WELLINGTON

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 783, 9 March 1905, Page 8

WELLINGTON

Wellington, Alarch 8. Wellington sporting folks take considerable interest in the doings oi the inmates «f the Porirua stables, and the running of Prosser’s charges at Wanganui was watched w'ith inteiest. '1 hat Achilles should prevail in the : Jackson Stakes, at Wanganui, was only to be expected, as his weight, owing to his having incurred no penalties, was but 9st lib, and had he been defeated by the moderate field opposed to him would have meant absolute disgrace. Sir Tristram is more than useful, but up to the present has done nothing to warrant his being classed with the champions. All things considered Achilles' performance in the ■Jackson Stakes ranks no higher than the performance of Solution in the Wellington Stakes, nevertheless I have no doubt that it will be exaggerated by unthinking handicappers, and when they come to allot Mr Monk’s horse a weight in handicap events he will be found in his former position many pounds above what his performances entitle him to. Ghoorka finished where I expected him in the Wanganui Cup. Air Alorse awarded him about his correct impost, in his original handicap. The victory of Mr Monk’s horse in the Dunedin Cup must have given the Wanganui handicapper a bit of a shock, and without sufficient knowledge of the merits of the horses Ghoorka defeated, the son of Lochiel’s' performance was over-estimated and 91b added to his weight when it was questionable if he could have been placed had he been left at his original handicap. The disqualification of the jockey Hewitt by the Dunedin Jockey Club is a subject much discussed in local sporting circles. The rules of racing, like the laws of the country, are intended to treat all alike. The law is no respecter of persons, neither should those who administer the rules of racing deal tenderly with one class of owner and harshly with another. It is difficult to reconcile the decisions of the stewards of the Dunedin and Woodville Racing Clubs. The stew-

ards of the Woodville RJ . did not hesit ate to do their duty, and when it was proved that the rider of Inspan had jostled Wind in the Second Hurdle Race they promptly disqualified the horse and awarded the‘stakes to Wind, the horse who finishi d second. Racing Rule 92 reads, “lid in ru!nn>n_ for any race .'one horse shall jostle or cross another, such horse, and every horse belonging to the same owner may !><• disqualified from winning the race,’ whether such jostle or cross happened by the swerving of the horse or by the fold or caieless ridino - of the jockey, or otheiwise. Readers of the “Review” will remember that in the Convoy-Gladsome case, although Air J. B. Reid's jockey conducted himself in a perfectly fair manner throughout the ra< <■, and neither obtain<*d nor [attonrpt’od t ( o obtain any undue advantage, the powers that be after due deliberation order, d that the stakes won by Gladsome be paid over to the owner of the second horse. ’There is evidently some serious flaw in the rules of racing when one racing man’s jockey can ride m such a manner as to imperil the chances of other horses engaged in a race, and the owner’s puniishment is made less severe than that indicted on the nominator of a horse whose rider only commits a technical breach of the racing laws. The handicaps for the Dannevirke Meeting which takes place on Wednesday next, were wired from Dunedin by the club-s handicapper. Some owners have complained that the Dannevirke handicapper was not present at the Woodville Meetino- to witness the racing there. Many of the animals engaged at Dannevirke were racing at Woodville, and their form there could not have been taken into consideration. A section of the Dannevirke stewards were desirous of engaging a handicapper who could attend at W ooc - ville and witness the running prior to declaring his handicaps, bub they were, however, in the minority. Mr Hartg-ell, the well-known stipendiary racing judy.e, who is an official ol the Dannevirke C lub, was strongly opposed to the present arrangements being disturbed, consequently the °racehorse owners must bow before those who rule, and put up with what they get. The executive of the Uannevirke Club could have engaged the services of no less than four other weightadjusters, every one of whom has displayed equal ability to their present official. It is ti,md racing chubs took into consideration those who provide them with no’i inations.