JOCKEYS' STRIKE

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 139, 10 December 1930, Page 13

JOCKEYS' STRIKE

OBJECT TO BIG FIELD

: (From "Vedette.") SYDNEY, 4th December. Strikes and Australia are synonymous, so it caused little surprise at the MoorefioH Meeting last Saturday, when tho jockeys refused to rido in ono particular race becauso they considered the field of 19 too largo for safety on the course. They emphasised that they did not strike in the sense • duly accepted, but their action differed 1 not at all from that usually accepted ; with the word. At the same time they • conducted the affair in a constitutional i and able- manner, which kept them well on the right side of all shades of opinion. ' . 1 Early in the day a deputation of six ;of tho leading jockeys waited on the 1 committee of the club, pointing out 1 that with 22 acceptors, the Carlton ' Mile, run round two turns, was a dan--1 gerous field. Tho committee did not 1 receive the jockeys at all favourably, 'so later in the day, they asked Mr. ; Colin Stephen, chairman of the A.J.C., ' who was present at the meeting, to ' take up their case. He agreed, but ' with no success. . ' Scratchings reduced the field to 19, but when the time came for the race, the boys declined to ride. There were plenty of officials, honorary and otherwise, but none appeared to. be able to jump in and take control of the situation, and even. the stipendiary stewards looked on helplessly. Volunteers were called for but only one, a pony jockey, just admitted by the A.J.C., presented himself at scale, and one apprentice a little later was order■ed by his employer to tako a mount 1 that was to be ridden by one of the [ strikers. The riders announced that they [ would ride if the field was reduced !to 18, so E. F. Walker was- permittee! to withdraw the ex-New Zcalander Dalston. Accordingly some 25 minutes I late, the race, the last on the progi'ammee, was decided. The first and ' second horses, Mr. Whiz and Just Gold, ' were ridden by two members of the i deputation, M. M'Carten and W. K. ', Joimstone. On Monday all the jockeys concerned were haled before the A.J.C. stipen- ' diary stewards. After both sides of the case had been heard, and the joe- ' keys had given an undertaking not to 1 offend again, they were Jet off with a caution. It is understood that the riders are likely to petition for a fixed number of starters for all courses similar to the safety number system in vogue in New Zealand. The Moorcfield course, which has been the scene of several accidents, is a small turniug, and undulating track. It is certainly not a safe one for big fields as races are run nowadays. The objection to dividing the race by the club, it is understood, was purely financial. As it is a proprietary one, it would have meant an added sum in prize-money, and possibly would have resulted in a. loss. This phase or! the case is being adversely commented on in racing circles, when it is considered life and limb was possibly at stake. The probable direct cause of the action of the jockeys was mo floutik tho fatal accidfimt; a* Sfoaford

a. few days earlier, when the apprentice H. Martin lost his life through his mount falling in a field of twenty runners. ... ' At Warwick Farm yesterday tho jockeys made another move and waited again on Mr. Colin Stephen. As a result, a conference of the A.J.C. Committee, two jockeys, two trainers, the stipendiary stewards, and starter, is to be held to-morrow at Bandwick. Safety numbers at the metropolitan, course will bo discussed as a preliminary to making similar arrangements on the proprietary courses. Having put its own house in order tho A.J.C. will be in a good sound position to mako~ the proprietary clubs conform.