RACING IN NEW ZEALAND

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1935, Page 5 (Supplement)

RACING IN NEW ZEALAND

MEETING OF CONFERENCE CONTROL OF SPORT SATISFACTORY. APPROVAL OF DATES FOR RACING. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The New Zealand Racing Conference opened to-day. Mr. J. S. McLeod presided. Mr. Ward, chief racecourse inspector, reported that the steadfast loyalty of his three colleagues to him and their strict attention to the carrying out of the policy of the executive in every phase of their many responsibilities enabled him to report that nothing had arisen to interfere with the effective carrying out of their duties. Consequently he had no special recommendations to make. He said that a number of prohibited persons, especially in the larger centres, continued to loiter around the outside of the courses while meetings were being held and undesirables of the “guesser” and ‘spieler” type still followed racing circuits; but the certainty of detection should they venture inside and consequently the possibility of prosecution for trespass was in most cases an effective deterrent. The ample provisions of the regulations for the relief' of persons excluded from racecourses were well known and fully availed of. He suggested that supervision of persons licensed under the rules of racing had continued to assist in maintaining the standard of good conduct that now generally prevailed. He mentioned also that their work in keeping in close touch with owners and trainers in connection with apprentices was appreciated and welcomed. Their efforts in pursuing inquiries in connection with the rules of racing and trotting governing corrupt practices invariably had been effective and constant and careful attention in that re-g?-d was always maintained. HORSES WAITING FOR START. Mr. C. Gomer, chairman of the stipendiary stewards, reported that! the management and control of meetings had been quite satisfactory. The most important suggestion he wished to make—and he thought a most needed reform — was with regard to the length of tune horses were kept out on the course before the start of a race. The majority of clubs stipulated that horses must be in the birdcage 25 minutes prior to starting, which meant that if the races were run to time the horses were out 20 minutes. He considered that wrong. The horses should not be kept out that length of time, often in cold and rough weather. The public could do their betting just as easily in 10 minutes as 20. To bring a reform about it would be necessary that all clubs adopt a system that horses must be in the birdcage 15 minutes before the start.

He thought it should be made com-r pulsory for clubs to include in their programmes a hurdle race or steeplechase each day from April 1 to November 30. Cross-country riders, especially in the South Island, found it very difficult to earn a living and the continued high-v.-eight handicaps such as they had there meant that soon very few hurdle or steeplechase riders would be qualified, to ride in them.

He again brought forward his suggestion of the 1933-34 report that the minimum weight in all fiat races should be Bst. BARRIERS WORK SLOWLY.

At a number of meetings the starting barriers worked too slowly and it was common to see horses taking it with them. This was a matter to which the clubs should give attention with the object of procuring the best starting machine possible. He suggested that to save horses having sometimes to return to the birdcage the starters should be supplied with a pair of reins and stirrup leathers, girth, surcingle and strip of greenhide. He also advocated th*e totalisator being closed to time as a rule to be strictly adhered to. The value of racing to New Zealand was shown indirectly in a marked degree by the success of the yearling sales, whic.’. were well attended, with good prices and Australian buyers well to the fore.

The taxation imposed upon racing still continued in spite of the oft-repeated protests of the conference, stated the president in his annual report. If the Government would reduce the totalisator tax to a more reasonable amount its revenue would surely be increased. The clubs would be able to give stakes which would retain the support of owners and consequently the earnings of trainers and jockeys and the army of employees engaged in racing would be raised to a standard commensurate with, their employment. The conference appreciated the action of the Government in giving a modicum of relief by the rebate of 1 per cent, of totalisator duty to clubs up to July 31, 1936. This had undoubtedly been a relief to many clubs, particularly country clubs, and it was hoped the Government would continue the rebate beyond the period stated. The conference had failed to impress the Government with its view of the situation, that taxation still remained excessive compared with other totalisator countries.

The cost of transport by the railways to travel racehorses for any distance prevented many owners from racing their horses far from their home quarters. As a result of the financial crisis racing stakes were now so small that racing had become localised. This was not in the interests of the prestige of racing or the ■encouragement of breeding high class horses. COST OF TRANSPORT.

It must be obvious to all and painfully acknowledged that to-day Australia was claiming New Zealand high-class horses, as racing was cheaper there and stakes larger. The continued loss of this type of horse from racecourses would reduce the interest of the best supporters. There was a large section of the racing public which without any thought of gain would travel far to see contests between great horses. He was anxious, therefore, that clubs should retain weight-for-age races as far as possible. In fact he recommended the conference to adopt a rule whereby any club holding four or more days’ racing should include one weight-for-age race for e”ery two days’ racing held ir the flat racing season. The Hon. E. R. Davis introduced the Gaming Bill in the Upper House and it met with a particularly favourable reception. The voting for the double totalisator was 19 for and 2 against, and for the publication of dividends 18 for and 3 against. After this decisive attitude of approval by the Legislative Council the conference was justified in expecting the consent of tlu Lower House. However, this was not to be and, although he was satisfied that the conference was assured of a majority in that House, if a vote could be taken, this was denied as previously on so many occasions with other Gaming Bills. Apparently time would not be given to private members’ Bills to obviate defea’ by being talked or' by a contentious minority in the Lower Hous-, although the merits of the Bill, as in this case, received the intelligent support of the

Lipper House and deserved a vote to be taken. The only chance of .success appeared to be to try and so impress the Government that it might see it was to its advantage to satisfy the desires of a large section of the community to concede to them what they considered they were entitled by the Government itself fathering the legislation. The conference certainly had the support of the Government up to a point, as the leaders of the House expressed their approval. During the season the executive committee revoked all previous resolutions authorising totalisator systems other than the win and place system and the resolution permitting dividends to be paid on the first and second horse in the event of the numbers on the totalisator being five or more. Owing to the diversity of opinion as to the most satisfactory method of utilising the totalisator he suggested that the win and place and the 75 per cent.—2s per cent, systems only be adopted. CHANCE FOR MODERATE HORSES. The executive committee had carefully reviewed the question of reducing the amounts of the hack qualification and had brought forward for consideration a resolution to reduce the amounts from £250 and £5OO to £2OO and £4OO respectively. The effect of this amendment, if carried, would be a more speedy removal of a good horse into races in open company and thus give the moderate hacks a quicker opportunity of earning their keep. Under the rules of racing the president was empowered to grant exemption on the recommendation of the district committee to any club holding a meeting in the period from May 1 in one year to August 31 in the next succeeding year inclusive, from including in its programme at least one maiden or hack or hunters’, or hack and hunters’ steeplechase. During recent years clubs had been freely granted the exemption but, acting in conjunction with the executive, all district committees and clubs had been notified, that in future such exemption would only be granted under special circumstances. It was hoped by a • rigid enforcement of the rule to arrest the decline of the jumping horse and to ensure that ample provision was made for the jumping horse and rider. Quite a number of clubs could assist by the inclusion of hurdle races in their programmes in place of the handicap flat race at 9 stone minimum in which only recognised jumping riders were eligible to ride. During the season the conference had lost good administrators and supporters of the turf by the deaths of Dr. P. F. McEvedy, Messrs. E. A. Campbell, V. Riddiford, D. G. A. Cooper, R. Cooper and W. H. Ballinger. Mr. Cooper was one of the trustees of the general trust fund. Last year attendances at race meetings had increased and racing generally had made a considerable upward tendency from the sad state of affairs that had existed. The improved financial position no doubt had encouraged people to spend more on the sport they seemed to enjoy so immensely. He hoped this state of affairs would continue until they returned 1 to the prosperous position of a few years ago. LOWER HACK QUALIFICATION. A remit from the executive committee was adopted to reduce the qualification fo, hacks from winners of a race worth £250 or of races worth £5OO, to £2OO and £4OO respectively. It was decided to define a hack race as a race in which rny horse is debarred from entering by reason of his winnings, even though the word hack is used in the title of a race. The executive's remit recommending the reinstatement of the Bst. minimum in flat races, other than the principal flat race in the programme each day of any meeting, and extension of the date of operation, making it June 1 to August 31, was adopted. Mr. A. N. Smith (Dunedin) moved for consideration by the next conference that the minimum be 7st. 71b. during the remaining months of the year. Approval was given to a Manawatu remit to allow stewards to provide a man on* a quiet hack to stand in first position on the rail to assist the starter in lining up horses. The dates of race meetings were adopted subject to the following amendments:—

Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Club, at New Plymouth, August 29. Taumarunui Racing Club, at Paeroa, September 28 and 30. Dunedin Jockey Club, October 10 and 12. Rangitikei Racing Club, November 2 in lieu of October 19. Dargaville Jockey Club, December 1 and 9 in lieu of December 5 and 7. Otaki-Maori Racing., Club, December 14. Manawatu Racing Club, December 25, 27 and 29, in lieu of December 26, 28 and 30. Thames Jockey Club, January 16 and 18. Takapuna Jockey Club, January 25 and 29. Wanganui Jockey Club, February 13 and 15, in lieu of January 30 and February 1. Clifden Racing Club, January 25, in lieu of February 1. Rangitikei Racing Club, March 4 in lieu of March 7. Bay of Islands Racing Club, at Pukekohe, November 23, in lieu of March 9. Hawke’s Bay Racing Cl”b, April 18, in lieu of March 28. Pahiatua Racing Club, March 31 and April 1, in lieu of April 1 and 2. Southland Racing Club, November 23 and May 16, in lieu of May 15 and. 16. Dannevirke Racing Club, at Woodville, April 29 and 30, in lieu of May 22 and 27, or February 26 and 27. Waikato Racing Club, May 23 and 25, in lieu of the Te Kuiti Racing Club meeting. Dannevirke Jockey Club, at Waipukurau, October 12, in lieu of June 3. Foxton Racing Club, June 27, in lieu of June 13, or May 30. A recommendation was made that the Egmont, Wanganui and Taranaki Clubs hold a conference in an endeavour to arrange February dates to their mutual advantage. Applications by the following clubs for extra days of racing were not granted on the ground no spare days were available for allocation:—Carterton Racing Club, Waikouaiti Racing Club, Marton Jockey Club, Matamata Racing Club, Waverley Racing Club, Rotorua Racing Club, Taranaki Jockey Club, Waipa Racing Club, Westland Racing Club, Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt, Greymouth Jockey Club, Maramarua Hunt Club, Franklin Racing Club, Stratford Racing Club, Takapuna Jockey Club. Certificates of registration of the following clubs were cancelled as they did not appear to have held meetings during the past four years or were defunct:— Awakino Beach, Dunstan, Strath-Taieri, Omarama. As the Cromwell Jockey Clubs fixture clashed with the Invercargill Trotting Club’s meeting the Cromwell Club was granted permission to hold a meeting on March 13 and 14. The application of R. C. Powell, Dargaville, for the remission of the balance of his term of five years’ disqualification was refused as was a similar application by A. H. Watson, a jockey. The Otago Hunt Club and the Greymouth Jockey Club made application to include trotting events in their programmes. In the terms of a resolution submitted by the executive committee it was decided that in view of the authority previously given t certain clubs to include trottinge vents in their, programmes the practice be continued, except that after January 1, 1936, no hunt club is to include trotting events 'in its programme or at any meeting held by such a club at which a totalisator may be used.