RACING CONFERENCE

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 12 July 1935, Page 8

RACING CONFERENCE

Officers Make Recommendations for Improvement of Sport DETECTION OF “SPIELERS” MORE JUMPING RAGES NEEDED (By Telegraph—Pres 3 Association.! WELLINGTON, To-day. The racing, conference opened today, Mr J. S. McLeod (Hastings) presiding. Mr Ward, chief raccoon,rsei inspector, reported that the steadfast loyalty of ins three colleagues to him and their strict attention to .the carrying out of the policy of the executive in every phase and their many responsibilities enabled him to report that nothing had arisen to interfere with the effective carrying out of their duties. Consequently, he had no special recommendations to. make.

He said a number of prohibited persons, especially in the larger centres, continued to loiter around the outside of courses whil© meetings were being held, and undesirables of the “guesser” and “spieler” type still followed the racing circuits, but certainty of detection should they venture inside and the consequent possibility of prosecution for trespass, *\vas in most cases an effective deterrent. Ample provisions of the regulations for the relief of persons excluded from racecourses was well-known and fully availed of.

Later in the report ho suggested that the supervision of persons licensed under the rules of racing had continued to assist in maintaining the standard of good conduct that now generally prevailed. He mentioned also that their work in keeping in close touch with owners and trainers in connection with apprentices was appreciated. Mr O. Gomer, chairman of the stipendiary stewards, reported that management and control of meetings had been quit© satisfactory. The most important suggestion he wished to make and he thought the most needed reform was with regard to the length of time horses were kept out on the course before the start of a race. The majority of clubs stipulated that horses must be in the birdcage 25 minutes prior to starting, which meant that if the races were run to time the horses were out 20 minutes. He considered that wrong horses should not be kept out that length of time often in cold, rough weather. The public could do their betting just as easily in ten minutes as in twenty. To bring about the reform it would he necessary for all clubs to adopt the system that horses must be in the birdcage 15 minutes before the start. He thought it should be mad© compulsory for clubs to include in programmes a hurdle race or a steeplechase on each day from April 1 to November .30. Cross-country riders, especially in the South Island, found it very difficult to earn a living and the continued highweights handicaps, such as they had there, meant that soon very few hurdle or steeplechase riders would be qualified to ride in them. He again brought forward his suggestion in the 1933-34 report that the minimum weight in all flat races should be eight stone. At a number of meetings starting barriers worked too slowly and it was common to see horses taking it with them. This was a matter to which clubs should give attention with the object of procuring th© best starting machine possible. Ho suggested that to save horses having sometimes to return to the birdcage, starters should be supplied with a pair of reins, stirrup leathers, girth, snrsingle, and a strip of greenhide.

He.also advocated the totalisator being closed to time, and suggested that the rule he strictly adhered to. The value of racing in New Zealand was shown indirectly in a marked degree by the success of the yearling sales which were well attended with good prices. Australian buyers were well to the fore.

A remit from the executive committee was adopted to reduce the qualification for hacks from winners of » race worth £250 or of races worth £SOO to £2OO and £4OO respectively. It was decided to define a hack race as a race in which any horse is debarred from entering by reason of his ’winnings, even though the word “hack” is used in the title of the race. The executive’s remit recommending the reinstatement of an eight stone minimum in flat races other than the principal flat race in the programme on each day of any meeting and an extension of the date of operation, making it June 1 to August 31, was adopted. Mr A. N. Smith (Dunedin) moved for consideration by the next conference that the minimum be seven stone seven during the remaining months of the year. Approval was given to a Manawatu remit to allow stewards to provide that a man on a quiet hack stand in the first position on the rail to assist the starter in lining up horses.