GRAND NATIONAL PROGRAMME

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24869, 8 May 1946, Page 4

GRAND NATIONAL PROGRAMME

RACING

LARGE INCREASE IN STAKES REDUCTION IN ENTRY FEES The Canterbury Jockey Club will offer £20,850 in stakes at the Grand National meeting, which the club has applied for permission to hold on August 3, 7 and 10. If the dates are approved the Crand National meeting will again be a threeday meeting, for the first time since 1941. When the committee of the club met yesterday it approved of an increase in stakes, and also introduced a number of new conditions relating to races, some of which represent a departure from longstanding practices. The most important of these is the decision to abolish the previous system of having several payments for the major events, and have one acceptance only for all races. As in the past, the handicaps for the Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle races and the Winter Cup will still be issued well in advance of the meeting, and this year they will appear after the Wellington Racing Club’s meeting is concluded at Trentham in July. A general reduction in the combined nomination and acceptance fees will be made, and these will now be computed on the basis of 1 per cent, of the winner’s stake, instead of 1 per cent, of the total stake as formerly. In the big events this will make quite a considerable reduction in starting fees, especially as there is to be a fourth prize in all events. A general rehandicapping clause will apply in ail events except the Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle Race the Winter Cup. The procedure for the provision of safety numbers will be th j same as last year. The stake for the 1946 Grand National Steeplechase will be £3OOO, an increase of £5OO on last year. The Grand National Hurdles stake has also been increased oy £5OO, and will now be £2300. The Winter Cup. the principal flat race at the meeting. will have a stake of £1750 as against £l5OO last year.

The following is the complete programme, the stakes for those events which were neld last year being shown in parenthesis:— First Day.—Enfield Steeplechase, two miles and a half, £6OO (£500): Cashmere Plate, £4OO (£400); Jumpers' Flat Handlcap, one mile and a half, £500; Paparua Handicap, seven furlongs, £6OO (£500); New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase, three miles and a half. £3OOO (£2500); Trial Hurdles, one mile and three-quartert, £6OO (£500); Winter Cup. one mile, £1750 (£1500) ; and the Avonhead Handicap, one mile. £5OO (£400). Second Day.—Aylesbury Handicap, seven furlongs. £400; Sumner Handicap, nine furlohgs, £6OO (£400); Beaufort Steeplechase, two miles ana a half, £1000: Woolaton Handicap, seven furlongs. £400; New Zealand Grand National Hurdles, two miles and a half and 160 yards, £2OOO (£1500); Spreydon Hurdles, two miles. £6OO (£500); Islington Handicap, one mile and a quarter. £lOOO (£750); and the August Handicap, one mile, £750 (£600). Third Day.—Hunt Cup Steeplechase, two miles and a half, £BOO (£500); Longbeach Handicap, seven furlongs. £400; Sydenham Hurdles. two miles, • £lOOO (£850); Styx Hurdles, one mile and threequarters, £600; Heathcote Handicap, nine furlongs, £800; Lincoln Steeples, three miles, £l5OO (£1200); Redcliffs Handicap, one mile, £500; and the Selwyn Handicap. seven furlongs, £750. There is an alteration in the conditions of the Cashmere Plate, and entrants must be maidens at the time of starting, not nomination. It has been a point of contention in some • quarters for some years as to whether the winner of the maiden race at the Hunt Club’s meeting should be eligible to start in this race. The Beaufort Steeples will be limited to horses that have not won a race to the value of £5OO, and - will provide a good opportunity for improving jumpers. In the maiden races and In. certain hack races, the elub has purposely not increased the stakes, as any increase would make the winner ineligible for hade races. As the rules now stand the club has acted wisely, as in these days of high stakes too many horses have had to compete in open company long before they are ready to do so. simply because the value.nf .fie race to the winner has made him ineligible for hack company.

Classic Races The stakes for the classic races, for which entries will be taken next month,

have also been allocated, the total sum being £B5OO, an increase of £l9OO on that allocated last year. There is no change in die conditions pertaining to the races, and the stakes are as follows:—Welcome Stakes. 1946, £l5OO (£1250); Middle Park Plate. 1947, £5OO (£400); Champagne Stakes, 1947, £1250 (£775); Challenge Stakes, 1947, £1256 (£775); New Zealand Derby, 1947, £3OOO (£2500); and the New Zealand Oaks, 1947, £1560 (£1000).