RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19720, 20 August 1927, Page 16

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. August 20— Pakuranga Punt (at Ellerslie). August 27—Tarunaki Hunt. September '2. 3—Marton Jockey Club. September 8, 10 —Wanganui Jockey Club. September o—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt. September 10—Otago Hunt. September M —Dannevirke Racine Club. September 16—Dannevirke Hunt. September 21—Ashburton Racing Club. September 21, 26 Avondalo Jockey Club (at Ellerslie). September 29. 30—Geraldine Racing Club October I—llawke's Bay Jockey Club. October s—Manawatu Hunt. October 7. B—Otaki Maori Racing Club. October 8, 10—Auckland Racing Club. October S, 10 —Oamaru Jockey Club. October 13, 15— Dunedin Jockey Club. October 15—Carterton Racing Club. October 10, 20—Cromwell Racing Club. October 22, 24—Wellington Racing Club. October 22, 24 —Waikato Racing Club. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. W.R.M.—Te Kara carried 9.2 in the NewZealand Cup of 1925. He was beaten by half a length by The Banker (8.1). "Tally-ho," Cambridge.—The late Mr. T. Halstead rode the winner of the Pakuranga Hunt Cup on five occasionß. The winning horses ho steered were:—Tricotrin 11882), King Don (1884 and 1885), Huntsman (1886), and Malabar (1894). " Wager."—Lochiel did not win the New Zealand Cup and Auckland Cup either in the same year or in the same season. He won the first-named race in 1887 and the latt-er in December, 1888. The horses that won the two races in question in the same year are St. Hippo (1892) and Scion (1922). Warstep ran a dead-heat with Indigo for the New Zealand Cup of 1914 and won the Auckland Cup in the same year. NOTES BY PHAETON. THE GELDING QUESTION. At one period it was strenuously argued that many horses were left entire that it would have been well in the interests of the thoroughbred family had they been added to the list of geldings, and, as an inducement to owners to nnsex the unworthy ones, the gelding allowance was brought into the weight-for-age scale, and, indeed, for a good stretch of years the same a.oo applied to classic events. Some few years back the New Zealand Racing Conference abolished the gelding allowance under all headings, and there can be little doubt that the heavy toll on the thoroughbred family by the extensive use of the knife in this Dominion had a great deal to do with the abolition of the gelding allowance. A strong plea for greater patience before operating with the knife can be urged, for many illustrations can be cited where horses mean at the youthful stage have furnished splendidly as ago came to them. Take the case of St. Leger, who, when tried as a racehorse, was found to be without any promise. Fortunately St. Leger was left entire, and the sire records show that he won high honours. There might have been a different story to relate in regard to St. Leger had his lines been cast at a period when castration is ordered at short notice. It is noteworthy that all the most noteworthy sons of Martian are known cs geldings, and Amythas and Simonides, two sons of Demosthenes, who could be cited as of masculine physique, were added to the list. Gloaming, the horse that beat all records as a stake-earner in the Southern Hemisphere, is also ranged up among the geldings. Then there is Commendation, the upstanding son of Limond, who was put under the knife at an early ago. Mr. W. H. Gaisford, the owner of Commendation, is credited with saying that, " had v e known as much then as we know now, Commendation would probably have been left entire." This reasoning can be v-ell understood and serves to strengthen the plea for patience before ordering the operation. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. Satisfactory accounts continue to come to hand in regard to the manner in which Mask is acquitting himself in his training, and a win for him in a mile and a-quarter race at an early stage of this season's racing is regarded as a very likely circumstance. Forty races were exacted from Day Guard last season. The records show that he was called upon for an early race at four years old, and he saw the season out at Ellerslie on June 4. The Day Comet gelding figures among the acceptances for the Dunedin Handicap, to be run at Ellerslie to-day, and that at least may be taken to mean that he has wintered satisfactorily. Judging from the references made by Melbourne writers to The Banker, there is a good ray of hope that the New Zealand gelding will again this season win a good race for Mr. Otway Falkiner. The Kilbroney gelding has certainly received his full quota of weight in 9.5 for the Caulfield Cup, but he con be voted good over a mile and a-half. Damaris (by Limond—Pennon) and Thaw (by Limond—Melting), who are both owned by the Wanganui sportsman, Mr. G. M. Currie, are credited with training on in pleasing style. Damaris and Thaw are engaged in the Wanganui Guineas next month and at present Damaris is popularly selected as the one likely to be the best so far as the Wanganui Guineas is concerned. In a recent note mention was made of an impression prevailing with those who have had the opportunity of scanning Gascony in his preparation at Woodville for three-year-old engagements that he is more likely to be known as a sprinter than as a stayer. On pedigree grounds, however, a great deal could be advanced fiom the staying standpoint. His sire, King John, was got by Roi Herode from a mare by Gallinule (son of Isonomy), while his dam, First Blow, can boast strains of St. Simon, Martian, Musket, and Yattendon through very noteworthy channels. Lady Cavendish, the daughter of Absurd and Bonny Portland, demonstrated that she retained a fine dash of pace when she beat her stable companion Ileremoana and others in the decision of the Avondale AllAged Stakes at Ellerslie last April, but otherwise the chestnut mare was a disappointment at four years old, at which stage of her career sho ran unplaced in eight of the ten races she was called upon to contest. Word cornea from Wanganui to the effect that Lady Cavendish is in steady work, and the prediction is offered that something good may come her way at five years old. Though Charlatan failed to reward his admirers with a dividend at the Grand National meeting held last week at Riccarton, there are some who are still prepared to contend that the Winkie gelding may yet win important honours across country. However, some time will probablj) elapse before Charlatan will have the opportunity of distinguishing himself, as he is not to carry silk again until the back end of the senaon. Mishaps that have come to Charlatan nt various stages have no doubt counted against him, and he may be in a position to endorse the predictions made in his favour when the winter meetings come round in 1928. From the fact of Royal Prosent having finished out of a place in each of the seven races he contested last season, and that a good deal of inferior form marked his performances in the preceding season, it cannot be said that there is much encouragement to look upon him as likely to make good now that he has reached the age of nine years. Mr. W. J. Wilson, who still owns Royal Present, has paid up for bis horse in the Jellicoe Handicap, to be run at Ellerslie to-day, and it will be interesting to note if the Australian-bred gelding can succeed in interrupting the long array of defeats that are entered against his name since he won the Mitchelson Cup in the spring of 1924.