Sporting Review. THURSDAY, JULY 5, 1894.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 206, 5 July 1894, Page 4

Sporting Review. THURSDAY, JULY 5, 1894.

One of the matters to be brought forward at the Racing Conference by the Auckland Racing Club’s delegates has reference to jockeys’ fees, and it will no doubt receive the support of owners, whom we think are unanimous in the belief that the present rates are too high. The motion to be submitted and advocated by Messrs. Percival and Kirkwood reads:— “ That the fees as at present paid to jockeys in accordance with the provisions of Rule 169 are generally too high, and that the Conference take into its consideration some scheme for the adoption of a lower scale.” We consider there is good reason for the drafting of such a motion. The scale is undoubtedly too high, and requires an alteration. It is provided for by existing Rule 169 that in the absence of a special agreement the fee to a winning jockey shall be 5 per cent, upon the net amount received by the owner up to £2OO, and 2& for all sums over that sum ; provided that in no case shall a winning jockey receive less than £3. It is further provided that the fee to a losing jockey shall be £2 in any race up to £lOO ; £3 up to £5OO ; and £5 for any race over that amount. This provision re losing is all very well for races for fair stakes, but what about races of the value of £lO, £l5, £2O and £25 ? According to the present rule jockeys receive £2 for losing a £lO race and £3 for winning one ! That is too high. In big races owners cheerfully pay the fees as fixed by the rules, but in the smaller events the scale is really too high after an owner has paid running and training fees. And respecting doubling the fees for jumping races (on account, doubtless, of the su£-

posed risks) we will not say anything further than that it is a moot point whether racing statistics will not show that there are more accidents over fences than on the flat. For instance that terrible Caulfield Cup smash is seldom equalled, over the fences.