RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19827, 23 December 1927, Page 15

RACING.

BEASON'S FIXTURES. Bcoember 26, 28, January 2, 5-Auckland Racing Club. (December 26, 27, 29—Manawatu Racing Club. December 26, 27—' Taranaki Jockey Club. December 26, 27—Westland Racing Club. Peccraber 26, 27—Dunedin Jockey Club. December 26—Alexandra Racing Club. December 26—Waipukurau Racing Club. December 30, 31, January 2—Greymoutb Jockey Club. December 31, January 2—Wairarapa Racing Club. December 31, January 2—Hawke'a Bay Jockey Club. January 2—Tirau Racing Club (at Matamata). January 2, 3—Marton Jockey Club. January 2, 3—Stratford Racing Club. January 3, 4—Southland Racing Club. January 6, 7—Reefton Jockey Club. January 12, 11—DargavillB Racing Club. January 19—Waipapakauri Racing Club. January 21 —Bay of Islands Racing Club. January 21, 33, 25—Wellington Racing Club. January 21—Ngaruawahia Racing Club. January 28, 30—Takapuna Jockey Club. February 2, 4—Eginont Racing Club. February 4—Matamata Racing Club. February 11, 13—Rotorua Racing Club. February 25, 27—To Aroha Jockey Club. March 10, 12—Franklin Racing Club. March 17, 19—Ohinemuri Jockey Club. March 21—Bay of Plenty Jockey Club. March 31—Paengaroa-T© Puke Racing Club. {ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Maximus." —The Hawk carried 8.12 when lie reduced the New Zealand and Australian mile record to lm 361s at Fleminglon in the autumn of 1925. Amounia has b like record for the distance. The latter, ,who carried 8.11, accomplished his feat at Bandwiek in the spring of 1926. "Wager."—Desert Gold won the New Eealund Derby. New Zealand Oaks, Great (Northern Derby, Great Northern St. Legor, knd Great Northern Oaks. She did not congest the New Zealand St. Leger. On the fcame day the last-named race wan run Desert Gold contested in the North Island /Challenge Stakes, ■which event she won. Desert Gold won all her engagements (14) &t three years old. NOTES BY PHAETON. A QUESTION OF COLOUR. T! profusion of one particular blend of itolour in th© horses engaged in the forthcoming Auckland Cup could be relied upon to lead to a solution o£ the problem attached to the big race set down for decision at Ellerslie next Monday, well, then, it would be a case of " bay wins," for ef the 19 horses figuring in the race no less than 13 are described as of that rolour, viz., Star Stranger, Te Monanui. Footfall, Rapier, Te Kara, Grand Knight, Transformer, Battlement, Eden Hall. Royal Mint, Delightment. Great Charter, and Papatu. It would seem as though only one horse of the chestnut shade will figure in the cup field next Monday, and that chestnut (Count Cavour) can bo depended apon to make a bold bid for victory.

ODDS-ON FAVOURITES. How many times has an odds-on favourite fuled for the Auckland Cup and the number of times the horses holding pride of place under such conditions have won ? was the nature of a question that came to me yesterday. In the 53 Auckland Cups decided to date an odds-on favourite has, I think, only ruled on five occasions, and only in one instance did the presumed "good thing" miss. It was the case of odds on Templeton when that son of Traducer led the field homo in the first Auckland Cup in 1874, and two years subsequently Ariel brought off the odds laid on his ability to win. The hottest favourite for the Auckland Cup was in ISSO. and Foul Play, who was in the post of honour duly brought off a victory. In one of the worst fields that has ever been saddled up for the Auckland Cup a. great favourite went down in a manner that carried much of the sensational. Administrator, a roan son of The Premier, owned by Prideaux Tancred, ruled as the presumed "good thing." and it was always a case of odds on that horse on the day of the race. Administrator was found flying signals of distress before the real test came to him in the last half-mile and be failed to gain a place. " TOTALISATOR COUNTRIES."

Under the above heading " Snowden," ef the Australasian, penned the following in a recent issue of tho Melbourne journal:—"New Zealand is a totalisator country and she has almost from the beginning of her recorded story been responsible for the raising of great horses. Some of the greatest horses in Australia at least, if not in the world, have been bred there. Carbine, Trenton. Sir Modred, and Jjiirline were New Zealand-bred horses whose names are found in the pedigrees of Erst-class horses in all quarters of the world. Sasanof, Cruciform, Desert Gold, Amythas, Limerick, Nightfall, and Noctuiform are among the many names that have become familiar in the present century. The frreatest breeder New Zealand hns known was (he late George G. Stead, who had an tweanny knowledge of horses, their possibilities and capabilities. He bred and raced more first-class horses than any other breeder in Australia and New Zealand. At one time he was a great 'plunger,' but in his later years foreswore betting and was on ardent advocate of the totalisator. He was firmly convinced that it was in the best interests of the thoroughbred breeding industry and of racing. I have not mentioned him because he advocated the totalisator, but because be was the most successful breeder Australia and New Zealand have known. Now let us compare the results of New Zealand breeding and Australian breeding. Not for ono moment would I grant that the best Now Zealand-bred racoiorsea are superior to the best Australiantied. Carbine could bo countered with Abercorn, Cruciform with Wakeful, and so en down through tho gamut ot' s Australian and New Zealand super-racehorses. • But I do think they breed as many, or nearly as many, first-class horses as wo do, and to do so the New Zealanders meet lis under most disadvantageous terms. In the last fro]ume (1927) of the New Zealand Stud Book the total number of brood marcs recorded iB than 1300. Tho total number of brood mares recorded in the last volumo ,(1925) of tho Australian Stud Book is more than 5500. Therefore, from the point of view of numbers, %ve have the opportunity to breed four first-class horses to every one first-class horse raised in the Dominion. Do we actually keep up to that mark? Both you mid I should have to shut our eyes to 0. lot of stubborn facts if -we were to gull ourselves into the belief that we do. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. R. J. Mason, the well-known Canterbury trailer will be absent from the Auckland Rummer meeting this year, which will be the first occasion such has happened when horses from his stable have been engaged at Ellerslie. Wuranlon, the aged gelding by St. Anton, Who brought off a surprise by winning the Caulfield Futurity Stakes in 1927 under a 101b penalty, evidently retains his brilliancy to a marked degree, for in a sixfnrlong race run recently at Menton (Victoria) ho carried 10.12 to victory and beat a strong field in great style. The Railway Handicap invariably gives rise to very spirited speculation, and tho position of matters in connection with the approaching race encourages the prediction that history will ropeat itself. For fancies take a wide range, and the leading candidates are sure to be made the medium of heavy support. A trio of three-year-olds in the shape of Gascony, J Cimabue and JSii verniino are placed well in the picture, and Lysander. Limited, Paperchase and Soy Kins represent speedy class among four-year-olds.