THE TURF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2417, 4 February 1909, Page 2

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Lord 'Nolan, wlio was cased u|> after recording his jMel'bburiie iClup victory at Fleming ton, in November, and who has not raced an the, interval, is stated to ho - in capital nick to attack his autumn engagements/ Mr. John Mayo is stated to entertain special designs on the Champion Stakes with the game son of Positano. The, cry for the appointment of stipendiary stewards grows more insistent as time goes on (says the “Canter,bury Times”). Following every racing season, in fact, wo have brought under our notice the need for more strict supervision in order to check the dark deeds of the unscrupulous owners, trainers; and jockeys. So far, however, tbo authorities in New Zealand have resisted all tempts to ihring about a, change in the prevailing conditions. In other parts of the world, whe.ro practical effect has keen given to the requests for reform, the now plan has -worked well. On the question of . reduction of

racing, a strong note this year comes from Dunedin. “Sentinel,” of the Otago “Witness,” says:—One of the problems which the Racing Conference will have to face sooner or later is the undoubted fact that wo have far too much racing during the year. The calendar is crowded with totalisator meetings, and then it further overflows into hack meetings, and with the superabundance comes a deterioration that frequently follows'‘a iplcthora of sport. Thore is far

too much racing, and as a result it is inclined to get out of hand. The - pruning knife will have to bo wielded with an unsparing hand. | A private conference of the Tara- : naki country clubs is being arranged to consider what steps should bo taken regarding the appointment of stipendiary stewards, the reduction, of complimentary privileges, and also the position created by the decreased revenue from the totalisator. Efforts . are being mad© to arrange a similar conference of district clubs in the Wanganui district. ! A writer in the “Australasian” confirms the rumor that was in existence a few years back about the

weighing scales at Elemington hav- : iug been faked. Possibly if Mr Glib- ! born chose to give the information the Svdney press could say the same con- 1 cerning the scales at iR and wick. The ' A.J.C. silent months of inquiry, but : never got to the bottom of the swin- ! die. Strangely enough, a well-known figure at Randwick 'and Elemington , has given up owning horses since this . desperate swindle, was discovered. j At the inquest on the body of Leslie jMcDouga.ll, the jockey who was killed through falling from a- horse during the running of a race at the , Perth course, on Boxing Day, the evi-

dence showed that the electric bat- ; tery Avliicti Ayas found on him avus fastened round his waist bv a Leit, and kept in position by a handkerchief, which was lashed oA'er the. shoulder, j The wires ran down the outside of . McDo-ugall’s logs, passed through holes in bis ,boots, and were attached to the spurs. It avas pointed out that there was no turns on the body, thus indicating that- he bad not been injured by electricity-from the battery. • The jury brought in a verdict of >ac- ; oidental death, adding a rider to the effect that the W.A.T.C. should cause all jockeys to he searched prior to mounting in each race.