EVERY SUNDAY

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXII, Issue 8872, 10 February 1943, Page 3

EVERY SUNDAY

RACES HELD IN SYRIA IMPRESSIONS OF SOLDIER HORSES.MOSTLY PURE ARABS Every Sunday is race day in Beirut, Syria, writes Gunner T. E. Harrison of the Second N.Z.E.F. to his sister, Mrs W. E. Mudgway, of Netherton. Gunner Harrison when he wrote was at a convalescent depot in Palestine after a period in hospital. Ho writes as under:—

•'Everyone was wonderful at the hospital and they gave us chaps from the desert a great time when we were able to get up and about. We had a couple of picnics with the staff. "We also got leave last Sunday and went to the races at Beirut. Jove we had a very enjoyable afternoon and collecting sure reminded me of old times. It was great fun going in and having one pound bets, as one pound in Syrian currency is equivalent to only 2s 3d in our money. Backed Three Winners "We backed three winners during the afternoon and then finished up losing os each so you can see big dividends are almost unheard of in Syria. Usually the favourite pays about double what you invest on it so trying to make money is a pretty difficult proposition. "The horses, taken all found, are perfect in appearance and are mostly pure Arabs. They are not as big in conformation as our horses in NewZealand but are much prettier to look at, and can gallop just as fast. Most of the first-class Arabs are owned by two or three of the most prosperous French and are very well cared for. I went and visited the leading owner's stable with two cobbers and the manager showed us around the stable. The stables were beautifully laid out and all the stalls were full, twelve in all. Each horse has a boy to care for it but these boys are only paid one pound (2s 3d) per day. Starts Very Ragged

"The following day we backed three winners from this stable although they had a competitor in each race. The value of the races carry from £l4O to £2BO, so even in Syria racing on a large scale is still carried on, and every Sunday is race day in Beirut.

"The course was only six furlongs round, so in most of the races the horses passed the finishing post twice as the shortest race was (Ji furlongs. The starts were very ragged and I didn't see one start where the horses were in anything like a line. Most of the starts were walk in, but the fields just bunched up and that was all the starter wanted. Six of the races were robbed of a lot of interest owing to poor starts and there wasn't even a boo from the patrons as they evidently were quite satisfied with the job the starter was doing. "I am going to have a good look at the country while I am here. As I will only be here for a fortnight 1 have already put in for a trip to Jerusalem. This trip includes a visit to the Dead Sea and costs only 15s for the day's outing. I am also going to Tel Aviv which is a very beautiful town, the population being made up mostly of -lews. Touring The Country "As 1 have already seen Haifa I will have seen all the places of interest in this part of the world. It is surprising what a chap can <lo on a pound a week as I have been here 18 months and have not drawn a penny from New Zealand yet. "We are all very pleased to hear that we are to receive an extra shilling a day from the date of embarkation. It means a lot extra to me and brings my allotment up to a nice figure saved while over here. This money will be very handy when we come home as the desert has left its mark on most of us, believe me."