JUMPING RISKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 7

JUMPING RISKS

MELBOURNE DISCUSSION HIGHER FENCES URGED SLOWING DOWN THE PACE "Up with the jumps and lengthen the courses—that should be our motto to make steeplechasing safer," said the chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, Mr. L. K. S. Mackinnon, in Melbourne last week, referring to suggestions that jumping races should bo run over still longer courses, with fences somewhat higher. The suggestions were made following upon the death, pf the Tasmanian jockey James Stubba as the result of injuries received in a steeplechase fall at Caulfield on August 12. "More and higher fences and longer courses would not only bo safer, but also would provide better steeplechaßing from the spectators' point of view," Mr. Mackinnon said. "Tho jumps closer together would steady the horses up." Mr. T. M. Burke, president of the Breeders. Owners and Trainers' Association, said he could not say whether Caulfield was unsafe, but he had had exceptionally bad luck there with jumpers he had owned. The association would hold a meeting to discuss the question of tho safety of tho Caulfield fences. "I never Beem to be able to do anything light there," Mr. Burke eaid. "My horses have fallen many times, and 18 months ago Patriotic, which I owned, was killed there." Mr. R. M. Cuthbertsou, one of Melbourne's leading hunting men, agreed that higher jumps would reduce the horses' speed, thus making for greater safety in that respect. But the risk of falling would bo increased with tho height—even if the horses were not going so fast, he said. He favoured putting lip brush on the take-off side of tho jump. "Tho horse sights it better and knows better where to take off," he said. "I would sooner see brush in front of a wooden fence myself. It gives both the horse and rider more confidence. Fences leaning away from tho take-off might be an improvement, too, ho said. Need o! Proper Schooling Inadequate schooling of horses was blamed for most of the accidents nowadays .in steeplechasing by Mr. James Scobio, leading trainer and former cross-country rider, and by the secretary of the Moonee Valley Racing Club and the Victoria Amateur Turf Club, Mr. A. V. Hiskens. "A horse should not be entered lor a jumping race until it is schooled properly, said Mr. Scobio. "Another great trouble is that many of the jockeys of to-day rido too short. Riding with short lengths is a great mistake." • . . . Mr H'iskeuß said tho jockeys sat their horses better in the old days. Nevertheless Stubbs wa 3 a good rider. His horse had not fallen at a jump, but over another horse which had gone down. "It might be Bafer to have jumps a little higher, said ilr. Hiskens, "but I think the races would be run as hard as ever, even if they were longer I favour having the fences closer together. The safest place in jumping races is up in the air." Mr Gus Powell, the owner of Mosstrooper, said:—"lt is entirely up to the riders. In tne early days steeplechases were ridden at more or lets hunting pace. Nowadays the riders would try to go just as hard if they had to jump 16ft. high. Few of them use much judgment. Their idea is the first on the first home." Leading Rider's Opinion A Fullarton, tho prominent cross-country rider said the Caulfield fences were more dangerous than those at Flemington, where the jumps wero higher and stiller, and at Williamstown. because of the lack of slope and the brush take-off. The brush was too high Tho horse could sec little more than a foot of tbi fence. His experience was that a horse jumped better from. a log take-off. as at Flemington and Williamstown. Two years ago he was in England, ana went round the Grand National course at Aintree. He doubted whether_ Australian horses, going round as they did in their own country, could manage the Aintree counse. They could take no liberties with the big fences there. They could not take off two or three yards before the fences anywhere. Mr. C. Grice, the .former leading amateur rider, w'ho won the Grand National and Great Eastern Steeplec/iases on Fleetstone. and more recently trained Nauru at Caulfield, said ho thought there was room for improvement in the Caulfield tehees, agreed with cross-country riders that the fences should have a greater lean. If the fences sloped from the ground instead of from about half their height, and the araopt of brush in front of the obstacles was considerably reduced, they would be saler. NEW ZEALAND HORSES SEATTLE RACE SHORTLY TEA TRADER AND PILLOW FIGHT (Received Augusti 23, 6.5 p.m.) SEATTLE, Aug. 22 In the pink of condition. the New Zealand racehorse Tea Trader is likely to make, his debut at Long Acres on Saturday or Sunday. ■ His tiamer, Captain Morse, said to-day he may be accompanied by Pillow Fight. Both horses are reported to bo on the verge of razor-edge keenness. « Tea Trader indicated his .fitness to-day by breezing along for a quarter of a mile in 255, with his jockey, Glen Smith, sitting tight against him all the way. Tea Trader or Pillow Fight will bo nominated for Saturday's feature, a five and ahalf furlongs handicap, for which nominations close on Thursday. NOTES FROM NEW PLYMOUTH REFRESHER RESUMES WORK [from our OWN correspondent] NEW. PLYMOUTH, Tuesday In view of tho Taranaki Hunt races on September 2 the New Plymouth track is becoming busier. As the result of steady rain during the night, the track was on the heavy side this . morning, when the galloping took place on the course proper, with the flags well out. • . . Refresher, who was brought in again during the week-end, was out doing easy exercise. He has done well in the paddock and is in excellent order to commence a preparaHeadmistress and Glowlight jumped off at the seven furlongs, but there was no pace on until they reached the five, and they ran home in 1.101. with Headmistress doing it the better at the finish. Glowlight appeared slightly lame when she went out, but she walked in quite soundly afterwards. Lalla Quex. Windsonene and the Tigntiya filly did easy work on the inside. Amyril and General Quex cantered round and sprinted home over the last two furlongs in 27 3-ss. Amyril moved in her usual free fashion and ' General Quex hit out. much better than he has done previously. The hunter Money Box took 1.4G for seven furlongs. He was stopping at the finish, but the gallop should do him good. Glenvane went half a mile in M 1-58. a good gallop considering the conditions. Lucky Alice was not on ihe track. She was slightly soro after galloping on Saturday. YTHAN STRIKES FORM The four-year-old Ythan. who won the Waihou Handicap at the Ejrmont-Wnnganui Hunt meeting last Saturday, has taken some time to develop, but he is likely to improve still further. He is by Colossus from Waikobu, by Finland from la, by Torpedo— Rivulet, tracing back to the Mermaid taproot which has provided so manv good horses. It is a branch of the family that has not been much in evidence in recent years, but The Boyne is out of a sister to la, and in turn left a good class horse. Rewi Poto. Saturday's success markod thai]is only win since ho won his first and only previous stake at Dannevirke as a two-year-old.