ONEHUNGA RACING CLUB’S MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 39, 25 April 1891, Page 5

ONEHUNGA RACING CLUB’S MEETING.

The Onehunga Racing Club hold their race •meeting to-day on the Otahuhu. racecourse. The acceptances and general entries are very good, so there should he some interesting racing for those who go, but to pick a winner until the numbers go up and you see how things are going is very difficult at these country meetings, as many things turn up at the last minute. There are eleven in the Maiden Elate. Many of them have been running in maiden races for a long time; their owners apparently not being . > inclined to get them out of that class of races. Theorem, 6st 121 b, on his running at the Tattersail’s Club meeting reads well in, but is engaged in both the Hurdle Races, and the stable is too clever to have accepted with him if he could not jump. Bon Voyage, Bst.lolb, 'also reads well. If I was sure that Theorem was going to start for it one need not look further for the winner, but as there is an “if” in the matter I will select Bon Voyage to furnish the winner. Eight remain in the Maiden Hurdle Race, and as many of them are new to the game it is hard to pick the winner. Lonely, lOst, is in a dangerous stable, and it appears that they mean the little sticks to be Theorem’s game, so he must be kept on the right side. Bacchus, 9st 71b, has a turn of speed, and if he can jump ought to prove dangerous. Relation, 9st in the same stable as Lonely, is well spoken of. Of a bad lot I will take Rae’s selected—Lonely or Relation—and Theorem to furnish the winner. The Selling Race is always a nasty race to touch. Octopus, likes this kind of game, but as he has to give weight away to all the others, Iron Bark, from his running at the Tattersail’s • meeting, reads about the best. The Onehunga Cup, the principal race of the meeting, has seven remaining in. It is not often that we see Major George condescending to “leather-flapping,” so must consider that he thinks he has a good chance with Coalscuttle, Bst 41b, but for my part I prefer Leorina, 9st : 121 b ? and Mr. Thompson’s selected one— Tamora, 7st 81b, or Warrior, 6st 71b. Seven have accepted for the Handicap Hurdles. This should lie between Hopeful Kate, 9st 101 b, and Williamson’s selected one —Nap, list, or Theorem, 9st 51b. . The Flying Stakes has an acceptance of ten. Of these Maccaroni, 7st 51b, and Vendetta, 7st 71b, read about the best. / Ten are left, in the Welter Handicap. Leorina, 12st 41b, is the top weight, and as the course will sure to be holding, that weight will in all probability stop her, so Lonely, 9st, and Warrior, Bst 121 b, ought to fight out the finish.

On looking through the southern files one comes across the question of dealing with jockeys to prevent them from “roping” horses, and making them ride honestly. The thing is a difficult matter to deal with. Some advocate licensing jockeys, and that if they are found out in dishonest practices by taking it away

you deprive them of a livelihood. This might answer if there was one jockey club for New Zealand, but as matters stand at present it would be useless. Many stewards -especially at country meetings —never use their eyes, so jockeys can do pretty much as they like. The further one goes south the better things are managed. Looking back on what may nearly now be called the past season, one sees that the Dunedin Jockey Club have had several jockeys up before them, and have suspended two or three of them. In Dunedin, it is said, there is less “ roping” done than in any other part of the Colony. That must be owing to the viligance of the stewards, as most of the jockeys ride all over the Colony. At the last C.J.C. meeting the stewards suspended Derritt, one of the oldest riders in New Zealand, for suspicious riding. This is commented upon as a very light sentence, as it is the slack season, and it must be remembered that Derritt has not an entirely clean sheet. It is said that this light sentence was passed on account of his having lost the greater part of his savings through the default of one of their members; Derritt also said that he was quite unfit to ride Prime Warden, as he was so cut up at his loss. Therefore taking all things into consideration it would perhaps have been better if the stewards had let him off with a caution, but it shows they are on the watch to punish any jockey guilty of malpractices. Then come further North, and one hears of the Wellington stewards having jockeys up before them. Only last week they suspended Raynor, the rider of Revenge, for six months for suspicious riding, though the next day they re-opened the case, and after hearing the evidence of the trainer and others they annulled the sentence. The stewards might have been precipitate on the first day or it might have come out in further evidence that Revenge is one of those shifty brutes that so often get jockeys into trouble. However it shows that the stewards are up to their work, and intend seeing things carried out properly. Hawkes Bay Jockey Club, Napier Park and Wanganui Racing Clubs have all had jockeys up before them, and have punished some, warning others, thus showing they are determined to do their duty. Now we come to the A.R.C. stewards. We do not remember a single jockey being had up before them or the Takapuna J.C. stewards, which is the second club in Auckland, not because “ roping ” and blocking ”is not done here, some stables being particularly fond of both practices. Let any one who is fond of racing and understands it go through certain horses performances during this season and he will see a difference of not only pounds but stones at different meetings. In some cases twentyfour hours and even less has made a wonderful change, still no notice is taken of it. The sytem of “ blocking ” is a most pernicious one, and in the United Kingdom is punishable by suspension for life. “ Blocking ” accidendtly is bad enough. The jockeys that do it never think of the danger to those behind them — especially in a crowded field —if the blocked horse, or even another, comes down. Look at the fearful accidents that have occurred. One need not go further back than the one at Caulfield and see what the results were. Blocking is greatly carried on by two or three stables, especially on the Takapuna racecourse, which is very favourable for it; but as yet no attempt has been made to put a stop to it. An employer of one of the boys who is very fond of this kind of thing, was spoken to on the subject, and denied having any knowledge of it, though it transpired after that the boy had received his orders. When a smash happens some day and a jockey is killed, a verdict of manslaughter may be brought in, and a master is responsible for a servant's acts. The cause of no jockeys being had up before the stewards in Auckland is simply this—some do not know their duties, others only care about seeing their names on the card, while others are afraid to act on their own responsibility. Two were heard to say one day —We can do nothing, there has been no objection lodged. The duties of stewards are plain enough if they choose to exercise their powers. If they see anything that is not straightforward in the shape of suspicious running or riding, jostling, blocking, etc., they can of their own accord have owner, trainer, and jockey up before them, and investigate the case, and if found guilty punish them by suspension or fine.

The unfortunate clashing of the Avondale and Dargaville meetings spoilt both, 1 his piec of mismanagement was not due to the officals of either club. The Dargaville been compelled to postpone their a owing to their course not being ready, a as possible they telegraphed to the secre y the A.R.C. asking him if the 17th and 18th were vacant; and in reply received wor they could have these dates. As I was present at either meeting I am unable o gi any account of the running. From reports the Avondale meeting was very poor, the attendance being meagre and the the fields smal . stewards did all in their power to make the meeting a success, but they had not the. materials to work upon. Warrior appe to be coming (?) back to his two-year-old form, though it is rather late in the season. Ingarangi by winning the hurdle race showe that he is not quite the “ duffer some people try to make him out, as by the way he cut down Orakei in the Hurdle race shows that he has a bit of pace as well as jumping powers. Maccaroni annexed the Flying Stakes and Avondale Handicap, so, though Theorem tell in the first race and Ingarangi in the bteepiechase, the stable had not a bad day of it, coupling it with the Takapuna and Dargaville meetings the fortnight’s work should leave a good balance. Hopeful Kate, owing to fal san refusals, won the Steeplechace. It has o en struck me that the cause of so many mistakes is the bad bitting of the horses, it is quite impossible to hold a horse together and co ec him at his fences with a snaffle, still this is the general bridle used in the colonies. Du , many years experience at Steeplechasing, o in England and Ireland, I never knew but two horses that would go in a snaffle and then a very thick one. The late Mr. Ashton Smi , one of the finest riders and the best juog e 0 horses in England, said he had only had one that went in a snaffle, and he went better in a double. There are two or three horses at the present time at Ellerslie that I should like to see ridden either in a Pelham or a Secundum, and unless greatly mistaken they would perform much better over a country than they have done heretofore.