ALL DRESSED UP

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 591, 18 February 1929, Page 6

ALL DRESSED UP

THERE is an old wartime song,, * “He was all dressed up and had no place to go,” that could be made to apply to a well-known jockey at Te Aroha on Saturday. It was just about the time the first race started when A. Driscoll had already donned the rose and black s-triped livery of Messrs J. C. and P. S. Gleeson, for he had been engaged to ride Red Lion in the second event. Then an official came along and informed the jockey that his jockey’s licence had been withdrawn by the Licensing Committee. Therefore the boy had to shed the colours for his about-town clothes. The district committee over a fortnight previously had recommended the cancellation of this licence, and in the interim Driscoll had ridden several winners. It was rather a pity that the embargo had not been received prior to Driscoll going to the expense of travelling to Te Aroha, only to learn upon His arrival that he had no licence. And what of the owners who had engaged him for the meeting? Sentiment is an unknown quantity with the racing authorities, but nevertheless the position created at Te Aroha on Saturday displayed entire lack of forethought. The least the responsible authorities could do would be to refund the jockey’s train fare to Te Aroha!