RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22609, 28 June 1935, Page 13

RACING NEWS

By Sentinel. The Presidential Chair Mr H. A. Price has been elected president of the Gore Racing Club. A Substantial Credit The Gore Racing Club has the substantial credit balance of £12,598 2s sd. Handicapping Trainers Bad weather has continued seriously to interfere with training operations at Riccarton and Addington. More for Melbourne A. E. Didham will leave for Melbourne on July 8 with Linguist and Valarth, and J. A. White will also go across on the same "date with High Glee. A Link with Law. The highest-priced yearling sold at the January sales to a New Zealand buyer was the Limond —Drastic colt, secured at 600gns by Mr W. H. Gaisford, Onngi. This colt will race as Mandamus. A Sporting Presentation The jubilee present of members of the English Jockey Club to King George was a painting of his horse. Limelight. The artist was Lynwood Palmer, who also painted a picture of the Kings filly> Scuttle, winner of the One Thousand. Nominations Nominations for the Grand National Steeplechase of lOOOsovs, the Winter Cup of 500SOV8, the Grand National Hurdles of 600sovs, Beaufort Steeples of 350 soys, Sydenham Hurdles of 300sovs, and Lincoln. Steeples of 350eovs close to-day at 8 p.m.'" A Query: In asking trainers recently concerning the progress of their young horses tor the coming season, I have received (says 1 The Watcher," in the Dominion) the answer more than once: "If they show any promise they will be racing in Australia." Keeping Gay The Gay Shield—Lady Marie filly, a yearling full-relative to Gay Sheila, Gay Blonde, and Gay Sheik, is to be named Gay Brunette. She will be raced by Mr A. Courtney, a son of Mr G; Courtney, who owns the older relatives. Mr A. Courtney also raced Speedmmt. Service in Sydney After training on his own account at Takanini for some time past, W. S. Jarvis,' formerly stable foreman for J. 1. Jamieson at Randwick, is returning to Sydney Bhortly to take service with his former employer. Apparently it is better to be a servant in a big Sydney stable than a trainer in New Zealand. A Regretful Retirement It is understood that Mr Arthur Barnett will not stand for re-election on the committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club at the conclusion of his present term of office. Mr Barnett proved himself one , of real strength to the committee, and his retirement is a matter for regret. Davolo who has been off the scene for teveral months, as the result of a mishap when racing at Riccarton last November, w again in work. C. Davey has not set him many serious tasks yet, but he is going oh well. A trip to Trentham next month is possible and though he may not be quite at his best, a couple of races there should help to make him right lor Riccarton in August. Hie stable mate, Colbmbb, looks in good order and he should be ready at any time to improve on his recent form. Winton The Winton Jockey Club, which for years has raced in November or at the beginning* of December, has applied lor Friday and Saturday, February 21 and 22, 1936, as the dates for its next fixture. At a recent meeting of the committee a letter was received from the Gore Racing Club, whose meeting follows on February 26 and 27, offering no objection to the dates applied .for, but reserving the right if necessary to review the position in the subsequent season. "Dropping the Flag" The retirement is announced of Mr A. D. M'lvor, who for very many years has filled the very responsible position of starter to the Dunedin Jockey Club, bouthland Racing Club, Riverton Racing Club, and almost every club in Otago and Southland. Mr M'lvor commenced his connection with racing as a rider and trainer and proved himself a very capable man in both branches of the sport. His retirement will create a vacancy in a difficult position, but will no doubt leave Mr M'lvor free to enjoy a participation m sport without being burdened with tne official side of the game. The Burning Question It is reported that two South Canterbury clubs have decided .to support the ielicensing of bookmakers. Those in favour of the move will lack a very strong supporter if Mr W. T. Hazlett is not in attendance at the Racing Conference. Mr Hazlett has a thorough knowledge of racing in Australia and New Zealand, ana once stood alone in connection with practical ideas of betting and bookmakers. Now he has support from influential clubs, and if'he is on hand at Wellington ms common sense ideas and knowledge would greatly assist in the settlement of the burning question of the day. Tudor Tudor is an interesting entry for the steeplechase at the Wellington meeting. Apparently, he has made satisfactory progress recently, and his presence will be welcome both at Trentham and later at Riccarton. Last season as a four-year-old Tudor started in eight races and recorded six wins. He began with an unplaced performance over hurdles and then won a hack hurdle race at Levin in the remarkably smart time of 2min 42sec He followed with a win over hurdles at Waipa, and was fourth in a flat racejtt Wanganui. He then won the Mamapoto IS Steeples, at Te Kuit,i beating Valpeen when in receipt of 111 b. ludor followed on by winning the Greenlane SteSechaTe at Ellerslie the Panmure Steeples, and the Tamaki Steeples run on the same course. Tudor thus showed versatility, and' on form reads well worthy of note. Not Exactly Kind

Whether he intended it that way nr not, Geoffrey Gilbey, who is donY well-known racing writers, was not exactly flattering to the intelligence ot members Of the English Jockey Club when Ktaas follows:-" Our ? ratitode to the stewards of the Jockey Club should be very real.. Brains are very important, but scrupulous honesty is very much more so I think, perhaps, that those who are elected to.the Jockey. Club should have to pass a short examination paper to test their knowledge of racing. , I think, though, it would be only fair to make the questions fairly simple, such as: (l) What is the Christian name of Richards, our: champion jockey? (2) What horse started favourite for the Grand National this' year? (3) Mention a racecourse of five letters beginning with A. (4) *iii in the missing word in the sentence, 'Come on . • • •'

Proprietary Racing It;would be interesting to know how non-proprietary racing in Sydney would accomplish all some of its advocates believe (writes "Pilot," in the Referee). Some- Sydney owners and . trainers are shareholders in racecourses, and their dividends over . a long period have been so few and light that it would be difficult.to convince them that a turnover to non-proprietary racing would have an immediate effect upon stakes. There would be heavy expenditure in connection with the alteration, official positions would still have to be filled, and it might be a

long time before any improvement would be remotely possible. Heaviness of Govvernment taxation of everything associated with racing is the principal thing standing in the way of more liberal prize money. The Australian Jockey Club is non-proprietary, and the manner in which it has been forced to reduce its stakes as compared with a few years ago is an answer to those people who contend that non-proprietary bodies have been getting too much out of racing. That may have once been the position, but not for a long; time past.

A Big Schema A scheme formulated by a group of prominent racing men to guarantee the Queensland Government a definite annual revenue of more than 250,000 in betting taxation from the licensing of shops is making a strong appeal in Brisbane. Tn addition' to the huge income assured, the scheme outlines a 6imple and not costly plan of administration upon which legislation could be framed. Although no official announcement has been made as to the Government's attitude to licensed betting shops, indications are that a favourable reception will be accorded the scheme when it is submittted in the next few weeks. The group responsible for it includes some of the State's biggest bettors. Other signs carry more than a suggestion that the Government will not be ungrateful for concrete proposals placing the licensing of shops in an unchallangeable position. The matter will certainly run counter to a certain proportion of public opinion, but (says a Sydney paper), with a record majority at the recent elections, plus the lucrative field presented for fresh and badly-needed revenue, the Government is scarcely likely to adopt the same safety-first methods that characterised its attitude when the matter was broached towards the closing stages of the last Parliament. Not Standing Still In accounting for the faster times of the present day at middle and long distances, many worshippers of old-time racehorses attribute them to the change in riding tactics. At one time the method favoured was an easy pace in the early part, with gradual acceleration, but that was dropped many years ago. Nevertheless, times have continued to improve, and it is doubtful whether there has been much change in the Melbourne Cup course during the past 30 years ; or so. The strange part to me (says "Pilot") is that while many racing mjen will admit that our sprinters have improved, because of the faster times they make, they will not concede that to the stayers, no matter how much faster they may run a mile and or two miles than old-time champions. Time is a factor in racing, do matter what may be contended by those who _ know little concerning its proper application, and also seem unable to grasp the fact that an easy pace in the early part of a long race makes for faster time in the concluding portion. For instance, when Windbag and Spearfelt won their Melbourne Cups in 3min 22fsec the respective times for their last mile were Imm 41Jsec and lmin 41Jsec. When Nightmarch won in Sunn 264 sec, and the first mile of his race took lmin 48sec, the concluding one was run in lmin 38$sec. Which raises the question whether some of those old-time cracks would have improved to any great extent on their own time if the pace had been on throughout. They certainly would not, in such circumstances, have been able to go as fast towards the finish.