RACING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1163, 25 July 1912, Page 5

RACING.

RACING CALENDAR.

SEASON 1911-12 FIXTURES. Aug - . 13, 15, and 17 —Canterbury J.C. National WEIGHTS ARE DUE. Aug. 2 —Canterbury J.C. (minor events) ACCEPTANCES. Aug. 9 —Canterbury J.C. (minor events) Sept. 6 —New Zealand Cup

RACING REFORM.

STIPENDIARY STEWARDS TO BE APPOINTED. The following is the text of an important resolution carried at the conference of New Zealand Jockey Club’s on Thursday: — “At each annual conference six persons shall be elected to constitute together with the president a committee, to be called ‘The Stipendiary Stewards’ Committee,’ which shall be elected,- with power to select and appoint not less than two persons to

act as stipendiary stewards at race meetings, on such terms, with such powers, and subject to such conditions, as the committee may by laws or regulations (which they are hereby authorised to make), prescribe. Such by-laws and regulations shall, when signed by the chairman of the committee be transmitted to the secretary of the conference, and notified, and shall thereafter have equal force and effect as if they were by-laws and regulations made by the conference itself. The committee, of which the president shall be chairman, may delegate to him all or any of the powers of the committee, other than the power of appointing stipendiary stewards, and the power of making, rescinding, or varying by-laws and regulations (hereby, conferred on the committee), and the chairman may exercise such delegated powers as if they were hereby conferred on the chairman in the same ifianner as they are hereby conferred on the committee. In the event of no stipendiary steward being able to attend to any race meeting, a substitute stipendiary steward may be appointed by the committee, or its chairman, to act at such race meeting, and in respect of such race meeting, shall be deemed for all purposes a stipendiary steward. The committee shall determine the remuneration to be paid to the stipendiary stewards for their

services, and the amount required for the purpose, and in order to carry this rule into effect, shall be provided by the totalisator clubs, by the payment of a percentage not exceeding one-eighth per cent, of the gross amounts received by them respectively by way of investments on the totalisator during the preceding year, with regard, so far as the committee may find expedient, to any change in the number of days on which the totalisator is used by any club in the current year The amount payable by each club shall be fixed by the committee, and .be paid to the secretary of the conference, who shall apply it as the chairman may from time to time direct.” The matter was introduced by the Hon. O. Samuel (Taranaki), who said that after many years’ consideration he could think of nothing better than the motion before the conference to bring about the necessary reform. Mr Nolan (Taranaki country) seconded the motion. The president said that Mr Samuel’s proposal as first sub-

mitted left the financial aspect in a somewhat nebulous condition. Referring to the work of the stewards, the president said their chief business would be to follow the running from one meeting to another and detect malpractices. The class of man required could not easily be obtained . unless adequate remuneration was offered. He must be a man of character, one that could be thoroughly trusted, one with an inner knowledge of racing, and generally possessing the. very best qualities. Sir George estimated the cost of the new scheme at £4OOO per annum. As a method of raising this, he suggested a levy of % per cent, on the club’s totalisator receipts. On the last year’s figures this would have realised £3002, Auckland paying £459, Canterbury £365, Wellington £260, Dunedin £l4O, Wanganui £136, and other clubs smaller amounts. There was an alternative method which suggested itself. The jockey’s provident fund had a sum of ovei’ £12,000 on fixed deposit. He thought that was a sufficient reserve for all demands that were likely to arise, and it might be that, if the reserve were fixed at £lO,OOO and maintained at that figure, the balance of contributions, together with a levy of 1-16 per cent., on totalisator receipts might .supply the necessary funds for payment, of stipendiary stewards.

After further discussion the motion was amended to meet the necessary requirements as to finance and was carried in the above form amidst applause. The following were appointed members of the first Stipendiary Stewards’ Committee: the Hon. W. H. Herries, Messrs H. Friedlander, P. Miller, R. H. Nolan, E. B. Guinness, W. E. Bidwill and the president.

GRAND NATIONAL ACCEPTANCES

The response from owners on Monday evening when the acceptances for the principal events at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting were received is highly satisfactory and promises well for a successful gathering at Riccarton next month. In the Grand National Steeplechase twenty horses have been paid up for and the list includes most of the Dominion’s best ’chasers. The withdrawal of Te Arai leaves Continuance at the head of the handicap with 12.3 and at present the son of Sabretache is a staunch favourite for the event.

He was withdrawn from the Wellington Steeplechase on account of the going, which was exceptionally heavy and perhaps too much reliance must not be placed upon the showings of several of . those seen out at Trentham. Antarctic, 12.2, ran a good race in beating all but Captain Jingle in the Wellington Steeplechase, but those who saw the big chestnut are writing him out of his National engagement. There can be no doubt but that Antarctic is a great horse when well but at present he appears to be a long way below his best form. Hautere 11.9 shaped badly at Wellington and was a very tired horse when J., Deerey pulled him .up half a. mile from home. The heavy going could not have told against him as the same conditions prevailed when he won the Great Northern. .Hautere is not a very big horse, and may not be able to carry substantial imposts when pitted against, strong opposition. Captain Jingle won both steeplechases at Trentham and in each instance he had matters all his own way at the finish. He has now incurred the maximum 141 b penalty which brings his impost up to 11.7, but even now he should be a tough proposition and will most likely see a short price. Black Northern 11.3 is evidently being reserved for the event, but it is a big question to expect a maiden ’chaser to win Grand National honours at the

first time cf asking. Black Northern has proved himself a really good hurdle horse . and there- appears- no reason why he should not prove a success over, the big fences.. Sir Lethe and Paritutu have each - 11.2 and of/the pair the last-named will perhaps be preferred. He won the event .last year from .Corazon and Antarctic and may not have -such formidable opponents next month. Sir Lethe is a bold jumper but may find the journey too far. Compass 10.9 must be given an outside chance, but unless Tyrannic .■ 9.12 is capable of bringing off a surprise, it looks as though the winner will come from those above 11.0. A good field of twenty-eight have accepted for the Grand National Hurdles and, as in the Steeplechase, Continuance again heads the list, this time with 12.7. It is reported that the connections of the horse have supported him for the Steeplechase, coupled with Koran and Coronetted in the Hurdles, and if this is correct then they cannot favour his chance in the Hurdles. Black Northern has received his full deserts at 12.2 and several of those below them should lower his colours. Paisano 11.11 has not performed over brilliantly in his latest essays and maybe he is not the horse of a couple of seasons back. The Rover, Koran and The Native have each 10.13 and a faster trio of hurdlers under a light weight it would be difficult to find. Given a. dry day and the going firm, The Native would be extremely hard to beat,, but the chances are that the course will be soft. The Rover ran a good second to Continuance last year, after receiving a bad passage in the straight and there are those who say that he, and not Continuance, should have won last year’s event. Koran is at present a good second favourite,, and as we know he can run out a merry two miles over the small fences, he is likely to hold his position. Flingot and Darby Paul on the 10.12 mark are in their right position, and in view of Darby Paul’s win in the Final Hurdles on Saturday, he cannot be left out of calculations. The Winter Hurdles’ winner, White Cockade, made short work of the opposition on Wednesday last but ran badly the second day. However, he hit one of the fences very hard and this may have been responsible for his failure co show up prominently. With a 141 b penalty his impost is now only 10.0 and he must be given a reasonable chance of victory. Of those handicapped under lOst Bully 9.13, Coronetted 9.9, and Sandy Paul 9.6 catch the eye. Bully is galloping better now than before the Northern, meeting when he ran second to Napper. A couple of mornings ago, assisted by Monotone, he ran once round on the sand at Ellerslie in great style. He finished well, while from, a time point of view the effort was above- the ordinary for a hurdler. As a result of his-decisive victory in the Parliamentary Handicap, -Coronetted. - has advanced to . the -position of favourite for. the big Riccarton event, and there are those who will not hear of his defeat. He certainly appears to have all the best- of it on paper, but at Ellerslie in June he did not jump well and will want to improve in’ this department to keep pace with horses like Koran, The Native and The' Rover. Sandy Paul filled the role of runnerup to White Cockade in the Winter Hurdles,' and with only 9.6 to carry at Ricarton, he should be in a position to make a bold showing. The Winter Cup (flat) has attracted an acceptance of twenty-seven horses. Salute is in pride of place with 10.9, and he should be capable of running out a mile despite hex* impost. Mangaroa 9.13, Prosper 9.11, Mt. Victoria 9.7, and Ladrqne 9.5, are well supported for the event which, bears a decidedly open appearance.

The Grand Prize at Hamburg, value £SOQO, . was. run. last month, being won by the three-year-old Gulliver 11. (Hannibal—Gnadgiste), who hails from the. Royal. Graditz stud.