ONLY BLEMISH ON MEETING

NZ Truth, Issue 1301, 20 November 1930, Page 13

ONLY BLEMISH ON MEETING

SOME OF RIDING AT RICCARTON WAS SEAMANSHIP

GET MORE SPEED WITH LESS HASTE

If there was a feature that was pre-eminent, during Gup week, it was the shocking displays of horsemanship given. Bad ridintf stood out like a wart on a flapper's nose, .7

IT must be the hugeness of the Riccarton racecourse that makes many riders lose their sense of perspective, but, - whatever be the cause, the fact remains that race after /race, saw jockeys starting to make their run on the turn, to be flat-out! passing tho false rail and then, with still a furlong to go, have their mount licked to a frazzle. . Had it been inexperienced horsemen who were doing the hurry-up act it would not have been so 'bad, but the jockeys who rank. as. the best m the land were having a great fight among themselves to see who could "bust" first. . . < • "Truth" saw quite a number of V races down the straight during the four days of the- meeting, and ft was the exception, not the rule, to find the leader at the false rail have his number on top when the judge had his say. "V Chrysology was one that led all the way down, the .straight, and Al Jblson was another, -but it was the patiently ridden horse that won m the big majority of times. In addition to having to put up with the impetuous jockey, punters had also to fee hit oyer the fence by the ultrai-confident horseman. • It is one thing to sit m- behind, arid another, to get so far behind that the

Golden Arrow, witfc an, engine liv would be needed to get into the firing line. v- ' At least one race was lost through the jockey going to sleep. First Raid was a certainty beaten on the; third day, just because his rider was caught napping. His offence cost backers good money, and. if the stewards had done their job they would have: at least torn the riding fee off El- ■ lis. • , ■;• ".-•:■•■_ Then on Saturday, In the Hurdle v the rider of Antrim Boy, by not kicking his mount into the last fence, waa responsible for his falling. V One root and the horse would have taken it like a stag, but, no, he etfiW* ed him to make an awful mess of the .obstacle. ' . y ' ' ■ It was just sheer carelessness and careless -jockeys should be made to pay. Racing officials cannot expect the punter to do all the dipping. "Truth" Heard some ot the jockeys making a noise about the driving atY the trots, and we are not going to say the squeal was out of place, but after' witnessing thirty- two races at Riccarton ■ last weelc ."Truth" -Is pre* ; pared to state that many of the exhibitions seen made the horsemen, out) to he champion yachtsmen— they look* ed lonely without a ship. '