MINIMUM WEIGHT REDUCED

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28020, 14 July 1956, Page 6

MINIMUM WEIGHT REDUCED

CONFERENCE FIXES

7ST LIMIT (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, July 13. After a year’s experiment, the 7-7 minimum for handicap flat races will disappear from New Zealand racing, and it will be replaced by one of 7-0. The change was made today at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference. The change was sought in a remit from the Marton Jockey Club. It had 36 supporters, with only 12 in opposition. Mr J. R. L. Standford, spokesman for the Marton Club, said it was doubtful whether the remit raising the minimum to 7-7 a year ago had been given careful consideration. Since the minimum had been raised, “an undue number of New Zealand horses had been taken to Australia and in many cases were not coming back here.” Heavy weights carried by the good horses had done much to cause breakdowns. . Mr G. J. Barton (Dunedin district clubs), speaking against the motion, said that boys were getting bigger all the time, and in a few years the 8-0 minimum would probably be necessary. The 7-7 minimum had helped to drive some of New Zealand’s best horses to Australia in the last year, said Mr D. W. J. Gould (Canterbury). “We want to keep our good horses in New Zealand.” Mr Gould said. “The handicappers do their best, but unless the present system of handicapping is changed they have the duty of framing the weights so that, theoretically, the horses should finish in line.

“In no other country are the good horses so weighted down and get so few opportunities. In England there are many races at fixed weights and at weight-for-age. In the United States, Nashua, whose earnings are colossal, was weighted for a handicap race the other day at 9-2. Here, he would have 12 or 13 stone, I think,” he said.

PAYMENT FOR ENTRY TO STUD BOOK

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, July 13. Starting in the new season a fee of £2 will be payable for each mare accepted for initial entry as a brood mare in the

New Zealand Stud Book. This was approved at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference in Wellington today. Fees accompanying the returns of mares are expected to bring in £7OO or £BOO a year.