RACING BEHIND SCHEDULE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 118, 23 May 1946, Page 6

RACING BEHIND SCHEDULE

OTAKI MOST RECENT CULPRIT

Racing clubs owe a duty to patrons in that the schedule fur the day's programme should be maintained. Delays arc irksome and when the final event in a day's racing is being decided in the gathering dusk it is not only the public who have cause lor complaint. Jockeys have every right to be Considered, and officials who are expected to exercise a close scrutiny of the running cannot see every incident that occurs when the shades of dark are falling. The Otaki Club last. Saturday did not run the concluding event till just on 5 p.m. The schedule was held up a little because of an inquiry, but antiquated and inadequate totalisator facilities were in the main responsible for the delay. Lateness in running events is fortunately rare in racing these days, so when it does occur it is all the more noticeable. The Otaki Club would be well advised, in its own interests, to make a sincere effort to remedy matters.

Brookby Song, winner of the Waikato Steeplechase, has been rehandicapped 81b to 9.8 for the Great Northern Steeplechase. Onlv a five-year-old, Brookby Song, who Is by. Hunting Song from Hulomee, a half-sister to Arikinui, has won this season the Greenmount Steeples at the Pakuranga Hunt Club meeting last August, the Waikato Hunt Cqp, and the Waikato Steeplechase in six starts. * * » »

Private advice has been received in Christchurch to the effect that the appeals of the New Zealand jockey L. Hare and the Victorian trainer J. Accola against their disqualification, and the disqualification of the horse First tn, for twelve months, have been upheld. The disqualifications were imposed by the Victorian Racing Club stewards for alleged improper practices in the Ascot Easter Cup at Mentone on April 20: Though Rebate was the form horse for the Borough Hack Handicap, the final event on the concluding day of the Egmont winter meeting, Prince Wanaka was better backed on the win machine, carrying £1149 as against the £344 on Rebate. The latter scored an easy win, but Prince Wanaka could do no better than finish fourth. At Otaki. however, he made amends, winning the No. 2 Manuao Maiden Plate, for which he was a firm favourite with Broughtcn in the saddle. Prince Wanaka is a three-year-old gelding by Royal Chief from Wanaka, a halfsister to Silver Paper, and he was bought at the yearling sales in 1944 at. 300gns by Mr. J. H. McDonald, of Ashhurst, for whom he is trained by L. Knanp at Awapunl. ♦ » ♦ *

The Duke of Gloucester Cup race for gentlemen riders, to be held at Wingatui on the second day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting, run on the King’s Birthday, Is creating a great deal of interest down South. The race is run alternately in the North and South Islands, and the last occasion on which it was held at Wingatui was in 1939, when Mr. J. P Herlihy’s Travenna, carrying 12st 21b, and ridden by Mr. E. McK. G. White, took the honours in a field of 14 runnels. Many Otago amateur riders have recently taken out their licences, and it is anticipated that riders will be forthcoming also from the Southland and Canterbury districts, and perhaos from further afield. The distance of one mile and three furlongs will be a good test of the merits of amateur horsemen, who do not have many opportunities in the South Island. * * * * Although jockeys In New Zealand are permitted to wear goggles in races, their use in Australia is apparently forbidden except in South Australia. More than once, representations on the matter have been made in Melbourne, but they have always been rejected by the responsible authorities. The reason is hard to understand, as there is everything to be said for the use of goggles as a ' protection for I jockeys’ eyes on any track, and not only the bad tracks on which it is suggested their use be permitted in Australia. On tracks that are cutting out, or dry and dusty, jockeys can be saved much discomfort and possible injury, bv having their eyes protected. In New Zealand no complaint has ever, benn heard of goggles affecting a rider’s efficiency—ln fact it Is rather the reverse. The first jockey to use goggles in New Zealand was L. J. Ellis, who found some form of protection necessary when he was having trouble with an eye injury just before the war. Since then other jockeys have followed suit. Incidentally there seems to be nothing in the rules of raein" in New Zealand directly covering the question. L. J. EJHs says that before he used his goggles the first time, all he did was to seek the permission of the stipendiary steward present.