RACING GREYHOUNDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 16, 29 October 1932, Page 2

RACING GREYHOUNDS

SHIPMENTS FROM AUSTRALIA. PURCHASE BY AMERICAN. (Special to the “Guardian.”) AUCKLAND, Oct. 27. Six thoroughbred racing greyhounds were housed in cages on the opeivaii tennis court of the Monterey when the liner arrived from Sydney. They were purchased in Australia by one of the passengers, Mrs Edith Miles, and on the arrival of the vessel in America they will join the famous kennels established by Mrs Miles and her husband, Mr John E. Miles, at their home at Miami, Florida. Mrs Miles and a cabin boy daily exercised the dogs on the boat deck during the voyage from Sydney v ' One of the greyhounds is Liquidate, winner of the New South Wales Derby, and the two others have also demonstrated their worth on Australian greyhound racing tracks. Three other dogs bought by Mrs Miles in Australia were sent to America by an earlier boat.

“It surprises me to bear you have no dog racing or coursing in New Zealand,” said Mrs Miles. “It is an immensely popular sport in the United States and has taken on tremendously in Australia. There are three dog tracks in Miami, beautifully laid out with large grandstands equipped in the most modern style, together with clubhouses as beautifully furnished as any home. They are situated right on the beach with glorious ocean views, and the average attendance on race days is 10,000, very often a great deal t larger.” Mrs Miles has an average kennel of 55 greyhounds at Miami, and in ten years she has won 89 cups and four Derbies.

“Track racing, or tin hare racing, as they amusingly call it in Australia, is the cleanest sport in America,” Mrs Miles said. “We call them electric rabbits instead of tin hares. The game is very strictly conducted. On race 1 night owners and trainers are not allowed to see their dogs from 6.30 until the last race is run.

“New Zealand ought to do well out of dog-racing. Your horses are a byword in America—Phar Lap was dearly loved by all American sportsmen—ahd I know that if you ever developed a racing dog you would do it properly. They have been breeding these dogs in Australia for some years now, and those which have gone to America for racing have done very well indeed. There should be profit in breeding good dogs in New Zealand for export to America, but they must be first-class dogs, not just moderate.”