CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1123, 19 October 1911, Page 5

CURRENT TOPICS.

Mason’s Attack on the Totalisator. It was only natural to suppose that the cabled account of an interview J. R. Mason gave to a Sydney reporter should have stirred up a hornet’s nest for the well-known trainer on his return to these shores. Even though the account we got may have been a garbled one, yet there was quite enough unfair criticism of the totalisator and racing in New Zealand to make Mason’s 'best friends resent his indiscreet utterances. It is some little relief now to have the Southern trainer’s assurance that some of his remarks had been “altogethei’ misconstrued,” and that when a full report of the interview was available a different complexion would be put on his remarks. J. R. Mason’s explanation, however, still leaves him in an invidious position, for he admits that the tenor of his interview was an advice to Australians to leave well alone, and not introduce the totalisator as a mearts of betting. In other words this can only be construed to mean that Mason is opposed to our legalized and revenue producing form of betting.

Lack of Sporting Spirit. As we pointed out last week this unwarrantable attack on the machine

by the man who has doubtless benefited more than any other trainer in the Dominion by the totalisator, hardly exhibits the best spirit of a sportsman. It cannot be denied that “Dick” Mason did for years, while training for the late G. G. Stead, have practically a “first mortgage” on most of the classical races in New Zealand; and by his success as a trainer of weight-for-age bloodstock he made his name and his means of livelihood. In the circumstances, therefore, it was —to say the least — ill-natured criticism on Mason’s part to refer to racing in this country as having become “cheap and nasty” as the result of the totalisator. * # 5F ❖ What the Totalisator Has DoneISuch a statement in reality is absolutely opposed to the facts so far as New Zealand is concerned, because no man can deny but for the existence of the totalisator the many well-endowed classical races on the programmes of our metropilitan clubs could not appear there. It is the totalisator that has provided the stakes awarded for these events,, and it has been Dick Mason, the trainer for G. •G. Stead and G. D. Greenwood, that has benefited most —as a trainer — from the liberal money awarded for weight-for-age races in New Zealand.

111-Advised Criticism. We cannot help feeling, as do many of Mason’s friends and admirers, that his criticism was very ill-advised in view of the fact that his reputation as a trainer would necessarily attach more than passing importance to his remarks, not only in Australia but here, where all true sportsmen should be standing four-square defending our sport against the attack of the treacherous wowsers. It is such weapons as Mason has thrown down that these people pick up, load with slugs and broken glass and fire in our face.

An Attractive Programme. The Feilding Jockey Club has issued their programme for 1911-1912, and it is a worthy reflex of the enterprise of this progressive club. For the spring meeting, to be held on November 29 and 30, there are sixteen events to be decided for which £2,800 is provided as prize money. The Sixth Feilding Stakes carries with it 500sovs., of which the second horse receives lOOsovs. and the third 50 sovs. The next two most important events are the S\t. Andrew’s Handicap, and Manchester Handicap, which carry stakes amounting to 300sovs. and 250sovs. respectively. Following these there are three events worth 200sovs-, three of 150sovs., and seven of lOOsovs.

One innovation in the spring programme is the provision that the Aorangi Trial Plate, on the first day, is open only to apprentice-riders, who have not won more than five races. This is a new departure that has much to recommend it.

Encouragement for Apprentices. For some considerable time now, owners and trainers have experienced a great deal of inconvenience by the dearth of suitable apprentices coming forward. The Racing Conference certainly took a forward step in the direction of encouraging a greater influx of apprentices to the ranks by providing a 51b. “aptprentice allowance.” The fact that the racing clubs are now disposed to “ear-mark” certain races for apprentice jockeys only should go still further to improve the prospects of boys who have aspirations to win fame as horsemen.