THE RACING OUTLOOK

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1930, Page 13

THE RACING OUTLOOK

QUESTIONS OF FINANCE.

A GOOD DERBY PROSPECT.

(By Centaur —Special to News.) London, March 13.

I am interested to learn from a friend that racing is declining in popularity in Australia, or, at least, in New South Wales, whence my correspondent writes. He does not. actually make the assertion himself, but quotes the words of an important official of the Treasury, which is the department responsible for the of the duty on. totalisator bets. It appears that the record year for the totalisator in New: South Wales was 1921, when very much more than, three million pounds was handled. During the season. 1928-29 the sum fell a million pounds, and the Exchequer was depleted accordingly. On figures like this t.he official mind must naturally be brought to believe that the popularity of the sport is not what it was. Yet, without any definite knowledge of domestic affairs id Australia, I cannot credit the notion. One supposes that the all-round slackness, which we have noticed in England for the past few years, has not left the Commonwealth unmarked, and it is to this unfortunate state of affairs that I ascribe the fall-ing-off of receipts in Australia. Racing writers pretended to be perturbed about the financial side of the game in England last year. The decreased stakes, decreased attendances and ever-deereasing wagering gave them something to think about all the summer, and then, when the autumn bloodstock sales came along it was emphasised that, there was not even money for well-bred yearlings —yearlings which we have become accustomed to : regard as ■'‘high-priced youngsters,” and‘which are written about accordingly. Year after year- we have seen record figures paid for these. Doncaster “bargains,” but maybe it is all a thing of the past. A post-war boom in racing and horseflesh led to feverish speculation in various directions. Now we have come back to normal, and the men ; who used to bid so extravagantly at Doncaster and Newmarket, or even in Ireland, have settled down with studs of their own. I have in mind people like the Aga Khan, Lord Glanely, and so on. The activity of these studs has its .reflection on racing and betting in divers ways, and I am sure that the close follower of the game can. appreciate what I mean. Much on these lines could probably be written about Australian racing, and at that I will leave it for the time being, though I seem to recall a high price being paid for Chide (from New Zealand) by an Australian sportsman not very long ago. There is money in the game everywhere; the truth is that it is being handled more judiciously than in the past. Strephon 11., a horse sent to Newmarket from Australia last summer, is out to uphold the na._e he brought with him. I understand that he shows really good promise, and is thriving nicely in the care of >S. H. Darling, who is, of course, a pastmaster at the art of training. If the owner of Strephon thinks that his colt is a champion he will have ample chance to back his opinion later on, at Epsom, Ascot, or elsewhere. Personally, I wish him some success in the great venture, though I am at a loss offhand to make out whether an Australian horse is at an advantage or a disadvantage when he comes to England on account of breeding and seasons. I have mentioned »S. Darling, so I will conclude with the remark that the trainer handles Ballyferis, an ex-Irish colt, which readers can justifiably hope to hear of in the Derby.