WINGATUI RIDERS DECLINE GORE

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31597, 7 February 1968, Page 14

WINGATUI RIDERS DECLINE GORE

(New Zealand Press Association?

DUNEDIN, February 6.

Senior Wingatui jockeys have declined riding engagements for the second day of the Gore Racing Club’s summer meeting next Saturday. Their moves follow the abandonment of the first day of the meeting last Saturday after a sensational smash in the second race.

Two jockeys suffered minor injuries and others escaped with bruises in the smash, which occurred when Werahiko fell and brought down six other runners.

One horse was destroyed and another was so badly injured that she will not race again. The fall was caused by the dangerous state of the track after light rain. The Gore course has come under fire many times over the years through horses fall-

ing. The jockeys who have declined riding engagements and are not prepared to ride on the track again until they consider it has been made refe include J. R. Dowling, J. D. Pankhurst, B. J. Anderton and L. W. Hare. K N. Marsh, who suffered concussion and bruising on Saturday has not yet received a medical clearance, but he said today that he also would not ride on the course until it had been improved. The trainer-jockey, Dowling, did not accept any of his team for the meeting because he considered the track unsafe. Bends Harrowed

Today the bends on the Gore track were harrowed, disced and spread with coarse sand. A turf aerator was also used to open up the track surface, said the secretary of the Gore Racing Club (Mr A. W. Cooper). He intended Inviting

Wingatui jockeys to ride fast work on Thursday, he said. They would then be able to judge the state of the track for themselves. Horses were worked on the track at distances from a quarter, to a mile and a quarter, all without incident today. “If the track remains in its present condition it would be quite safe for racing, in my opinion,” a Gore trainer, R. J. Cochrane, said. E. A. Winsloe also considered the track was safe. Major Reconstruction

As for a major reconstruction of the track, Mr Cooper said this was discussed after

an inspection last year by the Racing Conference president, Mr R. A. Whyte, the chief stipendiary steward, Mr J. A. Poulsen, and the Dunedin resident stipendiary steward, Mr J. M. McCulloch-

“But the only request the club received from the conference was to reduce the safety limit at the six and seven-furlong barriers,” Mr Cooper said. The safety limit at the seven-furlong barrier had been reduced from 20 to 16. "A turf nursery has been established, having in mind the necessity of improving the banking on the track,” Mr Cooper said.