RACE BETTING IN 1957 SECOND ONLY TO 1955

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28479, 8 January 1958, Page 6

RACE BETTING IN 1957 SECOND ONLY TO 1955

Race betting in New Zealand in 1957 was the second highest on record. The combined on-course and oflf-course betting amounted to £44,221,000. The record amount was £44,697,000 in 1955. Betting was £753,000 higher than in 1956.

Racing in Canterbury increased in popularity in 1957. The Canterbury Jockey Club had a signally successful year, the oncourse betting totalling £1,084,550. a rise of £114,149. Except for the midsummer meeting, betting was higher on every day on course, and off-course betting throughout the year was also a record.

Although the cup meeting was very successful, the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club did not have the same good year as did the Canterbury Jockey Club. The betting was £10,400 higher and failed to reach the £1,000.000 mark by £729. i Throughout Canterbury, attendances were good and racing I clubs generally had increased patronage. The year was a profitable one for the Government. From the totalisator and dividend taxes, the Consolidated* Fund benefited .by £4,103.000. Altogether, punters paid £7,462,000 in direct taxation on betting. For the first time since the Totalisator Agency Board began operations in April, 1951, offcourse betting exceeded that oncourse. It was £22.319.000, against £21,902.000 on course.

Comparative betting figures are:— On-course Off-course Total £000 £000 £000 1946 .. 21,437 — 21,437 1947 .. 22,629 — 22,629 1948 .. 22,969 22.969 1949 .. 23.861 —— 23,861 1950 .. 26.050 —— 26.050 1951 .. 27.709 567 28.277 1952 .. 25,699 8,041 33.739 1953 .. 23,253 15,358 38,611 1954 .. 24.354 19,262 43,616 1955 .. 24.250 20,447 44.697 1956 .. 22,158 21.309 43,468 1957 .. 21,902 22.319 44.221 On-course betting at racing and trotting meetings in Canterbury was: RACING Canterbury 1957 * 1956 £ £ February 2 .. 56,690} 57,755 April 22 127,5981 110,170 April 23 68,1311 61,276 April 27 96,715 80,016 August 3 165,0701 134,793 August 6 103,833 87,492 August 10 '.. 115,4941 104,499 November 9 .. 143.375 141,622 November 13 79,188 71.994 November 16 128,753} 121,084 1,084,850 970,701 Ashburton May 4 22,664} 31,697 May 11 29,035} 31,151 June 22 30,3481 29,183 August 31 ... 33,049} — September 14 38,864 32.429 153,962 124.370 Banks Peninsula March 2 41,781 39,367 November 2 .. 33,315 37,818 75,096 77,185

South Canterbury Jutae 29 ' 36.124J July 6 ... 26,8904 December 28 .. 53,200 December 30 .. 36,294 31,524 25,837 30,268 41,979 152,509 129,608 September October 19 Geraldine 23 37,4244 22,445 36,598 21,318 59,8694 57,906 North Canterbury October 28 .. 48,4894 46,672 Amberley March 30 36,5474 34,787 Hororata December 14 .. 25,978 28,913 Walmate March 23 18,0134 16.432 Christchurch Hunt July 27 .. 47,908 56,245 South Canterbury Hunt July 20 .. 27.494J 21,911 Walmate Hunt July 13 .. 20,184 11,960 TROTTING New Zealand Metropolitan 1957 1956 April 6 .. 96.6834 73,774 April 13 .. 91,7284 93,889 April 20 .. 99,352 141,451 August 17 .. 82,2291 88,070 August 24 .. 96,7584 97,023 November 12 191,1181 166,591 November 14 82,763 87,863 November 15 161,705 163.256 November 23 96,943 76,901 999,281 988,818 Canterbury Park January 1 .. 90,0251 February 9 .. 79,6574 May 25 .. 83,404 113,297 77,7804 82,903 253.086J' 273,9804 New Brighton February 16 September 7 September December 86,170 21 97,6862 86,0854 93.524 87,827 90,877 85,223 259,9421 357,451 June 1 June 3 October 5 December Ashburton 46,4984 62,4574 52,6394 26 81,910 43,730 54,957 59,912 66,525 243,4964 225,124 January 12 January 19 March 9 May 18 Timaru .. 48.4604 45,4754 43.7594 26,932 45,911 39,233 44,551 165,6264 129,695 Chevlot-Rangiora March 16 . . 37,398 December 21 42.573 43,904 37,800 79,971 81,704 March 23 September Methven 44,5944 28 43.7134 46.854 52,345 88,308 99,199 Banks Peninsula October 12 .. 42,961 33,054 December 14 Walmate 22.2434 23,590 February 23 Geraldine 31,765 33,098