CANADIAN RACING

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 929, 24 March 1930, Page 14

CANADIAN RACING

PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS It Is doubtful whether there , any portion of the British Empire where the racing cf thoroughbre-s has made such strides in recent years as in the Middle West of Canada, centralising at Winnipeg Up-to-date starting Barriers from "chutes’ are in vogue and the system of allocating various horses to other races to "make” evensized fields at first glance appear to be a commendable one. says thl Sportsman. Horse racing. with l-ctUnff privilege, is conducted in Canada under a «?ev' tion of the Federal criminal code. whSh rules that only 14 days’ racing take place on any accredited racecourse during a period of 12 months This 14 days racing must further be divided into two meetings of seven consecutive days each, and with at ie<-ion° da3S between each All the tracks are dirt ones, and all wagering must be conducted through the medium of the pari-mutuel. All the starting is conducted bv means of the starting gate. The race tracks that arc six turlongs in circuitl'erence are equipped with •‘chutes” at certain of the bends, out of which five furlong and one-mile races are started These euls-de-sae are equipped with permanent starting stalls, wl lch are really a series ot breast-high part’tions to prevent bunching or interference at the “break. The webbing of the starting gate Mies up immediately in 1 ront of the stalls, and it is surprising how a field of 14 horses will corae away without any bumping or crowding. On such “intimate” race tracks everything from start to finish is i n full view of the spectators. Every finish is judged by a trio of officials, and with betting taking place to win. to place O, 2) and to “show” (1. 2.3). the utmost vigilance must be exercised and more especially as the winning post is always in the public enclosure in front of the grandstand, with no angle-alibi to fall back on. Division of the Horses The number of horses allowed to start for any event is determined always by the width of the particular track. On the Winnipeg course not more than 12 horses may go to the post to contest any race, except in the case of the big handicaps, where 16 is the limit. M ore would not only be dangeroils. but would prevent truly run races. Therefore, if the racing secretary find.-! say, 30 entries for any excepting a handicap, he splits the race by means of a draw and puts on two races of the same value at the same distance is place of the one. deleting from his day's programme any other race that has failed to “fill” with at least six entries representing different interests, or postpones and offers for re-entry some race that has been sparsely patronised in the “entry-box.”

The pari-mutuel wagering in Canada has been very cleverly simplified. Previous to each day’s racing the official handicapper goes through the entries, and in each race where there are mor« than nine starters starters have to bn declared 'the day previus) picks out what he considers to be the nine bes: horses —that is, the nine “logical contenders” —and only these nine have

“mutuel” numbers allotted to them. The remaining horses are grouped together and are wagered 11 pop as an entity known as the “field.” The public cannot wager on them individually, but a pari-mutuel ticket on the “field” is a winning ticket should any of these grouped horses manage to win. Backing the “field” is a very popular form of wagering, and the money so invested goes to help a good price if the favourite wins.

The racecourses in Western Canada have to depend entirely on local patronage, for the distances between the towns are so great that such a thing as a “race excursion” on the railways is unheard of. Winnipeg, with its two tracks, has 28 days’ racing, and Montreal nearly 100 days during the season. Yet the local patronage is so great that with a population of certainly not more than 250,000, Winnipeg sent between 13.000 and 14,000 people into Polo Park racecourse on Labour Day last September, and the average weekday “gate” at the Winnipeg tracks is between 5,000 and 6,000. with 7,500 to 8,500 attendances on the Saturdays.

Illicit Betting As the keeping of a starting price office, or bookmaking in any form, is illegal in Canada (although plenty of starting price bookmakers operr, 10 illicitly), the great volume of betting is confined to the premises of the race tracks while racing is in progre^>. Contrary to the English custom, the purses are in every case divided upon a sliding scale between the first four horses; for example, a purse of 1,009 dollars would mean 680 dollars for V'* winner, 180 dollars for the second, 90 dollars for the third, and 50 dollars for the fourth, the idea being to induce jockeys to ride out horses for a plac°. Owners are not mulcted for any entrance fees excepting in the special races, where such subscriptions are to be added to the purse. There are no training quarters in Canada, with private gallops such as are common in English racing. Every racecourse is equipped with extennsive stabling accommodation, and all exercise work, gallops, trials, etc., take place on the track itself, which is open to trainers for the purpose each morning until 10 o’clock. The ra.cing surface is a drained, pr€?pared strip (usually 100 feet long, and topped with a-well-balanced pasture of earth and sand —in common parlance spoken <’f as a “dirt” track. Such a footing has been found to be immensely suitable to the climate. It can be worked upon and prevented from becoming “sunbaked,” and also be quickly rec.orditioned after a heavy rainfall. Very fast times are recorded on this ‘kin-I of race track—at Winnipeg, for example, the five-furlong record is 1.0 l- ’» and that with three bends to be negotiated en route.

REMINDERS Auckland Racing Club Trainers will be well advised to remember that nominations in connec~ tion with the Auckland Racing Clubs meeting on Saturday and Monday. April 19 and 21, close with the secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 28. First forfeits for all classic events, viz., the G X. Chainpagne Stakes, G.X. Oaks, and G.X. SiLeger. fall due at the same time. Avondale Jockey Club The Avondale Jockey Club’s meeting- comes up for decision on Saturday and Wednesday, April 26 and 3"Mr. A. J. Farquhar. secretary, will receive entries up till 5 p.m. on Frida.'March 28, the same date obtaining f° r final payments in connection with the All-Aged Stakes.