RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19879, 24 February 1928, Page 15

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. February 24. 25—Woodvillo Jockey Club. February 25—Nelson Jockey Club. , February 25. 27—Te Aroha Jockey Club. February 29. Marcb X —Dannevirke Racing Club. March 1. 3 Marlborough Racing Club. Marcb 7—Opotiki Jockey Club. March 10, 12—Franklin Racing Club. Marcb 15, 17—Wellington Racing Club. March 17. 19—Ohinemuri Jockey Club. March 23 —Rangitikei Racing Club. March 21—Bay of Plenty Jockey Club. March 31—Paengaroa-Te Puke Racing Club. March 31—Whangarci Racing Club. April 7, 9—Auckland Racing Club. April 9, 10—Canterbury Jockey Club. April 14, 18 —Avondalc Jockey Club. April 18, 19—Manawatu Racing Club. April 28. 30—Waikato Racing Club. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Incruirer."—tjp to February 16 inclusive ihe record of the two jockeys named, no far as the present season bts advanced, is computed as. follows:—T. Green 461, A. E. Ellis 45*. NOTES BY PHAETON. THE WOODVILLE CUP. The Woodville meeting opens to-day. Tho leading event of the programme i 3 the Woodville .Cup (li miles), and'it has a good field of 13 eugaged, as follows: St. lb. £t. Ib. Joy Bird . . 8 (1 Huikai . . . 7'12 Oratrix ... 8 6 Black Mint . 711 Bennanee ..85 Blimp ... 7 6 Lady Limond. 8 5 Capitulation . 7 3 David Garrick 8 2 Ring Boy . 7 1 Cohesion ~80 Twink ...70 Nova? - 7 . 712 With B.ll' Joy Bird is called upon to carry an impost exactly a stone in excess of that under which she won the Earle Stakes last Saturday, but the distance of the Woodville Cud is two furlongs shorter than the Wanganui race and that may rot be against Joy Bird. Stillt it can be argued that the English-bred marei has leceived her full quota. Bennanee has been trying hard to win ft race this season, but so far success has not crowned his efforts. The son of Catmint should have something to say in the settlement of today's Woodville Cup.

; MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. There appears to be some doubt in regard to Footfall racing again this season. Advices now to hand state that the Racing Conference has granted the Manawatu Racing Club Wednesday and Thursday, April 18 and 19, for the holding of : its autumn meeting. The meeting was 2 originally fixed for April 25 and 28. ) Paganelli figures in the North Island , Challenge Stakes, to be run at the Wellin;?- , ton Racing Club's meeting next, mon'.h. j The son of Lord Quex has incurred a Hlb. , penalty for tho seven-furlongs race, and it remains to be seen whether his ownsrs t have any designs on the Trentham event. ' In a reference to the Auckland-bred coll I Mystic Peak, -who has registered two successive wins at Victorian meetings during j the past couple of weeks, " Cardigan." writing in the Australasian, describes the son of Romeo and Refinement aB an attractive youngster, showing a lot of quality. The English-bred horse Star d'Or, vho i was bought at auction in the spring of 1926 | for 3200gns by Mr.„L. K. S. McKinnon, hps ) not proved a good speculation to the Melbourne sportsman. He certainly won the ; Moonee Valley Cup last November, but lie . has now been withdrawn from all engagements owing to unsoundness. ; The entries for this year's Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase include tho name of an American 'chaser, Billy Barton. 1 Be -won a three-mile steeplechase at Newbury at his first attempt in England and pleased the critics. He will be ridden at Aintree, all being well, by an amateur American rider, Albert Oben. It is computed that the value of the great crosscountry race this year will reach to £II,OOO. The following comment by the veteran American racing man and breeding authority, C. E. Brossman. will be appreciated by people who do not regard their own views on thoroughbred racing too seri- • ously: "Whenever a man claims that he can take so much of this blood and so much of that, with a certain colour here and certain colour there, and make a champion ' racehorse—he is talking through his hat. The only accurate test is the race track test, where the blood lines of the winner always become fashionable. They run in all sizes and colours." Zaragoza, who is booked to make the hip to Sydney next week along with Limerick, is a seven-year-old mare by Nassau from Madrid (daughter of Vasco), and she is thus half-sister to. the Auckland Cup winner Malaga. So far Zaragoza"s best performances have been registered over seven furlongs, and we have to go back to the autumn of 1926 for her record over that distance, when she won a double at the Oamaru meeting under 8.13 and 9.5 respectively. Zaragoza was not raced last season, and so far this year she has only been seen under silk on one occasion and she then finished among the unplaced division. There is apparently no reason to anticipate a performance above the ordinary from Zaragoza. Wild Pigeon, who brought off a surprise victory in the New Zealand Oaks run at the Canterbury Jockey Club's Spring Meeting last November, has not bo far increased her winning record, but it has to be etated that she has not been extensively raced. The bay daughter of Leighton figured among the contestants for the Midsummer Handicap run at Riccarton last Saturday, arid, though she failed to gain a situation, she is given credit for running a good race under difficulties. Wild Pigeon figures in the Great Northern Oaks, to be decided at the Auckland Racing Club's Autumn Meeting, so that she may be given the credit of earning classic honours at Ellerslio in April next. Under the heading " Something Nnusual" " Vedette." writing in the Wellington Evening Post, remarks:—"lt is not clten (hot a prominent owner and his trainer enter into partnership in the horses concerned, but such has come to pass in New ' Zealand on a geuerous scale. For some time now J. H. JefTord has raced Mr. A. , B. Williams' horses with considerable success and has had full control, for, more often tliaH Mr. Williams has not been present to run. Now notice of official registration of joint interests appears in the Racing Cafftjida# in regard to Joy King, Star Stronger,\ Knightlike, Rapine, Stat God, and Connoieweur, the partnership between the owner* 1 opd trainer concerned being from February 5; 1928, to July 31. 1935. As Mr. Williams h'as but lately launched out, too, as a. breeder, it is evident that he is not contemplating the abandonment of racing." "" 1 \ THE WHAKATANE CLUB. RACES ON MARCH 17. [BY TELE^RATH. —OWN f.'ORRKSI'ONT)ENT. J OPOTIKI, Thursday. The Wbakatane Racing Club has decided to hold a race meeting on March 17. The annual report stated that the club had a credit balance of £lO3, although tho Joss on last year's race meeting was £O3, the day being very wet. Officers elected wero:—Patron, Mr. V. If, Hockly, M.P.; president, Mr. W. 11. Semmens; vice-presidents, Messrs. C. Garltck, T. Henry, A. Ashby; judge, Mr. W. F. Moody; starter, Mr. J. McKenzie: secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. Moody. Stewards and a large general committee wore also appointed. , JV „ . . The programme for the meeting » *o be similar to last year'*.