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FACTS ABOUT INDIAN RACING » How Horses Are Classified and the Betting Regulated. ♦ Crowds, Courses, Rules and Riders Which Figure in Eastern Empires Turf Sport. ♦ Jobn niacins, one of the chief stipendiary offi-• iiils in Imli.in raring, tells of raring in India in a most interesting manner. H«- lias lon all over the o;mtiy in an official capacity. Of Indian racing Iliggins says: "Kai-ing is clean in Calcutta, wliore all the Turf Club stewards are non-ltettors. Tlie sport is lxxmiing, and increased prize money has been decided upon for the cominjr meetings. Interest in monsoon rainy season racing now almost corresponds with that of the winter. "At the winter meetings I should say that on an average about 20.000 people paid for admission, though, of course, the crowd would be much larger on Viceroys Cup Day. That number would cover the three inclosures, hut the middle of the course is free, and about 30.000 natives -ee the racing from that point. The latter are fond of racing, and it is recognized that it has a good effect upon their relations with the Europeans. The stands in the principal inclosnre have been built more with a view to comfort than with the idea of holding a large crowd. Members of the clubs have four seats each reserved for them. The grandstand at Rand wick would hold twice as many people as any Calcutta stand, but the appointments of the latter are second to none anywhere. "From a galloping standpoint the course proper at Calcutta is the best I have ever seen. It is planted with couch grass, and drcs-ed with loam, sand and fine tan. It is rarely used for training work, and then only the outside pcrtion. The monsoon racing track is dressed with sand, and the foundation is such that rain makes it faster. There is a tan gallop on the same plan customary at Australian tracks, and a lot of slow work is done on the maidan — an open park. The horses are not given nearly as much work as in Australia: they dont appear to require it. China Egg. winner of the Indian Grand National, did next to nothing prior to that race. "Horses arc classified in Calcutta. The winner of a classic or weight forage race in England or Australia goes into the first class: a good suburban handicap horse into the seeond cla--s. as does a two -year-old that has shown fair form in England; while, among others, the third class takes in -well-bred horses with no performances. The fourth class is poor, their standard heing about enal to the iniddloweiglits in races of the Park Stakes order at provincial meclings near Sydney. Horses are t re. nsf erred from one class to a:ioth«r as they improve or deteriorate. Horses l:is-itio l as thin! or fourth class cannot run in races for first or second class. I do not believe in the classification system, as it is an inducement for an owner to run a horse out of condition in order to get him into a lower class. ".I. C. tJalstaun is the biggest owner in Calcutta, probably in India. Most of the Calcutta trainers have strings ranging from twelve to forty." Discussing riders in Indian racing Higgius said: "Several prominent English riders were in India while I was there, hut on circular courses the Australian Iwys are better. They arc smarter away from the barrier and are quicker to grasp opportunities in running. I regard P. Brown as the best jockey in India, possessing dash and .judgment. He lias recently done all his riding in Uombay, the stable with which he is associated having nothing running in Calcutta. ! "Nearly all the owners in India are in g -od circumstance-, and honesty among the jockeys is encouraged by liberal treatment. It does not always have that effect, and i-ondittons in India arc riot helpful to a boy who has any inclination to go wrong. There are few ainusemcnt during the day. and the fact of having too much time in which to do nothing causes some jockeys to slip. A jockey io«iiircs a lot of self-contral in India: but those who possess it do well. Suspension in Calcutta is nearly equivalent to disqualification in Australia. A jockey under suspension cannot go on a race course without the special permission of the Turf Club. SENSIBLE BETTING REGULATION. "There an- good Ix-ttors in Calcutta, where sixteen liookmakcrs arc licensed to bet at the winter and fourteen at the monsoon meetings. In the principal inclosnre they bet in a limited area, and must remain there, not being allowed to walk to The end of the grandstand before a race, as in Australia. The minimum to which a bookmaker can lay odds at the winter meeting is 0 and SIS at the monsoons. A ,000 book on a race would be tin- average of any bookmaker, though some run to 0,000. When a bookmaker take- a bet of 50 or over in cash, he has to note the name of the Mater, and this is useful information for Um stip-ifdiar.v stewards when they examine the hook-makers books, which they do every few days. With only sixteen betting that is easy enough in Calcutta. "There is but little ante-post betting, though a tremendous amount takes place in Bombay, not withstanding it is illegal, and all lx-tting is sup-jMiM-d to be done through the totalizator on the course. The machine turnover there is heavy, and in Calcutta, where booUmaking is not permitted in the second and third iielosiires. ii runs to about ||W,IW | day ■Mill, whiter racing. "The bookmaker is required everywhere in conjunction with the totalizator. From a stewards point of view the bookmaker is most useful, as it is difficult to trace totalizator bets. "The lountry meetings in India are practically confined to soldiers of military staions. and the programs invariably include three or four jumping races. Country courses are really not suitable for jumping. ;.wing to the hardness of most, but an office: will buy a juniper in preference to any other horse, and, if it shows any form at country nieeting~. will send it to Calcutta to compete. Consequently country meetings contribute greatly to the success of hurdle races and steeplechases there. The Grand Military Steeplechase in Calcutta is coniiied to officers on full pay." Tie- li.nllers in Calcutta are not formidable. Cciierally speaking tiny are brush-topped for eigh-Hen inches, ami even then are not higher than the ]iiidl-s at Uandwick First-class horses are put to I rdling over tln-re. IieMan racing officials have adopted many Australian rules, particularly those bearing on interference rule. Irotests on that score must now be made before weighing in. whereas the old rule gave fifteen minute- in which to object. An Owners .ss«.c iation has In-en foimed in Calcutta, membership not being confined to Banpeaas. Owner trainers are also eligible for membership, but there arc few there.
