Sporting Review. THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1894.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 200, 24 May 1894, Page 4

Sporting Review. THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1894.

The Takapuna Meeting showed one thing and that was that in future there should be some racing regulation prohibiting any trainer holding his horse’s head at the post, as was the case in the Pony Handicap. Through Carbuncle’s trainer holding the mare’s head and remaining with her some distance behind the field, fully half-a-dozen excellent starts were lost, and a considerable amount of time wasted. Every time the field got in line Carbuncle was sure to be standing a couple of lengths in the rear with her head held. Unden the circumstances it was impossible for Mr Halstead to drop the flag, although we think he was asked to consider the mare too much. There should be no bridle holding at the post. If a jockey cannot hold his horse at the post, the owner should obtain the services of another rider, and rather than see the chances of the other horses affected and the time of the public wasted, we would urge Mr Halstead in the event of a similar occurrence to that of Saturday last, to send the horse and rider back to the paddock and let the owner find a rider who is able to control Jhis horse. And there’s this to be considered. There is not the slightest doubt in the world that the bridle holding business affected Carbuncle’s chance. Even if she had been fractious left alone with her rider she could not have been left more badly at the post than was the case, and in all probability her disinclination to move at the fall of the flag was due to the fact that she was cold and comparatively lifeless through being held by the head too long. A horse that has a man hanging on to its bridle has not the same life and action and chance of getting well off the mark as a horse that is free and moving and jumping about. In future we hope there will be no holding business at the post, and we are glad to say Mr Halstead is determined not to allow such an occurrence again. If a trainer appears at the post he will be asked whether the rider cannot hold his horse, and if an answer be given in the affirmative the trainer will be asked to take the horse back to the saddling paddock and obtain a rider who can hold the animal in position.