FOUL RIDING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 959, 23 July 1908, Page 8

FOUL RIDING.

On the above subject, the Melbourne S. and D. News has the following pertinent remarks: —A sharp look out should be kept by the racing authorities for foul riding in races, an evil that, according to all accounts, is far too common on our courses,

It is quite possible, indeed, that many of the accidents that occur in connection with flat racing are due to unfair tactics on the part of the riders themselves, but open complaints from one against the other are very rare. For some strange reason, most of the boys seem to think that it is no business of theirs to lay a charge of foul riding against a rival, even when there would be little or no difficulty in proving the case. Very often after a race, the riders in their own room can be heard wrangling amongst themselves about the alleged unfair treatment they had just received in the field, but if they are asked to place their complaint before the proper authorities for investigation, they are at once stricken with dumbness so far as that particular matter is concerned. They (the aggrieved) content themselves by promising “the enemy” that he will be paid back in his own coin when the opportunity occurs. It is

a great pity that the horsemen them selves cannot be brought to see that it is only adding fuel to the fire to thus take the law in their own hands, or, in other words, to pay back their own scores in their own way. This is only increasing an evil that very badly needs suppressing. If it is allowed to go on practically unchallenged, the practice of foul riding must, as time goes on. assume very dangerous proportions—if, indeed, it has not already reached that stage. We have ourselves recently witnessed a lew very glaring and deliberate cases in which one rider was noticed to wilfully strike into an opponent, to the danger, it may be said, of the whole field. It woold be a good thing for the sport if a few of these scoundrels, who will stop at nothing in the way of intentional interference in a race, could be caught and made examples of. If they do not often cause bad accidents, it is certainly not their fault, and the game would be well rid of them. Cannot something be done by the racing auth orities to at least check this dangerous evil?