ANOTHER TIME ROUND

Grey River Argus, 8 December 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

ANOTHER TIME ROUND

MAORI HORSE WINS. A WAY THEY HAD IN NOUMEA. I “What between trying to win and counting how, many times you still have to pass the winning post, racing nt Noumea is still in its pristine glory.” The foregoing remarks were made by Mr J. MeCulkin, formerly one of I Mr Frank Marsden's jockeys, who returned to Sydney last week by the French Island mail steamer La Perouse. ‘‘Though racing there is far below the Australian country town standard," continued Mr MeCulkin, “the natives of New Caledonia, a very mixed lot, having once tasted the joys of the sport of kings and a win on a five franc totalisator, are particularly keen on horses. A Giddy Course. “There arc four principal meetings, at Dumbea, at Lafoa, at Bourali, and at Kone, and the events generally number six, four for amateur riders, one in which the entries are confined to stock horses, and one. sometimes two, purely native races. The courses are very short, generally about five and a-half furlongs, and in one race you have to pass the post no fewer than four times.” Referring to prize money, he said that £4O was the biggest stake, and the “season” lasted four months. M r MeCulkin went t 0 tie French Islands with Mr T. Hagon, part owner of Malster, a horse that was set the ’ particular task of beating Turenne, the loeal wonder horse. On one occasion Malster was beaten, but in his second attempt he won by 10 lengths.