RULES OF RACING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 4 August 1931, Page 8

RULES OF RACING

IMPORTANT CHANGES Witli the opening of another season, the new Rules of Racing, as adopted by tlie delegates to the Racing Conference a fortnight ago, will come into operation. In the main the rules are those that were in force' previously, put into better order, but the code contains a number of material alterations. An important change occurs early. In the past tho Rules of Racing sought to debar persons from recourse, to law in respect to anything done under the rules, bul, now there is an addition, “until they have exhausted all remedies provided by or under these rules in respect of anything so done.” The old rule purported to deprive a person of light at law. It was held that no court would give effect to it, hut a court would, it was submitted, refuse lo hear any person until he had exhausted Ins remedies under the rules, and that was as far as the Conference could reasonably go. Rule 144 sets out an important point concerning joint interests, making clear the distinction between the cessation of registration and the actual termination of a joint interest. Earlier rules provide for circumstances under which registration may be affected by expiration, withdrawal or cancellation. These methods, however, “shall not operate to terminate the joint interest, which shall thereafter be (unless it is terminated by action of the parties or by tho fulfilment of any condition, or by expiration of the period in respect of which it was created), an unregistered joint interest.

Under the same heading there is a very important alteration. In the old rules it was provided that in the event of an unregistered joint interest, if the District Committee certified that the breach was not wilful, the owners should be fined a sum not more Ilian £2O, but if the breach was wilful the penalty was disqualification of the horse ior the race and of the owners for a period of not less than twelve months. The new rule makes the fine compulsory, also the disqualification of the horse for any race won during the period that tho joint interest was not registered. Another rule 'o'fliitiportance to owners and trainers deals with changes of ownership. The old rule required notice of change of ownership of a horse two years old and upwards to be immediately sent to the secretary of the Conference. The .new rule provides that notice of any change in tho ownership ot a registered horse or an unregistered, horse after it has been entered as a yearling for any race shall be given in the prescribed form: Neglect of this utle renders the person concerned liable to disqualification or a £2O fine, and if tlie horse affected starts in any race before notice is given it may bo disqualified for the race. This rule also covers stallions and brood mares. Another alteration, dealing with entries, should be welcomed by owners and trainers. In future, a person who enters for any race a horse subject to a joint interest shall state on tlie form ow entry, or in, writing confirming the entry where it is not made in writing, the names of all parties to the joint •interest. This procedure will enable secretaries of ,clubs to ascertain what horses require to be bracketed in any race, and will relieve a person who has an interest in two or more horses not running mi his name from being fined for failing to notify his interest to the secretary of the club where the horses happened to be entered in the same race. The responsibility for noting joint, interests now rests on club secretaries, id!or persons milking entries have provided the' information from their end. Trainers should note the rules leading with apprentices and the employment of persons in racing stables. Formerly, agreements of apprenticeship were subject. to revision l/y the Executive Committee, but the Licensing Commit lee now has this authority. A fad may bo engaged on approval for six months, subject to tho committee’s condition'. This employment for a. probationary period is understood to be made with a view to subsequent apprenticing of the lad, but the engagement may be terminated by either side. In that case

the trainer may not continue to employ the lad. without the consent of the Licensing Committee. Any owner desiring to engage an apprentice, jockey or a jockey permanently employed in a stable is required to receive permission in writing .from his employer.