SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 147, 19 July 1909, Page 4

SPORTING

Talking about D. J. Price's methods, "Sentinel" pens the. following:—Price has been 'by no means a particularly lucky trainer with horses' under his charge—in fact, men with but half his knowledge keep on winning races with horses trained under rule-of-thumb methods, and give frequent proof of the old adage that "an ounce 'of luck is worth a pound of judgment." Knowledge should always tell in the end, but how little some trainers know about a horse was demonstrated to the writer some few years ago, diu'ing the currency of a Kiccarton meeting. One,night at a hostelry where sports' were wont to congregate the races of the day and the track work which preceded the racing were under discussion. ''This horse was short of work," "That- horse was overdone." Another was this, and the other was that, and so on. Amongst those present—that is a somewhat ancient and weather-beaten phrase, but no matter—were some trainers and riders, and in the midst of the discussion tlrey were challenged as to how and when they knew a horse was becoming fit and ready for fast work. What indication does the horse invariably display? Xot one could tell. Still, they trained winners and held trainers' licenses. The American trainers at present in England have had their methods paragraphed, and a cable was sent /to this country to let us know that an American horscjwas shampooed after a race. D. J. Price has for years used body washes on his 1 horses. His methods are <»ased on a good and very intellectual knomiedge of the best American and Australasian ideas of lioav to get a fit. He put in the foundation of his knowledge with the well-known trainer Mr. H. Goodman, and is not too egotistical to admit it. • •