Bookmakers Who Back Their Horses

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 12

Bookmakers Who Back Their Horses

OWNERS OF GOOD ONES It is interest ins to note the different J altitude toward betting adopted by | bookmakers who own horses. A few of our biggest fielders have i their colours carried in races. and i while some refrain from betting 1 altogether on the event, others make a ! book, but retrain from laying against ! their own. Jim Hackett. sent., who has a half interest in Bravado, never laid that horse in races. lie always fielded, however, and laid others. In the lists he issues for betting on race days on future events, such as the .Newmarket, the Epsom, or the Doncaster. Bravado's name lias always appeared with a blank against it. indicating that no business was desired. On two occasions Bravado was heavily backed for these ante-post betting races, and if anybody communicated with the Hackett firm desiring to be on. the commission was placed with another bookmaker. Mr. Hackett says he never laid Bravado in races because of the risk of misconception on the part of any who entertained* suspicion concerning bookmakers' horses. "Thus I was able to say.” says Mr. Hackett, "that my horse was never run for profit except with the object of-winning the race. Busy With Commission Joe Matthews never fields when his j horses are running, and he observed ; that practice when Fuji San won his i division of the Rosehill High-Weight ! on Saturday week. | He might stand up if Fuji were in a big race, such as the Epsom, but. of : I course, that is different, because in ; such a case, his commission would have been lodged months before. Usually. Joe Matthew’s is busy getting a commission on such as Fuji San, and it is partly because he wishes to concentrate on the backing of the horse, and partlj r because, he desires no suspicion to involve his book should his horse run badly when expected to [ win, that he refrains from fielding. Backing Them Favoured Frank Gahan almost always stands dow'n for Bawn-na-Glas's race, because he wants to back him himself, and that was the practice with Holdfast when he was winning last season. He was busy taking £Soo’s to £ 100’s for the race Bawn-na-Glas won recently. It is sometimes argued whether it is more profitable for a bookmaker to back his horse straight out or field and lay every other horse but. his own to But backing them straight out is better favoured. Then the bookmakerowner knows definitely bis liability and the amount he can win. The other way he knows neither definitely, and might be up for a big loss on two or three rival horses. ALEXANDRA RACING CLUB ANNUAL MEETING HELD It was announced at the annual meeting of the Alexandra Racing Club, held at Pirongia on Saturday, that a cup for the trotting event at the club’s fixture on Boxing Day was promised by Mr. M. IT. Tims. Also, that Mr. A. E. Hood would donate a cup valued at £lO 10s to add to the stake for the Alexandra Cup. A gold-mounted w’hip by an anonymous donor was a further contribution to this particular race. Mr. M. H. Hart was elected a life member of the club. Reviewing the racing on Boxing Day, BUS. the chairman. Mr. F. Potts, said it had been interesting and enjoyable, despite the wet weather. Gate receipts were lower, but there had been a credit balance from previous years. Several improvements had been effected to the course, notably fencing of a further length. Tt. was resolved to again apply for Boxing Day for the annual race meeting. The programme of events will be practically the same as last year. The club has been in existence now for well over 60 years. The following officers for the ensuing year were elected:—Patron. Sir F. W. Lang, M.L.&.. Mr. J. A Young. M.P.. Mr. TV. Lee Martin. M.P.. and Mr. D. S. Reid: president. Mr. F. Potts: vicepresidents, Messrs. A. E. Hood, S. Thompson. S. Tapp. A. Ramsay, D. Orr, F. Gray. R. T. Seccombe, Jos. Graham. Thos. Jones. TV. Bell (Paterangi), C. Whitten. J. L. Macky. R. G. T-lodges. F. Quinn, A. Orr. Geo. Miles, A. Ormsby. C. Alexander, A. Beattie, TV. l-I. Bell and J. Bollard: judge, Mr. F. Potts; starter. Mr. .T. C. Potts: hanrlicappers, Messrs. H. Weal and F. Quin: clerk of the scales. Mr. T. Steel: clerk of saddling paddock. Mr. W. Retemeyer; treasurer, Mr. T. Steel: auditor, Mr. W. G. Moon: secretary, Mr. W. McCarthy; stewards. Messrs. TV'. H. Hart. J. Livingstone. William Chappell, J. L. Maclcy and A. Beattie: committee, Messrs. T. Brown. T. Steel” J. Livingstone. S. B. Si fleet , W. Beer. F. Beer. .J. Turner. A. Beattie’ R. Bell. A. F. Hood. F. Bell. A. K. Chappell, C. Whitton. G. H. Barrv and H. Hall: advisory steward. Mr. W. Perrin: clerk of the course, Mr. F. Beer: honorary medical surgeon. Dr. F. C. Blundell: honorary veterinary surgeon, Mr. V. Priest: gatekeeper, Mr. T.. Brown: timekeepers, Messrs. F. Potts and A. Ramsay. RACING FIXTURES SEPTEMBER i. 6 Martoi) j<J /—U lagu Hum 12. I♦— VVautiauuJ JC. 21 Ashburton R C 21 23 Avondale .1 C. 26. 27 —Geraidine R C. 2*—HawKe’y Ba» »C October j—JM&nawatu Hum 2—Birch wood Hum s—Napiei Park R.C. Kuivw J C > 7 —Auckland K.C. m it'—Dunedin I C U. 19—South Canterbury J.C 19 —M aster ton U C 24. 26—Poverty Bay Turf Club. ■jK 2S— Wellington R C ■JX— Wa verlev R C •-‘S—Waikato Hunt lat Cambridge). 25 Waipawa R.C (at Waipukurau). :*S—North Canterbury R.C 3D—Gore R C NOVEMBER 2—Carterton K.i:. 2 Banks Peninsula U O. 7. 9 Wha ngarei R.C. 9 11. 10. 16—Canterbury J.C. 16. IS—Waikato R.C. 20 21 Win ton J c;. 21. 22—Otaki Maori R.C. 23 Levin R.C. 23. 25—Tft Kuili K.C. 30. Dec 2—Taka puna J.C. 30 Dec 2—Feilding J C DECEMBER 7—Ashburton City R.C. 7, 9—Taumarunui R.C. 11, 12—Woodville Dish J.C. 14— Waipa RC 26 Waipukurau J.C. 26 —Westland R.C 26. 27—Taranaki J C. 26, 2S Dunedin JC. 26, 27. 28— Manawatu R.C. 26. 30. Jan 1. 2—Auckland R.C. 2$ Jan. l—fireymonfb JC