How Avondale J.C. Was Sacrificed

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 334, 20 April 1928, Page 6

How Avondale J.C. Was Sacrificed

Were Manawata's Dates Stage Managed?

NOW that both the Avondale Jockey Club and the Manswatu Racing Club have got their autumn meeting over, it is opportune that the facts appertaining to the altered dates of the Southern fixture be published, for the position is such that the Avondale Jockey Club would appear to have been given the rough end of the stick, to put it mildly.

AS is generally known, the Dates Committee of the New Zealand Racing Conference each July allocates the dates for all race meetings, and prior to this the various fixtures submitted by clubs are advertised in the official organ, and in the case of an objection by any other club this fact is displayed prominently. Very well. In July last the Dates Committee allotted Avondale Jockey Club April 14 and IS and Manawatu Racing Club Thursday and Saturday, April 26 and 28. The Avondale Club arranged its programme for these dates, and probably the Manawatu Racing Club did likewise, but it would appear from subsequent developments that the Southern club had something up its sleeve. It certainly looks that way. The Challenge As already pointed out, Avondalo went on with its autumn programme, content in the knowledge that its meeting would be over a full week before Manawatu opened, and that therefore the best horses would see the meeting through. Rut at the last minute the Northern body was disillusioned. In February last the secretary of the Avondale Jockey Club received from the New Zealand Racing Conference an urgent telegram advising that Manawatu had applied for April 18 and 19 instead of April 26 and 28 on the grounds that the latter dates “did not suit Manawatu.” This was the only reason vouchsafed in justification for the change, which alteration was approved by the president of the Racing Conference. Objection Lodged Contrary to what has been imblished, Avondale Jockey Club did object to Manawatu’s change of dates, and wired Sir George Clifford, president of the Racing Conference. The Auckland District Committee also took the matter up, passing a motion strongly objecting to Manawatu’s new

dates, which it was pointed out would seriously affect the Avondale fixture, particularly the classic contest, this statement being based on past expediences when the clubs clashed. A protest was also forwarded to the Minister of Internal Affairs, and had drawn a reply that he could not interfere with the Racing Conference, he Minister ignoring the precedent established a few n\onths ago by his predecessor in connection with what has become known as the "Waikato dates squabble. President's Action So that all the Avondale Jockey Ciul* got for its request for a square deal was a telegram from the president of the Racing Conference saying that ho had granted Manawatu’s request for April IS and 19 for its autumn mee> An objection lodged by one club against another club's dates generally stands. In taking the action he did, the president of the Racing Conference took a step that had never been beard of previously in the history of the sport in the Dominion. One can w'ell picture the feelings of the Avondale Jockey Club Committee in meeting with such a rebuff. Why Unsuitable? No explanation as to why April 26 and 28 were unsuitable for the Man.iwatu Racing Club was forthcoming. Rut the move appeared to have been carefully thought out. Everything was left to the last minute; i.e.. two short months before the two meetings were arranged for. Hence the “urgent” telegram, and this fact alone brought the Manawatu application under the heading of urgent business, with which the president of the New Zealand Racing Conference lias power to deal. Apparently the Dates Committee was not even consulted. In permitting such a late request be dealt with as urgent business, as well as acting upon it as such, the conference president would appear to owe the Avondale Jockey Club an explanation, while the club also has tlie right to expect another explanation from the Manawatu Racing Club. Loss to Avondale Quite apart from the rights and wrongs of the question—and the Avondale Jockey Club seems to have been shabbily treated —there is no denying that the Northern club’s autumn meeting suffered to no small extent This gathering was arranged to follow close upon the Auckland autumn meeting, with the object of inducing owners io allow their horses to compete at both fixtures. Rut with Manawatu opening its meeting on the same day as that unon which Avondale concluded, a large number of horses missed the first day here, and more perhaps missed the fixture. Among the horses that raced at Ellerslie at Easter and then went to Awapuni. where they competed on Wednesday, were the following; Star Stranger. Satrap, Mask. Laughing Prince, Episode, Freehold. Raasay, Money Order, Thaw and Mandane, the first named only raced the first day at Avondale. In addition there were also stable companions of some of the above that went away without competing at Avondale. Those horses named represent the very cream of the Dominion's handicap and weight-for-age form, and their absence from Avondale is in itself sufficient condemnation of the illadvised action taken that meant nothing more nor less than the sacrificing of the Avondale Jockey Club for the Manawatu Racing Club.