| The Adelaide
Advertiser reports that the second race at Murray Bridge yesterday was delayed by more
than five minutes after the Club decided to charge trainers and jockeys for racebooks for
the first time. Any jockeys or trainers which have
runners or rides at any meeting in South Australia usually received the book free of
charge, but yesterday the Murray Bridge club decided to begin charging.
The move angered representatives who held a meeting with
stewards before the second race and the issue was resolved when the club caved into
pressure.
Murray Bridge Racing Club chief executive told Dennis
Markham his committee reserved the right to examine the matter again before its next
meeting.
"The cost of racebooks has always been a loss problem
for all clubs," Wellington said.
"In our case, it amounts to $19,000 a year and that
includes an average 140 free books dispensed to trainers and jockeys at every meeting.
"Had trainers and jockeys accepted our move the
overall saving to the club would have been around $5000 a year, a significant saving in
our opinion. The cutbacks were made in other areas as well, so it's not as if we asked
just those two groups to pay in future."
Trainers had refused to saddle runners for the second race
after being told earlier they would have to pay $4, the same as other patrons for their
guides. |
