NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 24

NOTES.

THE STARTING MACHINE

There have been many changes in tuif ordinances in tho last few years. First of all we bad the starting machine and its improvements, and now wo hear talk of a false rail. With regard to the former invention, it marks, perhaps, ono of the greatest revolutions in racing matters that has ever taken place. We have seen starts which occupied over half an hour; in fact, I myself have seen starts under the old style which occupied much more than that. Now the horses have to come up to the lino and stay there, no more false starts and breaking away and no more fines, a clear start and no favour. But that is not the point on which I wished to touch. It is this: our jockeys are not yet able to carry out the new starting system so as to bring out its chief merits in order to get a good start, as they supposo the horses aro brought too near the barrier, and tlio result is that they have to wait until tlio wire is right up before they got away. It would bo much hotter if our jockeys would Irani to keep their horses a little further back and start them as soon as the wire begins to go up. The result would be that by the time the wire gets up their horses would bo well under it with a good speed oil and the time would bo considerably shortened. This will not bo picked up at once by all our professional riders, but any jockey who has a good nerve and a quick eyo must necessarily gain lengths on his slower follow-riders. It follows that any jockey who lias picked up this trick of starting will always stand a bigger chanco of winning and, in consequence, will receive greater remuneration than his slower companions. He will also, which is not unimportant, make a bettor name for his horse, by quickening his time and bringing our horses into more favourable comparison with those of other colonies.

NAPIER PARK RACES’. The racing at Napier Park last week was distinguished by tlio success of the first day’s winners in tlio second day’s events. For example, Rangipunehu won tlio First Trial Hurdles on the first day and the Second Trial Hurdles on the second day, while Umslopogaas again came third, and Billy, who was second tlio first day, was fourth tlio second day. Moonrakor, who was first in the Electric Handicap, came in a dead heat for first witli Panoply in tlio Winter Oates. In the Park Stakes Morag came in second, as ho did in tlio Napier Steeplechase, and in both events bo stumbled and fell, thus losing his chanco of a win. In the First and Second Hunters’ Steeples Glengarry came third and first, wliilo Martyrdom and Lotion got places in Doth the May Handicap and the Stewards’ Stakes. In the Hurdles on both days Tally-110 and T Rose got places, Tally-110 getting first and second and T Roso two thirds. Tlio last races wore very like tlio first, Maid Marion scoring both the Settlors’Handicap and the Newstead, while Primula came third in both events. Maid Marion and Rangipunehu must bo taken as the two most successful horses of the meeting,, Rangipunehu’s win being especially unexpected on the first day. Maid Marion will go heard more of soon; it is only to bo regretted that she has not been nominated, for the Flying. THE CHI EL,

“ Spectator” had the following note in last week’s J'rcss: —“I have long held the opinion that it would he a good thing if the rules relating to selling races were remodelled so that any horse running could be claimed. There is no shutting one’seyes to tlio fact that there is very considerable thimble-ringing in connection with these events at country meetings whore the stakes aro small. If, however, such a condition wero inserted as the following: ‘A selling race is one the conditions of which require that every horse running, if a loser, mu j be claimed, and, if tlio winner, must be offered for sale by auction, or bo liable to bo claimed’—which is a rule contained in the Amoiican racing laws—it would to a certain extent, at all events, provent horses being entered if the owners were not sincero in their desire to win." A note had just been written to the same effect when this camo to hand, which expressed the sense of the matter so tersely that it has boon republished instead. New boutli Wales is not very strong in Derby colts this year, Coil is fairly soft, Cozaczar is not up to the mark, Fucile was futile at Eandwick, and Mr Hordern’a horses have not a good one among them,