MANAWATU PRIZE MONEY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1930, Page 7

MANAWATU PRIZE MONEY.

THE SECRETARY EXPLAINS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —My attention has been drawn to an editorial article which recently appeared in your sporting pages dealing with the wording of the conditions of races in relation to the division of prize inojiey at our winter meeting. The remarks ;of the . writer forcibly bears out the old saying that~a~littfefc.knQiyle.dge; is often dangerous and also that it'is always wise to be sure of the facts of a case before indulging.in harmful critic-

ism. The statement of' the writer of the article that in the event of one horse, finishing in a race the Manawatu Racing Club would “rake” in the second and- third? prize money is not correct, and his statement that the conditions of the Auckland Racing Club Clifford Plate of 1927 read “For a stake of 659 sovs., second horse 100 soys., :gnd thiid horse 50 'sovs.,” is also; incorrect,? ': As; these two. statements forjii the‘basis'of’ the article' it will be readily seen that the writer’s criticism is absolutely with- '■ out foundation and distinctly, unfair, to. to this cliib. • ■ : • ’-'-i; The exact wording-of the conditions' of the Auckland- Racing Club, Clifford; Plate of 1927 is as follows:’’ “Clifford’ Plate of 650 sovs. Winner';; to receive: 500 sovs., second horse 100 so Vs.;‘and' third horse 50 sovs. ' Weight for age,' etc., etc.” It will be** noted; that the writer of your article has omitted the;, words “winner to receive 500 sovs.,’” and it is his failure to obtain a correct:' copy of the conditions of this race which' has* led him to form erroneous, conelii--sibns. On comparing the wording of the conditions of the A.R.C. .Clifford ’.Plate, of 1927 with the wording-of the conditions of the races at our recent winter meeting it will be found that they are identical, -and as the conference appeal judges decided in 1927 that on such conditions the full amount of the stakes must be paid by a club, how cun the Manawatu Racing Club “rake” in cither the third or second place money as alleged? ' , As a matter of fact the one and on.y reason for adding the words ‘ winner to receive so much” W’as to save owners and trainers the trouble pf having themselves to calculate the amount payable to the winner by adding the second-and third moneys together and then deducting ■ this amount' from the total. stake/ In the event of only one or two horses: finishing the - whole amourt of the stake, would have to. be paid_by the' club in accordance with part XX i !■/ rule 3, of the Rules of Racing. The statement that the action of the: Manawatu Racing Club is merely an echo of a regulation of another club is a deliberate mis-statement cf factis also stated that the stewards of other clubs in the. Wanganui district are strongly, against the Manawatu chips action.' Who discussed the matter with these stewards? Presumably your writer. Is it a fair thing to this,.club for anvone to broadcast a criticisrn of

an action of the club among the stew-, ards of other clubs when the .person docs not. know what he js talking about. Apparently your writer was at our winter .meeting.-and it wor’ l have . been an -easy matter —and only,, common courtesy—for him to discuss the,. subject with the subscriber before writing an article which, as it happens, is not according to fact, and which may have a detrimental effect on this club. As the article in your paper has apparently received some prominence in the different centres I shall be glad if you will give the same publicity to this re-ply.-I .m; etc., V t Secretary. Manawatu Racing Club. > I’almpV' taiJiNortli, - Aug. ’B, 1930.;