THE RACING PARLIAMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 145, 22 June 1939, Page 4

THE RACING PARLIAMENT

CHANGES PROPOSED IN RULES

ENCOURAGEMENT OF WEIGHT-FOR-AGE EVENTS

Although the considered minds in the land has been 1 half-century to bring the .Rub high standard, there still occui in the conduct oli the sport, ■ passing of time, to make it sec lives that changes should be < this year there will be, a, mu ierations in Ihe Rules for the conference of racing dub deh 7, but. the list is not quite sc Several of the changes propos nature, but some of the othe opinion when debated by I he For many years one mailer that was discusssed at nearly every annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference was whether or not it was in the best interests of racing that the licensing o£ bookmakers under conditions to be approved by the conference should be allowed by law; but for the fourth year in succession there is no reference to this contentious topic in the scheduled list of remits. There is

also no remit that might indicate the desire of racing executives for an extension of totalisator facilities, such as the power to reintroduce doubles betting. comments "Rangatira” in the Evening Post. Probably the most important of the matter/ to be discussed at the annual meeting this year is that pertaining to a suggested extensier of weight-for-age or fixed-weights races. In the years of the depression the majority of racing clubs dropped some of their w.f.a. events at least, and quite a number oi these have never been rein-

stated. There arc other clubs, some of them, Such as several of the Auckland provincial clubs, among the most financial in the Dominion, which do not cater for the type of horse that it is the aim of all brec-ing and racing to produce. The following new rule is therefore requested by the executive committee (as an addition to rule 224, dealing with contests of programmes):—

(d) In the case of a two-day meeting, any day of which falls within the period September 1 to May 31 inclusive, at least one weight-for-age race, or race at fixed weights according to age, shall be included in the programme of every race meeting at which the totalisator is used. The idea of this proposal is that the weight-for-age horse should receive more opportunities than he is now getting and such a move to encourage the best type of racing wdll find support from all who have the real interests of the thoroughbred at heart. Howevci many racing clubs have in recent years done so well with programmes made up purely of handicap and hack events that their delegates will doubtless be instructed to oppose this remit. It would be a pity if considerations of totalisator revenue

should outweigh the longer-sighted view of ultimate benefit to racing in general. It may be noted that this rule would not make it actually obligatory on all clubs with two-day meetings in the specified period to include weight-for-age events, for there is still the general proviso to the rule that the executive committee may authorise otherwise in writing; and instead of a true weight-for-age race it would be quite permissible under the proposed rule to put on a maiden or hack event at fix d weights according to age, as is already done by several clubs. More Apprentice Races. Another proposal that will lend itself to profitable discussion concerns the Increasing of the opportunities for apprentice riders to ride in races. Now that schools of instruction are being established in several of the leading training centres it is only just that the apprentices should be given every pos-

sible chance of utilising their theoretical knowledge in a practical manner. At present the only clubs that are obliged to put on a special race for the apprentices are those holding at least three race meetings in a season, and this obligation is fulfilled with a single such race during the season. There are two remits on the agenda paper that aim at increasing the number of apprentice races, ihe executive committee proposes that at every race meeting there shall be one race restricted to apprentice riders, such race being at a distance of not less than seven furlongs and excluding maiden and two-year-old races. The Marton Jockey Club’s suggestion docs not go as far as that of the executive committee, as it proposes that, the apprentices should have a race to themselves only at meetings of more than one day. It will probably be found that the majority of delegates are strongly in favour of an extension of the opportunities for apprentice riders, but there will be a difference of opinion on how far any new rule should go. The

executive committee desires an ap- 1 prentice race at all meetings (though ■ not necessarily one on each day of such meeting) held during the flat sea- [ son proper, whereas the other sugges-1 tion is that clubs holding only one-day | meetings need not put on such races.; It may be said against the Marton | remit that clubs might avoid their) obligation by splitting two-day meet-1 ings into two separate meetings, as several clubs have done in recent years, though, of course, the reason so ; far has been not to escape obliga- ‘ tions but with other objects, such as the desire to have Saturday dates. Those who have had the mortification of . backing horses and then discovering later that a practically unknown rider has been put up on the occasion will take particular interest in another remit by the executive committee proposing that there shall be no changing of riders during the currency of a meeting, except on substantial grounds and with the permission of the chairman of the judicial committee and the stipendiary steward. There is such a rule in the sister sport of trotting, and incidents during j recent years in the Dominion have I made such a rule seem desirable in) racing as well

thought of the best racing Tcely given during the last cs of Racing to their present • every year various incidents or new ideas arise with the ‘in advisable to racing execuL’ffccted in the Rules. Again über of remits proposing al- , consideration of the annual .•gates al Wellington on July | i large as it often has been.' ed are of a purely machinery | rs may find divergence of delegal cs Racing in Blinkers. If is interesting to note two remits this year proposing that horses shall be allowed to race in blinkers, as they are in England, America, and on the Continent. The sponsors are the executive committee of the Manawatu Racing Club. and. though such a motion has previously been defeated, there is now every possibility that it will be agreed to by the delegates this year, jit is an indisputable fact that many nervous horses have become successful performers when blinkers have been used on them, and horses are occasionally even in the Dominion trained in blinkers. Twelve months ago the rules were

amended to prohibit a walk-in start, but it has been found that the restriction often spoils what might have been a good dispatch, and the Manawatu and Banks Peninsula Racing Clubs now suggest that the rule should bo left open again. It is really better that the starter should be allowed as much latitude as possible in effecting his dispatches. In the rules as at present in force, the minimum weight for the two principal races each day at meetings between September 1 and May 31 “shall” be seven stone. The Manawatu Racing Club proposes to substitute “may” for “shall,” and though there may be some opposition, good grounds can be found for the alteration. There is no reason why a 7.7 minimum should not p-evail for all fiat races during the winter months if a club so desires, as the lighter riders have their chance in the other part of the season. Scratchings Final. The Canterbury Jockey Club has a remit as follows: "Scratchings and declarations of forfeit shall be final, and under no circumstances shall a horse that has been scratched, or in respect of which forfeit has been declared by the owner or his authorised agent, be reinstated in any race.’ This is a proposal to which no exception can be taken, as it does no more than emphasise a principle that is generail;, recognised.

A remit by the Gore Racing Club |seeks to amend the method of electing I representatives to the conference. At | present a vote is given for each meeting a club holds, nut it is proposed to alter this to a vote for each day’s racing. This seems the best method of stabilising the position, in view of the tendency on the part of some clubs to split their racing up into oneday meetings. The executive committee has in mind a widening of the powers of the stewards of a club holding a race meeting in the proposed new clause: "In the event of any horse being so injured on a racecour.se that the destruction of such horse, in the opinI ion of the stewards, is advisable, in order to save unnecessary suffering, the stewards may order such horse to be destroyed at. the hands of a veterinary surgeon, or, in his absence, a police officer, or, in his absence, such other person as the stewards consider suitable.” This proposal should not meet any opposition. On the other hand a proposal; brought forward by the Hawke’s Bay I district committee, and which would |have the effect of restricting the already limited opportunities of the hurdle horseman, is likely to receive short shrift, from the meeting. The rules al present provide that each day’s programme shall include a hurdle race, a steeplechase, or a flat race in which only recognised jumping jockeys shall bo permitted to ride. The Hawke’s Bay remit proposes an alternative to such races in "a handicap flat race of not Jess than one mile and a-quarter, in which only gentlemen riders shall be eligible to ride.” An unusual point is raised by a remit from the Wairoa Racing Club. At present no paid servant of any racing club, including the totalisator staffs, is permitted to race a horse at any meeting in the Dominion. By the deletion of the word "any’ in the rule the Wairoa Club desires to confine the restriction to the club at which such person is engaged for payment. If this amendment is allowed, the secre- , tary of a club, for example, would be I permitted to own and race horses at any meeting except his own. Wanganui Suggestion.

• The other amendments proposed arc ;of a minor nature. It is unlikely that I the Manawatu suggestion that the I lean of hurdles should be six instead ;of two inches will find the approval of delegates, as such a change would ! encourage the slovenly schooling of j jumpers. There is sound sense in a [Waikato proposal that the person on a ; quiet hack assisting the starter should be allowed to take up his position | wherever he might seem most requir- ! ed, instead of being compelled, as now, ito stand in first position on the rail when the horses are being lined up. There is also no harm in t’he Wanganui suggestion that there should be a special official set of colours (all white is proposed) to be used when owners’ registered colours, for som; reason, are not available; but one set of colours would hardly be sufficient, as it is possible that three or four horses in a race will all be without their proper colours. In New South Wales and Victoria the controlling authorities have registered colours for cases of emergency, and such stand- | ardisation of “wrong” colours is de- ’ ■ cidedly more desirable than an ownII er’s grabbing hold of the first set of other colours he can lay his hands on, | which very often is most confusing to public and judge, especially on wet days.

BROUGHTON ON TOP

LIKELY RIDING HONOURS W. J. Broughton, who appears certain to win the jockeys’ premiership this season, first came into prominence in 1933-34, when he finished third with 59 winners to L. J. Ellis and K. Voitro. The following season he piloted 85 winners and had only Ellis ahead of him. A bad accident in the 193.5-36 season kept him out of the saddle most of the year and he rode only 17 winners, but he was back in form again in the 1936-37 term when he realised his ambition by riding 63 winners and heading the jockeys’ list. With 51 wins last year he was fourth to L. J. Ellis, C. G. Goulsbro, and B. H. Morris.