RAGING AND TROTTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16780, 8 July 1922, Page 11

RAGING AND TROTTING.

(BY *' ARGUS.”) FIXTURES. July 6, 12. 16—Wellington Raolnff Club. July 22—South Canterbury Hunt. July 27—W aim ate Hunt. July 27, 32—Gisborne Racing Club. Atiguat 6. 9. 11—Metropolitan Trotting Club August 8. 10. 12—Canterbury Jookey Club. HANDICAPS. July 13—South Canterbury Hunt. July 14—Gisborne Racing Club. ACCEPTANCES. July 14—Ashburton Trotting Club’s Sapling Stakes. July 17—South Canterbury Hunt. July 21—Gisborne Racing Club. A legal point. A letter which was received by the New Zealand Trotting Association this week, from th© Department of Internal Affairs, raises a very important point., which deserves greater attention than it was accorded by the members of th-* Trotting Association. The view of the Grow law officers is that tho running in two or more heats of races in whico there are a large i umber of acceptors., when there are eight races on tho pro gramme, constitutes a. breach of Sec tion 7 of the Gaming Amendment Act. 1910. In this connection the Department of Internal Affaire wishes Rules 116, 117 and 395 deleted from the Rules of Trotting. The chairman said a point to bo considered was whether a race which was divided into heats could be considered more than one race. The practice, in such cases, was to close the totalisator before th© first beat wastarted. The letter was refered to the Trotting Conference, with a suggestion that the Government should be asked to have the Gaming Act amended, so as to bring it into line with tho Rule? rf Trotting on this point, and at the same time to permit of matches being decided, in addition to the eight races already legalised for a day’s programme. It is interesting to note that the method of dealing with undul v largo fields in the trotting events is very different from that which is applied in the galloping sport. In the latter, when a race is divided, each heat or division is regarded officially a separate race, on which th© totalizator dividends are paid out, but clubs tan only employ this method when the number of races has originally been less than eight, that being the maximum allowed by law. So far as heat© in trotting events arc concerned, the pcsi tion is very different. The rules on the subject, which the Department of Internal Affairs desires to have repealed, are as follows:—“ A club may, at any time, where the number of acceptors for any race exceeds twenty, divide th? race in heats. Whenever it is necessary, owing to the number of horses engaged to run a race in heats, the first three fn each shall be qualified to start in the final. In the event of heat racing ail the starters’ names shall bo displayed on the totalisator before the decision of tho first heat, and speculation vshall be confined to the race and not tho heats. The totalisator shall bo finally closed oil the event before the start of the first heat.” It will thus be seen that, under the Rules of Trotting, the running of a race in heats, designed t-o get over the difficulty of large fields, does not increase the number of events on which betting can take place. It would appear as if the Crown Daw Office had given their opinion without due regard t.) the real position. The Gaining Amendment Act, 1910, is described as £ an act to amend the law relating to betting and wagering,” and all its clauses have to do with betting. It provides a penalty for street betting, compels racing clubs to prevent bookmakers from plying their calling on racecourses and provides restrictions or l the issue of licenses to use the totalisator, these being the principal clauses ir. th© Act. Section 7, on which the Crown Law Offices rely, states that

•* not more than eight races shall bc> run on any one day at any raco meeting.” It will be held, of course, that each contest between horses is a race. 1 and obviously this is the view taken by '.he Crown Daw Officers. On the other hand, however, it can be contended that th© heats, as provided for in th.' Rules of Trotting, arc not races, as no money attaches to them, and that the final, in which three horses from each heat take part, is the actual race. This 'm, in fact ,the real position, as only on the result of this final are the prize money and the totalisator dividends paid out. The question is one which should receive careful attention from the Trotting Coiafeern.ee next week, with a view' to getting the Department of Internal Affairs to alter its viewpoint. The generally accepted read ing of Section 7 of the Gaming Amend ment Act is that tho restriction to eight races for a day’s programme means that the totalisator shall onl;> be open on eight events. On this viewclubs have acted for nearly twelve years, so that the Crown law officers have taken a long time to discover tho alleged discrepancy between th© law of the country and the Rules of Trotting. Percy Mason, who has charge of Mr G. D. Greenwood’s horses* in the absence of his father in Sydney, has fiveold ones under his care at present. They are Pluto, Vespucci, Veil, Coniston and Valdamo. In addition tho stable shelters ten yearlings, the last of whom have just been broken in. They are bred on a wide variety of lines, ns follows: —Colt by Shepherd King—Rady Aviatri, colt by Comedy King—Race Front, colt by The Welkin —Andalusite, gelding by TresSady— Lady Grafton, gelding by MartianMary of Argyle. gelding by Winkie- - Addra, gelding bv Absurd—Ballarat, filly by Absurd—Mimique, filly by Kilbroney—Peirene and fillv by Sutala- - Roden. Some of this lot of young ones will be got ready for spring events. while others will not be hurried.. Egotism, who has been raced by Mr r. D. Greenwood for a couple of sea- • ons, has been retired to th© stud. The laughter of Demosthenes and Conceit was a useful but somewhat unlucky mar<S. The North Island trainer, G. Price, |left Auckland yesterday for Sydney, where he will settle, if the conditions turn out favourable. Ho has taken the two-year-old The Shag, by Panin ure—Cor morn nt, to ra; . on his own account, also the three-ycar-old Loyal Irish, by Absurd -Mona-ma-Ohxee, to train for the Auckland owner- trainer. J Williamson.

An Auckland writer says it is understood that the Ashburton owner, Mr H. F. Nicoll, is opposing Mr John Rowe for th© office of president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference. Mr Nicoll would fill th© position with credit, but it is hardly likely that he will be a candidate. As a matter of fact, being a member of the Trotting Association, he is not eligible for seat at the Trotting Conference and it would be regretted by many if he vacated his position in the association, of which he is a valued member. The Trentliam trainer, A. Goodman, will shortly have a couple of additions to his team. They are by Our King, and they are owned by Mr F. Hall, of Gisborne. The Auckland jockey, A. J. M’Flinn, recently had to undergo an operation to have some pieces of bone taken from the jaw, which was broken at the Northern Wairoa meeting some time ago by a kick from a horse. The trouble has affected his general health of late, but he has made a good re- , covery, and no further complications | are anticipated. A pony by Campfire was recently purchased in New Plymouth by an Auckland owner, and will be taken to j Australia to race in the pony ranks, j Over There, the brother to Gazique, which wag sold some time back to go to Western Australia, has done well for his new owner, and the latest advices to hand credit him with winning half a dozen races since his arrival in the West.

The Melbourne trainer, J. Holt, has the handling this year of quite a large number of candidates for Cup honours. The following horses are located at his establishment:—Dionel Attwill, Master Vibrator, Bawra, David, The Warbler, Momentum. Tangalooma, and Chatelaine in the Melbourne Cup, and David, Egyptian King. Miss Pinkerton, Frosty Morn, Lionel Attwill, Master Vibrator, Bawra., Momentum. The Warbler, Tangalooma and Chatelaine in the Caulfield Cup. Tho celebrated mare Sceptre, who won great fame on the English turf, has been sold to a breeder in Brazil, so it looks as if she would end her days in a foreign land. Sceptre has had :\ sensational career. Bought for 10,000 guineas by Mr R. S. Seivicr when .i yearling, she justified the same by win_ ning the One Thousand Guineas, Two Thousand Guineas, Oaks and St Reger. Sceptre’s stake capture of £38,283 still stands at the head of the mares* list; and it looks good to last for some time yet. It is recorded that at one time in her racing days Sceptre was priced by a well-known personage who wished to secure the wonderful daughter of Persimmon and Ornament, and £50,000 was th© sum quoted. However, at five years old Sir William Bass bought her . for £25,000. After keeping Sceptre for some years the latter sold her for 7000 guineas to Mr Sydnev Tattersall; in 1917 she passed into the possession of Rord Glanely at 1.700 guineas; and now we learn she bas been quitted at £SOO. Sceptre has produced a good number of foals ; and it is recorded that her four first

contributions to the stud book (all fillies) were sold for 14,950 guineas, which works out at an average of 3760 guineas l —a truly wonderful return. Non© of Sceptre's daughters earned high honours on the racecourse, but some of them are breeding on successfully. Maid of the Mist being the dam of Sunny Jane, winner of the Oaks in 1917, also of Craig-an-Eran. runnerup for the Derby last year. One of the largo stables on the Kentucky Jockey Club’s course at Dexington was struck by lightning a few weeks ago, and the resultant flames made such rapid headway that only seven of thirty-four racehorses in the stable were saved, the others being burnt in their stalls. Nineteen of the horses destroyed were owned by Senator J. N. Camden, and the other eight, by J. C- Milan. Senator Camden’s loss was estimated at about £60,000. and that of Mr Milan at £20,000. About twenty of the horses burnt were two-year-olds, and some were particularly promising, Mr Milan having refused 50,000 dollars (approximately £10,000) for two of his. Only- one of the twenty-seven horses was insured, that being the two-year-old King O’Neill for £2OOO. It was considered probable a couple more horses would have to be destroyed, one being the crack two-year-old, Mojave, who had lost an eye. Senator Camden is said to have taken his loss quite philosophic jdly. NEW BRIGHTON TROTTING CRUB. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of members of (he New Brighton Trotting- Club was held last night. There was a good attendance of members, and the retiring president, Mr B. J. M’Kenna. occupied the chair. The retiring president's report stated that tho season J 921 -22 was not so successful financially as the previous season. Members were no doubt aware that the stringency prevailing had been a great factor in tho decreased returns. Owing to this fact the many contemplated improvements had to be postponed, btit members and the public could rest assured that their interests would not be overlooked in providing tho necessary accommodation when tho conditions of the country and the finances of the club improved. The president also reported that the nominations received for the various offices, not being in excess, would obviate the necessity for an election. Tho balance-sheet showed that the excess of receipts over payments was £669 7s 4d. Tho report and balance-sheet were adopted. Reference was made by Mr G. Scott, tun., to the particularly good work of the Ground Committee. He thought that the club was in a very good position, and he looked forward to a highly improved state of affairs. The following officers were elected: — President., Mr E. H. James; vice-president. Mr G. Scott, .i un.; treasurer, Mr G. Pengelly; committee, Messrs W. H. Denton, W. J. Hopkins, A. J. Harper, J. Johns, It. M’Kenna. T. H. Ker, W. E. Thompson, J. Westerman and Captain A. V. Owles; stewards, Messrs W. H. Denton. W. J. Hopkins, A. J. Harper, J. Johns, 'I. H. Ker, B. M’Kenna. W. E. Thompson, J. Westerman and Captain A. W. Owles; auditor, Mr G. E. Way. Th© now p-esident stated that an article had been published from the Owners' and Breeders’ Association with reference to increased facilities for trainers at Brighton. Tho matter had not yet been officially brought to the notice of the club. It was considered that more accommodation should be provided for horses, and extra facilities for washing down. Mr James said that the Grounds Committee had considered the matter and the custodian' had had instructions to adopt certain measures which would provide the additional accommodation required. Had it not been for the curtailment of racing during the war period the club would have been able to go ahead with a comprehensive improvement scheme. Any improve* I ments that were made now would be of a permanent character, and he wanted the alterations to be of such a nature as to advance the club to the position of | foremost in the city. The committee were i going iuto the matter of providing more j stand accommodation for the public by ; extending the same typo of stand as wc.3 i in use at present. [ In reply to Mr Hickenbottom, Mr Jamc.j stated that the club had not the where j withal to increase the prize money. Under j the present rules clubs had to devote the profits from tho totalisator to fostering j racing, and one of the matters that would I probably ;>o discussed at the forthcoming j conference was whether some of the less I fortunately situated clubs could carry on ' under the present conditions.