RACING CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10634, 6 July 1920, Page 8

RACING CONFERENCE

ANNUAL MEETING SOME OF THE BUSINESS TO BE DEALT WITH. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference will be held in Wellington on July loth. The meeting will take place in the Dominion Farmers’ Institute and will commence at. 10 a.m. Sir George Clifford will be in the chair. Largely because of the recent and current disturbances in the racing world the conference will be one of the most interesting that has yet been held. The attitude the. conference will adopt toward the Jockeys’ Association is being guessed at on all sides, but on. the circumstances the subject is one well left alone. Whatever the conference does, the position is very interesting. SUGGESTIONS FROM THE JOCKEYS. While writing of jockeys it may be mentioned that at the request of the recent deputation of jockeys the president has agreed to move the following new rule:—“The programme of every meeting at which the totalisator is used shall include not less than one steeplechase or hurdle race or jumpers’ flat race on each day, unless otherwise authorised in writing by the president.” Another new rnle • suggested by the riders concerns apprentices and the president has consented to move it. It reads: —"Unless otherwise authorised in writing l by the president, the programme of every’ meeting at which the tota'lisator is vised, and which extends over two or more days, shall contain one race confined to apprentices, such race not being a madaen race or two-year-old race, or a race under the. distance of sis furlongs.” TELE STRIKE POSSIBILITY. An interesting proposal comes from the Wairarapa Racing Club and will bo fathered by the Wellington District Racing Club’s delegates. It bears on the possibility of strikes and reads, as folthe event of a 'strike by virtue of riders refusing to Tide, the stewwards may permit persons to ride without a license, 'for that particular meeting only.” UNRULY HORSES. From the same quarter comes the following :—"Horses three-year-old and over reported ns vicious or unruly «t the starting post .by a stipendiary steward to the-district committee, may be debarred by them from entry during their P Alf U who frequently attend race meetings hop© fthds will b© carried. RETURN BY TOTE TICKETS. Dunedin, in addition to its perennial "seven-stohe-minimum” motion, -null submit this:—"lf any ticket be Purchased in respect of a horse vhioh, with the permission of the stewards, Joes no start after weighing out, the steal aids may order the amount paid on the purriiase of the ticket, less the usual commission, to be refunded on production and delivery of the ticket. RACECOURSE DETECTIVES. The question of the appointment of racecourse detectives is one that has been under discussion in racing circles tor some time, and the stipendiary stewards have asked the president to move as follows at the conference : Racecourse detectives shall be appointed by the New Zealand Racing Conference or by the committee thereof nominated foi _ that purpose, and with such-powers and subject to such legulations as may from time to time be conferred or approved by the conference.” ■ . FRAMING OF 'PROGRAMMES: V Tl»e dtandicappens Rave given some consideration to tho framing of programmes, and at their, request the president will move to strike out part c ft Rule 6 and replace it with the following new rule:—“The programme of every meeting at which the totalisator is used, or at which the total amount to be given in stakes exceeds JEIOO per diem, shall be advertised in full onco at least in the official calendar, and such advertisement shall state tho days on which the meeting is to begin and end, the names of the stewards, judge, starter, clerk of the scales, and handicapper, and any special conditions not appearing in these rules. The programme of every raciug meeting, whether the totalisator is to bo usoji at such meeting or not shall include the follovring racss: (a) On© flat rac© of not less than one milo and a quarter; (b) Not more than one race on each day of the meeting for horses three years old and upwards of a less distance than sis furlongs; (c) two handicaps of a minimum weight of not less than f. 7; (d) if the meeting is to bo held on any day from June 7th to August 31st inclusive, at least one maiden or hack or hunters* steeplechase.” BRACKETING OF HORSES.

Sir George Clifford intends to move this new rule respecting the totalisator: — “The number of every horse on the totalisator shall correspond with the number of the horse on the raoe card, except where horses are bracketed owing to there hding more horses than numbers on tho machine. No horse shall be barred on the totalisator. In tho event of tho numbers allotted on the totalisator to the horses (whether none, or tome, or all of the horses are bracketed) exceeding five, dividends shall be paid in the proportion of 75 per cent, on tho first horse and 25 per cent, on the second horse. In the event of five or less numbers being allotted on (he totalisator tho dividend shall bo declared on tho first horse only.” •