TROTTING CUP MEETING

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27206, 25 November 1953, Page 4

TROTTING CUP MEETING

LESS INTEREST ON THIRD DAY *

CASE FOR MID-WEEK RACING

Public interest in die New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting waned considerably after the two opening' days and last Saturday there was a small crowd at Addington. For some years owners and trainers have asked the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club to revert to mid-week racing for its cup and national meetings, out the club has not adopted the suggestion. At the last annual meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Conference a recommendation from the Timaru Trotting Club that no club be granted permission to spread any particular meeting over more than two consecutive Saturdays and that the dates committee recommend that the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club revert to mid-week racing for their August and November meetings was passed by a large majority. Earlier the president-of the club (Mr C. E. Hoy) nad explained that the club’s finances would be seriously affected if it were forced to revert to mid-week racing. He mentioned the 40-hour week and said that the majority of Addington’s patrons came from the working class, who were able to attend meetings on Saturdays, but not on week days. If the Metropolitan club were adversely affected, the entire structure of the sport in New Zealand must suffer.

When the Gaming Commission issued its report in January, 1948, it said it was in favour of a return to mid-week racing by the Christchurch clubs in August and November at the earliest possible opportunity. Last Saturday at Addington there was a memorable day’s racing with two records broken, but there was very little public interest. The two free-for-alls were responsible for a small proportion of the drop in turnover from £134,803 in 1952 to £92,747 ss. Cost To Owners The expenses for owners of North Island horses and horses from other South Island centres competing at this year’s cup meeting, which started on November 10, and will end on November 28. are very high unless at least one race is won. Even then there is very little left by the time travelling expenses and nomination and acceptance fees are paid. If the first three days were run in one week and the final day a week later, it would reduce expenses for owners and would assist the club to maintain a high totalisator turnover.

The New Zealand Trotting Cup and galloping cup meetings have always aroused Interest throughout New Zealand, and hundreds of visitors come to Christchurch for the cup week. Very few stay over until the trotting meeting is concluded, and after three days at the gallops and probably two days at the trots many people from country districts about Christchurch lose interest in the trotting meeting and often wait until New Brighton before attending another meeting. Many enthusiasts have suggested to ‘The Press” that the present trotting cup meeting is too spread out. One suggestion is that only three days be run in November and the other day be run in June, when slower class horses could be catered for. Last year the club held a most successful meeting in June, although the totalisator turnover was not high.

Club Rooms Purchased The Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ -Association has purchased club rooms in Manchester street. Part of the premises had been let, said the president (Mr H. W. Drewery) at the association's annual meeting. They would now have somewhere to hold committee meetings and hang valuable pictures and trophies, which had been stored for some time. Mr Drewery mentioned that during the last „ year the association had shown a profit of £269, and accumulated funds at July 31 last had stood at £2027. Addington Brackets

The following horses will be bracketed on the totalisator on the final day of the New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting on Saturday:— Utility Handicap: Ecosse and Quick Silver, Fingal’s Cave and Battle Cry. Harold Logan Handicap: Clontarf and Affable.

Smithson Handicap: Dawnlight and First Victory. Churchill Handicap: Ballymena and Eureka Scott, Moss Hall and Spring Edition.

Flying Mile Handicap: Affable and Clontarf, Curiosity, and Prince Charming. New Zealand Pacing »Championship: Tactics and Vedette.

Entries for the forthcoming New Zealand Annual National Sale of Trotting and Pacing Bred Yearlings close on Friday next, November 27, at 5 p.m., at the offices of the Auctioneers, Messrs H. Matson and Co., 183 Cashel street, or Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd. (any branch). Entries for the Sale of Broodmares, Two-year-olds, Handicap Horses, etc., will close at the same time. Both these sales will be held at the Show Grounds, Addington, on April 14 and 15, 1954, respectively.

Cheviot-Rangiora Trotting Club Nominations for the Rangiora Trotting Club’s meeting at Rangiora on Saturday, December 19, 1953, close at 5 p-.m. on Tuesday, December 1, 1963, with the secretary, P. J. Byrne, 193 Cashel street, Christchurch. —Advt. Cheviot-Rangiora Trotting Club Nominations for thfe Rangiora Trotting Club’s meeting at Rangiora on Saturday, December 19, 1953, close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday; December 1, 1953, with the secretary, P. J. Byrne, 193 Cashel street, Christchurch. ■" .—Advt.