SPORTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3274, 13 December 1916, Page 43

SPORTING.

RACTNG CALENDAR. December 26. —Ashburton trotg. December 26, 27.—D.J.C. summer meeting. December 26, 27, 29.—Manawatu meeting. December 28, 27.—Taranaki meeting. December 26, 27.—Reefton meeting. December 26, 23, January 1, 2.—Auckland meeting. December 26, 27. —Cromwell meeting. January I.—Wyndham meeting. January 1. —Waikouaiti meeting. January 1,2. —Vincent meeting. January 2, 3. —North Otago meeting. January % 3. —Invercargill meeting. January 10 and 11. —Tapanui meeting. January 17.—Wairio meeting. January 23.—Clifden meeting. NOMINATIONS. December 12.—North Otago meeting. December 15. —Vincent meeting. December 15. —Invercargill meeting. December 15. —Cromwell meeting. HANDICAPS. December 12. —Wyndham meeting. December 15. —D.J.C. summer meeting. December 18. —Waikouaiti meeting. December 28. —Southland meeting. December 28. —North Otago meeting. ACCEPTANCES. December 19. —Wyndham meeting. December 20. —D.J.C. summer meeting. December 26. —Gore trotting meeting. December 28.—Waikouaiti meeting. December 29. —Southland meeting. December 29. —North Otago meeting. TALK OF THE DAI. By Sentinel. THE DUNEDIN SUMMER MEETING. The nominations for the two-year-old events at the. D.J.C summer meeting arc painfully disappointing; but as they supplyonly two items on the programme they cannot seriously affect the success of the fixture. They, however, go to show how greatly dependent Wingatui is upon outside patronage for the success of some of our most interesting races, and the vital necessity of making them as attractive as possible. Several two-year-olds seen out at tho Cup meeting might have been sent down if a magnet of sufficient financial strength was in evidence. These youngsters may not bo in the front rank, and hence not good enough to send to the .north, but at the same time their owners apparently think them too good to run for stakes worth only a shade over a century. Fortunutoly, tho patronage bestowed on the rest of the programme is satisfactory, and contains ample material for the foundation of a good meeting. Tho Otago Handicap, of 700sovs, run over 12 furlongs, is no doubt a bit too long a course to attract a large field, but nevertheless it has filled in a very satisfactory manner both in quality and number. The St. Andrew's Handicap, of 400sovs. one mile and a-quartor, and tho Federal. Grand Stand, and minor handicaps have Jiiled well, and so did both the hurdle events, which carry additional interest by tho inclusion of several recruits to that branch of the sport. Handicaps for the first day are due on Friday next, and acceptances on Wednesday, December 20. SPLITTING STRAWS. Some hair-splitting verdicts have recently been delivered by judges appointed by the Racing Conference. In the Keynote case, in which W. G. Trask was suspended for two months for administering a stimulant to his horse, it was held that whisky was a stimulant-, debarred under Part xxxin, Rule I. Under this law anyone who administers or causes to" be administered to a horse for the purpose of affecting its speed, drugs or stimulants internally, by hypodermic or other methods, may be disqualified. It was generally believed that this rule was created to render illegal the use of done- -that is to say, a chemical concoction that was'hold to be a great stimulant to speed, and supposed to be in common use in America some few years ago, and also in England and on tho Continent. It has been a long-established custom, but latterly falling Into disuse, to administer two or three swallows of whisky and water to a horse just going out. to race. In ancient days old ale was part of a racehorse's diet. The whisky was never considered a dope in (lie general acceptation of the term, when well diluted witii water, but merely used to wash or rinse out a horse's mouth and incidentally allow one or two swallows. If the whisky or spirits were administered undiluted and in fairly large quantities it might lie considered a dope, but not by any means in tho samo light as the dopes in \\h .■'■ in ai d strychnine form a, par: ,\ : ; m .ill probability the America'' dopi chennV-ally prepared, which the lawmakers w!-!nd to debar and not a comparatively harmhss refresher. If the law has been stretched to uphold tho original decision in the Keynoto

case, and also increase the punishment, it has also apparently been stretched to dismiss the objection against Master Moutoa. In the Master Moutoa case it was hold that the rings and straps attached to the bridlv was not a martingale within the meaning of Part xxiv, Kuie VII. The intention oi the rule clearly seems to have for its object that no bridle, muzzle, or anyth'ng worn on a horse's legs or feet shall be allowed into the scales. On the other hand, it clearly states that any martingale, breastplate, or clothing (saddle rubbers, etc.) in which a horse runs snail be put into the scales; otherwise it shall bo disqualified for the race'. A couple of rings joined by a strap and used on the reins is known as a Spanish martingale, but in common parlance is generally termed "rings." in such a case they are not attached to or form part of a brea>tplate or martingale, which the rule declares must be placed on the scales Nevertheless as a Spanish martingale they would seem to come " within the meaning of the act," and hence render a horse wearing them liable to disqualification if they wero not put on the scales. It could be hold with a good show of reason that anything attached to a bridle, and which carries it beyond a bridle pure: and simple, must go into tho scales, and if not placed there the horse must bo disqualified for the race. A standing rein, for instance - , attached to a bridle could not be termed a breastplate or martingale, but nevertheless might make a material addition to weight, and yet, according to the Master Moutoa decision, need not be placed on the scales. A crupper also would come under this same ruling. In the writer's opinion everything worn by a horse except the bridle pure and simple, boots and bandages, and shoes or plates must be placed on the scales. The wearing of some gear or other may only constitute a technical breach of the rules; but there should be no piecemeal interpretation allowed. The rule on the matter was, of course, drawn up to provide against loaded whips, bridles, breastplates, and even boots and bandages, but latter-day romodellers of this particular law seem to have overlooked this most important fact, as they now debar a bridle from being placed on tho scales, although it may weigh either a few ounces or a few 'pounds THE HOLIDAY MEETINGS. We arc once more on me incbiioid of a run of holiday meetings wnich crowd and overlap cacti otlier on tiie racing calender. First on the bst as tar as we are concerned comes the Dunedin summer meeting, which the general nominations promise to make a success. At the New ~¥ear the North Otugo Jockey Club and Southland Raciug Citiu clash once more, and so also' will S\ yudham and Waikouaiti. iSo long as a goodly i.umber of horses are in training each of the clashing clubs should experience successful gatherings, but if a slump should occur there would have to be a prompt trimming of sails. The Oamaru meeting, however, differs in many respects from tlie Southland fixture. The former has hurdle events and also caters for two-year-olds, whilst the break from the ordinary run of racing at Invercargill is supplied) by four trotting events. Trotting will also be in evidence at Ashburton and Gore on Boxing Day. and up-country sports will be catered for by the Cromwell and Vincent meetings, which have long- found a place on the calender at Christinas and New Year. Whilst there is so much racing taking place' at this end of the Dominion many will no doubt find their thoughts, and no doubt money, straying to Auckland, where two Wingatui-trained horses are to figure in the field booked to contest the Auckland Cup. Both Ardenvhor and John Barleycorn trained on nicely after their return from Riccarton, and' both are expected to play a strong hand in the races. If good wishes could command success, then John Barleycorn and Ardenvhor would dead-heat for winning honours. Both horses have pleased their connections, but Ardenvhor has been responsible for some good work, and many think ho will do what few others have accomplished, and that is to win the New Zealand Cup and Auckland Cup in tho one season. If John Barleycorn _ lands sound and well at tho post ho will give his travelling companion some trouble, but there are. of course, other Richards in the field, and Blackall is one of them. COMPARISONS. A Canterbury scribe suggests that the Forbury Park Trotting- Club should tighten the class attached to some of the events in order to build up "the popularity of their programmes. That may be the correctview to take of the matter; but, bearing in mind that we are totally dependent on Canterbury for our high-class fields, it is fiir more necessary to loosen things, particularly the pursestrings, if more progress is to be made. Owners of high-class horses cannot reasonably be expected to send their horses up to bedrock speed for about a third or less money than they can race for in their own district. The cost of travelling is greater than ever, and so is the cost of keeping a horse in work. Hence, it is obvious that some of our stakes are by no means sufficiently tempting to bring horses from Canterbury to Forbury Park. One hns only to glance over tho nominations for Canterbury Park and New Brighton to see what a large amount of material there is to draw from if the right sort of magnet is used. Comparisons are said to be odious; but they are. nevertheless, instructive, and before drawing up future programmes the Forbury Park Committee should ponder ov-'-r the Canterbury programmes and compare the stakes, class, and cost of running with what exists in connection with a Forbury Park meeting. Our spring fixture may be regarded as an "off" meeting: but there is no reason why that should be so. On the otlier hand each meeting should be made as strong as possible, and give assistance to each other instead of standing alone, and so bring about a halting"*success instead of a continuous one. The present is not. of course, an opportune time for advocating an increased expenditure, but it is at least necessary to keep in line, and not get shut out in the march of progress,

and so lose ground that may never be recovered.

A RAT OF HOPE. The latest mail to hand shows that En

lish owners and breeders have been granted a ray of hope for the future; but, of course, tho racing future of England is seme months ahead, ns next season will not commence until about March of 1917. Mr Walter Runeiman (President of the Hoard of Trade) has written to tho English Jockey Club stating that the Government would raise no objection to arrangements being made for holding, in addition to the meetings at Newmarket, a limited number of meetings under Jockey Club Rules dur-

ing next season, under the same conditions and restrictions as are at present in force. In the course of his letter Mr Runciman said ho recognised the necessity for the continuance of racing on a restricted scale if tho horse-breeding industry in England was to be maintained, and that was the reason why the Government sanctioned an increase to the number of race meetings held during the present season. This may be taken as evidence that the Government has officially recognised the very important fact that racing and breeding has undoubted claims to be recognised as a vast industry, as well as the national pastime. Whilst the Government has, however, been arriving at this belated conclusion, a serious slump lias taken place in tho value of blood stock in England'. It seems strange that the English Government could not officially recognise racing in the same manner as Russia. France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Hungary have been doing for years past. Tho Continental Powers have, of course, been principally doing so because it was the best means of horsing their armies, and not because some of them were imbued with tho sporting spirit that is tho backbone of the sport in our Empire. Force of circumstances which made the importation of millions of pounds' worth of horses an urgent military necessity t'bould result in racing being regarded in a different light from what it was before tho war. Tho very reluctant acceptance of a national stud showed a change of opinion at least, and a further stride in the same direction is shown by the conditional granting of an increase in the number of race n eetings. Mr Riuiciman made a further statemenl in his letter fo tho English Jockev Club to the effect that it would be quite impossible to provide railway facilities lor the purpose of race meetings", and in making that statement was not evidently aware of the fact published in English papers that "Brighton has had the best holiday season on tho town." Reports of the same nature were published relative to the patronage bestowed on other popular watering-places-, so that Ihe nation can have a holiday train ride, but is not allowed to book to a race meeting. ■Still, the concession alluded to above is something for English owners and breeders to be grateful for; and. whilst it is yet a shadow, let us hope that in their interests and also that of the thoroughbred, it will grow into solid substance.