ANOTHER RECORD!

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1938, Page 22

ANOTHER RECORD!

SHOT THAT MISSES MARK

j There has lately been an unfortunate '.tendency in sporting comment to state |as hard-and-fast fact something that i can have been nothing otherwise than J a hopeful conjecture. Racing itself suffers immeasurably when such comiment is not based on thorough research, for the progress of racing and the interests of those associated with the sport depend so greatly on points of accuracy. For instance, when dealing with records, it is always a risky business just to have a lucky shot and trust for the, best. There is nearly always someone in the game who has the records at finger-tips. It is still more risky not to check up figures that are comparatively recent and are printed in black and white in the racing registers. So the statement that has been published that "the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National Meeting established a record for the club for a three-day meeting in the number of starters at the fixture" immediately arrested attention as something that was fett instinctively not to be oased on such accurate research as should have been made before it was formulated as a fact. An inspection of the Turf Registers was therefore undertaken, and, at random, the occasion when the Avonhead Handicap on the first day was divided, that is -in 1931, was chosen. It was found that, owing to scratchings, there were two fewer starters in the two divisions of the Avonhead Handicap that year than there were in the one division this year. But when the rest of the figures were taken out it was also ascertained that in not a single one of the three days this year were there more starters than at the 1931 Grand National Meeting. The following table gives the number of horses who started in the eight events on each day in 1931 and on each day this year:— (1931-32). First Day. Second Day. Third Day. 7 8 8 0 22 17 2-1 S ft i:; ii ft . Hi Hi 11 7 1G IS 23 19 21 2(5 12 17 Totals .. 125 110 105 For Meeting.— 34o. ■ 1938-39). First Day. Second Day. Third Day. 10 10 6 IS 15 20 14 6 9 21 16 11 ]0 13 20 7 11 S 10 13 15 28 17 16 Totals .. 122 101 103 For Meeting—32B. Thus it is seen that the total num- : ber of starters at the 1931 Grand Na- , tional was 340, which is twelve more , than the ' 328 . starters at this year's j Grand National Meeting. The comparison is still more in'favour of the 1931 Meeting than the figures actually make it appear, as m 1931 there were two hurdle events on the opening day, and the Hunters' Hurdles, which has now been replaced by the open six furlongs Paparua Handicap, drew only seven starters, while the Paparua this year had 13 starters. There are quite-possibly other Grand National Meetings at which the number of starters has been larger than this year's but the records have not been perused beyond the 1931-32 season, as that year is sufficient to disclose the inaccuracy of the statement that has been published as a "record.'' The remaining part of the statement, "The C J C. also holds the record for the number of starters at a four-day meeting in New Zealand," may be correct. There are only. two four-day meetings in the Dominion, the other being the Auckland Summer Meeting, which is held at a holiday Period when there is racing m all quarters ot the Dominion, whereas the £M ™c fipld nractically entirely to itself ioi the N?w Zealand Cup Meeting m November.