TROTTING Increased Betting At Addington Cup Meeting

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28447, 29 November 1957, Page 4

TROTTING Increased Betting At Addington Cup Meeting

Combined on and offcourse betting at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s cup meeting totalled £915390 ss, an increase of £78,707 15s on the figures for the same four days last year. On-course figures for the four days amounted to £532,529 10s, compared with £494,585 10s, an increase of £37344. Offcourse figures were £383,460 15s, compared with £342,697, an increase of £40,763 15s.

The largest increase both on and off-course was on the first day of the meeting. On-course figures were" up by £24,527 5s at £191,118 ss, while off-course figures reached £151,052, an increase of £22,608 10s. The figures for the last two years are from three days ot racing in carnival week and one day later in November. Previously, the club had two days of racing in carnival week, the remaining two days being held on Saturdays later in November. In 1955, when the four days of racing were spread out over almost three weeks on-course investments amounted to £567,118 10s, and off-course totalled £421,540 10s. Much of the increased offcourse turnover in 1955, when compared with the last two years, can be attributed to the better class of horse engaged that year. Fields for most of the main races were considerably larger than this year and offcourse patrons had plenty of “name” horses on which to invest.

Among the outstanding performers racing in the major events in 1955 were Johnny Globe, Tactician, Rupee, Caduceus, Our Roger, Soangetaha, Thelma Globe and False Step among the pacers, and Vodka, Recruit, Dictation, Slipstream and Precaution among the trotters.

Experiment in 1956 The Metropolitan club held three days of racing in carnival week as an experiment in 1956. The committee did not approve the change and applied this year to revert to two days of racing in carnival week, with the other two days on Saturdays later in the month. Because November 30 was selected at thb date for the General Election, the club had to seek another date. It therefore decided to race three days in carnival week.

The first and third days of the meeting were most successful, but support on the second day on Thursday, November 14, was not as good as expected. However, the on-course turnover of £82,763 was better than that recorded the previous day at Riccarton, when

totalisator investments amounted to £79,188. When compared with the turnover on the final day of the meeting last Saturday, that of the Thursday seems more than satisfactory. The return last Saturday was only £96,943, a poor total when it is remembered that three free-for-alls were included in the programme, one of them being started from a mobile barrier. This should have proved a much greater attraction. While ’it appears as though there will be many strong arguments against retaining three days of racing in carnival week in future, one which could decide the issue is the prospect of getting visiting horses to the meeting when they can have three opportunities in one week. It is certain that more northern and more southern horses will attend future meetings when there are three days of racing in one week than when there will be only two opportunities. Comparative figures for the cup meeting this year and in 1956 are:—

STATEMENTS ON POLICY

Trotting Conference Decision A decision that no statements regarding the policy of, or the business done by, the executive, excepting club and press releases, be made by any member of the executive, other than the president. was made at a meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Trotting Conference held in Christchurch on November 13. The decision was announced in a press release issued yesterday. The Rotorua Trotting Club was granted registration. A. J. Bourne, lessee of the horse Ebony Scott, applied for removal of the horse's name from the schooling list. It was decided that before dealing with the application, the horse should undergo a trial before the stipendiary stewards.

Conditions covering the appointment and operation of advisory licensing committees, as requested at the annual meeting of the conference in July, were approved. In December, 1957, and thereafter in August of each succeeding year, each totalisator club shall be entitled to nominate one of its members for election to such a committee for the district in which it is situated. The executive shall select and appoint each committee, which will represent one of two districts in the North Island and one of two districts in the South Island.

The committees, which will deal only with new licences, shall consist of members appointed by the executive and a stipendiary steward, who shall be the secretary of the committA.

The executive also discussed the suggestion made at a previous meeeting that there be a North Island and South Island vicepresident of the conference. It was decided that the vicepresident for each island should be nominated by the clubs in that island and voted for by the whole of the clubs in New Zealand.

On-course Incr. £ „oa y 1957 £ 1956 £ First 191,1184 166,591 24,5274 Second . 82,763 87,8362 •5,0734 Third 161,7054 163,256 •1,5504 Fourth . 96,943 76,9014 20,0414 Totals 532,5291 494,585} 37,944 'Denotes decrease. Off-course 1957 1956 Incr. Day £ £ £ First 151,052 128,443} 22,608} Second . 97,2194 86,7724 10,447} Third 74,4192 69,732 4,6874 Fourth .. 60,7694 57,7494 3,020 Totals 383,4602 342,697 40,7634 The on and off-course figures for the 1955 meeting were:— Off. Day course course First .. 185,8834 146,481} Second .. 174,585 106,4212 Third .. 108,402} 84,5144 Fourth .. 98,2474 84,123 Totals .. 567,118 421,540}