Auckland Trotting Club's Autumn Meeting.
Observer, Rōrahi XXIX, Putanga 28, 27 Poutūterangi 1909, Page 15
Mō tēnei niupepa
Auckland Trotting Club's Autumn Meeting.
(Saturday, "Wednesday and Saturday, March 27th, 31st, and April 3rd).
THE welcome break of last week^ in the long spell of dry weatherßj marked the passing of summer! into autumn. Though the rain that I fell failed to soak the ground to any if depth, its beneficial effects. are seen in the freshening up of the turf and in the livening up of the tracks. We may now anticipate having the running tracks at Alexandra Park in good order for the forthcoming Autumn Meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club. The inducements offered by the Club to owners under a most liberal programme have been as liberally responded to, leaving no room for fear of a, dearth of good racing material for any of the events throughout the three days. An additional attractive feature of the meeting will be the attempts to lower the reoords far one miie and two miles respectively, for which purses of 100 so vs. each are offered. For the former, Lord Elmo and Specialist are entered, .whilst Lord Elmo will also make the attempt on the two mile record. For Saturday's racing there is a good programme of eight events, for which splendid acceptances have been received. The programme comprises the Maiden Trot Handicap IJm. ; Trotting Handicap, 2m. ; Stewards' Trot, 2m. ; Autumn Handicap (for ponies), 4sfur. ; Middle Class Trot, 14m. ; Cornwall Handicap Trot, lm. ; Hobson Harness Trot, lsm. ; and Electric Trot, lm. The Club will need only a fine afternoon to be assured of a most successful opening. In view of the very satisfactory fields promised, in regard to both quality and number, there is a good prospect of a record gathering. The second day is fixed for "Wednesday next, when in addition to the ordinary programme, one of the record breaking, attempts will no doubt. be s made. At the tittie of writing the allotment of their place on the programme has not been announced.
Uranium out of form. Necktie in form again. Ben Johnson showed good form at Paeroa.
Sharpshooter is again galloping freely at Riccarton. Trotting and pony racing at Alexandra Park on Saturday. Downfall and Bobrikoff have been scratched for the Doncaster Handicap and Sydney Cup. Okaihau did badly on the second day of the Ohinemuri Meeting, coming to grief at the first hurdle. Letherin has been taken up again and is now in. work at Masterton, though his training on is considered somewhat doubtful. Paritutu ricked his shoulder at Wanganui, and it is considered that his services will be lost to his owner for some time to come. Ben Johnson won the Ohinemuri Cup in good style from Noteorini, Azoff, and two others. The time for the mile and a-quarter was 2.10. A pony named Dearest, belonging to Mr G. L. Stead, died suddenly upon reaching the paddock after competing in the Polo Cup at Addington. A Napier writer reports that Mr Bid well's trainer considers Provocation's yearling brother, Tribulation, to be the best looking member of the whole family. The Easter Handicap weights form a pretty formidable list. Just under 50 horses have come under the handicapped' s hands. The acceptances close to-morrow (Friday). General entries for the Auckland Racing Club's Autumn Meeting close to-morrow (Friday), 26th inst. Acceptances for the Easter Handicap, Autumn Steeplechase, and Brighton Hurdles fall due on the same date. Bobrikoff's half-brother Bulletin by Pilgrim's Progress-Gossip, created a good impression (says an exchange) when he won the District Maiden Plate at Little River. He is not a big one, but he promises to win lots of races for Mr J. F. Buchanan, whose popular colours he carried for the first time they have been out since last Autumn. It was^ remarked when the totalisator was introduced into France (says an English paper) that racing would be ruined. What is the result ? !The receipts rose from £4,100,000 in 1891 to £12,800.00 in 1907, and promised to be even larger last year. The poor have benefited greatly, for in charity £3.600.000 of this sum was expended in 1907, while breeders received £1,500,000. Ohinemuri suffered its first experience of a " dry " meeting last week as a result of the " no license " vote and the return of the temperance ticket in the Licensing Committee election . By wav of contrast to 1 the internal needs, rain fell p^n. tiously on the second da"", *rA doubt emphasised in the r>^^ r i K o f +]-, o "moderates" the hardship of n state of things which precluded an-" inward compensation for nature's soaking. In England the wages of stable lads are on the upward grade. There has (says an exchange) been a tendency towards this for some time, and it is now impossible to obtain a good lad with experience for anything like the same wages as a few years ago. On the other hand, it may be mentioned, the treatment of lads in racing stables is now much improved. In Australia good stable lads are hard to t^et, but then that is scarcely to be wondered at, as the general wage is 10s a week and board, and the prospects are poor. The Lucio _ appeal cases were further dealt with by the Metropolitan Racing Committee last week. The two years' disqualification of Albert Whittaker by the Avbndale Jockey Club was endorsed, his appeal being dismissed. N. Cunningham's appeal against life disqualification by the same club was upheld in respect of the charge that he was a party to the nulling of Lucio, but he was disqualifved for six months tinder sub-clause G. of Rule 1 of part 33. The appeal of G. "Nicholson in the matter of the disqualification of the foTSP Iwio was further adjourn,^,
