HURDLE RECORDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 70, 14 June 1927, Page 6

HURDLE RECORDS

SYDNEY’S MONOPOLY IS RAND WICK SHORT? Here in New Zealand one is not greatly concerned with records in hurdle events, but apparently it is different in Australia, judging by the following comment taken from a Melbourne newspaper: It seems strange that Sydney should be the one place in Australia where the world’s hurdle race records are constantly being shattered. Four years ago a horse named Delusion was credited with running a two mile hurdle race at Rosehill in 3.38i —faster time than had been recorded anywhere in the world. Then in December, 1925, Mendit, at Randwick, reduced these figures to 3.38£, and now Micronesia has brought the record down to 3.38. The fact of its being a world’s record need not be taken too seriously, because jumping races in other parts of the world are run under different conditions, but why Sydney should have the monopoly of these wonderful achievements is not clear. LOOKING FOR A REASON Is there a reason for it, apart from the outstanding brilliance of the horses concerned ? One scarecly likes to doubt the timekeeper, but one point that might be raised is whether the measured two miles courses at Randwick and Rosehill are any shorter than at Flemington or Caulfield. Flemington has a correctly measured two miles, but the Caulfield “two miles course” is 65 yards longer than two miles. At both Randwick and Rosehill the distance is officially given as “about two miles,” and therein possibly lies the secret of the phenomenally fast times being recorded on those courses. The distance presumably is a little less than two miles. Victoria has led the way in hurdling for many years, but Sydney holds the records. The best time for a two mile hurdle ever registered here is 3.38£, the time made by Myownbay at Moonee Valley in July, 1924. Fiscus’s 3.39 at Williamstown comes next. Flemington’s best is 3.39?;—registered by Pindarus in August, 1926.

MEMSAHIB CASE SOUTHERN COMMENT FURTHER ACTION MAY BE TAKEN The decision of the Auckland District Committee in the case of Mr. Mervyn Wells and his jockey, W. Reid, is likely to have its after-effects, comments the “Bvening Post.” That the whole affair is arousing" a good deal of comment goes without saying. It is an open secret that before racing commenced at Kllersiie on Wednesday, the judicial stewards of the Auckland Racing Club met and discussed resigning in a body as a protest against the action of the District Committee. What the final decision of the stewards was has not been made public. What the man in the street wants to know, however, is why the owner, Mr. Mervyn Wells, was exonerated from all blame, while the jockey has to undergo a severe sentence of 12 months’ disqualification, when Mr. Wells in evidence at the first inquiry said to the stewards: “If you want to take it out of anybody’s hide, take it out of mine.” “EXTRAORDINARY ACTION” To the end he shouldered the responsibility of the riding instructions in regard to Memsahib, yet for some reason,_at the second hearing, the District Committee decided on its extraordinary action. No doubt more will be heard of this case. Part 18 of the appendix of the Rules of Racing, paragraph 9, states: — If the stipendiary steward shall assign reasons which satisfy the Conference Committee that a decision arrived at is unsatisfactory, the Conference Committee may direct that the said decision should be referred to the body which, under the Rules of Racing, should deal with an appeal from such decision ....

Although no official pronouncement has been made, and heretofore the stipendiary stewards have not availed themselves of this clause, it is* understood that in this case action will be taken.

, FIXTURES MEETINGS TO COME June 18—Napier Park R.C. June 22—Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club. June 24, 25—Hawke's Bay J.C. June 25—Oamaru J C. July 2—Ashburton R.C. July 12 14. 16—Wellington R.C. July 21—Waimate Hunt Club. July 23—Canterbury Hunt Club. July 28. 30 —Gisborne R.C. July 30—Christchurch Hunt Club. 1927-28 Season August 6.—Poverty Bay Hunt Club. August 9, 11, 13.—Canterbury J.C. August 20.—Pakuranga Hunt Club. September 3.—North Taranaki H.C. September 7, B.—Marton J.C. September 10.—Otago Hunt Club. September 14.—Dannevirke R.C. September 15.—Dannevirke Hunt Club. September 17.—Egmont-Wanganui H.C September 24.—Ashburton County R.C September 24, 26.—Napier Park R.C. September 24, 26. —Avondale J.C. September 29, 30.—Gei-aldine R.C. October I.—Hawke’s Bay J.C. October* s.— Manawatu Hunt Club. October 6.—Kurow J.C. October 7, S.—Otaki-Maori R.C. October 8, 10.—Oamaru J.C. October 13, 15.—Wanganui J.C. October 13, 15. —Whangarei R.C. October 13, 15.—Dunedin J.C. October 15.—Carterton R.C. October 19, 20.—Cromwell J.C. October 22, 24.—Wellington R.C. October 22, 24.—Waverlev R.C. October 22, 24.—Gore R.C. October 22, 24.—Waikato R.C.