RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 11

RACING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES.

August 3-Chrislchurch Hunt. August .1- Poverty Bay Hunt. Aiii-'iißt 13. li>. I"—Canterbury Jockey Club August 21 August 2-1 liawkc'a Bny Hunt,. August 2ft—Danncvirke Racing Club 29—Damievirke Hunt.. August .11—'Taranaki Hunt. September 4. S—Morton Jockey Club. September 7—Otago Hunt. September 12. M— Wonsanui Jockey Club. tioptcinbci' 21—Ashburton County Racing

Club September 01 Napier Park Rooms Club September 21, 23—Avoiulalo Jockey Club. September 26.'27—Gorakliue Racing Club September 28— Hawkc's Hay Jockey Club. October 2—Manuwatu Hunt October s—Kiirow Jockey Club October 5. 7—Auckland Racing Club October 10. 12—Dunedin Jockey Club. October 23—AVaiknto Hunt November 9, 11. 13, llV—Canterbury Jockey Club. ,

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. " Wsprr."—Norton was owned by Mr. S. H. Collan when he won the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase of 1891, but he was ridden on that occasion by W. Clark. It was in (he Grand NationaKSteeplechase of tho following year that Mr. Gollan rode Norton, who finished third to Mutiny and ltoiicius.

NOTES BY PIIAETON'. -TIIE BEST HORSE." " Which is regarded as the best racehorse the world has known?" is the far-reaching character of a queAion that came to me irom a Waikato correspondent during the present week. This, it may be remarked, is « question that has given rise to endless itliscussions, but. though opinions may widely disagree, it is always one that can be approached with great interest. In discussing thct great horses that have figured on the English turf some time ago a well-versed writer in the London Sportsman stated that John Porter went for Rosicmcian, and at another time he inclined to Isonomy, and then came Ormonde, over whom it was impossible to give any other precedeuce. Flying Fox was held to be a great horse, and in his book Porter veered round to William tho Third as possibly the best of all over a 'distance of ground. Matthew Dawson thought St. Simon a wonder, and oneo expressed the opinion, that Ladus was the beat and best-looking horse ho had ever trained or seen. Lord Ronebery used to think Cremorne was the best ho ever saw, but may have changed after he won the Derby with Ladas. Mr. W. Allison was Blair Athol's st.Wnchest admirer, and of later liorses voted for Flying Fox. Spearmint and Bayardo. It is far from certain that Galopin was not aa good as any of the bent horses. " Petrarch was a pood horse." said John Dawson, who trained him, " but I know iust how good. How good Galopin was I could never find out."

THE ONLY CARBINE. The criticism of the greatest horses referred to above only ranges round equines that carried silk in the Old Country, but when the greatest horse is under consideration Carbine can justifiably bo brought into the picture. /No one would seek to deny the prowess of St. Simon, Ormonde, Isinglass, and Flying Fox. but it can be stoutly argued that none of them was ever tested to the P amc degree'as Carbine, and his Melbourne Cup feat under 10.5. an impost 14lb in excess of weight-for-oge. and defeating n field of OS over two miles in 3m 2313, was undoubtedly a fent of dazzling brilliancy. Tho irrcnt quality of Carbino is established in that ho won over distances ranging frcro five furlojaus to three miles. In pursuing my researches in regard to the performances of the great horses 1 was enecu v V:red fo dig fairly deep and the following little table which I have compiled will fltow hov.* Carbine comes out when ranged UP with the cracks of the Old Country:

miscellaneous notes. Tho New Zealand-bred gelding Second Wind, who won tbv West Australian Derby last season and who has been transported to Victoria/- with a vicV to the bl " c ™ nt9 t the spring,-figures among tho entiants *0 the Malakoff Stakes to be run at Caulfie d io-day.

The French-bred horse Tidal, who made a bold bid for first honours\ in a mile an n-quarter race at Kosehill list Saturday, is down for an engagement to-day t _ Warwick Handicap (one mile) at Warwick Farm. Tidal is credited with training on very satisfactorily at Kandwick and ho may. it, is Bald, bo regarded as close to earning o winning bracket in Australia.

It cannot be said that there is much reason to take the bay gelding Just Johi very seriously for the New Zealand Grand National Hurdles, for it is necessary to accept n. couple of hunters' hurdle races ab liia best performances to date. Just John is engaged to-day in the Kenne.a Hurdles, art event confined to qualified hunters, so that in select ins that event in preference to the open race (which also figures on today s jiioKrutimiE?/ ot liiccai ton) for Just •o in o make * reappearance on tbe scene lus ownci is not fly in i; at. high same

The tact oi the five horses engaged in the Hornoby Steeplechase, to be run a io meetins of tho Christchurch Hunt at Uic'.artou today, being also in tho Grand National Steeplechase, will invest that even with a special dash'of interest. It has. of course, to be borne in imnd that th distance of the race in question only extends to two miles and a-hnlf. as ngainst a mile further attached to the Grand National event. Still it may at least be expected to reveal how the quintette will shape over Iho big fences at Kiociirton. which will rount lor, something in assessing their i linnets of earniws Grand National honours on August I^-

A country club that liob made very noteworthy progress during tho past few years is the Whansnrei Racing Club, and trie report presented at the annual meeting of members of that body, this week furnished plea so nt reading, for matters ni&y re " garded as shaping most, promisingly foi continued advancement oi the sport at Kensington Park. To the fine enthusiasm displayed by the president of the club. Mr. R. G. Honking, in tho affairs of the Whangarci body may be largely ascribed the satisfuctory v>o3ifion of t'.ie sport in the northern township. . With the granting of an additional tntul'.Hotor permit, which means fo*'i days' racing. Whangarei con be depended upon to maintain the popularity that it has to well earned.

At 2yrs At 3vrs / ST. SIMON. Ilorscs Defeated. . 4* Stakes Won. i'lrPaO 2.820 At 2yis At 3yrs At 4yra ORMONDE. Horses Defeated. . . IT • . 32 £ 4,676 Stakes Won. £3.008 21.352 3,905 54 £23.265 At 2yrs At 3yrs At 4yrs At oyrj ISINGLASS. Horses Defeated. .. 31 .31 . . lri 0 Stakes Won. '£5.477 18,860 30.508 2,520 / At 2yrs At 3yra 87 flying fox. Horse3 Defeated. . . 33 .11 71 £57,155 Stakes Won. £2,631 37,415 £10.036 At 2yrs At 3yrs At -lyra At Syra CARBINE. Horses Deieatod. .. 21 - 71 .. so Stakes Won. £1,155 6.401 6,381 15.GSG 218 £29,626