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WAR TIME RACING WAYS IN GERMANY. Interesting Story of Turf Conditions by a Jockey Who Was Permitted to Go Home. Harry Aylin. the jockey, recently returned from Germany, sends us his views of the position of sport in that country. He writes: On the outbreak of war racing was completely stopped through Germany, and all fixtures to the end of 1914 abandoned. Early in 1915 the Jockey Club, with the support of all the leading horse breeders, petitioned for a resumption of racing mainly in order to discover the merits of their horses for stud purposes, which, by the way. the Cerman Government lias always considered essential in the national interest. This appeal by the Jockey Club was successful. Racing on certain days was permitted. The sport, however, could not be continued, as the Government prohibited betting at these meetings and in consequence the attendance of the public was poor. The Jockey Clubs share of the 16 per cent, taken from all bets not being forthcoming, that body suffered great loss. An appeal to the German Government to permit betting was acceded to. The fixtures were still few and far between, but the racing when it did take place was really good. The attendance established a record doubtless because the public was permitted to bet. Paper money was strikingly plentiful. Other amusements being difficult to find, more than "0.000 pounds was bet. The percentage of profit from this sum proved useful to both the Jockey Club and the Government. This success was followed by an appeal from the executives of provincial racecourses, which was granted, but all attempts to hold two or three meetings on the same day failed. There wis a serious shortage of jockeys, and in addition owners preferred to run their animals on home courses. The food problem has naturally had a grave effect on horse racing in Germany. Several well-known trainers with whom I discussed the subject were anxious to assure me that their horses were being well cated for and properly fed. though I accepted their observations with a grain of salt. My reason for doubting what they said in this respect was based on the fact that out of fifty-four mares the Government Stud only had thirty-two foals. Another small breeder with twenty-two mares got but seven foals, while a less pretentious establishment with eleven mares produced two foals. All this, of course, reflected the general state of affairs in Germany. Accidents Frequent Last Year. The number of steeple-chasing accidents in 1911 was extraordinarily large, ami. while these mishaps might be attributed to bad jockeyship. underfeeding again was. pet haps, it would he more correct to say. directly responsible. That the shortage of I Istuffs in Germany is grave is undeniable, and. while the humane population is so much in want and distress it is not surprising that racehorses should also suffer from lack of nourishment. lr was in the spring of 1915 that the first batch of English trainers were allowed out on parole. Instantly a section of the Gorman public protested and demandeil an explanation of the governments ::ction. An official retort was pithy and to the point. "The preservation of our thorouglibn d stock is most vital in the national interests." replied the Imperial Government, "and therefore, it is essential that our horses should be properly trained." Writing from memory. I think about ten English trainers were released and it was not so much to look after tie Fatherlands thoroughbreds that they accepted their freedom I imagine as to escape the horrors of internment in such notorious camps as Wittenberg and Kuhlelun— horrors which about that time evoked indignation and resentment in Great Britain and America. The release of the Englishmen did not carry with it an immunity from police surveillance, and it ought to lie added that wherever they wnt a German watchdog was ever in their footsteps. They were debarred from all race meetings, though no objection was taken to their galloping horses a* the course when fixtures had been held. Thus while the Englishmen trained horses, they were BC.VCT allowed in any circumstances to see their charges compete in a single race. Success of Nuage as a. Sire. I noticed that the most successful foreign stallions in Germany were Nuage. Malua. and Eider. Nuage. a beautiful hoise. was purchased for 10.000 pounds by the German Government, and in view of what his progeny has since accomplished 1 think he was worth considerably more. His record at the stud has been quite phenomenal. Nuage mated with Antwort. by Aid Patrick — Alveole, by Ciafl— lie. Alvere. wore responsible between them for the champion two. three and four-year-olds. Antwort promises to lie a second Fcsta. While the offspring of Nuage and Antwort do not all hold unbeaten certificates, their failure to establish an invincible record has boon primarily due to the inability of the Genual! Government trainer to keep them at their best. Incidentally it is interesting to mention tli.-s t the Imperial Stud never retained a Gorman horseman before the outbreak of war. It is only since MM that such an experiment has been tried, and with obviously unsatisfactory results. Even then the youth who was engaged had been apprenticed to Reginald Day when he trained for the Kaiser. His name was Olincke. and judged by the German standard, he was. it is only fair to observe, a capable horseman. Olincke was unequal to the opportunity which presented itself, and his fame as an Imperial Stud jockey was short. A substitute was discovered in Restenberger. another product of the Fatherland. In 1915 he headed the list of winning riders. Archibald, the American jockey, was his greatest rival, and it was only the conditions of quite a number of races then which were restricted to German - bred riders that gave Restenberger priority of position over the other in the winning list. Thus, Archibald was compelled by a peculiar irony to be a s|iootator of such a raee which decided the championship. By a pip Archibald was robbed of the premiership, but he had his revenge in the following year, when he easily lopped the list. Best Jumpers from Ireland and France. As ever, the best cross-country performers in Germany are either Irish or French-bed animals. The General, an importation from Ilibernia. has won his share of races, ami is now under the care of William Moore, who has tiie best stable of jumpers in Germany. The Crown Prince still keeps a few mediocrities in training, and two of them. Black Swan and Baby, have just managed to catch the judges eye on a single occasion. The public has clamored for an alteration in the names of these English-bred animals, but without result. I cannot conclude without a brief reference to Fred Winter, who is at present, interned at Ruhleben. I really think it ought to have been possible for the German government to find some means of letting Winter out of the country. He is. I believe, a minor and unable to speak a word of German. It should be borne in mind that lie went to Germany at the instigation of the Imperial Government and not for a private individual. As a matter of fact, he was arrested three months before any other jockey or trainer, who were not detained until November, 1914. From all I could learn before leaving Berlin recently Fred Winter is in good health and cheerfully looking forward to the time when he will rejoin his numerous friends at Newmarket. — London Sportsman.
