SPORTING ITEMS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9669, 6 March 1897, Page 4

SPORTING ITEMS.

«.«Weekly Press and Referee.*.

It is very much to be regretted that the Dunedin Jockey Club have had what must bo considered the reverse of a successful Autumn Meeting—the last Cup gathering, so we are confidently told, that is to be held at the Forbury. The southern Metropolitan body has been struggling against adverse cii-ctimstances for years past, and unlike the racing institutions of the other larger centres, has not only not made headway, but has been steadily encroaching on the reserve fund that was built up in the palmy days of the sport The ordering of the weather is outside th 0 ken of mortal man, and so it was sheer bad luck that the elements raged on Cup day last week. But a fine afternoon on which to enrol Lord Rosslyn on the scroll of Cup, winners would not have converted tbe meeting into a success; the wet day, with a consequent shrinkage all round in the revenue, only intensified the misfortunes of the institution. With the removal of the sphere of operations to Wingatui, many well-wishers of the Club seek to suppose its fortunes will be revived, and among those that are so minded are the majority of tho executive; on the other hand we hear it remarked, again by Dunedinites, that it means collapse for the Club to remove from the Forbury, and that the fixtures will then degenerate into mere wayside gatherings. We trust such a gioomy prognostication will be completely falsified. And, indeed, so long as there are Dunedin Cup 3, Otago Cups, Eclipse and Champagne Stakes to run for, there is no fear whatever of the realisation of the pessimistic dream. That, howaver, to avoid shipwreck the D.J.C. will have to carefully husband any resources it has left, and be vory skilfully managed goes without saying. It is idle not to listen to the allegation that the Club has brought trouble upon iteelf. There has been a widespread impression that the Club is a sort of family party—or, more correctly speaking, the predominant section is such—and that common cause must be made against visitors when they venture within the gates. This is no iaubt an altogether exaggerated notion. It behoves tho Club, however, to have the semblance of auch a belief eradicated from tho public mind. We are not disinclined to believe the contention that this feeling epoken-of as being abroad has lost the club a lot in the past, and the sooner it is removed so much the better for the Club. The chief endeavour of the leading Clubs should be to make their gatherings of a cosmopolitan character, and such being the case the D.J.C. should endeavour to more thoroughly popularise the chief gatherings. We think,, too, serious attention should be given to the fixing of dates. The spring meeting, it appears to us, follows rather close on the (3. J.C. Metropolitan meeting, and the wisdom of making some change is worfc*_y of consideration. The autumn meeting calls at such a time that many important fixtures olaim the attention of North Island owners, but tho Dunedin Cup rSunion is the event of the particular season of the year, and wo trust to see its ancient glories restored in tho near future. The First Eclipse Stakes proved a success, but we are a little fearful that future races of the series will not come out-po well. The race, however, cannot fail but be an attraction to the big gathoring.