"DICK" WOOTTON RETURNS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1639, 4 January 1913, Page 3

"DICK" WOOTTON RETURNS.

RACING IN,ENGLAND. . V, .Keen and alert a 9 over, and apparently as full of vigour as he was when ho won Tnttersall's Cup with Fabric on January 1,1906, "Dick" Wootton Teturnod to Sydney on Christmas Evo (says the. "Sun"). Ho has been, in England for close on seven years, and his friends who greeted him as ho stepped off the Melbourne express saw no change in him. In. reply to a question' as to whether tho : Englisli courses were as good as those in Australia, he replied, "They are better." Then lie added, "Oh, no, I won't say that. I am an- Australian, and it would be difficult to find better courses anywhere than those at'Ranthvick and Flcmington." The returned trainer speaks highljr of .the racing lie has been concerned in since ho left Sydney. "English racing," ,he says, "compares favourably with-anything in the world. It is Carried out on- a largo scale, and is above suspicion. There are so many wealthy men at the gamo. In England it is a.pleasure;, here it is more of a business. That is the difference. A man might losoa million in England, but ho would not worry about 'it" .-'■.■■■ J ■ Apparently tho training of winners has becomo- a .common sort of pastime with Mr. Wootton, so much so that he has dropped the' custom of committing them ,to memory. Tho question was asked _of ' him, "How many winners have you trained since you left Sydney?" "Oh, God kr.ows,' was tho reply. ' Frank, the jockey, was 19 years of ago. on December' 14, and Mr. Wootton considers''him a bettor horseman than. Dannie Mahcr, the crack American rider. "Of course," said Frank's fatlicr, wo have not.perhaps had it thorough test. Frank has been riding at tho 'small meetin»s, but Maher goes only for the big «ame. Still I think, all things being equal,' Frank, would provo his superior in a straight-out contest. Tho two are great rivals, and Maher is- constantly making things bad for Frank. He has greater influence witli the stewards, miu so manages to cause a lot of trouble.