RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21978, 13 June 1933, Page 4

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel Nominations are due to-day for the Ashburton winter meeting. Nominations - are due to-day for- the Oamaru Jockey Club’s winter meeting. Billy Boy carried 3st 41b of dead-weight when running in the Great Northern Steeplechase. Silver Ring is reported to be going on well since rejoining R. W. King’s stable. Mr D. Grant, president of the South Canterbury Jockey Club, left on a business trip .to Sydney. A filly by Lord’Quex from First Class, by All Black; from Class, has been sent by Mr J. R. M'Kenzie to be trained by A, S. Ellis.

The Canterbury Jockey , Club is desirous of bringing in s a rule that would make it compulsory. for a two-day. programme to include a mile and , a-quarter hack race.

The winner of the, Maiden Stakes at Foxton, Amyril, is a three-year-old filly by Psychology from Melissa, by Absurd- — Amyrin, by Bezonian—Amyris. Melissa is a sister to Grotesque. : The Auckland district clubs (north) have a remit to come before the Racing Conference which will take the control of race meetings out of the hands of the honorary stewards and nlace it with the stipendiary stewards. . Amongst the proposals to be discussed at the Racing Conference is one that will-make it compulsory for every programme to include, a hurdb; race or steeplechase from March 1 to September 1. , ’ . . The Grand National Steeplechase will be run this year on August 8, the Grand National Hurdles on August 10, and the concluding day of the meeting will be August 12. At the Racing Conference held last year the antiquated riije which insisted on a nine stone minimum was amended and reduced to eight stone. The Auckland Racing Club’s recent winter meeting ■was held partly with the seven stone minimum and partly with the eight stone minimum in order to comply with racing law r . There is an. old saying that the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and-the use of both, minima at the same meeting has. no doubt been instrumental in the Auckland Racing Club framing a remit that the’rule bearing' on the matter be discarded; ■ ’• ; In Australia trainers and riders are provided with a badge which admits them to most racecourses, and the idea has often been mooted, but not adopted, in New Zealand. The matter will be discussed at the forthcoming Racing Conference, as the Waverley Racing Club has given notice to move —“ That_ jockeys’ and trainers’ licenses should admit the holder to any racecourse, and that in lieu of a printed license a badge be issued.” A remit to the conference by the Opotiki Jockey Club relative to struggling country racing clubs is as follows: “ That as some of the smajler and oldestablished country racing clubs are threatened With extinction through high taxation, and as these clubs cater for a' large section of the public who are unable to attend other and larger race meetings,'the Government be asked to relieve the smaller country clubs of a portion of such taxation to enable these clubs to carx - y on, so that country dwellers be not deprived of their legitimate sport of racing, as they will be if the country racing clubs cease to function.” A remit to the Racing Conference 'which is certain to occasion a good deal of discussion is One dealing with the wilful breaking by any jockey of an engagement to ride. The rules provide for a fine up to £2O or suspension, and the remit referred to deals with the injury suffered by the other' party to the. contract. Where it is found that a jockey has broken an engagement to ride usually lie is fined, but the fine goes to the funds, and the owner .of the horse affected has to suffer in silence. The remit seeks to aw r ard to the owner in .question out of any fine inflicted a sum that will recompense him for the actual, loss he ,has suffered, and the amount of such recompense is in the of the Judicial Committee dealing with the matter; The ex-Dunedinite B. Burgess has done very well lately. He has won at the Wairarapa, Pahiatua, Nelson, Marlborough, and Otaki meetings in succession, and every one of his charges has. contributed its share to the expenses of the stable. Burgess has won 21 races this season, a very good record with a team that has to be ..well placed, which, of course, entails a considerable amount of travelling. His most important success wag the Wellington Handicap with Cluny. According to the Literary Digest, five more States., in the United States of America have legalised betting at the races. Ohio. New- Mexico, Oregon, Washington; and New Hampshire are the latest States to establish legalised pace-track betting ag a new source of revenue. This makes 12 altogether in which betting is legal, the others being Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, Illinois, and Montana. Legislation favouring racing or betting, or both, is pending in 11 other States, ,

Dates of race meetings for the new season have been pencilled as follows by the clubs mentioned:—Canterbury Jockey Club: August 8, 10, and 12; November, 4, 6,8, 11; February 21; April 2, 3. Ashburton County Racing Club: September 16; November 30May 19; ,June 23. Geraldine Racing Club; September 21, 23. Kurow Jockey Club; September 30. Dunedin Jockey Club: October 5,7; December 26, 27; February 8, 10; June'2, 4, 5. South Canterbury Jockey Club; October 14;April 19, 21; June 16. South Canterbury Hunt: July 28. Wellington Racing Club: October 21, 23; January 20, 22, 24; March 16, 17;, July 10, 12, 14. North Canterbury Racing Club; October 23. Oamaru Jockey Club: January 2; March 23, 24. Banks Peninsula Racing Club: March 3. Waimate Racing Club: March 15. Hororata Racing Club: April 7. Waimate Hunt; July 26. Usually the racing season in Auckland concludes with the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting, but this year an extra meeting is being held at Ellerslie on July 22. and there is every likelihood that the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt Club will also hold a meeting before the season closes at the end of July. At a meeting of the Auckland District Committee advice was received from the

Racine Conference that a permit for another day's racing was available for this season only. The committee recommended that the permit should be allotted to the Rotorua and Ray of Plenty Hunt Club for a meeting on the Rotorua racecourse. The Hunt Club intends to apply for Saturday, July 29,as the date of its, meeting. The Rotorua and Ray of Plenty Hunt Club has not previously held a. totalisator permit. Coming one week after the Ellerslie meeting and three weeks before the Pakuranga Hunt meeting, the date should prove generally suitable. The Executive Committee of the Racing Conference is desirous of altering rule 300 with the intention of debarring a horse from racing in, cannon or fetlock boots, and presumably hock boots will also come under the ban if the alteration comes into effect. The.rule at present reads: (".(a) No,horse shall run in shoes heavier than; racing plates without the permission of the stewards applied for and granted before the time fixed for weigh out. (b) In shoes or plates having a sharp flange or sharp projection. (c) In hood or blinkers, (d) In''bandages not securely sewn on to the satisfaction of the stewards." To the above it is proposed to add: "Or foot gear or leg gear other than bandages," and also " or a standing martingale." . Rule 300 contains much, 'that cannot be too strongly condemned. In no circumstances should a horse be allowed to race in ordinary shoes. The rule was allowed to stand in its present form because'it was claimed that a horse's shoes might be so worn as to become as light as plates. It is not desirable to change frequently from shoes to plates in connection with a badfooted horse, but running in ordinary shoes would completely settle the chance of any horse unless he was a. veritable Phar Lap amongst a lot of platers. Shoes would add two or three seconds to the time put up by a horse carrying them, and thig fact'shows the uselessness of a horse racing under ..such a serious handicap. In America it is considered such a serious matter" to race a horse in shoes that it leads to. compulsory disqualification. What is legal in New Zealand is a serious offence in America. Another strong objection to a horse being allowed to race in ordinary shoes consists in the fact that it is not necessary'to notify a change from shoes to racing plates. Hence a horse could be raced on one day in shoes and on another .'.in., plates. The writer ventures the opinion that such a rule would not be tolerated in any other part of the world. Weight on the feet is considered such a serious handicap to speed that old-time trainers raced a horse barefoot or in tips or only nails when the going was considered suitable. The rule has been in use for several years, but not one acceptable argument has ever been offered in its" favour. The weight of a. set of ordinaryshoes could be made equivalent to a stone or more on a horse's back. The rule also opens the door to. fraudulent running, and is most undesirable from every point of view. Strong opposition will very probably meet the intention to debar all leg gear from /use in; a race. In England or elsewhere .where big tracks and straight miles exist, the use of leg gear may not be necessary, but on small trackg of a mile or a little more in circumference many horses, require protecting gear as they are apt .to. knock themselves seriously.when.racing round a turn. A bandage is principally used to support a horse's tendons and suspensory ligaments, but they do not supply sufficient protection to a horse inclined to strike himself with a plated hoof. It stands as a great tribute to the perfect build of a thoroughbred that the majority of them do not require any .leg gear. There are, however, not a few that require cannon, fetlock, or hock boots. Without them one tap would completely settle a horse's chance, and perhaps cause it to stop so suddenly that if might create a serious accident. The weight of such leg gear is a mere bagatelle of a couple of ounces, and to objection to them on the score would be straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel in the shape of-a horse being allowed to race in ordinary shoes. The strongest objection to the proposed ban on leg gear would come' from' owners and trainers . of, jumpers whose horses have to race very - often" in j deep going, and hence are more apt to strike themselves than when running on good ground. The objection to the standing rein or martingale will, no doubt, meet with plenty of support. These are objectionable, because they check a horse's freedom of action, and. also because in the event of a stumble <they may.create a fall that would be escaped if the head wsuot tied down. . During the season, the stipendiary stewards of the Victorian Racing Club have disqualified five jockeys, five trainers, an owner-trainer, an owner, and a bookmaker whose sentences have varied from six months to " life." In addition, 10 jockeys, an apprentice, and six bookmakers were refused licenses at, the beginning of the present racing season, and are still • debarred from following their calling. Numerous riders have also been suspended from month to month for interference. There are' four of these stipendiary stewards, and they have, absolute, control of all Melbourne- race, meetings from 8 a.m. on the day of the race. If they are dissatisfied about anything, they not only call for an inquiry, but are the judges. An honorary steward sits with them, but has no vote. The only appeal from their decision is to, the committee of the Victoria Racing Club, which seldom interferes with their decisions. The personnel may be interesting. It'ocmprises the chairman, Mr Wilfred; Johnston, who has a casting vote in deliberations. He is an orchardist at Sunbury, 20 miles from Melbourne, has had long association with facing, is a member of the Melbourne Club, one of the., most exclusive in Australia, and a personal friend of ,Mr L. K. S.' Mackinnon, chairman of the V.R.C. and the outstanding .figure -in Australian racing control. Next is Mr John Green, formerly sporting editor of the Melbourne' Age. "Jack" Green probably. l knows everybody connected with in Victoria, and quite a few others. Third iB Dr G. G- Heslop, V.S., formerly lecturer in veterinary science at the Melbourne University. Fourth is Mr Alan Bell. He is a son of Mr E. B. Bell. _ a New Zealander by birth, who saw Carbine here as a foal, but has been in Melbourne for 40 years as a trainer and newspaper track correspondent. Alan Bell rode in races before he crew too big. and his young brother "Reg" was killed in a race accident. It is, a pretty strong team.