Bracketing Of Stablemates “Not Necessary” Bid For Third Bowls Title

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32361, 29 July 1970, Page 4

Bracketing Of Stablemates “Not Necessary”

Bid For Third Bowls Title

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON

The bracketing of stablemates was not necessary, counsel for the New Zealand Racing Conference, Mr T. F. Fookes, submitted to the Royal Commission on Racing yesterday. The conference had been asked for its comments on a suggestion that stablemates should be bracketed. The basis of the suggestion, Mr Fookes said, was that it would prevent a trainer from arranging that when he had two starters in a race the lessfancied should win. The conference felt that, whatever may have been the position in the past, there were now adequate safeguards against this, both human and mechanical. Mr Fookes pointed out that if a trainer had more than one starter he could not ride in the race unless his starters

were bracketed. There wasi no evidence, he said, to show that horses were not being run on their merits when racing out of the same stable. Trainers did not bet a great deal because they could not afford to—and if that were accepted there was no advantage in automatic stablebracketing. There were, said Mr Fookes, numerous cases of stablemates running in the money. It would act as a disincentive to malpractice that in cases where the less-supported runner won there would almost certainly be an investigation. Stable-bracketing, he said, could also be disadvantageous in that there would be cases —particularly in the South Island—where it would mean that the number of place dividends would be reduced from three to two. In addition, there was a tendency among trainers to specialise in training certain

types of horse—two-year-olds for example—and stablebracketing in this case could depress betting. There was no bracketing in Britain or Australia, said Mr Fookes.

International Referee

The New Zealand Soccer Referees’ Association has nominated a third referee this year to be included on the international list. He is Mr R. McDonald, of Dunedin, who has already had experience at international level The other two on the list are Messrs L. Coffmap (Auckland) and T. Delahunty (Wellington). Only Mr Delahunty has previously been appointed to a F.I.F.A. fixture, last year's Australia v. Israel World Cup game in Sydney when be acted as linesman.

E. Chaney (Yaldhurst) will this week-end attempt to win his third successive Canterbury indoor bowls fours title. The fours event is the final Canterbury championship of the season. Two hundred teams have entered for Saturday’s section play and about 70 are expected to go to post-seetion play on Sunday morning. Chaney will also be trying to complete a notable double as he is already this year’s Canterbury singles champion. His strongest opoosition could come from R. Ludbrook (Post Office), who this year won the pairs title and was runner-up in the singles, and A. Williamson (Pioneer), who has won four Canterbury titles. Others with a chance are R. Lange (Railway) and B. Stewart (Arawa), the South Island pairs champion. Play will be at the Canterbury association’s nail in Kearneys Road, and at the New Brighton R.S.A. Hall.