RACING CONFERENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18823, 13 July 1923, Page 6

RACING CONFERENCE

STIPENDIARY STEWARDS’ REPORT. SOME IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS. [Per Press Association.] Wellington, July 12. The New Zealand Racing Ccnference opened to-day. The president (Sir George Clifford) opened with an address, excerpts of which appear elsewhere. The balance-sheet of the general trustees’ accident fund was adopted. The conference approved of the concessions given to certain clubs in reference to stakes. The stipendiary stewards’ report stated that the management and control of race meetings during the past season had not shown the improvement that lAight have been expected, except in a few cases. The control of the jockeys’ rooms is still lax. The control of the birdcages, however, has improved to a very marked extent. In very many cases a better system of weighing out horses should be insisted upon. An official clerk should be placed in the weighing rooms on all courses under the control of the conference, and stricter compliance with the conditions laid down in part 23 of rule 11 should be enforced. Wires under the inner rails on race tracks should not be allowed, as they were a source of danger, and barb wire should not b'e tolerated on a boundary fence or any part of a racecourse. Starters in many cases are still very lax in carrying out the conditions of part 14, rule 6, with regard to unruly horses. Stipendiary stewards should be given some control over vicious or unruly horses at starting posts. There is need for a uniform code of flag signals. Punctuality in starting times, closing of the totalisaTor, etc., has been decidedly on the up grade. Racing has maintained a good standard, but in many instances the fields have been too large. Many cases of corrupt practices have occurred. The conduct of jockeys generally has shown marked improvement since the inauguration of licensing. The returns from the tote have been well maintained despite the financial stringency. The returns would be vastly increased if more energetic measures were taken to suppress the inordinate amount of betting with bookmakers. The attention of clubs in many cases should be drawn to the flimsy nature and construction of the hurdles. Steps should be taken to again purge the list of registered colours. The rules as regards gentlemen riders will bear amending, the designation of riders under this heading being quite a misnomer.

Following is the most important business transacted by the conference. APPRENTICE RACES. Resolved that the programme of every meeting at which the totalisator is used shall include, if the meeting extends over two, three or more days, at least one race (not being a maiden race or a race iu which two-year-olds can compete, or a race for less distance than seven furlongs) in which only apprentice jockeys shall be eligible to ride, provided that on the stipendiary steward’s certificate that no suitable apprentice jockeys can be engaged for the race a licensed jockey may be substituted, carrying a penalty of 141bs in such race. No rider shall be allowed whip or spurs. An Auckland recommendation, which was adopted, gives the committee power to run a race in divisions where the number of starters exceeds 20, and where it is considered advisable in the interests of safety. HALF-MILE RACES FOR YOUNGSTERS. Rule four was amended to read; No race shall be run over a distance of less than live furlongs, except races for two-year-olds prior to the first of October in each year. Part 12, rule tour, was amended to provide for at least three hunters’ races or three hunters' races and hack and hunters’ steeplechase per deim, to which races at least half the total stakes given by the club for the day shall be allotted. A new clause was added to rule 9, that no horse in which (el any person whose last application for a trainer s or jockey’s license has ndt been granted by the Licensing Committee, or who is the wife of or who resides with or is employed by any such person (always provided that any such person has not been granted exemption by the Licensing Committee from effect of this clause) has any interest, shall be entered or start for any race, and any such horse if he shall start shall bo disqualified for the race.

Part 18, rule 3, enables all apprentice jockeys to claim the following allowances: if he has not ridden 10 winners, 51bs; if he has ridden 10 winners, but not 20 winners, 31bs. Alterations in jockeys’ fees were made as follows.—-Flat race: If the nett amount payable to the winner is £530 and does not exceed £lOOO, £ 2- Hurdle races and steeplechases:’ Winning the above amount, £4. A new rule, 10a., was adopted as follows: Any person who prior to

any race meeting at which he has a horse entered wishes to engage to ride such horse a jockey or an apprentice jockey permanently employed in the stable of some other person, must in the first instance apply to and obtain the permission of the employer of any such jockey or apprentice jockey. Any person committing a breach of this rule may be fined a sum of not less than 1 sov., by the District Committee in which the employer of the jockey or apprentice jockey concerned resides.

Rule 2, as amended, makes further provision that stewards or stipendiary stewards may fine the owner or trainer or rider of any horse for being late to weigh out, or for being late in the birdcage. I Any official or honorary officer I betting at a meeting at which he is I an official is liable to a fine not ex- | ceeding £5O and may be disqualified I by the stewards or committee. I The annual contribution to the I general trust fund before any horse shall be weighed out Dor any race was increased to £l. DRASTIC CENSURE. The Dates Committee reported that they had carried the following resolution: “With regard to the resolution passed at the last meeting of the Racing Conference relative to the administration of the affairs of the Avondale and Takapuna Jockey Clubs, the report W. E. Bidwell and F. Earl has been referred to and considered by the Dates Committee. This report, which is a plain statement of facts unaccompanied by any comment—comment being evidently quite unnecessary—makes highly unpleasant reading. The members of the committee oi the Avondale Jockey Club, after being allowed their expenses and outlay upon a lavish scale, paying themselves in addition considerable sums by way of remuneration for services rendered, Is a proceeding hitherto happily unknown in the history of New Zealand racing. There are other unsatisfactory features in the manner in which the committee of the Avondale Jockey Club has drawn upon the funds of the club, particularly the heavy payments made to one member under the heading

"solicitor’s charges,” and it is not surprising that the auditor should have resigned by way of protest. Had the constitution and government of this club remained as it was at the time of the happening of the regrettable incidents referred to, it might have been necessary to seriously consider whether any dates at all should have been allotted to it. In view, however, of the fact that members of the committee concerned and also another member of 'he committee, and also the secretary, have recently died, and that as a result of the Racing Commission’s report the club has been reconstructed with satisfactory rules and ample membership, and that what is here complained of is in all probability not likely to recur, the Dates Committee decided to take no action beyond this expression of their views. Re the Takapuna Jockey Club, this club has been reconstructed, and its af fairs are now in perfect order. Everything mentioned by the Racing Commission has been attended to, but both the Avondale and Takapuna Clubs should construct properly equipped training tracks. This they have undertaken to do. At the litre of tLe visit of Messrs Earl and Bidwell the training tracks of these clubs appear to have been in a deplorable condition and quite unfit for training purposes. Considering the status of these two clubs we considered that they should attend to this matter at once.”