RACE MEETING DELAYED

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27072, 22 June 1953, Page 8

RACE MEETING DELAYED

Heavy Track Held Unsafe

JOCKEYS FORGO ENGAGEMENTS "The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON, June 21. The refusal of several leading jockeys to fulfil their riding engagements, because they considered the track was not safe for racing, threatened a postponement of the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s winter meeting at Hastings on Saturday. The start of the first race was delayed for 21 minutes and the second for 40 minutes, but the meeting continued and the day ended without a serious mishap. The only casualty was R. J. Taylor, who broke a collarbone when Indication fell at the last fence in the Kennels Steeplechase. After several days of heavy rain, the Hastings track became waterlogged. When it was still raining steadily at 7 a.m. on Saturday, stewards of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club invited the secretary of the New Zealand Jockeys’ Association (Mr J. Murchison) and the jockey, W. J. Mudford, who is a vice- ’ president of ths association, to inspect This was done about 7.30 a.m., when the opinion was expressed by the association representatives that, while they could not commit any individual member of the association, it appeared that the track would be safe enough. The stewards decided to proceed with the meeting, and an announcement was broadcast to this effect about 9 a.m. Between then and 10.30 o’clock there was considerably more rain, and about 10 a.m. there was a very heavy downpour. There was a good deal of surface water lying about the racecourse when the 17 horses went to the post for the opening event, the Kennels Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase. Shortly after, all but three of them returned to the birdcage and requested a further inspection of the track by the stipendiary steward, Mr H. B. Lorigan. The jockeys argued that the amount of surface water on the back straight made the track dangerous. Further Inspection Made A further inspection of the course was carried out, Mr Lorigan being accompanied by the secretary of the Jockey Club, Mr A. E. Wishart, and representatives of the Jockeys’ Association. It was then announced that the meeting would proceed. The hencoop, a difficult fence, was replaced by a hurdle, and it was agreed to eliminate the sod wall from both steeplechases. Nine of the 17 runners fell in the Kennels Steeplechase and a meeting was then held by the jockeys. This resulted in a decision to allow the riders individually to decide for themselves whether to ride or not.

Several of the leading jockeys, including W. J. Broughton, V. J. Sellars, W. L. Aitken, N. B. Holland, G. F. Hughes, J. A. McFarlane, C. H. Mackie, C. A. Bowry, W. J. Mudford, and K. Chote, cancelled their engagements, and declined to ride.

This meant a hurried rearrangement of. riding plans for many owners and trainers, as there were 55 horses en-gaged-in the two divisions of the second race, the Hastings Plate. There was a good deal of confusion before the field, with riding engagements,' could be completed. After the main batch of horses were sent to the post, others, singly and in pairs, joined the field as owners with horses balloted out with right of re-entry belatedly became aware that they were entitled to a start.

The climax was reached when Lord Melbar posted as a scratching, and shown thus on the totalisator throughout the betting, took his place in the first division. Consequently, there were no investments on him, and he ran unbacked, on both the win and place machines. He was unplaced. Shortly after the • running of the third race, the Whakatu Hurdles, the weather cleared, and for the rest of the day it remained overcast and mild.