SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1921, Page 11

SPORTING.

BACK FROM ENGLAND. AUSTRALIAN JOCKEY’S IMPRESSIONS. M. Connell, the well known Australian jockey, has just returned from a visit to England, wl-ere he rode a good deal, and to the Sydney Referee he told a story which is worth reprinting. The heavy cost, to owners In the way of entry fees, forfeits anti sweepstakes considerably surprised Connell, who said Mr. Sol Joel, for whom De Mestre trains, sets aside £ 10,000 annually for that purpose alone. Mr. Joel’s ! horses won over £33,000 this year, but the margin over expense would only be slight. De Mestre had about 30 horses ir. work for l im. Mr. Joel is a big bettor, and when his horses win the members of the ring have reason to know it. FAR BEHIND AUSTRALIA. Connell’s Impression of racing conditions was the same as that of Hector Grey. “They are a long way behind us in most things, and are so conservative that they will take a long time to catch up,” commented Connell. The racing arrangements at some of the courses struck him as- decidedly primitive, and really lent themselves to fraud. At Newmarket, for instance, tte horses get out of sight after passing the winning post, and before returning to weigh in. „ After paying tribute to the integrity of those associated with racing in England, Connell added: “I am afraid the easiness of passing a little lead to a jockey after pulling up would be too strong a temptation for some Australians w© know.” At Newmarket there are not more than about ten stalls for horses. They are stripped in various parts of the paddock and taken straight home again after running : n a race. There are no numbered saddle-cloths, and tte only way of identifying a horse before a race is by an armband number worn by the attendant who l.eads it round. This corresponds with its number in the racebook, and the armband for each race is of different color. A horse engaged to run at, say, 3.30 p.m., will only be brought to the course shortly before that time, and leaves as soon as possible after. There is no accommodation for horses like that at any of our courses. However, at some places excellent stabling adjoining the course is provided by tte management, and sleeping and catering arrangements are also made for the boys accompanying the horses. By this means the lads are practically always with their charges. At many stables nearly all the “boys” live out, being married. They have their regular hours, at which to come on. As a rule a boy looking after a winner received £5 from the owner, but at the Hon. G. Lambeth’s stable lads in charge of Lord Derby’s horses receive 10 per cent, of the prize money whether first, second, or third. Of course such a case’ was exceptional, and the boys, as a whole, were not as well off as in Australia. SUPERIOR HORSES. '•Better all round than ours,” is Connell’s opinion of the English horses, Tetratema greatly impressed him as a sprinter, and Yutoi and Flariflboyant as stayers. He expects the latter to be about the best in England next season. The appearance of English horses greatly took his fancy. “At. Randwick, when we see a good-looking horse, we are generally able to say, ‘Oh, that’s one of So-and-So’s,’ but in England,” said Connell, “you see whole strings of handsome horses.” In races on most courses in the Old Country they are used to lots of room, and in Connell's opinion the lack of it on some of our courses, and the squeezing to which they are subjected, and to which they were previously unaccustomed, is responsible for some English horses running roguishly in Australia. Most appear on the big side when they race, and do best that way, was also an idea the Sydneyite formed. A great number run in blinkers, and there bad kickers. They are not so well educated at the barrier as ours, and the starter’s billet is anything but a sinecure. ' Bren in small fields bad starts are not unusual owing to tte unruliness of the competitors. GOOD RIDERS NUMEROUS. “I saw many good riders, and very few bad ones in England.” said Connell. “It is a treat to see Donohue ride, and anyone who takes exception to him must be prejudiced. Their style differs from ours, as while we crouch with a band on each side of a horse’s neck, they ride with both hands together- over the withers. The difference is so marked that an Australian is conspicuous in a field where the other horses are ridden by English jockeys. As for spurs, well, even 'dummies’ are rarely seen, and though the whip is flourished it is unusual for it to be used in earnest. “I do not think F. Bullock will ride as much next year as this. He is geting tired of wasting, and even now misses a meeting when it is not actually necessary for him to be present. His style of riding has altered since he was here, he in a great measure having adopted the English method. Carslake is now finding it difficult to keep down to a weight that gives him a chance of availing himself of good opportunities, and I can understand leading English jockeys being pleased when the season closes. They need a rest, as they are almost continuously travelling during the season. ‘ Bullock lives nearly 60 miles from London, and there is occasionally a stretch of three weeks before he can spare time to run home for a day. The New Zealander, H. Gray, is going back to England next y?ar, and I fancy he will ultimately settle down there as a trainer. He did well as a jockey this year, and may do even better during the coming one. In. addition to those mentioned, J. Chilcis is another high-clasa horseman, though he is now fairly old. For that matter, many English jockeys follow their calling much later in life than is customary in Australia.” Matters are made somewhat easy for jockeys by valets, who look after all. tackling. The valets take charge of the gear after it is used, and, no matter how far apart the meetings, jockeys can rely on it being avilable when needed. If a valet cannot go himself he makes arrangements with another for its delivery. They get £1 a day every time a jockey uses his gear and £2 when he rides a winner. CONNELL’S ENGLISH MOUNTS. Touching on his own riding experiences in England. Connell said he had three mounts for a first—Polyhistor— a second, and a fall, the latter being at Ayr, when his mount charged into the barrier with him. JThe machine used is the old-style Grey, and witt. the courses so wide the barrier has necessarily to be stiffer than here,” he said. “Newmarket is 75yds. across, which is a long stretch for any barrier.” In answer to my query as to the fairness of race riding there, he replied: “It is a picnic. No crowding, as, no matter what position a. jockey draws at the start of a race, he is supposed io keep it on a straight course. Even if a jockey should get three lengths in front, ii© does not make for the rails as we do in Australia, and even on a stright course it is handy to be next the rails. Naturally, tired horses run about a lot at the finish of a race at Newmarket, but though protests are fairly numerous at English meetings, they are rarely upheld. OTHER MATTERS. “One thing that surprised me at first was the manner in which horses that could not actually win were pulletl out of a place. Similar happenings in Australia would lead io the spectators wanting the stewards to disqualify everyone concerned. In England It does not produce any comment.” Catering at English courses is not up to the Australian standard, and so far as seeing the racing is concerned, the public do not, receive much consideration. The train arrangements for the conveyance of horses to and from meetings are good, and a course of which Connell speaks very favorably is Kemp-Top-notch horses continue to realise full value in England, but owing to the general heavy taxation many owners are retrenching, and are getting rid of horses they do not regard as sure to win races. Besides, with another season coming on, other owners are clearing out older horses in order to make room for youngsters. This will lead to some fair horses being sold comparatively cheaply. Connell took a fancy to Napolyon, and bis purchase at 3000gns. for an Australian friend was contemplated; then Napolyon beat Polemarch, and as he later won another race his value naturally increased. In Connell's opinion he would have been an ideal horse to buy with a view U> winning a Melbourne Cup.