TROTTING CUP AT ADDINGTON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27193, 10 November 1953, Page 10

TROTTING CUP AT ADDINGTON

Course In Splendid

Order CLUB PREPARED FOR BIG CROWD

The New Zealand Trotting Cup will be run today, and the answer to the frequently-asked question will be forthcoming at Addington this afternoon. In providing it, the winner is expected at least to approach record time for the two-mile journey. The public’s pacing idol, Johnny Globe, takes his place in a high-class field of 14 for the event, and success for this handsome stallion would be very popular, but with performers of the calibre of Burns Night, Morano, Adorian, Tactician, Soangetaha, and Van Dieman also engaged, “Johnny” will have to produce a brilliant run to win.

Addington is the headquarters of the Dominion’s light-harness sport, and the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club has spared neither hard work nor money in order to have *the course bearing an appearance which befits this prestige. For week’s the club’s big maintenance staff has been refurbishing the appointments, adding to them, and reconstructing other facilities in preparation for the meeting, and patrons, as they arrive at the course today, will not have to look far to find full evidence of this work. The new addition to the members’ car park will prove particularly popular. In order to provide for a further 150 cars, the club has remowd the tin fence between the members’ turnstiles and the tea kiosk, and a low picket fencing along that portion of the path to the totalisator annex has' been erected. Members using the additional car park will tender their entrance tickets at a gate which separates the new park from the original one, and from some of the new parking positions will be able to view the racing. The turnstiles have been redesigned, rebuilt, and. moved several yards further west for this purpose, and new picket fencing, now borders the training track behind the park. A small totalisator is situated at the eastern end of the tea kiosk, and a new ribbon dividend indicator has been erected. Spectators at that end of the grounds will not now havo to walk over to the main totalisators to obtain an indication of the favouritism.

New Stand Constructed A new stand, which will accommodate 1500 patrons, has been constructed at the rear of the embankment at the western end of the inside enclosure. A good view of the racing can be enjoyed £rom this vantage point. The stand, which is an open one, is a permanent structure, and it will undoubtedly ease the pressure on the other stands in the inside enclosure. A new entrance to the public car pahk has been erected, and this is handily situated about 20 feet from the footpath on Lincoln road. In the past it was necessary to drive through a long and narrow lane to reach the old entrance, and this often caused congestion of traffic. The best positions in this car park are at the northern end, and these will be occupied by the’ earliest patrons to arrive today. The recently approved six yard starting system will be in operation at the meeting. The installation of the many extra starting points has been no mean task.

Weather permitting today, the public will again have the pleasure of crossing from the outside enclosure to the middle of the racing track to view the contests from vantage points along the inside safety rails. In the last few years this privilege has proved particularly popular, and crowds have swarmed into the middle of the track in order to see the cup race. The track has had the usual special preparation and. according to the course suoerintendent (Mr R. G. Cooper), “if the weather remains fine, records are sure to be broken.” Public buffet luncheons and afternoon teas will now be provided in the upstairs rooms at the rear of the public stands, which have been used in the past by members. Membbrs will now be served in the tea kiosk. Also, buffet afternoon teas will be provided in a marquee on the main lawn behind the public stand ih the inside enclosure. Pre-Race Betting on Cup Pre-race betting on the cup will again be in operation. These investments will'be received after 10.15 a.m. in a building behind the totalisator annex on the main lawn ,in the irtside enclosure, and at a building alongside the doubles totalisator in the outside enclosure. The pre-race betting will close at 1 p.m., and after that time’ investments will be received as usual at the main totalisators.

An innovation this year is the using of the cup race for the first leg of the double. This should be popular with betters throughout the Dominion. Extensive interior work has been carried out in the main buildings in preparation for the Royal visit next January. A new stairway leading from the birdcage to the stewards’ stand has been erected primarily for the use of the Royal party; but it will remain a permanent fixture, and at other meetings will be used by the stewards. All of the gardens have been specially prepared tp be at their best in January. The plot in front of the semaphore board has been raised at the back, and has been planted in carpet bedding effect with red, white, and blue flowers in the E li R pattern.

A lot of repainting has been carried out, and a sprinkler system is in the process of being installed in the stewards’ and members' stand, and in the main totalisator.

The whole outlay of the course bears a spic and span appearance, and everything down to the last detail is ready for the record crowd which is expected today. The meeting will be continued next Friday, and on Saturday, November 21, and will conclude on Saturday, November 28. \