GELDINGS AND THE DERBY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 40

GELDINGS AND THE DERBY.

"Vigilant." of London Sportsman, writes': I cannot help thinking that the wrong time has been selected for a dd^cussion as to whether geldings are eligible to run for tho Derby. Opinions differ as lo whether Democrat was the best two-year-old that ran last season. My own leaning is strongly in favour of Forfarshire, and, all things being equal, I do not think that the American will ever beat I'im again. Be this as it may, there is no gelting away from the fact that Democrat possesses a sound 5 to 1 ohancc for the Derby, and it does not appear to be in the best of tasto to iai«e a question which would probably never hare been mooted had he been an indifferent performer. I c;umol remember that any doubt was e\er cxpre-sorl an lo Curzon's right to take part in the race, but then he stood at 33 lo 1 at the fall of the flag, and very few regarded him a-, po^c^ing the remotest chanco of sueeesj. All precedent, indeed, reems to me to bo overwhelmingly in favour of the rl^hl of Lord William Beresford to °tart his horse, for the subtle distinction that Democrat wsa a gelding when he was entered, whilst those that have previously taken part in the "blue riband were added to the list subsequently to their entry, roth or seems to tell in favour of the American crack. If tho entry v.af. nol a le<ral one, surely an objection should have boon lodged at the time it was made. This course would have been perfectly pirait>htfor\vard, and no possible objection could have been raised to it; but to quibble after the horse has proved himself to be bang in the front rank does not strike one as being a particularly sportsmanlike proceediug. It does not seem at all likely that any formal objection will be made to the famous gelding being allowed to start, and I fully expect to see him at Epsom, where it will be quite an exception to all his foi'mer displays if he fails to acquit himself well. It would, however, be jusl as well, as the question has been raised, if it wore threshed out, and we had a pronouncement from the Jockey Club as to whether geldings are to be allowed to be entered, or to run. for future Derbys — I mean for those for which the entries have not yet closed. There is something to be said on each side. As wo pointed out the other day, the first great object of racing is supposed to bo the improvement of our breed of horses, ond, on this account, it is manifestly undesirable that there should be the remotest chance of the most coveted prize of the year falling to an animal which hat, been rendered incapable of contributing in any way towards that end. On the other hand, many of us think that it would be an excellent thing if about half our thoroughbred colts were added to the list at the earliest possible ago. They would bo far easier to train, and would stand

much more work and last far longer, whilst at the end of their racing careers they would be useful for harks and harness horses. There is no more useless creature on earth than a thoroughbred stallion with no pretensions to cla==, and the records of all our principal sales f-how that it is almost impossible even to give (licm away. Owners are just beginning lo lealise this*, and a fair number of geldings have been running during the last season or two. li, however, they are to be barred from taking part in the Derby, we may reasonably expect that the Two Thousand and St. Leger will next be closed against them, and many of our other principal woighl-for-age races are lil-ely to follo-.v ; in which ca^e the present l'iOiement is bound to be feun-marily checked, and there v ill f-oon be more utterly useless stallions in the country than ever. In common with a good many others, I must admit that I should not like to see a gelding win the Derby ; but a«, in nearly 130 years, only one has sviccssdod oven in running into a place, and he was beaten by a moderate colt like Sir Visto, I think we may be contented to leave things as they arc.