TRAINING FACILITIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18879, 3 December 1935, Page 6

TRAINING FACILITIES

GISBORNE'S HANDICAP APPEAL TO CONFERENCE OWNERS & TRAINERS MEET Expressing) strong indignation concerning the condition into which the training track at the Park Domain has been_ allowed to fall since the property had passed out of the hands of the Gisborne Racing Club, a meeting of owners and trainers of racing stock last evening elected to dispatch an appeal to the New Zealand Racing Conference for some action to enforce the provision of suitable facilities. It was stated that the track at the Park had become dangerous for use in the preparation of horses, and that the conditions generally governing the use of the track were most discouraging to owners and trainers. The meeting was presided over by Mr. R. H. Biggar, and there were present a large number of local owners and trainers, while others who were abroad in charge of horses at outside meetings sent indications of their support for the proposed .action. While it was recognised that the Poverty Bav Turf Club's committee was unable to" exercise full control over the Park Domain, and remedy certain sources of complaint on the part of those working horses on the track, owners and trainers held that the club was obliged, under the rules of the Racing Conference, to maintain reasonable trainMg facilities for use at all times of the yeaj: In this connection, the chairman pointed out that the Makaraka course, which is the club's own property, had not been opened for training purposes except on a few days prior to each meeting held there; and that for the purpose of training horses for outside engagements, or even for generally conditioning them, these intervals were useless. STRAY STOCK HAZARDS The trainers and-owners were obliged for ttie meantime to depend on the Park Domain course, it was agreed by the meeting, and the opportunities for training there were limited by the fact that Ae. property was also used for the maintenance of stock, some of which strayed on to the course and created a danger of accidents. The chairman mentioned one or two instances in which accidents were narrowly averted, and stated that in addition to the stock hazards, the course had deep holes in it in places, the whole environment being unsuitable for training! highly-strung racing stock. Three horses which had been trained' there had developed leg trouble in recent weeks, the chairman said. Commenting on the future of racing in the district, one owner stated that if the training provision continued to deteriorate as it- had in the past two years, the sport would suffer even more than it had to date. The complaint was voiced that members of the Poverty Bay Turf Club's committee were not prepared to take a personal interest in the necessities of the sport, and that when their assistance was courted, they had neither help nor counsel to offer to owners and trainers. Owners who had complained to the club's committee of the condition of the track at the Park had been told that they could train their horses on the beach.

In regard to the care of the track, speakers mentioned that the club had appointed a caretaker, but that he had resigned owing to there being no plant or horses available for keeping the track in order. It was the general opinion that th« Borougih Council, as trustee of the Park Domain, could well finance the maintenance of the track from training fees, if it lost the present tenant of the property and was prepared to give proper facilities there.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the meeting decided, on the motion of Mr. C. Wright, seconded by Mr. S. Kirkpatrick, that an appeal should be made to the Racing Conference for an examination of the situation, Mr. Biggar being authorised to draw up the appeal and to forward it. Mr. Biggar was accorded a vote of thanks for the organisation of the. meeting.

Inquiries made to-day elicited the information that a meeting of the Poverty Bay Turf Club's committee is to be held on Thursday, to consider a report prepared by a special sub-committee, appointed at the annual meeting to discuss proposals for popularising the sport with the general public, and encouraging the extension of racing in the district. The matter referred to' above is likely to receive consideration at this meeting of the committee, at which, it is expected, information will be made available as to the possibility of the club transferring, its major activities to the Park course.