Gallops and Trots At Ngaruawahia

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 873, 17 January 1930, Page 13

Gallops and Trots At Ngaruawahia

REAL GALA DAY A POPULAR FIXTURE Despite the absence of "tote” Dell music, patrons of the Ngaruawahia Racing Club’s function each year spend a most enjoyable day, the picnic spirit, which is always prevalent, being a large factor in this direction, while keen and interesting racing is also witnessed. ever-ready hospitality with winch visitors to the convincing Su°ther| S t re> f e ° eived by President Sutherland and his wife, the courte- ?“™ ess Secretary Jones and the und t G. W ‘ ?lcorn6 fronl Putron Waring nfii..™" 0118 officials immediately places e\ ery one on terms of equality. The spirit of friendliness that permeof Sraiety gives all and «mh ry ,J h ° uuite at home” feeling, mdmm i e m result that tho day proves indisputably one of real pleasure. niif^ t^ Part fr , om the spirit of convivith.° excellent sport provided adds to the thorough enjoyment of tno Ngaruawahia outing, and for a *? umb€ : r of years the fine fields ana interesting racing has supplied a good measure of excitement for the public, which patronise the fixture of this well-managed and professional organisa tion. Source of Recreation • *’ ooc * folk of Ngaruawahia are justly proud of their two big annual i unctions—the January races and the March regatta—and both items have attained a high standard of popularity J-hroughout the province these l'unctions are widely discussed as the dates for their presentation approach, and each is earmarked by lovers of good, clean sport, as a day to be set aside for a visit to the country rendezvous. The racing business is not oy ariy means new at Ngaruawahia. and history records many fine tests of speed and stamina in clays gone by at the suburban course. The lack of the betting machine has not, in recent years, dampened the ardour of the club management, which submits a most attractive card, and one that is annually well supported by provincial owners. Encouraging Trotters The inclusion of light harness events on the schedule adds interest to the proceedings and these items have for many years also provided excellent sport. Many novice trotters and gallopers have made a creditable debut at the Ngaruawahia fixture, inducing their owners to tackle bigger game later on with a good measure of success. But it is not only in this section that progress is achieved at this meeting. and of late years many improvers have passed the primary tests in such convincing fashion that at a later stage in their career they have played quite an important part at meetings where the totalisator is in operation. The success that has marked the efforts of the management in recent years certainly seems assured for Saturday’s carnival, and the liberal response from owners is ample proof that they appreciate the fine bill of fare served up by the club. Good Fields Engaged Tho acceptances show that many gallopers of high calibre will grace the fixture, and their presence is a tribute to the management and demonstrates that owners and trainers in the province are perfectly satisfied that the Ngaruawahia Racing Club’s annual meeting is fully justified. This excellent response also proves that the sporting community has every confidence in the administrative ability of the country executive, and is a further expression of appreciation with the general conduct of the function. With such a fine list of acceptances, representative of good quality contestants, the 1930 function of the club bids fair to eclipse its predecessors. Having witnessed tho last two meetings, “Abaydos” can confidently recommend anyone seeking a thoroughly enjoyable day’s sport and pleasure to visit Ngaruawahia on Saturday, when they will be assured of keen racing and a warmhearted welcome. MASHOOR INCIDENT STATEMENT BY THE CLUB (To the Editor) Sir, — I have been requested'by the committee of the Thames Jockey Club to ask if you would kindly correct an error that appeared in your issue of Tuesday last in regard to an article headed “Rider weighed out too light.’* The Thames “Star’* made the same mistake as your paper, and the statements made have since been withdrawn in that paper. Your article is sub-headed “An Unusual Occurrence,’’ “The Thames Incident,” and continues: “The Mashoor incident at Thames on Saturday shows that clerks of scales at race meetings cannot be too careful.” It is then related how M. Dulieu, the rider of Mashoor, approached the clerk of scales to weigh out, and said 9.10, and that “all right” was given. This suggests, and in fact shows, that the clerk of the scales was inefficient, and did not take the trouble to look at his weigh-out card. As a matter of truth, your facts are auite wrong, and the committee of the club is at a loss to understand as to how th€*y were obtained. It was certainly not from an official of the club. At the inquiry upon the subject, held by the Judicial Committee, at which the Press was not present, the clerk oif the scales stated that he had weighed out Mashoor’s jockey at 10st., having previously looked at his weighout card and entered the weight in his book; the latter was produced and inspected, and showed that in weighing out, the weight and the entry were correct. The clerk’s details were duly checked by the assistant, and we may say that since the inquiry another witness to the weighing-out of the horse in question is prepared to confirm the statements of the clerk of the scales and liis assistant that Mashoor’s jockey weighed out at lOst. The only statement, partly against this, at the inquiry was that of the jockey, Dulieu, who said he was under the “impression” that he was carrying 9st 101 b, and thought he had prepared to carry that weight. This “impression” was not corroborated by any other witness, nor was the committee asked to hear any other witness; and that a jockey did not know the correct weight he was to ride was regarded by the committee as very improbable. There is no doubt the horse weighed in 41b light but that was r.ot the fault of the clerk of the scales, and the onus of seeing that a horse “weighs out” and “weighs in” correctly is cast by the rules of racing upon the owner of tho horse. The committee’s object in writing to you is to see that an official of the club is not unfairly charged with having failed in his work, and it is only in his interest that we ask you kindly to correct a wrong impression that may be gathered from your reference to the incident, and we are quite satisfied that your sense of fair play will prompt you to adopt our request. ARTHUR C. RAE, Secretary, Thames Jockey Club. The facts contained in the article in The Sun referred to above were obtained from the stipendiary steward, Mr. Angus Gordon, officiating at the meeting.—Racing Editor.