RACING CONFERENCE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2695, 13 July 1923, Page 6

RACING CONFERENCE

REPORT OF STIPENDIARY STEWARDS. STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEM ENT. [Per Press -Association.] WELLINGTON, hast NighV. The New Zealand Racing Conference opened to-day. with an address by the president, Sir George Clilford, Bart. The balance-sheet of tlie genera! trustees’ and accident fund was adopted. The Conference approved of concessions given to ceitain clubs in reference to stakes. The stipendiary stewards’ report stated that the management and control of race meetings during (lie past season had not shown th G improvement that might have been expected, except in a few cases. The control of jockeys’ rooms was still lax. The control of the birdcage,. how r over, had improved to a very marked extent in very many cases. A bettor system ol weighing-out horses should lie insisted upon, and an official clerk should lie placed in the weighing looms on all courses under the control of the Conference. Stricter compliance with the conditions laid down in part 23, of rule 11, should tie enforced. Wires under the inner rails on race tracks should not be allowed, as they -wore a source of danger, and barbwire should not be tolerated on a boundary fence on any part of a racecourse. Starters, in many cases, arc still very lax In carrying out the conditions of part 14. rule 6, with regnixl to unruly, horses, and tliq stipendiary stewards should be given some control over vicious or unruly horses at starting posts. There was need for a. uniform code of flag signals. Punctuality in the matters of starting times, closing of the totalisator, etc., had been decidedly on the up grade. Racing had maintained a good standard, but in many instances the fields had been too largo. Many cases of corrupt practices had occurred, but the conduct of jockeys generally had shown marked improvement since the inauguration of licensing. Returns from the tote had been well maintained, despite the financial stringency. Returns would be vastly increased if more energetic measures were taken to suppress the inordinate amount of betting with bookmakers. The attention of clubs, in many cases, should he drawn to the flimsy nature and construction of hurdles. Steps should be taken again to purge the list of registered colours, and rules as regards gentlemen riders would bear amending, the designation of riders under this heading being quite a misnomer.