SOMEBODY'S TO BLAME

NZ Truth, Issue 1191, 27 September 1928, Page 13

SOMEBODY'S TO BLAME

Avondale Gets Its Share of Bad Weather .•■ . . ■ i . . • ■ .. \ ; (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

That) there is some Jonah associated with the Avondale club can be the only feasible explanation regarding the misfortune m weather conditions which so often prevail at its race-gatherings.

/CONDITIONS last week-end— on Cup v/ day-^— instanced this more clearly than ever before with the result that the actual drop m the turnover •from the first day — held at Ellerslie^last spring was more than the totalizator receipts registered at Avondale last Saturday. < : • , Such a happening may be hard to realize except by those who were about the premises. To those on the spot, it came as a surprise to note that .punters braved the elements to such an extent as to account for £26,919 l(}s. going through the tote. : This was a drop of £27,840 compared with the previous Avondale Cup day at Ellerslie. , For three days prior to Avondale the weather had been gloriously fine and gave promise for a great meeting. However, on- Friday night the good spell broke, and though it abated sufficiently on Saturday morning to encourage a -fair muster, of sports to the

ground, no sooner had racing started than the rain -began to pelt down. Long before the proceedings ©ndod hundreds wended their way^ homewards. The course was not really as bad as some of the winter tracks, but with a gale facing competitors down the back and plenty of moisture from the heavens it was all m favor of the mudlarks. These '•circumstances' had much to do With the defeat of many of the best horses, which will win under more favoraible conditions. Mud-larks such as Hoariri and High Pitch were distinctly favored, and this accounted for the forward position this pair held m the betting market. Immediately after the day's proceedings concluded the weather took a fine turn again. Truly,, it seems there is a Jonah connected with Avondale.