Darby Munro Australia's Leading Jockey Continues "MY TURF SECRETS"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 5 (Supplement)

Darby Munro Australia's Leading Jockey Continues "MY TURF SECRETS"

J T.KAUSK tliat the youngsters have l'>se their S V' 1 ma " y ° f them fullv-flf.l " a< 's and are a menace. A to look' Tft JW - v 1S honour bound Manv a " a vo in a race. my chance "" "PP rcnti <* spoilt won' ' POU,cI . ~ invo "°ue on and aon by taking a risk, but I will never iiiv d'-iii think an apprentice is in 1. , k-o '"° eVC " ,f lm on a heavilvoackecl runner. 1 have been on my toes watching the kids riding m races confined to appren'i 0 ?,'... 1 llilve soe » some disgraceful exhibitions, and I often wonder how some of the riders ever got a permit. Ho we vcy, I have noticed this: When an apprentice has a fall it has a sobering effect on him, and he is much more careful next time. I suppose this is only natural, because a fall certainly takes some of the sting out of you, ' I ha\ e been lucky. I have been in only three falls. One was at a South Grafton meeting when my mount was lengths clear and then suddenly crumpled up- The other two were at Canterbury. I was on Babili the day Keith Cook came such a nasty cropper and received fractured skull. I am pleased to see Keith coming to the fore again. He is a very capable horseman. My second Canterbury fall was a real sensation. I was on Jack Cook's mare Itoginer and I think seven or horses came down. n I know that when I rolled to safety I looked -up and shuddered when I saw rulers and horses strewn all over the track. That was the end of Itoginer. She was a bonny mare, but her racing days were over. She has ljcen patched up and is now at the stud. Another friend has written to me and very bluntly asked me why Ted MeMenamin always gets his mounts awav

better than any other jockey. Of course, with all due respect to Mac, I don't entirely agree with that. He is certainly a pastmaster at the machine, but lie hasn't got that on his own. I think Jack Parsons and Billy Cook are almost as smart. Ted is always on his toes at the machine, and don't forget he has been fined frequently for trying to anticipate the start. As for talk that lie is favoured, that, is ridiculous. Every rider gets a fair go from the starter, Mr. Gaxicn. I'm sorry I didn't pick you the Newmarket winner, but All Veil, whom I gave an honourable mention, was too good at the weights. In my next instalment in the "Sports Edition" I will discuss the various Australian racecourses, and I will also pay a tribute to Peter Pan for putting up the best handicap performance in my young life on the turf.