RACING MISHAPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 846, 14 December 1929, Page 16

RACING MISHAPS

FALLS AT WOODVILLE Special to THE SUN PALMERSTON N., Friday. The past three weeks have witnessed a series of racing mishaps on racecourses in and around this district, but which have, fortunately, not been attended with any serious results; indeed, the escapes have been little short of miraculous. At the Otaki fixture four horses were involved in a mishap when contesting the Manuao Trial Handicap on the second day, C. Broughton and M. Gilmore, two of the young horsemen, sustaining broken collarbones; A. G. Murray injured the sinews of his right hand, while W. Taylor escaped with slight abrasions. A few days later a similar incident occurred at Levin, where Le Champ fell when negotiating a turn, bringing down Pompadour and Golden Shadow. The three horsemen concerned on this occasion, N. Voitre, W. Broughton and T. Green, while they did not escape scathless, were nevertheless exceedingly lucky. Voitre and Broughton, while they naturally suffered from shock, emerged with minor abrasions. Green, on the other hand, cracked his left collarbone, but his stay out of saddle was of comparatively brief duration. The list was added to at VVoodville on Thursday when three horses, Warzone, Water Spear and Brown Sugar, came to grief in the straight when the runners were fighting out the finish in the Kiritaki Handicap. Momentarily it appeared as though two of the three riders had met with serious injury, for, when the flying hoofs had passed and the three horses involved had regained their feet, it was seen that J. Chandler and K. Voitre were lying motionless. However, with the arrival of assistance it was found that. Chandler had been added to the list of those who had broken their collarbones, while Voitre and W. H. Jones, apart from being winded, were otherwise sound. The last-named horseman was involved in a motor accident on the night of the first day’s racing, but while he carries a lengthy facial scar as a memento in the meantime, it did not keep him out of the saddle the following day—a day which was fated to bring with it yet another upsetting incident. However, both he and Voitre continued their activities till the close of the day. Another coincidence in connection with the series of mishaps has been that two sets of brothers were concerned, C. and W. Broughton being members of G. W. New’s establishment at Awapuni, while the brothers K. and N. Voitre are apprentices of R. E Hatch’s stable at Awapuni and W. H. Dwyer’s stable at Wanganui, respectively. Of the 10 horsemen who have suffered those falls, six claim Awapuni and Palmerston North as their headquarters, yet, strangely enough, in not one instance have they ridden the horse which was the first to fall. At present another well-known horseman, R. J. Mackie, is incapacitated with facial injuries and other cuts received in the motor accident when he was accompanied by W'. H. Jones on Wednesday night. He is however, expected to be about in two or three days.

Colours Changed Similarity in racing colours is Aery confusing, and it exists to a larger extent in New Zealand than should be allowed. In the past one instance has been between the colours of Mr. W. R. Kemball and the Awapuni trainer, G. W. NeAy. Mr. Kemball’s is white jacket, scarlet band, royal blue cap. New’s colours being french grey jacket, scarlet band, and royal blue cap, but with the french grey very faded as it was on several occasions, it was more like white, and was really confusing, more especially when Mr. Kemball had one of his team carrying his first colours in opposition to one of New’s representatives. The difficulty in this case has now been removed, as New has made a change in his colours, they now being french grey body, scarlet sleeves and band, royal blue cap, an alteration that will be appreciated. The case above referred to is not the only one in existence that should be remedied.

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