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GELDINGS AGAIN ALLOWED TO COMPETE. Readmitted to the Australian Jockey Club Derby After Being Barred Since 1913. It has been decided by the Australian Jockey Club that geldings shall again be allowed to compete for the Australian Jockey Club Derby. The revision to the old order of things will be generally appreciated. Some supporters of racing may be opposed to it on the score that it is not fitting that what is practically the thre.-year-old championship of the state should lie won by anything in. a liable of propagating its species, but it is better the Australian Jockey Club Derby should go to a gelding once in fifty-two years that is the present record -than that our leading racing body should continue in a course that tended to an increase of undesirable stallions. Few men an- prepared to forego even the most slender chance of winning a ."i.000 prize, and the natural result of debarring geldings from the Derby was that more colts were left entire than in previous years. Owners looked at it that there was always the possibility of sudden improvement on the part of youngsters that had given but little promise early in their two-year-old careers, and even when it was certain there was no hope for them in a Derby connection, would refrain from having them added to the list, simply because if they wished to Bell they were likely to get a few pounds more for them as stallions than geldings. With absolutely nothing to recommend them apart from breeding-ami something more than that is necessary in a stallion -some of these racecourse failures were purchased for stud purposes in country districts, where low fees assured them a certain amount of patronage. Then, again, the list of Australian Jockey Club Derby winners includes horses that never gave stud promise, and for which even offers of free service would not have secured mares regarded of much account. Some Australian Jockey Club Derby winners have made their mark as sires, but it would have lieen better for the states bl lst.x-k if others had won the race as geldings. It is improbable their usefulness as race horses would have been impaired and in some cases it would later have prevented a few valuable mares being wasted on them when they first went to the stud. Nominations have closed for the Australian Jockev Club Derby of 1917. so that geldings will be uiiabfe to compete again until next year, and they are not to receive any weight concession from the colts. It was in 1913 they were first debarred. — Sydney Referee.
