RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19931, 27 April 1928, Page 15

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. 'April 27. 28—South Canterbury Jockey Club. April 27, 28—Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. April 28, 30 —Waikato Racing Club. May 4, s—Nelscn Jockey Club. May 10, 12—Egmont Racing Club. May 12—Ashburton County Racing Club. 'May 17, 19 —Wanganui Jockey Club. May 26—Amberley Racing Club. June 2, 4—Otaki Maori Racing Club. June 2, 4, 6 —Dunedin Jockey Chib. June 2, 4, S— Auckland Racing Club. June 16 —Napier Pari: Racing Club. June 22, 23 Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. June 26—Hawke'a Bay Hunt Club. July 7—Ashburton County Racing Club. July 10, 12, 14—Wellington Racing Club. July 19—Waimate District Hunt Club. July 21—South Canterbury Hunt Club. July 26, 28—Giaborne Racing Club. July 28—Christchurch Hunt Club. NOTES BY ARCHER. HAWKE'S BAY MEETING. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting will be opened at Hastings to-day and concluded to-morrow. The Hawke's Bay Cup has always been a feature of this fixture and the field engaged this year is composed of useful, handicap horses. There is a field of nine and an interesting contest should eventuate. The topweight, Vertigern, is an improving horse that has been racing well and recent form suggests that he will take a deal of beating. His owner, Mr. C. E. Elgar, has a good second string in David Garrick and the stable elect should be in demand. Lady Desmond and Tresham are others whose prospects are favourably regarded, m<i Cohesion, who ran second last year to Rapine, may be the pick of the lightweights. There should be good wagering on the event and probably Lady Desmond or Vertigern may start favourite. The following is the list of horses engaged in the Cup, which is run over 15 miles:— Bt. lb. st. lb. Vertigern ..90 Cohesion ~72 Lady Desmond 8 6 Addlepate , ■ 7 0 Tresham ... 8 2 Opa « ■ . ■ 7 0 David Garrick 710 Gaze i « « . 7 0 Perle de Leon. 7 2 TO-DAY'S CLASSIC RACE. One of the last of the clasaic events to be decided in the Dominion this season will come up for decision at Hastings to-day. It is the Hawke's Bay Stakes (six furlongs), weight-for-age, with penalties. There are nine horses engaged, and, with such as The Hfcwk, Crov.'n Area. Joy King, Great Charter and Raasay listed, there is material for a good race. These horses have all incurred penalties, but, even so, they should not experience much trouble in beating the others. As The Hawk recently finished in front of Raasay in the Manawatu Stakes, he should again beat that colt, and perhaps the hardest he has to beat may bo Joy King, who has been racing well. Crown Area is good,, but may find it difficult in this class. It looks like The Hawk and Joy King being prominent at the finish. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. Whether King Smock will be ready to show bis best after several months' absence from racing remains to be seen, but he is very partial to the Te Rapa course and has rarely failed to win there. Therefore, if the Snow King gelding strips well, his exploits on the course are not likely to be overlooked by backerf! when he steps out to-morrow. It is probible that he may be in need of a race. Auriculuu has only won one race this season and that was when she sprung a surprise in the second division of the Trial I'late at Te Raps in October. Several times lately she has won fairly in hack company and slight improvement will be all that is necessary to make her an early winner. The Lucullus filly, like most of her sire's progeny, is partial to soft going and that may be worth remembering now that the tracks are likely to get easier at any time. Recent racing has wrought improvement In Daylight, a:id, besides showing improved condition, he is also galloping better. The Day Comet gelding might have won at Pukekobe last month with a little luck, instead of running second, and should be worth watching in his coming engagements. Fit and well, Daylight is a very useful horse up to a mile. In addition, he also handles soft going well. Threw successive wins and' several minor placings at the country fixtures earlier in the year showed Te Koroke to be on the upgrade and a horse likely to win something a bit better. The Humbug gelding will be suited by the big course at Te Rapa, and, ii J. Wallace has him in the same form now as in February, he should race prominently in the welter events. Australian papers to hand contain eulogistic references to Limerick and his brilliant victories in Sydney. His victory in the King's Cup is described as his greatest effort of all, as he carried over wexght-for-age and disposed of a very select field, including the A.J.C. St. Leger and Sydney Cup winner Winalot, who had exactly scale weight. Limerick's winnings *re now computed at £32,000, and, as he is only a four-year-old, there is a chance that be will at least go close to Gloaming's total of £43,100. A couple of horses whose running in the hurdle events at Hastings will be followed with interest are Maunga and Bonny Rill. It will be remembered that the pair filled the leading places in the Wanganui Steeplechase last year, being separated by the narrow margin of a neck. As they are again likely to contest that event next month, it will be interesting to watch their form this week. Particular interest will be manifested in Maunga, because he is popularly regarded as likely to play a prominent part in important steeplechase events this winter. Everyone is expecting that he will be a better horse for the experience he had over country last season, when ho did lather well. Two years ago Gaze won the Century Hurdles with great ease and ho was expected to go on to further important victories. Unfortunately he met with an accident while schooling at Ellerslie after that success and his injuries kept him off the scene for about 12 months. On resuming racing Gazo took some time to show any form, but he won a flat handicap at Foxton a couple of months ago and looks likely to come back to his best this winter. The racing he has been having on the flat should make him thoroughly seasoned, ar.d when the important jumping events roll round the Gazeley gelding should again be in the limelight. One of the most promising hurdlers seen Cut last winter was undoubtedly Perle de Leon. The Polydamon gelding made a good start as a jumper by capturing a couple cf minor events at Hastings and soon after that he gave further proof of his ability by running third among the best horses in the Winter Hurdles at Trentham. As a result of that performance he was one of the favourites for the Grand National Hurdles, and he disappointed his admirers by falling. Subsequently he made some amends by finishing a good second to Aberfeldy in the Sydenham Hurdles. Perle de Leon then went of! the scene for some months, but he has lately been racing very creditably in flat events and that augurs well for his winter prospects.

PAKURANGA HUNT. 'OPENING MEET TO-MORROW. The opening of the season of the Paku langa Hunt Club will take place at 11.45 to-morrow morning, when the hunt will Jneet at Eaet Tamaki Hall. The GovernorGeneral, Sir Charles Fergussozi, will be present. The master of the hunt. Mr. H. Bullock•Webßter, and the committee have invited farmeris in the district to attend tho meet, "bile a large number of sportsmen i» expected to attend.