RACING THE SUN

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 998, 14 June 1930, Page 12

RACING THE SUN

AUSTRALIA’S METHOD

LAST RACE STARTED HALF HOUR BEFORE TIME When betting after sundown was ; mad© illegal some time ago to counter wagering at greyhound racing meetings j at night-time, it was not considered ; that horse racing would ever be ef- : fected, writes a Sydney critic. In these days of long programmes, < however, it is often that officials take particular care lost there be any* delays which might lead to an infringement of the law. At Victoria Park on a recent Saturday* there were 12 races, the last being timed to start about 5 p.m. The sun set at 4.53 p.m. on Saturday, but the club, apparently aware of its liability', speeded up the programme, with the result that the race was run nearly half an hour before the advertised time. The Richmond Racing Club, with 10 races to decide, was in a greater predicament as the day proceeded, for up to the second last race the programme was behind scheduled times. An extra endeavour was made, however, the starters for the final event, set down for decision about 4.45 o’clock, being marshalled as the preceding race was being run. In this way the regulations were complied with, for the sun set at 4.54 o’clock, the start of the race being, probably*, simultaneous.