There are Two Ways of Cribbing Barrier Positions

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 586, 12 February 1929, Page 10

There are Two Ways of Cribbing Barrier Positions

The starter may fine any jockey i who disobeys his orders, or who attempts to take an unfair advantage in the start of any race, a sum not exceeding £5, and shall immediately report such misconduct to the stewards . . . Bearing this portion of the Rules of Racing in mind. Jockey A. Tinker must be accounted rather lucky in escaping this altogether too mild punishment. In fact, the circumstances surrounding his attitude at the start of the sprint at Rotorua the first day inclined one to the belief that all was not what it might have been. He was on Mervette, and he had drawn number seven marble, the mare i being heavily backed, a firm third fav- j ourite. Taken Out There was a reshuffling of positions at the post after the starting signal had been hoisted, and Defore very long Mervette had been taken to the outer, near the outside fence, to number 10 position, and her rider did not appear very anxious to come in closer, apparently being content to start from there. Incidentally, the outside of the six-furlong barrier is a bad one, and makes a horse do a whole lot nore than if it was in the middle of the field, for they come to an awkward turn before they have travelled a furlong. It is presumed that Tinker knew w’hat he was doing, for he is one of our most experienced jockeys. But what of the long-suffering public, who had backed his mount? Beaten From the Start In the actual race Mervette Jumped out well, but the position she was

taken into was no doubt r ® s for her being tailed off at the «Dd a furlong and a-half. and sue never looked like winning, or even getu ■, into a place. She appeared to oe bit sore, so what chance had her ers of getting their money*bacK. * * had she been at her best it » tremely doubtful whether she c have won from that outside pos ■■ Her supporters got a P OOT iU rUli»tratheir money, attributable to thel ex ordinary action of her jockey also her trainer) in voluntary ~ starter later informed the wriUr • he was unaware of the fact that * vette had been taken to the ou giving up a pair position for a most hopeless one. A Contrast i What a difference there was in ! sprint on the second day. L . i this time was on Ti Tree, and » 1 drew the extreme outside, nu j eight marble. She actually 5 j from fifth or sixth position, her ** boldly taking advantage of some n • playing up and cribbing an inside ■ • tion. Incidentally, he was n only one, for Branson’s rider w - an offender in this respect. point remains that Tinker £ a Y e good position the first day, and second day cribbed a better, to say the least, inconsistent.* case where the Judicial Cshould have intervened, for iwu* were plainly observed from tn stand. for » The Rules of Racing P r< ? v “f is a n* fine, as stated above, but the £ en .;< other clause bearing on the san . , that provides for the stewarddiscretion suspending from r jockey who takes, or even a - e startake, an unfair advantage ai a nd of a race. The cases of n ;v Ti Tree at Rotorua should c r( j>. have been dealt with by the aceor cand punishment meted out > ance with the rules, failing » oC jy tory explanation. That mu fair to backers.