IN SPORTING VEIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 113, 14 May 1936, Page 9

IN SPORTING VEIN

MINISTER ON RACING. MR. WEBB'S PLEASANTRIES. "RUNNING SHOES" ON JOCKEY. A racy speech was mado by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, in presenting the handsome gold cup to Mr. T. A. Duncan, the owner of Hunting Queen, winner of the Champion Hack Cup at the Egmont Pvacing Club's recent meeting. The Minister, who was introduced by Mr. S. C. Tonks, president of the club, states the Taranaki Herald," said that when he went back to Wellington lie would bo able to tell his comrades in Cabinet that the winner of the race was no scrounger, that the jockey, Snowy Morris, had had Bob Semple's running shoes on well before the race, and that those who had supported Hunting Queen on the totalisator had received quite a good guaranteed price. He hoped the farmer would get his fair share of ieturns in days to come. Ho complimented the club on its initiative in introducing a. hack event over a nine furlongs journey, and he spoke in appreciative terms | of the good race run by the winner. j Racing on the Upgrade. | Continuing, the Minister said the fact that totalisator returns throughout the | Dominion were always 011 the increase j augured well for the success of racing. During the great depression 110 branch of sport had suffered more than racing and no source of Government revenue had been so sure as the revenue which came from the totalisator. He was hoping that in the days to come racing clubs would get far more assistance than had been their lot in the past. (Applause.) If they must have good racing it was essential there should be good stakes, but there could not be good stakes if the 1 Government and other forms of taxation j were too high. He believed that the j racing in New Zealand was the cleanest j

racing in any part of the world. To keep it clean and place it 011 that even higher pedestal all real sports wanted to sec it attain, it was necessary that owners should receive bettor stakes, trainers greater percentages and riders larger fees. He extended hearty congratulations to Mr. Duncan 011 the guaranteed price lie had gained on this occasion—the very handsome gold cup. Mr. Duncan: I hope I won't have to melt it down. (Laughter.) Mr. Webb: Mr. Duncan has got the wind up. He is afraid ho will have to melt it down before the Government lias finished with him. However, he will be able to hold tlie cup for a little while— long enough to fill it to-night, anyhow. (Renewed laughter.) Tribute to Racing Men. Continuing, the Minister said Mr. Duncan had been associated with the sport for many -years, and all he had ever heard about him had been to his credit. There were many racing men in this country who wore a credit not only to racing, but to their professions, and he believed that 99 per cent of owners, trainers and jockeys always played the game, despite the fact that there were some people who wuld always see a horse "pulled" despite the fact that it had been honestly beaten. Mr. Webb then expressed pleasure in presenting the cup, and congratulated Air. Duncan 011 his win. He also complimented "Snowy" Morris on the way he had produced the marc, and Stewart Wilson 011 the splendid race he had ridden. He wished the club every success and prosperity, and concluded by saying that the cup was in gold, and that he hoped it would remain in gold for all time. Mr. Duncan expressed pleasure in receiving the cup, and assured his hearers that nothing pleased him more than to win a trophy. Money came and went, but trophies remained with one all the time—that was so long as one did not have to melt them down. Mr. Webb: If you do it will be for a good purpose. „ Mr. Duncan thanked Mr. Webb for Ins kindly remarks, and said that as long as he had been associated with the turf lie had never felt the slightest doubt as to the integrity of his trainers or jockeys. Mr. Morris had turned the horse out well, and Wilson had ridden a splendid race. It was due to them that lie had won this valuable trophy. ,