Page 4 Advertisements Column 3

Chronicle (Levin), 10 August 1949, Page 4

Ducks In Birdcage. Racegoers know the ofiicial enclosure in which the horses parade to front of the members' stand as the "birdcage." There were birds in the birdcage at Hastings on Saturday. Rain, which commenced before the second race and feil throughout the remainder of the day, eaused the already saturated ground to become waterlogged. With large fields of 'horses engaged the ground in the birdcage became churned into a sea of mud as the horses walked round and round before the jockeys mountedr Just before the last race three large white ducks from the club's lakelet in the vicinity mddled into the birdcage and made their way about, dabbling their bills in the mud after worms. Jockeys riding in the races brought back p^enty.of the mud, especially if they were unfortunate ehough to be in behind the leading horses. Some riders were so mud-bespattered that their features couM not be recognised and it was even dlfflcult to make out the colours of their racing jaekets.