RACING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8532, 10 September 1907, Page 6

RACING.

By Telegraph—Press Association. THE MOOREFIELD STEEPLECHASE. Received September 9, 9.58 a.m. SYDNEY. September 9. The Swimmer won tho Steeplechase at Moorefield from a field of six. (The Swimmer, well known in New Zealand, is a bay gelding by Cannon). "The racehorse Somerled (Clanranald —Galatia) died at Featherston on Sur.dav morning. Though the racing year just ended has been rather barren in the matter of fresh records, as far as these colonies are concerned, "Father Time" has not had matters entirely his own way (remarks "Templar"). The only fresh record established in New Zealand was that made by Shrapnel at Riccarton, when he got to the end of the two-mile Grard National Hurdle course in 3min 44 3-ssec, which is nearly a second faster than the.previous best. Evidently it has been a most favourable season for jumpers, as at Caulfield, in February last, Player won a two-mile steeplechase in the remarkable time of 3min 52£ sec, whilst Childee established a fresh three-mile record over fences, by winning in Gmin lOs-jc So far as the colonial fiat racers are concerned, I can discover no exceptional performances, but, nevertheless, the times recorded in all the big handicaps have been universally good. In the Old Country, however, the record breakers had a good innings, for in the Great Ebor Handicap Golden Measure compassed a mile and threequarters in 2min 57 4-ssec, a big improvement on Dumont's colonial record of 3min OJtsec, which still stands good for Australasia. An even more notable achievement was that accomplished at Belmont, New York, by the great American sprinter, Roseben, who cut out seven furlongs in lmin 22sec, a great advance on Savoury's colonial record of lmin 26 3-ssec. High jumping has been receiving additional attention of late, with the result that fresh records have been made with remarkable frequency. The world's record in this department is now held by ai American horse, Heatherbloom, who, a few months back, got over Bft 3in : while in Australia Mahonga clearec the bar at 7ft 2in. Only a fev seasons back quite a number o world's records, both on the fiat an< in jumping contests, were held b; New Zeaalnd horses, but at presen the only ones still standing are De 1; Rey's lmin 53 l-ssec for a mile am a distance, established at Oamaru and Shrapnel's 3min 44 3-ssec fo two miles over hurdles.