RACING CONFERENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 400, 14 July 1928, Page 6

RACING CONFERENCE

NO PERMIT FOR CAMBRIDGE

SIR G. CLIFFORD’S RE-ELECTION

(Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. At the conference meeting today, after a motion of sympathy with the president, Sir George Clifford, in his illness, had been carried, appreciation of his long and excellent service to the sport was expressed by a large number of delegates. The application for registration by the Cambridge Racing Club was not granted, as the course the club proposed to race ‘upon was situated within 20 miles of the course of a registered club, and 'as registration was opposed by the Auckland District Committee. It had been decided that when granting permision to a club (other than a hunt club) under part IV., rule 6, of the Rules of Racing, to hold its race meeting on the course of another club, district committees be directed to grant such permission only under exceptional circumstances, and with a condition that the club must race on the course nearest to its own course. Allotment of Licences It was resolved that the terms of the agreement made with the Government last year in regard to future procedure in connection with totalisator licences and dates of race meetings upon which such licences are to be used by racing, jockey, and hunt clubs, be adopted as follow: 1 (a) All applications for totalisator licences by any racing, jockey, or hunt club in any year shall be made to the Minister of Internal Affairs, as provided by statute; (b) all applications for totalisator licences shall be considered by the New Zealand Racing Conference, which shall forward its recommendations thereon to the Minister of Internal Affairs; (c) in the event of the Minister not agreeing to any particular licence, as recommended by the New Zealand Racing Conference, the president of the dates committee of the conference shall appoint two representatives of tho dates committee to confer with the Minister thereon; (d) in tho event of no agreement being arrived at in any particular case, the Minister shall then finally determine the matter. Clashing of Dates On the motion of the Auckland Racing Club, an amendment to the rules was agreed to, providing that when the dates of race meetings in neighbouring districts clash, and no mutual arrangements can be arrived at, and the conference has to decide, the clubs shall forward their claims *to all the district committees having jurisdiction over such clubs as are parties to the dispute. It was decided that two-year-old horses may, prior to December 1, run not less than four furlongs. A consequential amendment was: “No horse other than a two-year-old may »run over a distance of less than five furlongs.” The term of apprenticeship for jockeys was extended from three to four years. Tribute to President In proposing the re-election of Sir George Clifford as president, Mr. Campbell said that during his 32 years of office he had been an ornament to racing. Mr. Russell seconded the nomination. He said he could not find words to express his admiration of Sir George Clifford. He was a man whom the conference respected and trusted. There was a thought that they were riding the willing horse a little too hard, but the president had said he was prepared to go on. Sir George Clifford was re-elected with acclamation.

Mr. Hazlett nominated Mr. O. S. Watkins as vice-president. Mr. M. M. McCallum seconded, and he was elected. The following six representatives were appointed to the executive: Messrs. W. T. Hazlett, J. H. Perrett, H. A. Russell, G. Gould, A. C. Hanlon, and L. W. Nelson.

It was decided that it be a recommendation to the accident fund trustees that the date from which the owners of yearlings be covered be January 1.

Cheap Surveyor Youngster The rising two-year-old gelding v> Surveyor—Te Moti, who is under the tuition Waddell, at Greenmeadows, is moving along in good style in his exercises at Napier Park, says a Napier writer. He is the property' of Mr. W. T. Hazlett, who got him cheap at the January yearling sales. He is a half-brother to Bustler, who was fairly successful during his turf career. The youngster’s grand dam. on the female descent, Anadyome, was bred at the Karamu stud by the late Hon. J. D. Ormond, being sired by Dreadnought from Aphrodite, by Apremont—Watersprite, by Traducer —Waterwitch, which is evidence that he is not lacking in lineage of the best, as Surveyor was also bred in the purple, and in addition was a performer remarkable for his stamina and pace. Limit Not for “Unknowns” There is as much chance of getting an unraced horse into an A.J.C. Epsom Handicap on the limit as there would be of getting Limerick into a suburban handicap with 9.0, comments a Sydney writer. Weights are declared over three months before the race, and on that account Mr. Wilson has to protect himself against the possibility of an unperformed horse developing sensationally during that time. Consequently, he always keeps the “unknowns” a little on the safe side, and a glance at the weights for this year’s big mile shows that winners are receiving several pounds from horses which have raced only once or twice, but without success. For instance, the Quantock gelding Quagga, who has made only on© appearance in a race, has been awarded 7.7, while underneath him are decent winners in Ariedon, Edgardo, Factor, King Val, Padicol, Pigeon Pie, Quince and many others. Another case is that of Velourspeed, a rising three-year-old, who has been given 7.4. Although Velourspeed has never started in a race, he has been placed on the same mark as his stablemate, Boorcello, who has won three races, including one at Randwick. There are many similar cases, but Mr. Wilson could point out that when a. horse has not shown that it is entitled to a lighter weight there is time for it to prove itself worthy of a greater. No. handicapper would like to find on the day of a big race that ho had let in a brilliant galloper with 6.7.