OFF FOUR TIMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 68, 11 June 1927, Page 8

OFF FOUR TIMES

AN UNRULY SPRINTER CANDIDATE FOR SCHOOLING LIST It is unfortunate for a keen sportsman like Mr. R. Hannon to have a horse such as York Abbey to upset fields at the barrier. It would be equally unfortunate for this owner if it was decided to place his horse on the schooling list, which means that the horse cannot start in a flat race until the authorities are satisfied that he has become more manageable. Yet it is certain that the Waikato sportsman will have to do something with the unruly one, for it would occasion little surprise if in the near future York Abbey appears on the black list, as indicated above. Up to the present the authorities, including the starters, have been unduly lenient in their treatment of the horse. LONG DELAYS At both autumn meetings of the Auckland and Avondale clubs York Abbey was a nuisance at the barrier, and it was only when Mr. O’Connor tried walk-up methods that the horse got away without trouble. At Te Rapa soon afterwards York Abbey was again an offender, and was placed behind the field. The limit was reached at Ellerslie on Wednesday. The starter endeavoured to get a walk-up start, but York Abbey quickly spoilt that, and for almost ten minutes he held up the start. He would push and shove and back in, and it took more than tugging to get him out of the tangle. Four times did Rennie, his rider, dismount and lead him out. The starter was altogether too lenient, but with a full gallery of stipendiary stewards they must have seen enough to put the recommendation through. AS A HURDLER York Abbey appears to be the cut of a horse to make a good hurdler, for if his efforts on the flat are restricted by being placed on the schooling list, that will be the only racing avenues open to him. If put to the jumping game it will probably assist in quietening him down, and in addition it may sharpen him up for future racing on the flat when the ban is removed. Mr. Hannon is extremely lucky that York Abbey has not been debarred before this. The horse is bad enough himself, but it is magnified by the fact that his antics generally succeed in upsetting the other horses in the field. Many people are in favour of moving starts, but the flat-footed despatch seems to bo the fairer method for all. The former way sees the nicelymannered horses suffer as a rule at the expense of the bad horses.