SPORTING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1716, 6 January 1920, Page 5

SPORTING.

Nominations in connection with the Pahiatua Racing Club close with tho secretary oh Thursday, January 8, at 9 p.m. While on leave in England after tho cessation of hostilities in France, hundreds of ‘-‘Diggers” turned their attention to racing, and were fortunate enough to bo present when Grand Parade won tho Derby. What struck tho colonials most of all was the absence of numbered saddle cloths, and when the horses filed past them going to the starting-post they were quite unable to pick out tho different ones. The crush was so great at Newmarket that the usual thing was to get an elevated position and keep it fill tho big event was decided. The bookmakers did a wonderful business, and it was nearly impossible to get near one cf them to make a bet. Tho visitors wore much interested in tho tip sellers, whoso wares could bo bought from a shilling upwards., One seller was dressed in jockey’s clothes, and ho claimed to bo the intimate friend of the crack Donoghuo. Tho working classes seuned to have plenty of money to spend, and they parted with it freely. In England there was the same trouble in handling tho motor traffic so often noticed in this country, and one party of soldiers that reached tho gates before the first race could not gain admittance to tho course until two events had been decided. The majority returned firmly of opinion that racing is better controlled in Now Zealand than in the Old Country.