UNRULY HORSES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1038, 31 July 1930, Page 14

UNRULY HORSES

STARTERS MAY USE THE HURDLES | NEW RULE SHOULD HELP | Recently the New Zealand Racing Conference carried a resolution giving power to a starter, for the protection of the other horses, to place hurdles on the outside of the field and he may place any unruly horse on the outside of such hurdles. This may be an improvement. Indeed, the Dunedin Jockey Club, which sponsored the addition to the rule quoted above has used the hurdles for some time, undoubtedly with success. But for all that, there appears to be only one place for an unruly horse and one liable to injure others, and that is behind the field. The following comment by a London writer on the subject of unruly horses and the advantage they often get at the start is of interest, for the same thing is prevalent in this country. How often it happens that the worst behaved horse is given most consideration by the starter and allowed to poach an advantage it so ill deserves. I have in mind an instance at Hurst Park and two flagrant ones at Gat wick. One of the latter was Oh For a Monocle, whose intelligent naming compares so well with such wretched efforts as Blenheim and Rose of England! The offender at the post is doing everything it should not do. It is swinging round and refusing to come into line. Got The Jump Its jockey is continually screaming: “No, no, sir.” Horses in its vicinity become upset; others down the line are. standing well, too well in fact for what happens. For as the badly behaved- one is swinging round, the starter catches it as the circle is only half complete, raises the barrier, and away it goes on the gallop. Most others must get away flat-footed. Is it not laid down by the Jockey Club that the start shall be from a stand? I see this sort of thing happening practically every day. A Starter’s Duties Starters, I maintain, have a wrong conception of their duties when they sacriflce the well-behaved ones in order to get the badly behaved one off. Backers of horses have to take extraordinary risks one way or another. None is more serious or so ever present as what can happen at the start. They would be reduced at the start were the well-behaved ones not so ruthlessly sacrificed in the interests of those that have either not been properly schooled or are naturally eviltempered and are hating the very idea of consenting to come into line and jump off. FALSE SCENT SOLD FOLLOWING THE HOUNDS TO BE TRIED OVER HURDLES False Scent, who ran third in the last Wanganui Guineas, and second in a similar iu.ee at Avondale, has now bqon acquired from Mr. A. B. Williams by Mr. 11. Rathbune of Waipawa. The Hunting Song three-year-old has

of late been seen out following the hounds, and jumps like a buck. He has been tubed, and if this proves a success he should make good when tried over the sticks.

FOR THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN HORSES MR. NELSON’S PURCHASES Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd., report having purchased in Australia for Mr. L. W Nelson, the well-known Whangarei sportsman, and a member of the executive of the New Zealand Racing Conference, two geldings bred by the estate of the late John BrownThese are being shipped to New Zealand immediately. The particulars are as follow: George Richmond, bay gelding, foaled 1923, by Richmond Main —Princess Simile (half-sister to Alfred Jackson and Princess Electra, the dam of Autumn Balloon), by Simile (imp.) —Electra. Lang Viridis (half-brother to Prince Cox, Prince Isinglass and Princess Pinifred, the dam of Lady Ada), chestnut gelding, foaled 1923, by Prince Viridis—Sweet Cup (sister to Cuptelle (dam of Prince Belmore) and Charming Cup (dam of Two Combinations) and half-sister to Prince Hugo, Princess Ortelle (dam of Adrian’s March), Princess Freda (dam of Macpherson’s March), Luke Foote and Cheery Challenger (dam of Nature’s Gentleman), by Trussing Cup (imp.)—Ortelle (imp.), by Orvieto. BEST FOR YEARS? BLACKPOOL AS ’CHASER ZIPPOR’S NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT Blackpool, the half-brother to Locarno, by Kilboy, when first tried on the flat promised well, but unfortunately failed to come up to expectations. says the H.B. “Tribune.” 'He has been qualified with the hounds and recent exhibitions over the country on the Hastings tracks have caused no little comment, and he is now being selected to be the makings of one of the best ’chasers seen in this district for some years. Zippor (Tiicklebank) and Whakaue (E. Dunn) went a mile and a-half the other morning over the hurdles, the pair giving a fine display. It is fully intended that the former will take his place in the National Hurdles next month. Zippor has not been tried over a distance. but there is no reason, on his breeding, why he should not go the two miles and a-half, although it must be remembered that he Is a very bad traveller. and for that reason on the day at Riccarton lie may not be at his best.