That night, the gent who owned the ‘boiling down' works arrived to do the job.  Unfortunately, in the dark he went to the wrong stall and shot the wrong horse.  He ended up in court and had to pay damages.  

                                            Avondale Lucky To Remain

The 1921 Racing Commission, when reporting its findings to Parliament, recommended that the Avondale Jockey Club lose all its four permits. At the time the club had only 29 members,  23 of them also members of the Auckland RC, and the commission felt that five clubs (when you include the Takapuna JC and the Auckland and Otahuhu Trotting Clubs) were too many for the then-reasonably small area and at least one club should go. However, Parliament then (and now) is composed of politicians who are very concerned with voter popularity and so Avondale survived. 
In hindsight perhaps a pity because the Takapuna Club racing at Devonport was growing in terms of tote turnover at a much faster rate than Avondale. Unfortunately Takapuna folded in 1934 because officialdom decided it was unsafe. That was a ruling which for years to come was disputed by many people.
Avondale, though, have since midway through the 20^th century been an innovative club. It was the first in New Zealand to give a fourth placed stake in races. This happened in September 1921 when Pendoon, part owned by famous racing personality Dr McGregor Grant, earned £10 of the £400 stake for his fourth placing. It took many years for the fourth placed stake to become universal. 
Avondale also received many plaudits when they staged a race meeting for the beleaguered Nelson J.C. in the 1980s, almost certainly saving them from insolvency. Then came their biggest move with the introduction of night racing. The move did not succeed and sent them broke, however, selling off much of their valuable property got them back in the black and now they play an important part in northern racing, although many think a return to racing at Ellerslie, where they operated during World War II, is the ultimate answer. 


                                                "Bloody Roof -- I Can't See"

When the Southland Racing club was built in 1894 it was found that the roof was too low and patrons at the back could not see the back straight.  It had to be altered at the architect's expense.

                                             Peake Was One Of The Greats   

With David Walsh and Noel Harris shortly to join the 2000 Winners Club, let us look at one of the three outstanding riders already members.
David Peake, born in Napier, first became interested in horses when his sister Yvonne was a pony club enthusiast. David helped his sister look after the ponies when the family moved to Ohakune and his small stature inevitably led to his desire to become a jockey. He was apprenticed to Takanini trainer George Cameron, who had a huge influence on his early riding. Cameron actually bought a mare Bay Abbey for Peake and another apprentice, Gordon Lewis, to learn to ride on and it was this horse who provided David with his first win at Paeroa in September 1962. Soon an Auckland Cup win on Royal Sheen followed (he beat great rider Grenville Hughes on Terrific by a nose), and Good Lord's 1978 Wellington Cup plus three successive Wellington Racing Club Telegraph Handicaps on Blue Blood being standout occasions.  David won five NZ Jockeys Premierships and was four times runner-up and third on two occasions.
He was one of perhaps a minority of male jockeys who welcomed the introduction of women riders in the 1970s.  He said at the time that race riding demanded skill, not brute strength and competent riders would make a valuable contribution to racing.  How right he proved to be.

                                             Chatham Island JC Calls For Bloodstock

Around 1920 the Chatham Island Jockey Club was appealing to NZ breeders looking for fresh blood being introduced to the Island stock.  Racing has been conducted on the Island since 1873 and until recently it still held a meeting at New Year.  "Several of our settlers would be pleased to improve their stock in this manner and some N.Z. owners could take advantage of a market for lower priced broodmares or yearlings," was the word from the Island. "Are there any out there?"

                                                           Keith Voitre - An Amazing Record

Whizz kid, Keith Voitre came along shortly after Gray and rode 123, and it took 30 years for Bill Skelton to beat it by one.  After that you needed a lot more to head the list until now Lisa Cropp with 197 holds the record.

                                                            First Female Rider Was In USA

The first mention I can find of a woman professional jockey is a Mrs W.H. Bagwill from Carson City, Nevada, U.S.A.  She rode under the name of Emma Archer from 1900.

                                                            Costly Argument For Top Jockey

Charlie Jenkins won six jockey's premierships between 1898/99 and 1905/06 and rode 728 winners, but missed out on some more when he had his licence cancelled for one year! He argued with a judge at Bulls.

                                                        First Mooting Of Photo Finish

In 1920, the Canterbury Jockey Club's annual meeting referred to ‘an aid for the Judge,' being proposed.  It is thought it would be of considerable help, particularly in poor light with, ‘muddied horses and riders dashing at the Judge.'  It took another 25 years before Ellerslie became the first to install the photo finish camera.