by Mr. A. B. Williams when a yearling for lOOOgns. has so far only contested five raceis, and his stake earnings amount to £ISOO. The following is a statement of tire respective amounts invested on the totalisator at Ellerslie in connection with the leading events at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting:— Auckland Cup. £27,637; Great Northern Foal Stakes, £16.501 i; Summer Cup. £13,449: Great Northern Derby, £16,900;: A.R.C. Handicap,, £18,512; Grandstand Handicap. £15,238. The weather conditions being of an ideal character when tho A.R.C. Summer Meeting was concluded on Saturday, few of the spectators left the course prior to the decision of the last race. Those who were betting opened their purse-strings wide, for the s'am of £20,458 10s was invested on the Bowen Handicap. The fifty-second Summer Meeting at Ellerslie has now been entered in the records, and, though Derby Day was to some extent marred by unseasonable weather, the gathering can be accorded a place with the most noteworthy and pleasant brought off by the Auckland Kacing Club. The racing" witnessed on all four days was every way well in keeping with the best traditions of the A.R.C. ground. From first to Inst the gathering went with that spirited swing characteristic of Ellerslie, and it need hardly be said that the fine organisation and management for which the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, was responsible, played a highlyimportant part in bringing about the happy result.