TOPICS of the TURF

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 204, 30 August 1938, Page 4

TOPICS of the TURF

COMBINED HUNT MEETING The committee of the combined hunt clubs’ meeting at New Plymouth has acted wisely in deciding to divide tho field of twenty' acceptors for the Wereroa Stakes, tho maiden race to be run on Thursday. In making two separate events of the race the committee also adopted the generous attitude of offering the same stake for each division as was originally intended for the race, an action which will bo applauded by owners and trainers. The totalisator will operate on each event as a separate race, and there will bo the usual win and place pools, - The divisions are:— WEREROA STAKES, of £llO. . Five furlongs. First Division.

Owing to there now being eight races on the card an earlier start will be made, with 40-minute intervals between races, as follows: 12 noon: Trial Hunters’ Steeplechase. 12.40: Wereroa Stakes, first division. I. Wereroa Stakes, second division. 2.5: Whenuakura Hack Handicap. 2.50: Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Cup Steeplechase. 3.35: Waihau Handicap. 4.15: Ladies’ Bracelet. 5.0: Waverley Hack Handicap. MELBOURNE CUP TOP WEIGHT Actor’s performance at Victoria Park, Sydney, last Wednesday week, was a little disappointing to his owner, Mr. Sol. Green, but the horse’s long absence from racing caused him to forget what was required of him when the barrier lifted. The result was that as the machine rose, he was moving backward. E. Bartle, his rider, did not hustle Actor unduly, but, when the horse was balanced, sent him along, and from the half-mile to the two furlongs post, Actor showed quite a good turn of speed. Actor’s run was then finished, and when Bartle realised this he did not persevere. Actor beat two horses home, but his rider was just sitting on him. Not a Sprinter J. T. Jamieson intends to give Actor some barrier practice, and the next time ho faces the machine he should begin smartly enough (says a Sydney writer). The horse is obviously not a sprinter, and, providing he stands the stress of a preparation, ho will be a very definite factor in long distance races. The pleasing feature of his race was that the Melbourne Cup top weight pulled up in good condition and was completely* sound. At Randwick the next day he was very bright, and it was evident that the raco had livened him up a great deal. FROM VARIOUS SOURCES Sir Charles Clifford has sold the four-year-old mare Great Bramble to the West Coast owner, Mr. G. S. Walton, for whom A. McMullan will train her at Riccarton. The Woodville trainer F. Davis has booked accommodation for four horses for the Avondale spring meeting next month. The team will probably consist of Francis Drake, Coronation, Silver Stick and Kobi. YET ANOTHER TAX REMOUNT SCHEME SUBSIDY HASTINGS, Aug. 26. A protest against the exorbitant proportion racing clubs In New Zealand have to contribute to the cost of the Remount Encourage Scheme was voiced by members ofthe Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club at the annual meeting in Hastings last evening. It was stated that clubs had to provide £3OOO of the £4OOO set side to subsidise the scheme, which was out of all proportion to the amount uibscribed by racing authorities in Eng- : and for a similar scheme. The discussion arose from references made by Mr. J. S. McLeod and the president, Mr. G. D. Beatson, to the fact that t,he balance-sheet showed an amount of £4l in connection with the scheme. Mr. Beatson explained that clubs were required to pay 1 per cent of their turnover into the fund, and stated that it was yet another tax imposed upon he club* Racing clqbs throughout the Dominion had to find no less than £3OOO of the £4OOO se* aside to subsidise the scheme, meaning that the Government, although fostering the scheme, was making the racing public and the clubs pay for it. Mr. McLeod said that the scheme was a most necessary one, as the breeding of cavalry remount horses had been neglected for some years in New Zealand. The Remount Scheme had met with full approval throughout the country, and satisfactory results would be noticeable in a few years. He agreed with the chairman that the Government should subsidise the scheme to a greater extent. Out of the large amount necessary in England for a similar scheme, the English Jockey Club was called upon to subscribe £BOOO, which was a mere bagatelle in comparison with the New levy. MANAWATU TROTTING CLUB Members of the Manawatu Trotting Club are reminded that the annual general meeting will be held at the Mana watu Racing Club’s rooms to-morrow night at 8 o’clock. I

RANGITIKEI RAGING CLUB A PROFITABLE SEASON The report and balance-sheet to be presented to members of the Rangitikei Racing Club at Bulls this (Tuesday) evening show that the club has had a very successful year. Confidence is shown in the officers by the fact that all retiring members have been roelected unopposed, as follows:—President, Mr R. D. McKelvie; vice-presi-dents, Messrs F. O. Bailey, J. H. Perfett, J. Tricker and J. E. Walker; hon. treasurer, Mr G. H. Archer; stewards, Messrs A. W. Amon, K. McK. Duncan and Q. O. Wilson. The annual report reads as follows: “The accounts show that after expending £374 10s lid on maintenance and improvements, and writing off £179 ss, a profit of £IO6B 13s 4d was made on the year’s working. It is very manj years since the net profit reached four figures. In the 1936-37 season the profit was £634 12s lid.; in 1935-36, £237 11s sd; and in 1934-35, £270 Is 3d. Two very successful race meetings were held, racing being good and attendances large. Gates improved from £435 Is 6d in 1936-37 to £576 12s 6d, and members’ subscriptions were £230, against £2OO. The totalisator handled £25,325, as against £18,415 the previous year. Stakes and trophies distributed totalled £2014, an increase of over £4OO on the previous year. “The club’s appointments have been kept in good repair, and the new wiremesh fence at the rear of the stands has changed the gate system, cars now being parked quickly, and relieving congestion at the main gates. The enclosures and tracks are in good order, the latter having been top-dressed with soil and re-sown. The committee is going into the matter of better accommodation for members and visitors, and plans have been prepared for the enlargement and rearrangement of the members’ stand.

“Despite the unfavourable season and sickness, the farm has again proved a very valuable asset to the club, the profit being £331, and thanks are due to members of the farm committee, Messrs Q. O. Wilson, A. W. Amon and‘ J. H. Russell. 4 4 The committee recommends that Mr T. A. Duncan and Mr W. Duncan, ola members, and strong supporters of the club, be elected honorary life members of the club. 4 ‘Thanks are due to the club’s honorary officials, and to the permanent staff, who carried out their duties capably; to the hdn. surgeon, Dr. T. G. Harpur; to tho hon. veterinary practitioner,Mr A. Seymour; and to members of the Marton division of St. John Ambulance, for attendance on race days. The bank overdraft has been reduced from £1622 to £479 during the year, and the club’s position is now a very, sound one." APPRENTICE PROBLEM HASTINGS, Aug. 26. A suggestion that the minimurc weight during winter months could b« reduced from Bst to 7.13, thus taking minor races out of the highweight classification and enabling the claiming o? the seven pounds apprectice allowance was made by Mr W. J. Wood during £ liscussion on the apprentice problem ai he annual meeting of the Hawke’s Baj Jockey Club in Hastings last evening It was pointed out that during the three months the Bst minimum was in effect the apprentice was handicapped in his profession by being unable to obtair mounts.

The discussion arose when the president, Mr G. D. Beatson, said that many trainers and owners did not understand the new apprentice allowance in connection with the alterations in the minimum weight in minor events from 7st to 7.7. He attacked those who had criticised the Conference by allegations that it did not put sufficient work into such problems, stating that delegates had a most strenuous time at the Conference, and every smallest detail was investigated. Anyone who thought it a ‘cushy” job, he said, was welcome to his seat. Regarding the alteration in wegihts, ne said, a horse handicapped 7.7 on a minimum of 7.0 could claim the allowance, bringing the weight down to 7.0. , A horse handicapped at the minimum was at a disadvantage by not being able to reduce further. Under the new system, however, a horse on the minimum handicap can also claim the apprentice allowance. The New Zealand Racing conference, said Mr Beatson, had given the . problem very deep consideration, and had come to the conclusion that opportunities were not lacking for apprentices. In fact, they were receiving an 2xtra advantage as the result of the newly arranged 7.7 minimum and the extension of allowance to 71b, whereas; formerly, the limit allowance had been 51b. If a boy did not have the inherent ability to ride it was impossible to make i jockey of him. The suggestion of a •iding school had some merit in it, but t was the matter of cost which had roubled the Conference. To have ridng schools in the centres would possibly mean levying racing clubs already . >verburdened by levies and taxes. It has also been suggested that the .’onference should exercise more care in illowing trainers to have boys appreniced to them, when as they had not lone any race riding themselves, they vere incompetent to impart race riding knowledge to the apprentices entrusted to their care. That, of course, was a debatable matter, for quite a few • men of some education could impart i considerable knowledge of the art of race riding to their apprentices. It all resolved, however, down to the fact that the boys of to-day, through the change of times to a mechanical age, j had not the natural ability of boys of J former years.

Hempton 8 5 Lord Corato 8 5 Cavendish 8 Ngakaru 8 5 Taitoa 8 5 Namara Kokako 8 8 5 Windsor Chief Itolling Home 8 5 8 5 Gwenland 8 5 Second Division. Of £110. Five furlongs. Car Leaf 8 Prime Quality 8 5 Misora 8 5 Flying Hostess 8 5 St. Cedric 8 5 ISurotas 8 5 Blab 8 5 Gold Tray 8 o Narrator 8 5 Daniinai 8 5