FALLS AT FEILDING

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32539, 24 February 1971, Page 9

FALLS AT FEILDING

"The Press" Special Sereice PALMERSTON NORTH.

„ The Pending racecourse H ***_«P to Its reputation yesterday as a treacherous one, when after throe falls and one ln|ury the last four r sf".o* r,c * tri* l * were called off. Several (ockeys saw the rain In the morning and decided not to make the trip te their decision being

, The Injured rider was the Awapuni apprentice, G. Clutterbuck, who suffered a suspected broken arm and was taken to hospital. Clutterbuck was riding Winnetou, which came down just after passing the winning post. M. Campbell took a fall in the same event from Bally Kelly, a rather clumsy galloper which narrowly missed hitting the running rail. Campbell was quick to say, on returning to the birdcage, that be would not .ride again on the track, which was reasonably firm, but very slippery. Golden Wave, ridden by D. Harris, won the previous heat

Impressively, but came down ,0 2 n a£ter tile finish. The accident was extremely hard luck for Clutterbuck, for he had broken his other arm in a fall from Red Wolf at the Manawatu meeting in December, 55? on,y recently resumed race-riding. The committee then decided to call the race trials off. "Thought to bo safe" The secretary of the Manawatu Racing Owners’ and Trainera’ Association (Mr L. McCool) said afterwards that the track had been inspected in the morn* Ing and that it was then thought to be safe.

Grass grub was found in the track. It was thought that the dead grass would absorb the moisture, and provide a good cushion. There was a good sole of grass on the track. ft was unfortunate, especially for the Injured rider, but, as Mr McCool said It could have been much worse—it could have happened on a race day. The ®Jub now has an opportunity to rid the track of grass grub before the Easter meeting.