RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20152, 12 January 1929, Page 15

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. January 12, 14—Thames Jockey Club. January 1-—Wairio Jockey Club. January 16—Opotiki Jockey Club. January 16, 17—Foxton Racine Club. January 19—Ngaruawahia Racing Club. January 19—Bay of Islands Racing Club January 22—Ashhurst Pohangina Racine

Club. January 22, 2-I—Wairoa Racing Club. January 22, 24, 26—Wellington Racing Club January 26, 29—Takapuna Jockey Club. January 29, 30—Pahiatua Racing Club. January 30—Clifden Racing Club. January 30, February o—Egmont Racing

Club. February 2—Matamata Racing Club. February 6—Taponui Racing Club. February 7. 9—Gisborne Racing Club. February 7, 9—Taranaki Jockey Club. February 9, 11—Rotorua Racing Club February 14, 16—Dunedin Jockey Club. February 14, 16—Wanganui Jockey Club. February 14, 16—Poverty Bay Turf Club. February 16, 18—Te Aroha Jockey Club March 9—Franklin Racing Club. March 16. 18—Ohiuemuri Jockey Club. March 23—Bay of Plenty Jockey Club. March, 30. April I—Auckland Racing Club

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. X.Y.Z., Parnell.—Rapine was foaled in 1919 and is therefore rising 10 years old.

"Inquirer."—Last Benson Beau Cavalier won two rnces on the flat at Ellerslie, viz., Te Kami Handicap (one mile) and Mairoa Handicap (li miles). " Hummer," Thames.—The following were the respective amouuts won by the trio in question at two years old:—Mermin, £4750; Desert Gold, jL"3665; Humbug, £3120. " laquirer."—The Now Zealand rule bearing on the question reads:—" Two-year-olds may run prior to December 1 over a distance of less than four furlongs. Two-year-olds shall not. run prior to December 1 over a distance exceeding five furlongs, nor prior to March 1 in any race exceeding six furlongs, nor at any time in any handicap in which horses of any age other than two-year-olds or three-year-olds are engaged."

NOTES BY FHAETON. NEW ZEALAND VICTORIES IN AUSTRALIA. The. important victories registered in New South Wales by Limerick has kept New Zealand on the map, as the saying goes. Now, in tho summer season, Second Wind nnd Jemidur, who first saw the light in this Dominion, have respectively accounted for the opposition in tho decision of the West Australian Derby and the Perth Cup, two of the valuable races of the season. Second Wind and .femidar, it is interesting to relate, had both been raced in New Zealand prior to their transportation to Perth, but they were only moderate performers here. Evidently both horses have found the climate at Perth quite to their liking aud possibly the future has something more of an attractive character in store for them. This may be specially applied to Jcmidar, for it is a well-known trait with the progeny of Martian that they improve with age.

THE ENGLISH DEKBY. According to tho opinions expressed by London critics, the Aga Khan claimed the best two-year-old that performed in England last year in tho shape of Costaki Pasha, and that colt will, it is stated, probably stand out as the winter favourite for the Derby. The race that gave Costaki Pasha the leading position among the iuvenile division was the Middle Park Stakes at Doncaster, which event he is credited with winning in good style. Costaki Pnslia. who was bred by his owner, is said to be a colt of true masculine physique, and he is by Gainsborough (son of Bayardo) from Cos, a daughter of Flying Orb (son of Orby). For several years the Indian nobleman has expended lavish sums in the purchase of yearlings in tho hope of securing a horse equal to winning the Derby, hut so far he has not been placed in the happy position of leading in the winner of the classic race at Epsom. Should Costaki Pasha win this year's Derby the victory will not be out of its turn for the Aga Khan. Major McCalmont is credited with the ownership of a good colt named Mr. Jinks (by Tetratenia— False Piety), who won the Hurst Park Two-year-old Stakes in November. Mr. Jinks, who is of the grey shade in colour, is stated to be a colt in every way fitted to aspire to Derby honours. A brace of fillies that scored attractively at, two years old is Arabella (by Buchan—Polly Flinders) and Tiffin (by Tetratenia—Dawn-wind), but doubts aro expressed as to either developing the staying quality. MISCELL ANEC US NOT ES. The trainer of Limerick. F. D. Jones, is credited with an enthusiastic declaration that Limerick is again perfectly sound and offers tho opinion that Limond's brilliant son is in the best of health to face events during the coming autumn. As was the case last year, Limerick's initial engagement will be in the Hazlett Gold Cup, to be run at the Dunedin meeting oil February 14.

There is snid to be a prospect of a meeting eventuating between Nightmarch (winner of (he New Zealand Derby) ami Red Heckle (winner of the Great Northern Derby) in the Hazlett Gold Cup at "Wingatui next, month. The race in question is to be run over a mile at, weight for-agc, with penalties. Tho two Derby winners will each carry a 7lb penalty, which means an im post of 8.12 in each case.

Tho Tar-mnnian Derby, run on Boxing Boxing Day, resulted in a dead-heat between two fillies. Lampra (by Poitrel—' Visibility) and Ravenna (by Rizzio—-Sea Princess) were the pair to fight out the finish and the latter was the one to come in for most eulogy. Interesting to relate, the two fillies were sold on the same afternoon at Melbourne when at the yearling stage of their career. Lampra was bought for 360gns and Ravenna for lOOgna.

Cimabuc has not managed to win n race thin season, but his turn may come at the forthcoming meeting at Trentham in the Telegraph Handicap, in which rare ho figures at 8.6. Though the son of Leighton i 3 so far without a winning bracket this season, ho can be given credit for a good performance when he carried 8.13 and ran Arrow Lad (7.10) to a nose for first honours in the decision of the Criterion Handicap (seven furlongs) at Riccarton in November. Ab the flislance named was compassed in 1m 253, it will be recognised that the pace set was of a lively character.

The victory registered by Jomidar in the Perth Cup furnishes an illustration of how a horse will develop form as ago comes to him. When racing in New Zealand the son of Martian was an indifferent performer, and, though tho num for which ho was sold last year wa3 not divulged, it would, I think, seem safe to conclude that it was only a moderate amount that was involved in the transaction. The value of the first prize attached to tho Perth Cup won by Jemidar amounted to ,£1750, so that the New Zealand-bred gelding can be referred to as a gold-tipped bargain.

An English writer states that in connection with the steeplechasing at Liverpool Mr. George Lambton rightly drew attention to the fact that amateur riders as a rule " get round" with much greater frequency than tho professional jockeys. Ho instanced the Valentine Steeplechase, which was confined to amateurs, in which all tho 13 runners finished, inclusive of Fairfield, who fell early in tho face, but was remounted and completed tho course, coming in last of nil. Mr. Lambton rightly attributed the success of the amateurs to their riding with longer stirrups than the professionals, this giving the horses more freedom in jumping than when they are ridden in something more approaching the "xnonkey-up-the-stick" style*