RUNNING "GREEN" HORSES.

NZ Truth, Issue 64, 8 September 1906, Page 2

RUNNING "GREEN" HORSES.

Some "fat" and decidedly 'not ready" horses raced at Oaulfield hist Saturday, and the practice of running animals m this state appears to be far more prevalent nowadays than it was of old, when many owners would not tolerate such a proceeding. Present day trainers, however, have different ideas to their predecessors, who used to get their Gup horses fit on the training tracks, instead of on the racecourse, and they regard one outing m public worth a dbjzen gallops. It certainW is the easier mode, for after the "fat" animal has had several runs, and been tenderly hardled m them, if generally follows that it gets into a race at something ua-

der its proper allowance of weigjrt, and being by then m a forward condition, it is backed, and wins. When the time comes for this, however, it generally happens that everybody knows just as much as those who have control of it. Of late years, at any rate, but Ufctla attention has been paid to th« preliminary form of these "fat" horses, but it would seem ithat a new era has dawned with toe advent of the stipendiary stewards, A. H. Cox and A. Vowles, for at Oaulfield on Saturday they insisted upon an enquiry being held into the running of Bon Grafton m the Mala/koff Stakes, with the result that his performaiice was considered very unsatisfactory, and the jockey, H. P. Doran, wa.s severely cautioned for not observing the riding out. rule. We Gannpt say much from personal observation as to. the running of Bon Grafton, for knowing he was "not ready" we did not pay particular attention to him, beyond noticing him well up m the front rank approaching the home turn, and that his side bore evidence of the spurs when lie went back to the bird-cage. The action of the stipendiary stewards was, however, generally endorsed by those who were also watching Bon Grafton and his jockey, and credit is certainly due to the officials for giving no consideration to the fact thai the horse hailed from such a leading .stable as that of Hickenbotham. In the past the "little" man has suffered disqualification for doing things that would have easily gone unnoticed if perpetrated by influential people, some of whom have been facetiously stated to be "licensed to do anything," but it is now to be hoped that this state of things is at an end, and that it will no longer be a case of "fish of one and fowl of another. "-Melbourne "Truth."