TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE -

A Gigantic Industry

(BY

“THE GRAFTER.”)

During the New Zealand racing season now drawing to an end accidents fees amounting to £3778 were paid. This means that probably not less than 2500 horses were in training. The fees paid could cover about 2400, and probably there would be another two or three hundred horses in work prior to being registered. At the modest fee of £2 10s per horse, it would mean that training fees would amount to £7500 per week. During the season up-to-date 239 days’ racing took place and 1663 races with £381,678 in stakes, and trophies valued at £3609 15s were distributed. In addition, racing clubs have £13,695 in stakes for light harness events on their programmes. The amount registered on the totalisator was £5,024,427 10s on racing, and an additional £169,068 10s on light harness events included in racing programme.

The racing was under the control and supervision of stipendiary stewards who cost £3700 3s sd, or a little over £2 per race, a by no means excessive charge considering that well over £5,000,000 was played up in betting. To “clear the course” racecourse inspectors were, employed at a cost of £4040. and it may be said that many people can obtain entry to every other place except a racecourse. Registration fees were paid on over 900 horses during the year, which meant that just so many entered the ranks to begin a racing career. It cost £12,628 to keep the machinery of racing in smooth working order. There is an excess of income over expenditure of £lOl9 2s 7d up to May 31, 1940.

It would be interesting and help to conserve the interests of racing if the executive of the Racing Conference obtained a census of the people directly employed by racing and breeding, and also the number connected with trotting. The casual employment gives work to thousands of people throughout the year, and the fact is not rea- ■ Used until a thought crops up about the very large staff necessary to run l meetings such as those held at the! principal fixtures throughout the year. The amount of money put into circulation directly and indirectly over racing and trotting meetings must annually amount to a tremendous sum, which would dwarf the turnover on the totalisator. Racing was once purely a pastime, when owners made matches or sweepstakes and raced entirely for their own money. Nowadays it has developed into a gigantic industry, giving employment to thousands of people. Up-to-date this season about 2000 horses have been raced and they would represent a total value of around £1,000,000. If racing was stopped it would disorganise a vast industry, throw hundreds and thousands out of work, and both horses and men would still have to be maintained —many of them incapable of getting any other employment outside of the requirements of studs and training stables. Light harness racing is also surrounded by a vast industry, and the combination with racing represents such tremendous financial interests and loss of revenue to the Government that those who entertain ideas, of shutting the gates express opinions based on an utter lack of knowledge. That is why the Racing Conference and Trotting Conference require waking -up to action to do something to protect the interests of both racing and trotting and those whose living depends on continuation.

Gay Chou. Gay Chou, now in the care of J. Waller. was restricted to a working gallop at Awapuni yesterday. He has not had many lessons in the jumping business, and it may be premature to condemn him for his running in the hurdle event at Otaki. When he acquires a little more confidence in his jumping a race should be well within his reach.

Colonel Bogey Improving. Colonel Bogey, being hampered by the going, did not race up to expectations at Otaki. If produced at Trentham providing the track is favourable, his prospects of being in the place money look favourable. In a mile gallop at Awapuni yesterday he bowled along very freely, with a brush home over the last three. Ho is certainly improving in form. Moradabad. Moradabad has furnished splendidly in recent weeks. She is exercised on the roads, but will be on the tracks at Awapuni again in a few days. The daughter of Bulandshar bears a particularly bright appearance, and it would come as no surprise were sheto gain honours later on.

Gay Boa. Gay Boa, who ran second in the Dromore Steeplechase, at Ashburton, has been transferred to E. J. Ellis’ stable at Washdyke, and will be sent from there to the Wellington and Grand National meetings. The Balboa gelding has done well since racing at Wingatui and .is considered to have excellent prospects of winning an important steeplechase before the season ends. Like most of the stock of Balboa, Gay Boa is a proficient jumper, and so far this season the only schooling he has done has been on race days.

Wellington Steeplechase. The next jumping race of importance in the Dominion will be the Wellington Steeplechase to be held at Trentham on July 9. Padishah and Clarion Call represent the best class in the North Island and Slayer and Ballybrit are possibly the best from the South Island.

The presence of these two horses in the field will no doubt add to the handicapper's difficulty, for after an equitable distribution in weight among those engaged on the intermediate marks it may be found that on the minimum there will be a number of horses who, if assessed in a race among themselves, would require ?nany pounds to bring them together. However, the conditions may serve a useful purpose in reducing the field to a handy size, and in eliminating horses who may constitute a danger lo the tried competition in the race. Should Padishah be successful there will be few who will not favour his chances of winning his second Grand National.

It is interesting to recall that when Coalition won the Wellington Steeplechase. in 1922, lie carried 12.11. and then wont on to win the Grand National with the maximum weight of 12.7.