PLENTY OF MONEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 702, 29 June 1929, Page 10

PLENTY OF MONEY

N.S.W. COUNTRY MEETINGS Casual attendants at Gosford and Menangle meetings, imagining them mere country affairs holding little interest, are amazed at the strength of the betting ring, according to a Sydney writer. Huge sums can be placed on horses, if, of course, the commission is done scientifically, and there are many Sydney trainers who prefer backing their j horses at such meetings than awaiting | the Saturday’s sport on suburban tracks. It is rather surprising, therefore, that j the provincial meetings are not pat- i ronised to an even greater extent. The prizes are small, but few owners race for the prize. The betting facilities are the main consideration, and, seeing that horses can be backed for small fortunes, good opportunities are being missed. Held Nearly £I,OOO The Menangle meeting last week provided a fitting example. In the second division of the Two-year-old Handicap only three horses were inside double figures, yet one fielder, who made by no means the largest bpok on the course, held just, on £I,OOO. The favourite scored and he lost only £2OO. Menangle meetings certainly provide better betting than Gosford, but even ; i n the smaller Gosford ring big com- ; missions can be placed without really ! affecting a horse’s price. • Randwick trainer. Jack Kelso, learned that over Resorby at a Gosford meeting many months ago. In all the gelding was backed for

over £BOO at a fairly short price, y*“ imagine the surprise of the connections when a better price was offering at barrier rise than before the commission: was launched. It was not a matter of the niM> knowing something that the connections did not. So many horses were backed that bookmakers could anor to take risks.

Many of Sydney’s biggest bookmakers make these trips. It is a wonder that more of Sydney’s big owners and trainers do not follow their examples.