CHAMPAGNE STAKES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 April 1929, Page 5

CHAMPAGNE STAKES.

STARTED BEFORE TIME. RACE AT ELLERSLIE. AUCKLAND, April 1. The Champagne Stakes run at Ellers - lie on Saturday was timed to start at 2.37 p.m., but owing .to. some misconception on the part, of the starter (Mi C. o ’Connor), the field, aecordingto .the official sheet, was started at 2.30 p.m., or four minutes beforehand. The field .was well .on its way before the time the to tali sat or was closed. The rules of racting state that if a ra.ee is started before time, it shall be re-run, and this has been done in New Zealand. according to Mr W. S. Spence, secretary, no .one protested on Saturday, and the stewards did not take any action. In order that this will not occur again a signal will have to be given to the starter that the machine is closed. Wellington, Wanganui and Riccarton have electric totailisators, and they hoist a signal showing that the. machine has finished operations, and the starter immediately proceeds ito* dispatch his field. At Ellerslie the starter goes by the time given in the race card, without any signal being hoisted that the machine is closed. Of course, owing to unforeseen circumstances a club might set back these times, and the starter is notified accordingly. The occurrence was a most unfortunate one, .but, as stated by the secretary, it was unlikely that the framers of the rule ever contemplated that high class two-year-olds should bo made to run twice in an afternoon owing to an error on the part of the starter in sending them away too soon.