TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 15, 17 January 1914, Page 16

TURF NOTES.

(By WHALEBONE.)

Some of the sweepstakes run in Switzerland, of which we have recently heard so much, are nothing but scandalous swindles, says an English writer. Enormous sums are netted, but confiding purchasers of tickets have, a poor prospect of winning a prize. In one case over 30,000 letters, all containing vouchers and postal orders, were not opened until after the draw had taken place. Says an English writer:—lf all horses are to have the same chance on a circular course, the angle at which many of the starting gate.s are placed should be altered, so that all competitors will have •to travel the same distance. I once walked the mile and a quarter course at Hurst Park in order to ascertain the advantage possessed by a horse on the rails, and I calculated that he had to cover twenty yards less than one in the centre of the course. Horses on the outside wevre worse off still, especially as the win.oing post is placed at an angle opposite the judge's box to counteract the left-hand curve in the six and 6even furlong courses. This is all against the horse coming round- the right-hand turns. It is 10 to 1 at the start against any horse in a mile race (or over) that draws 1, 2 or 3 in a fairly large field, and he must have at least a stone in "hand to win,

■Certain difficulties have arisen in (France between owners and jockeys now that the latter are sending in their bills for the past season on the flat. There is no open market for the investments of breeder or owner, who has to content himself with a cramped s.p. return for "his money, and though the deduction made from the turnover at the "mutuals" serves, with the gate money, to make arp the sums advertised as an inducement to run horses, those who show their colours on the Turf experience the greatest difficulty in making both ends meet. Heavy retainers are paid -certain jockeys, but their pretension to add to the bill for their rides an additional 10 per cent on the amount credited to owners as the result of the success of their horses has been discussed by a long-suffering community. It is just possible that the Race Committee, may issue a remainder to the knights of ,the pigskin that the Rules of Racing stipulate that no jockey can demand more than six louis for a winning and half that amount for a losing ride unless a specific arrangement, signed by both parties, has been made. - Mr. H. S. Persse writes to tbe "Sporting Life":— Sir,—ln your leading article re The Tetrarch I notice you write as follows:— "Since he forfeited his last engagement in the Kempton Imperial Produce Plate there have been adverse rumours in circulation concerning him, but the-re, I think, can be safely disregarded" in view of the assurances not long ago circulated by his,' trainer." I beg to say that I have not circulated any assurances as to the horse's condition, good, bad, or indifferent — I am, etc., U.S. Persse. Cbattis Hill, Stoekbridge, Nov 26. What does this mean? comments an "English Writer. The trainer of a great popular favourite, like The Tetrarch may not consider it bis duty to take the public into his confidence without the autho- | rity of the owner; but surely after the J adverse rumours that have been "circulated" we have some reason to ask if the horse's condition is '"good, bad or indifferent." He ought to be a firm favourite .for the 1914 Derby, but the bookmakers are prepared to lay good odds against him. The position is not worthy of a straightforward sportsman like Captain McC'almont, who should at least-let the public know if the horse is a cripple or if there is a fair chance of his fulfilling his engagements this year. We are no longer in tbe days of the deadmeat trade. What a splendid object lesson is set ' before the anti-racing party by the Newmarket December sales, says an English writer. During the first four days of the sales the following totals were paid for bloodstock:—Monday, 3S,l93gns- Tuesday, Cl3,o6ogns; Wednesday, 111,685gn5; Thursday, 01,520gn5. The breeding of . b"oodstock has always been a great asset to this country, and our thoroughbreds have come to bo recognised as the finest in the world. That this is so is abundantly proved by the presence this week at Newmarket of buyers from every part of the. Continent. That they are deter mined to have the best stock we can offer has been/demonstrated many times over, but this year our visitors, who represent not only private interests, but in some cases tl>- Government of their country, have *7lipsed themselves. The -amount of money they are putting into circulation through the agency of these sales is enormous, and the effect will be far-reaching. Yet if those who would interfere, with racing were allowed full play this would be stopped. We know that they are ever eager to disclaim any idea on their part of curtailing the truly wonderful industry of the breeding of bloodstock, and they have placed it on record "that we do not aim at bloodstock breeding; we do not say that we •wish to stop racing. All we do want is to put an end to betting." That is their avowed purpose; but to all reasonable, unprejudiced people,' it is as certain as anything can be that without betting .racing can never flourish as it does now. We have only to recall what happened in America to prove that. A few years ago ■racing, in the United States was in every way as prosperous as it,, is to-day in England. Then bills were got through the legislature putting an end .to betting. What followed? Racing itself as nearly as possible died out altogether. Money and horses were driven out of the country, and as there was .no market or use for the best kind of bloodstock, the breeding industry was practically stopped. ' What happened in America would surely—happen 'here: The - first -object of racing is to improve, so far as possible, the breed of horses. Only by their work on the race tracks can their standard be gauged. The best horses Tv-ill always come to the top, and it is ' from these that the standard of the breed is improved. But stop racing, and you stop breeding; stop betting and you stop raping. And so it must be patent to the most rabid of the "anti" brigade 'that in attacking betting they are undermining the foundations of one of £h.e greatest businesses extant*

'The question as to whether the present stewards should be superseded by stipendiary stewards has been raised and answered on many previous occasions, says an English writer. While the gentlemen c who give up their time and services per- , T form their duties in the efficient manner , ' they do, there is no necessity for paid j ■ stewards. There is one way, however, | i in which they might prove of more a.s- j•■ sistance; and that is by distributing' • themselves along the running track, ; < where they can see for themselves what ) is occurring. It' is usually the case that ' three gentlemen officiate. 'I would suggest that a further one be added, and i that each should have a post of observa- i tion at different parts of the course. If 1 this were done, then each would cover a i portion of the race instead of it all, and r after each event they could meet and 1 compare notes. One might with advan- i tasre go down to the post and be sta- j tioned on the opposite side of the course ; to the starter. If this were done, and the fact of his presence known to the jockeys, I fancy we should hear a great deal less of horses swerving on to others , at the start ' ' No wonder poor hackers lose their : money, and 20 to 1 outsiders continually roll up. When we consider the uncertainties of the great game, the fluctuat-. ing bodily condition of the animals, the incompetence of some of the riders, and i the mishaps that occur in the race, ' •people who bet must have an unlimited ; stock of courage and confidence. The authorities, therefore, should do everything in their power to ensure regularity of running and to prevent deliberate fraud; and it would be a step in the right direction if a steward was com- ; pelled to be present at every start. The attention of the starter is taken up by getting his horses in line, and things frequently occur which escape his observation. An experienced man, especially one accustomed to race-riding himself, would detect these jockeys who are not over-anxious to get off, and when they started slowly an explanation should immediately be demanded. Now and I again a jockey is carpeted for showing over-zeal in the race, for persevering j with a swerving horse, for jostling or j crossing, but we very seldom hear of a 1 jockey being punished for not trying. Yet hardly a day .passes without there •being many non-triers, especially in races of minor value. These things are openly talked about. Now and again it is with the connivance of owner and trainer but more frequently tne poor owner is "in the cart." There are, of course, horses, like Beaurepaire., who refuse to start at all, and these should be disqualified altogether. Horses that persistently behave badly at the gate, or are dangerous to other competitors, should be put on a black list, until some assurance is given by their trainer that they have mended their manners. Clerks i of courses should not accept entries from horses on this -list, and handicappers I should refuse to handicap them. The j presence of a horse of this description I often imperils a good handicap and spoils I a race. Jockeys should be treated in | a similar way. If they persistently givo I trouble at the post, or get " left," they should be suspended from riding. Half ; the bad starts are made deliberately and ; with intention, and we should soon see I an improvement if severe measures were taken to punish offenders. I Thus the "Winning Post" on the jockeys at present riding in England:— "By no generous stretch of the imagination could anyone accuse our jockeys of being a brilliant lot, but Maher stands out as an exception. For the second time he head the list of winning jockeys, and if he were keen to ride cverv day throughout the season he would morn nearly approach tue figures of the giants of the past. In the whole matter of race-riding the English] Turf is about as low as it ever has been. For this there are a variety of contri- : buting factors. There are no good teachers' of the style of riding that is in i vogue, and the pillar to . post, style of racing has obliterated all idea of pace from the brains of most of our jockeys, jf indeed, that idea was ever there. It | is strange that there should be such a dearth of capable jockeys here, for in France they are a good deal better than ; they ever have been. No matter how lacking in proper tutelage they may be, ' we expect to see jockeys come to the: front now and again by sheer inborn; 1 merit. When the new-fangled style of riding was introduced several of the joc'ieys who were already riding in England took up a few holes in their stirrup leathers, and competed against the invaders with not a little measure ■ of success, and continued to do so for ; several years. Two cases, Halsey and . Madden, are quite sufficient for the | purposes of illustration. These two' had a livelong experience of long lea- . thers, yet, by reason of their skilful horsemanship adapted themselves to the new conditions with astonishing . rapidity. Our contention is that prei sent-day jockeys would be better served ; if they were to study the rudiments of • horsemanship before adopting the aggra- < vated form of the monkey-crouch. Ini deed, Maher, the best jockey riding, does not ride with extremely short lea- : thers, but affects what may be termed a [ happy medium. But in his line Maher I is a champion, and the astonishing thing r is that other jockeys do not copy him , with greater ease. He has no more , ardent admirers than his fellow jockeys, , and perhaps the admiration is the more ; pronounced because they find him so difficult to imitate. In the early days , of the season Whalley seemed to be in . a fair way of holding a leading position, '. but a series of unfortunate falls handicapped him seriously for a while, and he would have needed to be composed of r sterner stuff than flesh, blood, and bones 5 had he not suffered where his nerves are concerned. Another unfortunate . circumstance for the Palace House jockey ' was the fact that the Rothschild stable ' had a very lean year. Another season may find an improvement all round, in 1 which case we shall be surprised if Whalley does not come out in his true 3 colours, for we feel sure that he has th« ' makings of a high-class jockey. Frank ! Wootton has had his last mount in a z short but brilliant career, which might ' have been even better still in other cir- ; cumstanees. Higgs, too, has written 1 'finis' to his riding days, and of him it \. can be said that few jockeys last so ? long and keep their fair names free from " the very breath of suspicion. Wheatley " has done well since he moved south, and 1 Donoghue's record is by no means a bad 5 one. Among the lighter weights, Prout ! and Wing have both made a name for ' themselves, and-both possess at least t one attribute which 'helps men to "get t there" —dash. But, after all, our jockeys " are a motley crew, and seldom indeed ' does their riding call for laudatory f remarks in respect of its good jndg- , meat." '. >