NEW RULE ON BIT DEVICES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 145, 21 June 1941, Page 4 (Supplement)

NEW RULE ON BIT DEVICES

The A.J.C. stewards have decided that in future a standard type of device must be used to prevent a horse from getting his tongue over the bit in a race. The device adopted by the stewards was used on Rimveil in the George's River Handicap'at Randwick on Saturday last. It consists of a rubber band (through which the horse's tongue is passed) attached by a split ring to the bit. It was announced that the stewards considered some of the devices employed by trainers were not designed to get the best out of a horse, says the "Daily Telegraph." . "The device we have standardised, ' said the chief steward, Mr. Donohoe, "is used almost exclusively in Queensland and has attained a wide vogue in New Zealand. "I understand it was recommended to George Allen, trainer of Rimveil, by J. T. Jamieson, who trained in New Zealand before coming toi Sydney." j Mr. Donohoe added that the stew-! ards had sought to legislate only as to the tying down of the tongue. No objection would be offered to the use of a bridle designed to hold the bit in such a position as to achieve the same purpose.