Stewards Wink At Reversals

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1043, 6 August 1930, Page 12

Stewards Wink At Reversals

A SYDNEY CLAIM WHEN HORSES IMPROVE Criticism by a Sydney writer of stipendiary stewards to a large extent could be applied to this Dominion. The critic wrote: Stipendiary stewards are often criticised harshly for refusing to institute reversal of form inquiries. A horse starts one week and is unfancied and unbacked, and finishes in the middle of the field. A week later the same horse, ridden by the same jockey, meets a similar class of field and is backed “off the card.” and wins easily. Those people who failed to see the horse the week before and could not say where it ran or what happened to it, scream for an inquiry. They forget that the stewards passed the horse’s form the previous week without question, and by holding an Inquiry in the apparent reversal are practically admitting that if the horse was not allowed to do its best the pro vious week they did not see it. Any owner or trainer or jockey would be justified in asking any board of stewards why action was not taken Hie week the horse was beaten. Reversal of form inquiries are not popular with stewards for that reasor Conditions Different Xor are; they sound, as there are so many factors that influence the run ning of a race as compared to that of another. Conditions of the track, the pace the races are run—one might he slow early, and the other fast—the judgment of the riders, the improvement that can be made in one horse as compared with others, the additional week’s work, and luck in running. Perhaps the most difficult factor to correctly sum up is the improvement that can he made in one horse as comp.ared to that of another. Some horses with one race and a spurt or two during the week are ready to hack, and will give of their best. Others are slow to come to hand, and need two or three races and a lot of pacowork to bring them to their top. Luck in running is another important point. A horse may be unfancied, and meet with bad luck. His connec- j tions—closely watching the horse —see the incidents and consider that hnd their horse escaped trouble he would have at least got a place. They are, therefore, justified in hacking their horse next time, knowing that the race will improve it. and, with ordinary luck, it will escape interference Reversal of form inquiries are of little value. If stewards cannot see horses when they are not allowed to uo their best, it’s no use waiting until they win to discover that they were tricked.

It savours of bolting the stable door after the horse has gone. Jockeys* Freemasonry In the Sydney mail just to hand, one writer, under the above heading, reported the following incident: Jockeys are usually loath to take troubles to the stipendiary stewards, there being a kind of freemasonrv among them, and an instance of it was witnessed at Victoria Park pony meeting on Saturday, July 3G. On the way back to scale after the running the Fourteen-two Handicap, A* Stanton, who had finished second on Prince Bruce, was heard by all in the official stand to shout something at H. Griffiths, rider of Acquitted. The latter replied. “There’s tho place for that.” at the same time angrily pointing his whip toward the stewards’ room. However, no report reached the Press, but it was obvious to close followers of the race that the trouble ’arose over Prince Bruce being carried off the course at the home turn. Evidently Stanton thought Griffiths was to blame, and that the incident largely attributed to Prince Bruce’s defeat was clear, as the gallant Bruce horse, carrying the burden of 10.10 on a rainsodden track, ran a good second to Wolopin. who had not covered an inch more ground than necessary.

“STIPE” AS URGER DID THE TRICK TOLD JOCKEY TO RIDE HARD A contemporary facetiously comments that trainers should note a cure for “kidney troubles”* that recently proved effective with the Dominionbred pony Repartee at Richmond. Victoria. When this malady was advanced as a reason for the Gasbag mare “travelling queerly” in the betting, the stipendiary just whispered in the ear of the jockey, one Lott, that it would be as well for him to put in his best work. The pony at once firmed to favouritism and. unlike his namesake’s wife of Biblical fame, the rider did not “look back.” but flogged his mount to victory. This is a very simple remedy that might at times be applied in this country with profit to “uninformed” investors on the tote. The “stipe” would no doubt be ready to oblige. RACING FIXTURES AUGUST ?»? r, 4 \ 16 —Canterbury J C Grand Nat" 23 Pakuranga Hunt (Ellerslie) 23—Hawke’s Bay Hunt < Hastings) 27 Dannevirke R.C 28—Dannevirke Hunt t Dannevirke) 30—Taranaki Hunt (New Plymouth) SEPTEMBER o—Marion .1 C 13—Otago Hunt (Wingatui). 11 13—Wanganui J C 20—Ashburton J.C. 20 22—Avondale J.C. 25, 27—Geraldine R.C. 27 —Hawke’s Rav J.C OCTOBER *—Napier Park R.C 4 Kurow J.C 4 6—Auckland tI.C 9. 11 —Dunedin J.C. 10. 11 £—Otaki Maori R.C. 16 18—South Canterbury J.C. 18—Master ton RC 25 27—Wellington R.C 27- Waikato Hunt (Cambridge). 27 Waverley RC 27—Walpawa County 27—North Canterbury R.C. 27. 29—Gore R.C 30 Nov l Poverty Bay T.C. NOVEMBER I—Banks Peninsula R.C. I—Carterton R.C. 5 Birch wood Hunt. 6. S—Whangarei R.C. S, 10, 12. 15—Canterbury J.C. 13. 15—Dargaville R.C. 15. 17—Waikato R.C. 19. 20—Win ton J.C. 22—Levin R.C. TROTTING FIXTURES August it, 13, 15— N.2, Metropolitan TC August 30 September I—Auckland TC i Relief fixture) September *-N.» Brighton T C October 4 Methven T.C Ocl.ibet ll—Waikato TC CVinhei IS—Northland T.C October 45 and 27—Orevmouth T.C O'd oet 25 and 27 —Auckland TC Ottouet 27 Oamaru T.C November u 13 14—N 2 Metropolitan November 22 2ti—otanuhu T.C. December 27. 30. 31—Auckland T.C.