NIGHT MEETINGS FAVOURED

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27427, 13 August 1954, Page 5

NIGHT MEETINGS FAVOURED

Forbury Park Club’s Decision FIXTURE PLANNED FOR JANUARY “The Press” Special Service DUNEDIN, August 12. The Forbury Park Trotting Club will pioneer night trotting in New Zealand. It was decided at a meeting of the club’s committee last evening that arrangements should be made to hold the first night meeting during the carnival week in Dunedin at the end of January. The proposal to conduct night trotting meetings had been referred to club members, and was endorsed by a decisive majority. However, the committee was divided on the question of sacrificing day permits for night meetings.

Mr W. H. Adamson, the club’s treasurer, moved that the suggestion to use day permits for night trotting be opposed. He said he considered that, if night meetings were to be held, they should be run on the understanding that extra permits would be available. Seconding the ‘motion, Mr H. D-. May said that though the club had been given a mandate, many of those who voted might not have known that day permits would have to be used. Mr L. M. Fahey said that members knew the position when the voting papers were sent out. Only day permits were available for night trotting in the meantime, and this had been made quite clear, said Mr J. G. Henderson. Holding that the expense of installing night trotting equipment did warrant the risk, Mr G. J. Barton said that prospects of getting as much money back from six races at a night meeting did not compare with those of a day meeting with eight races. At present the Totalisator Agency Board was handling £40,000 in offcourse money for Forbury Park meetings. said Mr Fahey. With night meetings, this might be increased to £lOO,OOO. The president (Mr A. FergusonT said that members had voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of night trotting, and the committee had to go ahead with the job. An amendment by Mr J. G. Henderson that, in accordance with the vote of members, the club should take steps to introduce night trotting, was then carried by seven votes to five. Postal voting of members was: for night trotting, 196; against, 63; informal, 10. It was one of the biggest polls on any club issue in recent years.

PROSPECTS FOR TOMORROW THAMES CLUB “The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, August 12. The double at the Thames Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday will be run on the Twohill Memorial Handicap ana the Third Hikutaia Handicap. If there is no further rain, the going should be in good order. Selections are:— 10.45 a.m.—Parawai Handicap: Early Dawn, Knighthood, Pukepoto. 11.30 a.m.—First Hikutaia Handicap: Reciprocate, Continental, Glenim. 12.10 p.m.—Puriri Handicap: Lynette, Silver Star, Marsel. 1 p.m.—Twohill Memorial Handicap: Nelson Hall, Sheryll Scott, Chippy. 1.40 p.m.—Second Hikutaia Handicap: Sweet Jewel, Master Peter, Frontiersman. 2.30 p.m.—Tararu Handicap: Silver Star, Social Justice, Logan Brook. 3.15 p.m.—Third Hikutaia Handicap: Callie Mac, Lucky Belwin, Auctioneer. 4 p.m.—Kopu Handicap: Tatiaree, Simon-Glen Fyne bracket, Modern Volo.

TRIALS FOR MAIDEN PACERS SIX HORSES QUALIFY Only six horses qualified to start in maiden races, when three qualifying trials were run by the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association at Addington yesterday. Conditions were lueal, and there should have been no difficulty for the four placed horses in each trial to qualify. However, few of them had haa sufficient work, and others raced very greenly. The most impressive qualifier was the Red Emperor mare Hula Rose, a smart two-year-old two seasons ago. She is now a member of N. L. Berkett’s team, and was not troubled to pace the mile and a half in 3min 24 2-ssec, well inside the required time of 3min 30sec. Results:— FIRST HEAT: My Gold scr S. A. Edwards 1; Majestic scr L. A. Williams 2; Audresse scr J. G. Hampton 3; Unite scr D. C. Watts 4. Length; length; length. Times—3min 31 2-ssec, 3min 31 3-ssec, 3min 31 4-5 sec, 3min 32sec. SECOND HEAT: STAR BEAM scr C. C. Devine 1: Wee Chief scr A. W. Bell 2; Dimboola scr S. A. Edwards 3; Coppersand scr J. Fraser 4. Length; three; seven. Times—3min 28sec, 3min 28 l-ssec, 3min 28 2-ssec, 3min 31sec. THIRD HEAT: Hula Rose scr N. L. Berkett 1: Trojan scr J. D. Litten 2; Maretta Hall ccr F. C. Bodger 3; Pedlar scr D. G. Jones 4. Five lengths; 10; eight. Times—3min 24 2-ssec, 3min 25 2-ssec, 3min 29sec, 3min 31 4-ssec. N.Z. Futurity Stakes, 1955 First forfeits for the above race should be declared with the Ashburton Trotting Club not later than 5 p.m. on Monday, 16th inst. Owners intending to withdraw horses must send forfeit fee of £1 with withdrawal. Advt. N.Z. Metropolitan Trotting Club (Inc.) Withdrawals for all events on the first day of the above Club’s National Meeting, to be held on August 21. must be received by 4 p.m. on Monday next. D. C. Parker, Secretary. Advt.