When Jockeys Throw Care to The Winds

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 482, 11 October 1928, Page 10

When Jockeys Throw Care to The Winds

ROUGH RIDING IN EVIDENCE

A GOOD deal of reckless riding was in evidence at tlie recent Auckland meeting, several horses appearing to have their chances ruined through interference. The activity of the stewards should assist materially in reducing this, so that some improvement in this respect may be anticipated.

That only one jockey had his brief j cancelled at the recent Auckland spring ; meeting was rather surprising, for j there was sufficient rough riding on 1 the concluding day, Tuesday, to warrant drastic action being taken in several instances. That this was not done, however, was more attributable ; to the difficulty in placing the blame j on the right shoulders rather than to j the inactivity of the stewards. When they did sheet home one ! charge the jockey was suspended, but all things considered he was treated lightly in being let off with a month. In his case there were all the elements of a serious accident, but fortunately the fallen horse and jockey were little the worse for their crash. All Sorts of Trouble One of the most remarkable incid- j ents of a remarkable three days’ racing was provided in the sprint, the Epsom Handicap, on Tuesday. Of late horses carrying number 13 saddle-cloth have been holding their own, Prodice winning the Great Northern Guineas under this handicap, but the good luck pursuing the devil’s number came to an abrupt end in the race mentioned. Gold Money was the horse that in this race got into all sorts of trouble. She was left at the post, and then put in a brilliant run, to be handy at the home turn. Then there was a sensation. Her rider attempted to go between two horses in front, and as they also moved simultaneously, the filly was caught between them. By some stroke of good fortune she got out of this mess and swung out sharply, to meet with further trouble, and she went ) Gone to Whangarei In order to qualify Miss Alma md Kawanga for the district races at the Whangarei Racing Club’s meeting on November 8 and 10, trainer E. Donovan left for Whangarei on Sunday night. Neither o£ his candidates appears to bo of much account, but the pair should certainly be worthy of consideration against the class of horse they will meet in local events. Smart Three-Year-Old One of the pleasing features of the racing at Ellerslie on Tuesday was the success gained by Sir Russell. M. Ryan is deserving of congratulation for the manner in which he has handled the big son of Archiestown in his training, for he has allowed him to mature properly before indulging him in racing, and, as he has not advanced very far in his career it is quite likely that trainer Ryan will do well with him this season. Sir Russell does not appear to be up to classic company, but he should embellish his recoi'd considerably within the next few months. He is certainly going to fulfil his early promise.

All Right When Soft On ground that did not entirely suit him, Royal Mint ran two good races at Ellerslie, but with the summer approaching he may find it hard to keep going. Transformer showed improved form on Tuesday, but Desert Glow, second in the farcical Mitchelson Cup contest, was scarcely in the picture in the King Edward Handicap. For Country Cups Two recently promoted hacks in Royal Doulton and Miss New Zealand figured in the main event on Tuesday, the King Edward Memorial Handicap, and with their light weights they gave fair displays, but nothing more. That race was nothing more than a scramble all the way, however, and like a gt>od many others this pair did not have matters all their own way. Splendid Sprinter Paganelli retains all his pace, and it is evident that he is going to do well in sprint events this season. One thing is against him, however, and that he is now right up with the class horses, for he won with nine stone on Tuesday so that he will be taken care of in future. He runs out a very fast six furlongs, so that there is every prospect of the Lord Quex gelding showing up over a mile course. He may be tried at this distance later on. Catering for the Crowd Judging from the tone of recent correspondence on 'racing control at Ellerslie, a good many people have made much of the building proposals in regard to a new members’ stand, ignoring altogether the fact that. the plans now under consideration as part of a huge improvements scheme provides for w-U sections being catered for. To judge from remarks passed, one would be pardoned for thinking the new members’ stand was to be a palatial structure on the cabaret principle, but of course it is nothing of the kind. The present members’ stand has outgrown its usefulness, but at any rate, the name itself is a misnomer and liable to lead to misconstruction. This building is absolutely necessary for the administrative stp.ff quite a large body of men for meetings such as that held at Ellerslie. not to mention provision for the Press reporters and photographers (numbering up to 30 at times), visiting owners, trainers, etc., with the top deck reserved for the members (numbering abo t 500) and their lady friends. Thus it will be seen that large accommodation is necessary. One point overlooked by the club’s recent critics- is the fact that the comprehensive proposals include a stand on the outside for those patrons, and another on the hill enclosure. So that these points appear to have been overlooked by the critics, which is unfair to the club. Perhaps in the past the club has not been so thoughtful for the comfort and convenience of outside patrons. The writer does r.ot know, but building schemes for the future certainly indicate that the patrons on the outer are to be catered for.

right down on her nose, making a wonderful recovery. Not satisfied with this, her rider j continued to push her along, and she was travelling fast at the finish. It j was an extraordinary chequered career that Gold Money experienced i in the run up the straight, and she | was considered most unlucky. Prob- : ably it was her rider’s fault that the | filly got into so much trouble, and apparently the stewards thought so too', for no mention of an inquiry was reported. It was certainly worth inquiring into, for if the filly’s own rider was to blame he should have been carpeted Wretched Position Undoubtedly the most popular distance for handicap j performers is 10 furlongs, and it is generally recognised that events over this course at Ellerslie are the hardest to win. With 18 runners in the big event last Tuesday it was obvious that there wa r s going to be a big scramble for positions, and so it proved. Like the charge of the Light Brigade the horses made for the turn, and actually on the bend there were about seven horses in a line for the rails. It was just a blind rush, nothing more, and as this turn is regarded as a false one it says much for the horsemen that there was no accident. The run of a little over a furlong is insufficient to prevent jockeys “going for the doctor" in order to get round that bad turn first. Two Winning Posts? For the- summer meeting in December the new part of the course will be in use, and this will mean the advancing of the starting barriers about half a furlong. It is still intended to have 10 furlong races, and it is understood that the post will be shifted to allow for this, but after seeing several. races from that barrier it seems as if it is only asking for trouble. Perhaps the better way would be to start the race further down the course, near the straight entrance, and have the winning post near the present mile and a-quarter barrier. That would provide for an extra half-furlong run out of the straight, and probably reduce a lot of the scrambling that is now so much in evidence. Rough Race Ducking and diving for positions at the start of a race immediately in front of a turn is responsible for a good deal of the rough riding so much in evidence. In a lesser sense that was the cause of the Hobson Handicap on Tuesday being such a bad one for interference. Going out of the straight Micrometer got into trouble and was forced back on to Mountain Guide, and again as the field straightened up for the run home there was more trouble, as a result of which one jockey lost his brief temporarily, as recorded above. There were only 10 runners, which made matters much worse than if there had been a larger field, as in the big event. The stewards have a difficult task to control racing these days, but their recent activity shows that reckless riding will be severely dealt with. Jockeys do not wantonly foul another horse in a race—although there are isolated cases of this actually occurring—but nevertheless they must understand that just as much harm can be done to horses and riders by. throwing care to the winds. And, of course, there is the backer to consider; he is at least entitled to a fair run.

REMINDERS The attention of owners is drawn to the fact that nominations for the principal races on the Auckland Racing Club’s summer programme will close with the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, not later than 5 p.m. to-morrow (Friday), October 12. The nominations will be received for the following events:—Auckland Cup, of £3,000 (two miles); Railway Handicap, of £1,400 (six furlongs): Summer Cup, of £1,250 (one and a-quarter miles), Auckland Racing Club-Handicap, of £l,7so'(one and a-half miles) ; Grandstand Handicap, of £I,OOO (one and a-quarter miles); Ring's Plate, of £SOO (one mile), and Clifford Plate, of £SOO (one and a-half miles). Owners who intend to race their horses at the Waikato Racing Club’s meeting on October 20 and 24 wifc be obliged to accept for them not later than 5 p.m. next Friday with the secretary, Mr. E. H. O’Meara, Hamilton, or \vith Messrs. Blomfield and Company, High Street. Auckland. Nominations for all events at "he Whangarei Racing Club’s spring meeting on November 8 and 10 close at 5 p.m. on Friday, and may be lodged either with the acting secretary, Mr. F. K. Gunn, Whangarei, or with Messrs. Blom field and Company, High Street, Auckland. Acceptances for all events to be run at the Waikato Hunt meeting on October 22 are due at 5 p.m. on Monday next, either with the secretary, Mr. W. Stopford, Box 55, Cambridge, or with Messrs. Blomfield and Company, High Street, Auckland. RACING FIXTURES October 11, 13. —Dunedin J.C. October 13.—Masterton R.C. October 20, 22.—Wellington R.C. October 20, 22.—Gore R.C. October 20. 24. Waikato R.C. Octobei 22.—Waverley R.C. October 22. Waikato Hunt Club. October 22. Waipawa R.C. October 22.—North Canterbury R.C. October 25, 27. Poverty Bay Club. October 27.—Banks Peninsula R.C. October 31 —Birchwood Hunt Club. November 1, 3.—Dargaville (at Avondale). November 3,5, 7, 10.—Canterbury J.-C. November 8, 10.—Whangarei A. C. November 17 —Levin R.C.. November 17.—Waipapakaurl R.C. November 14, 15.—Winton R.C. November 21. 22.—Otaki Maori R.C, November 23, 24. —South Canterbury J.C. November 24. 26.—Te Kuiti R. C. November 30. December I.—Takapuna J.C November 30, December I.—Feilding J.C. December 7, B.—Cromwell J.C. December B.—Taumarunui R.C. December S.—Ashburton C’ty R.C. December 12, 13.—Woodville Dist. J.C. December 14. 15.—Oamaru J. C- | December 15. Waipa R.C. December . 26, 27.'—Dunedin J.C. December 26. Waipukurau J.C. December 26, 27.—Westland R.C. December 26, 27.—Taranaki J.C. December 26, 27, 29. Manawatu R.C. December 26. 28, Jan. 1, 2.—Auckland R.C. December 29, Jan. 1, 2.—Greymouth J.C. January I.—Waikouaiti R.C. January 1. Wyndham R.C. January 1, 2.—Wairarapa R.C. January 1, 2.—Hawke’s Bay J.C. January 1. 2. —Stratford R.C.