RACECOURSE ACCIDENTS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 80, 11 May 1914, Page 2

RACECOURSE ACCIDENTS.

| RISKS TAKEN BY SPECTATORS. Despite every precaution taken for the protection of those who go a-racing, hardly a meeting passes without some incident that shows how reckless the public are when engrossed in the task of picking winners or. following the fortunes of their fancied candidates in a race. .>■ » '' '■ ■■■ V The recent Timaru meeting was responsible for a remarkable incident in this connection. Two spectators who had taken up their stand inside the rails opposite the judge's fcox, were so engrossed in the finish of the Timaru Cup that they leant well out into the course, with disastrous results. When Parable came along, hugging the rails, the two interested onlookers got a rude shock. The first came into collision with the horse's shoulder, and the second received a severe blow from the stirrup iron. In a trice both were lying on their backs quite .oblivious of their surroundings, and both had to receive medical attention as the resiilt of their folly.

DROMEDARY AND A POLICEMAN,

Not so many years ago at Riccarton the result of a .Grand National Steeplechase was altered by a collision between Dromedary, and a ; guardian of the peace... After i negotiating the stiff Riccarton country successfully the northern 'chaser appeared to . have the result ict safe keeping. The last jump had been negotiated, and those who had supported Dromedary were already reckoning up the that was as good as theirs. / Then almost, before the on-: lookers/ could realise what had happened, a policeman, had stepped on to the course right in front of the leader. There was a mix up of horse,, blue nni-j form, and bedraggled silk, and—-Dum-ftiy was proclaimed the winner. Some say that, it was the policeman's .feet that proved the insurmountable 'barrier, but in the writer's opinion, the impact was more general. r A HORORATA FATALITY.

Harking back a couple of decades, ■ one, of the worst-looking accidents as between horse and man the writer• ever witnessed was that at Hororata when My Jack ended . a promising career. Owned and ridden by."Bobby" Reayj the gelding lodfced . to having winning prospects in the Hororata Cup, till the home straight was entered. There,.be attempted to run off the course,, and, in;doing so, came into violent contact with the (end of the inside rail, which at that time only extended some hundred yards from the finishing post. The result was one of the most terrible sights it has ever been the writer's lot to witness on a racecourse. The protruding end of the rail entered My Jack's breast, ahd the" unfortunate horse was fairly impaled on it. After a brief struggle, he collapsed dead, but unfortunately, ia striking the rail he collided with a spectator, a young farm labourer, who was standing at the spot. The' latter'» injuries were of such a serious nature that little chance was held out of his recovery, and he suecumbed a few hours afterwards. ■ HIS FIRST MEETING.

It' subsequently transpired that the unfortunate youth was employed on the adjacent station of that good sportsman,- Mr J. Brabazon. , This was his very first visit to a racecourse, and strange to relate, his first and only bet was a modest half crown invested on the horse that killed him. Such is the irony of fate. Nor did the results of the mishap, terminate there, . for '' Bobby." • Eeay had- his foot broken, and it was many a day before he could don the silken attire again. Only a year or two afterwards much the same sort of happening was witnessed -at an Avohdale meeting. A horse ricLden by Joe Gallagher, in trying to run off ,the course, staked itself on the rail, and was killed. Several spectators standing near the sp6t were knocked over, but as far as the writer's memory serves;him, that was the extent of the mishap. TAKING THE BISK.' Sinee then nearly all courses have been "railed in right round, so that there is now very little chance of similar accidents. Even so, it is no uncommon sight on raee tracks to see spectators dodging under the rails when horses are doing their preliminaries, and . get knocked over as the result of their folly. A case in point; happened at Eiccarton many years ago, . when Love Shot so unexpectedly defeated a horse of the late Mr Stead's in a juvenile handicap. While doing his preliminary Love Shot came into collision with a friend of the writer, who by some sort bf logic took it as a strong tip to back his assailant. He did so, and was rewarded with one' of the best dividends that has ever been p&id out on the Metropolitan course. TEMPLAR.

correct a junior result given in my Saturday reports. The game Linwood ▼. Bangers resulted in a win for Linwood by three to two, the green and blacks scoring just on time. ; i A WARNING. Clubs must bear in mind that all teams must (be graded this week; no chairge can be- made from a higher grade to i low'er' without a transfer after next Saturday. The official opening of Richmond Park will take place on Saturday week. What should be the most interesting game of the first round will be played on that day, namely Nomads v. Sydenham, and local residents will have an opportunity of witnessing what should prove a real good gams. MEETINGS. Th« Examining Board of the Referees' Association holds its first examination to-night. Six or seven Candidates should ceaotitut* a night's work, so that three or four sittings should see all the members orally examined. The. practical tests will of necessity take longer. The Management Committee hold its " weekly 7 ' meeting to-morrow. UNO,