TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1213, 31 May 1895, Page 22

TURF GOSSIP.

By " Gipsy King." AFTER THE RACES. OTAKI MEETING. The Queen's Birthday fixtures through out the Colony appeared to have been favoured with fine weather, and the Otaki Maori Racing Club's Meeting- was no exception to the rule, and but for a keen sort of breeze from the sea the day was beautifully fine, and at this season of the year it is something' to be appreciated. No doubt it was the temptation to enjoy the fine weather and to see the large number of horses engaged that induced so many people to wend their way to the Otaki course, and I should be inclined to think the attendance numbered fully 1500 people, and as the population of the township does not number much more than 400 people, one can imagine the number of visitors from Wellington and other places along the line. There was also a goodly contingent from the north, Hawera sportsmen being represented by Messrs McGovern, Gibson, Mitchell, Baird and Hornsby and Barry, each of whom had horses running at the meeting, but I am sorry that they were not rewarded for their long journey by annexing more of the prizes. It says much for the advancement of the Native race that they were able to provide such a liberal programme and to conduct the meeting in just the same way that their European friends do. Our Native friends appear to grasp the fact that for a meeting to be run successfully there must be discipline, and the arrangements worked systematically. Looking through the " correct card " for the day I find there are twenty-two what I may term executive stewards and twenty-seven honorary stewards, two clerks of scales, three clerks of course, and three treasurers, while to prevent too much "korero," the protest committee consists of five stewards. The above, in addition to the judge, starter, and secretary, is rather a lengthy list, and whether all the officers were present or not I am not in a position to say. I believe there are two or three Europeans amongst the stewards who are known by Maori names, but I only saw three Europeans who belong to the Club who had anything to do with the management of the meeting. As I did not know one steward, &c, from another, although I tried to get my tongue around some of the Maori names, I cannot say whether those officials enumerated on the card were fulfilling the duties allotted to them, beyond the judge, Mr H. Te Wena, the starter, Mr Hori Te Waru, and the secretary, Mr H. F. Eao-er, each of whom discharged their duties to the satisfaction of everyone. Mr H. M. Lyon, the secretary of the Wellington Racing Club, was present, and very kindly lent a helping hand with the secretarial duties. Mr Makemirana (Mr J. R. McMillan), the secretary of the Foxton Racing Club, was an interested spectator, and he very kindly undertook the duty of

timekeeper for the day. I think it is rather a good idea, in one way, to have more than one clerk of the scales, as it divides the duties of a position that can be allotted to more than one person, and enables whichever is off duty to have a look round and enjoy the meeting. At some of the race meetings in New Zealand, those who accept such positions as these are practically debarred from enjoying the outing, and as they are purely honorary positions, they are surely entitled to be relieved occasionally during the day. Of course, as the secretary has control of the finances of the Club, it is difficult for him to be relieved. Anyway, the meeting throughout was admirably conducted, and the large crowd present was very orderly; and although there was a liquor booth on the ground, I did not see one person that had taken more than was good for them.

The arrangements, with the exception of the grandstand, are very primitive, and were much commented on during the day, especially by those who are aware that the financial position of the Club is very sound. The secretary's office, &c, is very poorly furnished, and there was not as much as a small table about the office; a small, in-conveniently-placed desk being the only place where the secretary could do his writing—so that all the more credit is due to Mr Eager and his brother officials for the manner in which they carried out their duties. Press representatives had to use a form to write on, and if they felt hungry they could pay for their own luncheon. A complimentary luncheon ticket would not be a very great expansion of the heart m return for press notices drawing attention to the meeting. The racing track is certainly nothing to be proud of, especially when a club has a credit balance of <£4oo. The present track is too narrow for anything like a decent field of horses, and the turns are somewhat sharp, while the grass is patchy, which makes the going very uneven. However, the club contemplate extensive alterations and I trust the executive committee will erect decent sort of buildings containing secretary's office, weighing room, stewards' room and press room, with grandstand on top, the building not to be further out than the public grandstand. The present office should be removed and fitted up with lockers and lavatories for the use of the jockeys, and at the end of the saddling paddock shelter stalls for the horses should be erected. Trainers woxild have had a rough time of it on Friday if it had come on to rain. Then a few weeks before the next race meeting" no sheep should be allowed to graze in the enclosures on the course as the lawn and saddling paddock were in a beastly state. The hurdles at present vised in the hurdle races should be chopped up for firewood. Everyone breathed more freely .when the two hurdle races Were over, and although there were several spills and one or two narrow escapes, I am glad to say none of the jockeys were seriously injured. The hurdles used had a double batten for the top and made of material very much like ironbark, and were fixed on to " feet," and as it was nearly impossible for any hoi % se to smash the top battens, the leading horses when they struck the hurdles knocked them down with the "feet" projecting upwards, and the rear division of horses were screwing and wriggling about in all shapes to clear these awkward obstacles. One bar or batten on the top, or sheepyard hurdles plain and simple, are sufficiently strong enough for racing over, and it is distinctly preferrablo to break a batten or two in a hurdle than to break a jockey's or a horse's neck. The public do not demand that the horses shall jump, or fall and break their neck or send their jockey to the hospital. The best of our jumping horses will hit a hurdle, not through any particular fault of their own, but through other horses crowding at the hurdles, and not allowing- them sufficient room to get a clear run. If the club cannot afford to fence the track in before next meeting they should put wings on to the hurdles, as if they are always going to have good fields there is not enough room for all the horses, and many are likely to te crowded off unless some protection is H erected to prevent them being run off, such as was the case on Friday. The starting at the meeting was entirely satisfactory, "Murtagh's poitablo starting machine " being manipulated by Mr Hori Te Waru. Since this starting machine was first used at the Manawatu Summer Meeting, the velocity at which the net barrier goes up has been much increased, as I suggested would have to be done. Other alterations to the machine now make it a very handy contrivance. In connection with the starting I must mention that exception was taken to the interference of the patentee of this machine in lining up the horses, quite an admissabie precaution for the patentee to take, I grant, so that his patent would be seen to advantage, but threatening to. fine jockeys does not come within his province. One jockey told me that these threats had the opposite effect on him as he knew that no one but the official starter had power to inflict a fine on them. If a club has a starting machine at work on their course they should not permit anyone to interfere with the official starter. A suggestion as to the way the starting lever is to be worked oi any hints as to the working of the apparatus is quite sufficient. I attended at the post for the start of one race and am satisfied that two starters are not necessary. It reminds me of the old saying "Too many cooks.spoil the broth/'

The Otaki Maori Band enlivened the day's proceedings with some excellent music, and it is quite evident from the selections they played that they are very capable musicians and have devoted some study to the niceties of intonation. There was some capital racing during the day, and several close finishes, a feature of the meeting being the large number of horses that competed in each race,

there being an average of twelve horses for the seven events, no less than sixteen horses going to the post for the chief race at the meeting —the Otaki Plate—which must have made Mr Henry feel very proud, as, indeed, lie had every reason to be. After a handicapper has so adjusted his handicaps that the acceptances almost constitute a record, and the results of the same races are well fought, out in every instance, he can fairly claim to have performed his duty faithfully. It would take up too much space to thoroughly review the racing of such a largo number of horses. But I would like to say that the narrowness of the course and the large fields caused so much bumping about that many horses got locked in, and afterwards practically had no chance of winning. Once in a bad position, they had to stay there, and I think that if the races had been run on another course several of the results would be much different, and tho finishes quite as interesting. In the big race, when Slaiden raced into a good position he made too much use of it, and it was want of horsemanship that prevented Mr Hutana's "six-furlong" horse from winning the acceptable prize of ,£l2O, even making allowance for the jockey losing his whip. It may be concluded from this that I think Finesse had a flukey win. This was the general opinion, as other horses in the race had to run over a lot more ground than the placed horses, and were disappointed in getting through from the ruck.

If there "were to be any more hack meetings this season, I feel sure all the Otaki running would be upset. In the Flying Stakes, if Roll Call had been made more use of at the back of the course he must have beaten Swordfish, but the latter undoubtedly had no luck in the Stewards' Handicap, which he won like a tradesman', although, had there * been another furlong to go, I think, judging by the rattle Man-o'-War came with at the finish of this race, he must have won. As it is a waste of space writing about what would have happened if the majority of the horses had secured a fair run, I must refer my readers to the results of the races as thej r occurred. The totalisator was worked by Mr Joseph Ames, who handled the large sum of during the day without a hitch of any kind. Mr Ames is to be commended for supplying two totalisators, which obviated the necessity for bracketing several horses. The numbers were run on to the second machine and the totals of the two machines added together. This was much appreciated by the large number of backers who were investing money.