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2 NZEF Goes to the Races by Lt. Heatley.

Rights Information
Year
1945
Reference
19844
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Year
1945
Reference
19844
Media type
Audio
Series
U series
Duration
00:06:20
Broadcast Date
31 Jan 1945
Credits
RNZ Collection
Heatley, Horace Leonard, 1913-1969

Lieutenant H. L. Heatley talks about the New Zealanders' passion for horse racing and betting.

He says that the course of the war could have been plotted by abandoned rugby goal posts and discarded totalisator race tickets. Racing has provided relaxation for soldiers from the stress of war action.

He describes the various forms of horse racing and betting in Egypt and Italy. Double betting and twin tote betting were popular in both these counties. In Rome the "Villa Glory" racing track was re-opened after the allies captured the city. Betting stakes on each race approximated one hundred pounds in each event.