CHANGE JUSTIFIED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 95, 23 April 1931, Page 16

CHANGE JUSTIFIED.

STRAIGHT-OUT BETTING

ARRESTING TOTALISATOR DECLINE

On the concluding day at Randwick the totalisator investments were £51,308 0/ for eight races, compared with £41,805 15/ on the corresponding day last year, when there were seven races. The place "pool" accounted for £34,715 and that for the win £10,053. For the four days the investments aggregated £193,322 10/, compared with £'202,904 10/ in 1930, but tlite decline may be overlooked when the figures for meetings for the past two years arc compared. There is not a doubt Uiat the straight-out wagering is responsible for the arresting of the decline in investments so apparent for a considerable time (says the "Sydney Morning Herald"). The change is justified by results. There were 27 races at the meeting, and allowing for the winning wagers tax of 10 per cent the totalisator dividends except on seven occasions exceeded the starting prices of the bookmakers. It is obvious that only one price (starting price) can be obtained from the totalisator, and that better quotations than starting prices can be obtained in the betting ring, but this cuts two ways, for many of tlie smaller "punters" often accept quotations less than starting prices from the bookmakers, and even when backing outsiders cannot obtain, as supporters of one horse did, the equivalent of 42* to 1 about a bookmaker's 20 to 1 chance. •V - EXHAUSTED JOCKEY. Twice this season jockeys at A.R.C. meetings have collapsed through excessive wasting. On the first occasion T. Healy collapsed at Victoria Park, after riding Lever, now known as Anchor, and on April 15 the prominent rider, H. Griffiths, had to be assisted from Chrysolad after he had won the third division of the Flying Handicap. Griffiths was in I such a condition that the club's doctor attended him as lie lay on the grass, and he had to be assisted to the scales to weigh in. He was afterwards driven to his home by a fellow-jockey. There was a sequel to the incident. Griffiths hod ridden Brass Buttons in the previous race into third place, and the display given by the gelding prompted the stipendiary stewards to hold an inquiry into his running. The hearing had not concluded when the third division was duo to be run, and an adjournment was j made. Subsequently they reported that the club's surgeon was of the opinion that Griffiths was suffering from exhaustion, due to excessive wasting, and they decided against taking any further action in the matter. Wasting in order to be available for engagements is the bane of a jockey's life, and apparently Griffiths finds it hard to keep down to reasonable limits. Griffiths has been riding at 7.11 and 7.12 for some meetings past. He rode at 7.10 in the Fourtcen-hands Handicap on Rose Amy. The racebook gives his riding weight 7.10, although this information could not, for obvious reasons, be accepted as officially correct. DUNCAN'S COSTLY SUSPENSION. Some idea of what the month's suspension means to the leading Victorian jockey, W. Duncan, is given in the earnings of E. Bartle at the A.J.C. autumn meeting (says a Sydney writer). Duncan was engaged to ride The Dimmer throughout the Randwick carnival, but, subsequent to winning the Autumn Stakes on the gelding, lie was adjudged guilty of careless riding, and was suspended from riding in races for one month. E. Bartle then secured the mounts on The Dimmer, and, by winning two weight-for-age races and the Sydney Cup on the West Australian-owned horse, received a cheque for £271, after all deductions such as tax, etc., had been made. The ride in the Cup alone was worth £194. M. McCarten, who shared the riding honours, so far as winners were concerned, with J. Munro, had the biggest cheque to draw. His four winners brought him in a net amount of £400, the Sires' Produce Stakes percentage being £237. and that for the St. Leger £114. J. Munro's four winning rides were worth £187, while J. Coutts received £152 for his one win on Burwood in the Champagne Stakes. W. Cook earned £79 in winning mounts; J. Pike, £53; and X. Percival, £411. From the winning rides alone the Government received £72.. The amount of prize money, together with sweepstakes, etc., distributed for the meeting was £38,759. BEST SINCE CARBINE'S DAY. The Dimmer's feat in winning four races at Randwick at the one meeting has not been equalled since the days of his grandsire, Carbine. Carbine \yon four race's at Randwick at the autumn meeting in his three-year-old career, and as a four-year-old won five races at the autumn fixture (says the Sydney "Herald"). As a tliree-year-old Carbine was beaten bv in the Autumn Stakes, but with 9.0 won the Sydney Cup on the second day. On the third day he won both the All-aged Stakes, one mile, and the Cumberland Stakes, two miles, and on the fourth day had little trouble in winning the A.J.C. Plate, then run over three miles. As a he won the Autumn Stakes on the first day, the Sydney Cup on the second day, carrying 9.8, compared with his grandson's 7.12, the All-aged Stakes and the Cumberland Stakes on the third day, and the A.J.C. Plate on the fourth day. On four occasions Carbine won two weight-for-age races on the one day; twice in Melbourne and twice in Sydney. , At his third -attempt to win the All-lged Stakes and Cumberland Stakes double Marvel beat him in the first race. RECRUITS TO HURDLING." After the race for the Hawke's Bay Cup Mr. J. O'Brien handed Mount Shannon over to the Awapuni trainer L. Knapp to prepare for the jumping game. Mount Shannon, whose form has been very disappointing, occasionally showed flashes of first-class galloping ability. He is able to handle bad ground well, and proved by a win at Trent ham last winter that he can carry weight, so he should make good over the hurdles. The Hymestra Hynanna, who has been spell- ° at °Masterton, lias joined W. Hawthorne's active team at Trentham. It is intended to put him to the jumping game. WON AT TRENTHAM. j Birkbeck won so well over hurdles at the Hawke's Bay meeting, held at Trentham on Saturday, that he will have plenty of support in his forthcoming engagements. A couple of seasons ogo ho won the June Steeplechase at the Hawke's Bay meeting, and is among those entered for the Egmont Steeple(chase a fortnight hence. I

FRANKLIN RACING CLUB. dominations for the Franklin Racing Club's meeting close with the secretary, Mr. W. J. Short, Pukekohc, or Mr. A. J. Farquhar, secretary of the Avondale Jockey Club, at 5 p.m. to-morrow. PRINCE OF ORANGE RETURNS. Prince of Orange was produced on the second day of the Waikato meeting, but ran very poorly, being a long way behind the field when they turned for home. This was his first race for some time. AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. Nominations for the Great Northern Hurdles, ~ Great Northern Steeplechase, Winter Steeplechase, Cornwall Handicap, King George Handicap and York Handicap, to be decided at the winter meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, to be held on June 3, 0 and 8, close with the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spencc, at 5 p.m. to-morrow. THE JUMPING SEASON. The approach of the jumping season is heralded by the - nominations for the Egmont Steeplechase, which is the first big race over country this winter. Altogether nine are engaged, including Aurora Borealis, who proved the best jumper seen out last season; Omeo, who ran second in the Great Northern Steeplechase and was not seen at his best owing to soreness just before big events; and old Nukumai. GETTING ON. Nukumai has again been nominated for the Egmont Steeplechase, but as he is now twelve years old it does not look as though he will be able to reproduce his best form. He was a good horse on the flat, and was a rare hurdler, winning the Grand National Hurdles with 11.11. He, however, did not turn out as good over the big fences as he did over hurdles. He, won the Egmont Steeplechase in 1920, which was his first effort over count'ry, with the steadier of 11.13. BACK TO HIS BEST. Supremacy is now at the top of his form, and he put up another fine performance at the Waikato meeting, when he dead-heated for sccond behind Refresher, to whom he was conceding 101b. Supremacy was well back with a furlong covered, but lie then made a great run on the outside and was up with the leaders as they turned for home. A great battle saw him just go under, the 9.9 he carried being just a bit too much for him. Supremacy has never raced better since he was a two-year-old than at the present time. WHANGAREI RACING CLUB. The Whangarei Racing Club will hold its autumn meeting at Whangarei on April 30 and May 2, and acceptances for the first day close with the secretary, Mr. F. L. Gunn, Whangarei, or Messrs. Blomfield and Co., Shortland Street, Auckland, at 5 p.m. to-morrow. This club received good nominations, and it is to be hoped that owners will do all they can to help the club with acceptances, for it is a most hospitable body and does its best for the comfort and convenience of nil. A special horse train has been arranged for Tuesday next, leaving Ellcrslie at. 8.15 a.m., Newmarket at 8.58 a.m., and arriving at Whangarei at 3.15 p.m. The club has 50 loose boxes and special yards within three minutes of the post office. Special trains will leave for Whangarei on each day of the races, returning the same night. A GOOD HURDLER. Avro proved himself a good hurdler last season, and if not overburdened should make his presence felt in big hurdle events this season. At Wanganui in the spring he was beaten by Mister Gamp in the Okehu Hurdles, but the lattcr's rider failed to draw the weight, and Avro got the race. He was given 11.4 in the Gonville Hurdles the next day, and finished third to Luminary and Royal Acre. He was second to Easterly in the Tokoinaru Hurdles at Manawatu at Christinas time, and the next day won the High-weight Handicap, one mile and a quarter. At the last Wanganui meeting lie was second in the Westmere Hurdles with 11.3, and won the Fordcll Hurdles the second day, with 11.8. Avro is due to make his next appearance in the Tongahoe Hurdles at Egmont on May 0. VERY CONSISTENT. Kozan is a very consistent performer since he commenced racing this season, and Jiis latest efforts, when he annexed a double at Trentham on Saturday, were particularly pleasing. Ho opened his account with *a double victory at the Marlborough meeting in February last, and after getting beaten on the first day of the Wellington autumn fixture won the Belmont Handicap, six furlongs, on the last day. At the recent Wairarapa meeting Ephialtes beat him in the Ferry Handicap, but he won the Pahiatua Handicap on the concluding day, so that he has only been once out of the money, and on that occasion was fourth. Last Saturday at Trentham it appears that there was no provision for rehandicapping winners, and no penalty could be put on Kozan after his first success. It is stated that even if he had had a penalty in the last race he would have won just the same, so easy did he do it. THE BEST LAST SEASON. Aurora Borealis was unplaced in the Egmont Steeplechase last season, but on the second day she won the Adamson Steeplechase, and f rom that on camo quickly into the limelight. She won the Century Hurdle Race at Wanganui in her next effort, and, coming on to Ellerslie, finished third in the Great Northern Hurdle Race, and won the Great Northern Steeplechase and the Winter Steeplechase. She was unlucky to be beaten in the Wellington Steeplechase by Mangani, who just lasted long enough to score by a head. If Aurora Borealis had beeir kept going from the last fence home she would have won. Mangani looked a good thing at that stage, but almost immediately died to a walk, and Aurora Borealis' rider, when he saw that, set her in pursuit, and she just missed. Going on to Riccarton she accounted for the Grand National Steeplechase and the Lincoln Steeplechase, and proved herself the find of the season. She is due to make her reappearance in a cross-country event at Hawera on Wednesday, May 6.