NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 220, 11 June 1919, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

=....-.-' [By Glencoe.J. . Acceptances for the first day's events at-the Napier Park Meeting close on Friday night. .- ■•' ■ -■■'• ''■'.' Entries for all events at the Uawke's Bay Jockey Club's Winter Meeting close with Secretary 11. A. : Moss on Friday at 8 p.nv. ..' -". : - ■■'"' "; ." '. The' Winter-. Meeting of the Gisbonie, Racing Club will, "bo held on Thursday and Saturday. As usual, the steeplechase events.appear to bo easy to win, despite the fact that'the prize money for the principal event totals ,£IOO. ' ■ The' system backer,--who.fondly- dreams of the easy living to bo made by.' back'ing the-favon.rito: to win d certain amount each day, .would do wel! to ponder over tho results of the Otaki" meeting, when on the first day every favourite ' -got' beaten'.' With the usual doubling up 'system the backer of the favourite' 'would have had to -face • a heavy loss on the first day,'.and it was not until well down tho card'on tho second' day 'that a favourite'scored, ' It. may be true that it is only l occasionally -that at least one favourite does I,o't win, but it is on "those days that-the fallacy of the system is proved/'

The Inyer'cargill horseman', F. Yarr, who has becn-.riding iri> Queensland for some years, Was recently'given'two rides . at Kedrph Park by tho stipendiaries,- but in neither'case"was'Yarr equal to'producing, in the steeds the -flectness which it was thought some people wanted to .camouflage. ',; ' ' ' •"■ ' .

-During.the Otaki meeting Volo showed lliat ho is as well now, if not'better,, than n.t any .if.'cvious stage of his'career.' .In.'tho Raukiwa Cup, when ridden by an apprentice, he, was one of the'last to.leave the- mark, and after going rouncV the field on tho top turn, he got to tho : front .soon-after - passing, tho. six fur-' longs, and was not again headed; lie. has no immediate engagements, end will, probably not race again until Ihe Winter Cup. Last year'ho'contested th'obig mile at Riccarton, -out finished out of aplace. However, .ho had faced nineteen limes earlier 111 the year, so was pi'ob- 1 ably knocked o\it tho race. Different tactics ni'e being pursued with him this tune,, and it will be no surprise to fiinlhini one of the early favourites for the. Riccarton event.

Sacramento has been entered for hack liurdlo events, at,-the 'coming Napier meeting. The big Californian gelding should make nn ideal jumper,, but ho will want another winter over his head before lie is seen at.his best.

At the Canterbury Jockey Club's annual meeting of members, Mr. A.j Boyle touched on a matter that should certainly; receive somo attention from ; Mioconference. This was the question of the poor..riding so'often seen i,n races'. It must be admitted that of. leather flappers we have si. surfeit, but of competent horsemen a dearth. It is pitiable,' too, at times to watch tho antics, cut bv boys . who tar the imprimatur, of "licensed jockey," . An a'bility to keep in the' saddle is the beginning and end of their riding' ability. It would appear that the enormous increase in the number of horses now competing has tempted race dubs'to issue riding licenses , promiscuously or on not warranted tocoiumnndations. The probabilities are that if licenses wore not so plentiful and easily obtained, we would fiml trainers teaching their boys to Tide properly, without relying'' on a special few freelances when busino;=t is meant. -In ceH* defence, the race clubs should seek to reform the manners and methods tliat provide such poor jockeys as we are now afflicted with.