CLEAN SPORT A FEATURE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1933, Page 3

CLEAN SPORT A FEATURE

MEETING AT NEW PLYMOUTH. HORSES RUN TRUE TO FORM. (By “Hurry On.”) The racing public generally are confirmed believers in “dead horses” in every event, and can talk very glibly as to what such and such a horse could have done if he had been “wanted” by the right people. Possibly sometimes they are right, but in the majority of cases they are probably wrong. However, only those with the most suspicious of natures fcould have foiind anything to cavil at during the autumn meeting of the Taranaki Jockey Club on Thursday and Saturday last. The two days’ sport was remarkably clean. Seldom has form worked out better than it did on Saturday, when of the six first day’s winners that competed no less than five won again. Miss Cavendish in the final event was the only one to fail. The chief stipendiary steward, Mr. Charles Gomer, expressed himself as being most favourably impressed with the cleanness of the sport throughout the gathering. He stated that though the improvement shown by Might was made the subject of an inquiry he himself was perfectly satisfied that the horse had been J run on its merits the first day and would have been close up but for being unbalanced at the start. The inquiry gave the connections an opportunity to make their explanations, which completely satisfied the stewards. This idea of enabling a horse’s connections to make their explanations is considered a good one, and Mr. Gomer has been commended on its introduction. There are many incidents such as the one concerning Might on Saturday, where the position can be quite simply explained, and nobody would welcome the chance more than the connections of the horse concerned. What is more, an inquiry tends to restore the confidence of the general public, who appreciate any efforts made to protect their interests. In regard to Saturday’s incident Mr. S. J. Reid, the trainer of Might, thanked Mr. Gomer and the stewards of the- Taranaki Jockey Club on behalf of himself and the horse’s owner, Mr. V. Riddiford, for the opportunity given him of making his explanation.