Less Money From T.A.B.

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31730, 13 July 1968, Page 7

Less Money From T.A.B.

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON. As « result of the decrease In off-course turnover this year, coupled with rising costs, the total allocation clubs from the Totalisator Agency Board will be well below the amount available last year, the president (Mr R. A. Whyte), said at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference In Wellington yesterday. Last year the board distributed $2,128,232 to racing and trotting clubs and $1,541,097 of that amount was received by racing clubs. Of the total off-course turnover estimated for the present year, the amount invested on race meetings as distinct from trotting meetings, will be about $54,820,000, a decrease of $3,250,000 or 5.6 per cent. The profit could have been much lower had it not been for the efforts of the board in reducing and containing controllable cost in every conceivable way, said Mr Whyte. Not Favoured After giving full considerations to discussions with the executive committee on the possibility of an interim distribution of the Totalisator Agency Board's profits to clubs the board said that it was not in favour of such a scheme as there were disadvantages, not only to the board, but to clubs themselves. One of the main disadvantages of such a scheme would be less profit for clubs. At present the board invests its accumulated profits before distribution. Any scheme of interim disbursement would lessen the sum invested with an annual loss of interest amounting to $25,000. This

amount forms part of the profit for annual distribution to clubs. Asian Conference For the first time since the series was established, New Zealand was the host country for the seventh Asian Conference in Wellington in January during the Wellington Cup meeting and the national yearling sales. It was attended by delegates from Thailand, Singapore, India Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, and Australia. Mr Whyte said conferences such as these were of growing importance for they were attended by delegates from countries with which New Zealand is expanding its trade in thoroughbreds. They led to streamlining in administrative practices around the Pacific area and a sharing of knowledge on such important features as identification, registration in the Stud Book, drug detection and control, and an exchange of ideas on the more domestic and routine matters of race-day promotion which are of benefit to all participants. Disturbing The number of occasions during the season that decisions of judicial committees on raceday had been reversed was disturbing, said Mr Whyte. It was unfortunate for patrons when, having Invested on a winner, the horse' was relegated on race-day then on appeal was promoted to first. These situations brought forward the suggestion that when there was an inquiry the dividends should be withheld until tbe matter was finally deter-, mined. In practice, of course, this state of affairs would be untenable.

There were many instances when an inquiry demanded a

quick decision and for that reason it was Incumbent on all clubs to ensure that their most qualified and experienced administrators were appointed to judicial committees. Increased Demand An increased demand for the New Zealand Stud Book, particularly from overseas, made it apparent that there was rapidly developing a genuine international interest In New Zealand thoroughbreds which has been encouraged by the acceptance of colonial families by the General (British) and American Stud Books. The number of copies of Volume XX of the Stud Book, which was printed just before Christmas, was increased from 750 to 1250. By the end of May, 1022 copies had been sold. Doping Charges For the second successive year there had been a decrease in

the number of Inquiries into charges of doping. Since the last general meeting only two horses had returned positive swabs. In each case the analyst had reported that the sample taken from the horse had contained caffeine. The trainers of both horses were charged, found guilty of a corrupt practice and disqualified for two years. Routine swabbing of horses had been responsible for a substantial decrease in the number of horses which raced with a drug In their system and therefore had an advantage over the other starters.

In the first season in which the routine swabbing of horses wss carted out the number which returned a postive swab was 20 per cent. In the period between New Year’s Day and June 20 this year 459 horses were swabbed and none returned a positive.