IMPROVEMENTS WANTED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 54

IMPROVEMENTS WANTED.

With the conclusion of the Maniototo meeting ends a run of southern fixtures commencing 1 at Wyndham. and then on to Invercargill, Wairio. Lawrence, Gore, and Tapanui, to be climaxed by the Dunedin Cup meeting. With the exception of Wairio, the writer has witnessed the sport at all the places named, and after mature reflection holds a very strong opinion, not entirely based on recent happenings, but rather on the result of reporting theee fixtures for several seasons, that the racing witnessed at all these meetings is open to considerable and much needed improvement. To effect this three things are necessary, and they consist of a handicappev, starter, and stipendiary steward. The last-named 1 ie the most important requirement, and as the writer has no desire to continually harp on the subject of bettex. control of our race meetings, it will be passed over with the expression of the hope that the olubs will either appoint two or three of their officials who are most conversant with racing to specially watch the running or, failing that, try and obtain a capable man for the position of stipendiary steward. Stipendiary stewards would find plenty of work at other meetings besides those mentioned, but a close acquaintance of meeting held between Riccarton and Invercargill makes the writer express the wi«h that an early improvement will be effected in the south. As far as the handicapping is concerned, it appears to the writer that owners do not get the consideration^ to which they are justly entitled 1 . Keeping, racing, nnd travelling racehorses Is not paid for with pennies, and when horses are nominated at a meeting it ie a club's bounden duty to se* that thai* chance of

success per medium of good handicapping and starting is on as equitable a basis as possible. If satisfactory handicapging i« to be accomplished, it is absolutely necessary that the hnndicapper should witness tho form (or a reasonable amount of it) of tho hoises which he has to handicap. (•ood handicaps may be compiled from newspaper reports, but it is not a satisfactory method, and, further, the report* are not always reliable. The handicappers fo- tho «out'hprn meetings are only on raie occasions noticed at Wingatui, where it tnav bo said they would get an excellent lino as to future adiustments. The handicapper for the Gore meeting was not noticed at tho Imercargill meeting, which was held a few dav-s earlier, and where horses claiming engagements on the G.R.C. programme were racino. And the same in connection with other meetings. The writer blamos the club's for not insisting that their handicap-pors »hould attend certain meetings, and if the weight-adjusters' salaries are not sufficiently large to bear the expense of travel, they should be increased in order to enable them to do so to a reasonable and necessary extent. This could be bost accomplished by the clubs combining in the selection of either one or two men, and appoint them to attend and handicap for the various meetings. Some improvement is necessary on what has taken place in the past and present season, and for their mutual benefit the , clubs affected should give this matter their I earnest consideration. The starting at several meetings has been distinctly unsatisfactory, and the clubs would confer a great and much needed benefit on their patrons if they obtained a capable man to officiate on all the southern courses. It i« worse than useless for clubs to hans? out attractive programmes, which may attract large fields, if their and the handicapper'e efforts to make good races ar« entirely nullified by indifferent starting. In conclusion, it may be said that tho writer is by no means fond of adding +o> his unpopularity by writing in a faultfinding strain, nor does he attend races with eyes for naught but faults. Unfortunately for the moral tone of the sport. faults have lately been too prominent, and meetines spoilt much in the same wav ac an unpalatable diah or two- wrecks what could otherwise be "a feast for the gods." THE MANIOTOTO MEETING. It is invariably fine for the Man.ototo meetings, and last week, when the local club's annual fixture came up for decision, proved no exception to the rule. In fact it was too fine, and when the weather is too fine in a climate beyond criticism there is danger lurking somewhere, although it is not apparent to the casual observer. The journey from the Taieri to Middlemarch and on to Ranfurly, although very interesting- to one making; acquaintance of the route for the first time, becomes monotonous on frequent repetition. The heat as one ascends becomes somewhat trying, and when the novelty of what ie unquestionably a highly interesting train ride has worn off there is only a desire to eet-the-journey-over feeling left. Still, all journeys become more or less trying when familiarity breeds contempt or unappreciative indifference for what at first acquaintance is considered all novelty and scenic beauty. After a brief halt at Ranfurly the coach, ride across the plains almost at once brought home the fact that an invariably dry country was much drier than usual. Approaching Naseby it was noticeable that the water races were dry, and that being so matters at the outset did not look too promising. The township, on arrival, was found to be much quieter than usual. There was a fair amount of life on the forenoon of the race day, but the attendance at the course appeared to be almost 50 per cent, below the largest which the writer has noticed at the track in recent years. The general quietness of the district would naturally prepare one for a meagre attendance, but still, as the day wore on, it was evident that there was a comparatively fair amount of money on the ground, as the betting was much larger than what the numerical strength of the attendance suggested might be the case. The principal race on the first day attracted a field of three, and the solid support afforded Stepaside resulted in a good price being obtainable about Speculate, who was, * however, the actual favourite, but was, in the light of hia Gore Cup win, on the market at a tempting figure, particularly when the solitary fielder on the ground opened up on the race. The trio ran together going; along the back, and approaching the top of the hill Grosvenor was galloping as if he was going to do something, but he dropped back when about two furlongs from home. The others turned into the straight together, and in a good run home Speculate beat Stepaside by half a length. Speculate did not appear to have much to spare at the finish, and he had to be kept going when Stepaside put in her final challenge. Rifle Range, who had a very comfortable win in . the Trial Plate, which formed the opening item on the card, came out again and scored another easy win in the Welter Handicap, whilst another Dunedin horse in Zero concluded the day by capturing the Maniototo Handicap." On tho second day Pretty Face, a half-sister by Clanranald to Miss Mischief, won a douhlo in getting away with the Flying Handicap and Jockey Club Handicap, and p\-hibifed the greater merit by winnins the latter race. Lady de Vere followed up her success of the previous day by landing the Publican's Handicap, and Smallshoes kept in winning vein at the meeting by being the principal in a walkover and by a win in the Hack Race. Some of the riding exhibited during the meeting was by no means free from suspicion — to use a mild expression. — but from discussions which the writer had with some of the stewards they had a strong desire to have their sport as clean as possible, and possibly the malefactors were given the benefit of any doubt which may have existed in the minds of the officials.