TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3205, 18 August 1915, Page 54

TALK OF THE DAY.

Br Sektinbl.

THE GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. The Grand National meeting of 1915 is now a thing of the past, and although it was got off under circumstances which some believe should result in a stoppage of racing, there is no doubt that the public are still quite prepared to seek in racing some relaxation from the worries, trials, and troubles of everyday life. On each day large attendances mustered at Ricearton, and on the opening and final days each of the enclosures and stands bore a wellfilled appearance; as usual, all parts of New Zealand being represented 1 . .From beyond Auckland and away to the far south, each part of the Dominion contributed towards the throng, and the splendid patronage accorded Ricearton at the National meeting once again suggested that other meetings on the calendar would gather far more importance if there was not such a crowded list of fixtures during the rest of the racing season. This year the C.J.O. started each card at 11.30, and the final events wore, thus got off in a much hotter light than usual. Such an early start makes rather a long day of it, and the programme could ho greatly improved by the deletion of at least one race from each card. The public, however, seem qnitc content to remain from beginning to end, and very few can bo noticed drifting away before the last race or two. Still, there is such a thing as having too much of a good thing - , and a. long day at Riccarton, when there is a sting in the atmosphere, is not altogether an unalloyed joy. The going was firm and fast for the time of the year. This fact should ho held respon-

siblc for some smart gallops being- recorded, instead of the fast times being accepted as evidence of an improvement in the quality of the horses. The programme from start to finish provided some excellent racing, which sustained the interest right up to the clang of the bell announcing the start for the final event. Accidents and falls wore frequent, and some horses ended their career during the meeting; but, fortunately, none of the riders received serious injuries, although a few will be out of the saddle for some little time. The investments indicated that there is still a good supply of money about, despite the continuous call on the purse nowadays, and it must be said that sporting people mas*e a generous response. A good deal of money was shut out during the course of the meeting, or the total would have otherwise been much greater; but this is generally noticed when there is a delay between races on an eight-item card. Taken all round, the meeting must stand as an allround success, and this fact becomes doubly pleasing since it lias been decided to devote all the profits to the patriotic funds. AN INTERESTING RACE. The Lincoln Steeples was generally regarded as u duel between Morning and Tim Doolan as very few who follow racing would grant anything else a chance of beating them. * The National Steeples winner Ngatoa carried a good deal of support, the investments on him running about half the support accorded the favourite, who went out a slightly stronger fancy than Morning. One can never deal with accuracy what price a horse is going to pay, although the progress of the bettingconvoys a fair indication of where the money is going. The machine closes before a race starts, and after the cessation of betting the recording of the final investments requires some three or four minutes. In this latter period a horse’s price or dividend may alter very materially. In more than one case the final betting has made a difference of several hundred pounds If is rather interesting to note that Tim Doolan and Morning could have been coupled in si bet and backed to a fairly handsome profit under the circumstances, and even if Ngatoa was brought into the bet a profit could have been made ever an investment spread over the three horses. This, however, could not bo discovered until there was no chance to make a bet on the race and take advantage of an extremely rare opportunity. Tim Doolan was always a strong order, and at different times threatened to pay a very short price, and, with Morning, practically monopolised the betting. Towards the finish some punters apparently regarded the odds as too short about the top-weights and went for outsiders, and so built up .the price obtainable about the two most fancied runners. The trio carrying the most coin looked sure to fill the places ? s the race progressed. but Ngatoa struck rather heavily at Cutts when running about a mile and a-quartor from home. This and a subsequent mistake appeared to settle whatever chance ho held. This first mishap occurred after the National winner, apparently without effort, joined the front division as they passed the stands. He never regained the lost ground, but still did not finish very far away from the placed lot. Bar accident, he -.v-ulcl have at least gained a place. All the honour end glory of the race goes to Morning, and after his win in the Lincoln and Beaufort Steeples there was a widespread opinion that ho was unlucky to lose the National Steeples. In that race, however, Mooring did not fence too well in the early stacres, and obviously improved a great deal in that department as be raced on at the meeting. Ho also appeared to improve in condition. Morning did not by any means look a perfectly-conditioned horse at the cutset of the meeting, and if muscled up in the same manner as Tim Doolan there is no saying what he could do. Ho may have been fitter than lie looked ; but few horses arc at their best when they carry too much middle and comparatively little at either end. His superiority to Tim Doolan suggests that Morning would be a payable proposition for Australia. Morning was meeting Tim Doolan 141 b worse than in the National Steeples, and Nagtoa, going up 211 b, met Morning on 11b worse terms than in the big race on the first day. A horse over a stone bettor than Tim Doolan must have held a rare chance at FVnmgton, where the latter ran a good second, and was considered unlucky to miss a win. Morning might have beaten Ngatoa in the National, bar accident; hut it still appears that, at the weights and apparent superiority of cond'tion. together with the easy manner in which ho ran un to Morning. Tim Doolan. and Glenmore. Ngatoa is well entitled to the honours of being a National winner. HORSES AND HORSEMANSHIP. This year’s Grand National meeting was marked by what might ho termed a rather bad vintage of steeplechasers. The proportion of runners completing the tasks which they essayed between the flags was distinctly disappointing, and not only was this the~ case, but a general deficiency in pace was clearly established long before the fences thinned out the various fields. Some three or four horses, such as Morning, Tim Doolan, Glcnmoro, and Ngatoa stood out from the others, and the percentage of anything approaching the highclass steeplechasers seen out at the meeting was very small indeed. This, however, should not be grasped as evidence of a general deterioration in the breed of horses, but rather as a fluctuation of vintage, which it is to be hoped will rise to a more pleasing grade in the. future. When a meeting such as the National is responsible for such poor results, there is inclination in some quarters to twang the harp with a tune about racing not improving the quality of our horses. Without the racing last week we would not know whether good or bad horses were abroad. The fact is generally overlooked that a racing season may produce a bad crop of horses, just the same as our agricultural friends have occasionally to contend against a drop in quality and quantity of grain. It docs not. however, follow that the shortage in cither direction is going to prove permanent: rather does it put people wise and incite them to make extra effort for future seasons. There are plenty of good horses about that fill the eye as likely hurdlers and ’chasers if put to that branch of the business; but tin’s year owners appeared to have made the great mistake of trying to win good races with bad horses —horses that oominoiq knowledge accepts as undeniable mediocrity, carrying a winning chance only by way of disaster to the more speedy sort. That the jumper’s chance, which is generally a most remote one, can still crop up, is shown

by the result of the National Steeples, in which the last three or four fences accounted for Morning, Tim Doolan, and Glenmoro, leaving a comparative plodder iko The Brewer to gain second money. Neither Tim Doolan nor Glenmore fell, and Morning went out through stumbling on landing over a fence. In the case of the two first-named, the short leather contributed towards trouble; but Julian, who so skilfully piloted Morning, rides with a comparatively long stirrup leather, which would help him to stay in the saddle, when nine times out of 10 the Sloanito would be spilt. Right through the meeting plenty of evidence was furnished that the Sloan seat is not suitable or safe for racing over fences. It may give a rider a bettor chance of getting thrown clear at a fall; but, on the other hand, it undoubtedly gives him a better chance of parting company with a mount, and getting ‘‘shanghaied,” with its attendant risk of being _ struck by other horses in a field; hence it can bo claimed that both horses and horsemanship secn : at the meeting are open to great improvement. The deficiency, in the first place, is partly brought about by owners endeavouring to win rich stakes with rubbishy horses —a £SO animal in a £SOO stake, as it were. The horsemanship can be improved by dropping the stirrup irons a couple of holes—a simple matter which trainers could achieve when giving riding instructions to their jockeys. AN ENEMY 1 IN THE CAMP. At the special general meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, hold to consider the question of donating the club’s profits to the war funds, Ylr C. Gould spoke in favour of a reduction of racing. He said: “The reduction of racing would drive a good many out of it who could do something better, and still provide enough employment for those who could do nothing else hut work connected with racing.” Mr Gould apparently thinks that forcing people out of employment is a matter of small moment. Ho believes they would find something better to do. Tnat is a very easy thing to say. but one cannot applaud the wisdom which would calmly force people out of employment without supplying a remedy for the evil which such an action would create. Most _of the people connected with training, racing, and breeding have spent their lives amongst horses, and are unfitted for any other class ol work. Such people have no other t' ado, and in many eases are phvs'Cally unfit for the heavy work generally falling to the lot of the unskilled worker. Some people apparent! v regard racing as sport, and nothing hut sport; but even those with a shallow idea of what it 'is have only to give the suhiect a. moment’s thought do realise that it is also a- gigantic industry, providing employment for thousands of people. The business ramifications of racing are not as a bouse of cards, which can be stacked up and knocked down again w>’t.bont dome any damage. Of course, Mr Gould’s oninion is only that of one man. and would attract very little notice wore it not for the fact that, coming from a member of the Canterbury Jockey Club, it becomes an attack on racing from one in its own camn. As evidence that there are thousands of others .who do not hold the same opinions as Mr Gould, one has only to draw attention to the very- large attendances at Riocarton and Addington during the past week. Public opinion seems clearly in favour of a continuat'on of racing. except, of course, the public opinion which is not in favour cf racing at any time or under any circums'm ies. Racing provides a great deal move labour, both continuous and casual than most, people imagine. It brought, a groat deal of no doubt very acceptable moi' v into Christchurch last week that would not otherwise have found its way there. It provided a tremendous amount of extra work for those who. no doubt, are particularly pleased to get it. Tt filled nearly every botH and accommodation house in Christchurch with visitor- - , and incidentally helped along the tradespeople and cheered them itn to face the dull times which trloo~uy-minde.fi croakers s’. looms threateningly ahead. Thee wilt be dull times indeed if some people go on advocating things which will create unemployment; hut this probably does not. occur to some people, whose hardest work in the direction of getting money merely consists in signing a cheque or two for current expenses. THE TURF REGISTER. A copy of the Now Zealand Turf Register for the racing season of 1914-15 Is to hand, and has again been compiled with the vast fund of information that is so ’useful and instructive to sportsmen. Tie book, as usual, contains full reports of all the season’s racing and trotting, together with racing statistics, entries for coming events, and other interesting information. The Rules of Racing (up to dr.te) are, ?s usual, included in the book, which is. as usual, well printed and attractively bound. It is issued by the Christchurch Press Company (Ltd.), and is procurable at all the leading booksellers.