RACING IN ENGLAND.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1302, 8 April 1915, Page 18

RACING IN ENGLAND.

OFFICIALS IN QUANDARY. At a meeting of the English Jockey Club last week the Duke of Portland favoured the temporary suspension of racing. Lord Crewe, however, hoped that Ascot, Epsom and Goodwood would be held, but that restrictions would he placed on the sale of intoxicating liquors. Lord Villiers announced that the social element would be eliminated at Ascot, as the stewards would not open the Royal enclosure, and no special trains would be run. Twentyfive meetings had already been abandoned since the war started. Lord Roseberry said that if racing was a guilty business and impeded the official carrying out of the war it ought to be suspended, despite the ruin that would be caused to countless hard-working people. But nobody alleged that racing interfered with the war, and if races were abandoned the news that the British were down-hearted and had lost confidence would spread to Germany and would have a greater effect than any reverse.

Lord Dunraven said it was preposterous to abandon all racing, but Epsom and Ascot were occasions for jollity, and would be almost indecent in war time. Lord Coventry moved, and Lord Derby seconded, “That the club sees no reason for reversing its decision to continue racing where the local conditions permit, and the feeling in the locality is not averse to a meeting being held.” Later the stewards announced that view of the altered conditions under which Ascot would have to be held, they were considering whether it would not be better to abandon the fixture.