NATIONAL MEETING

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 4

NATIONAL MEETING

Stakes Cut By £3OOO

Stakes for the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National meeting this year have been reduced by £3OOO. The club will distribute £21,500 in stakes at its three-day Grand National meeting on August 1,4, and 8.

It is the last of the metropolitan racing clubs to reduce stakes. A substantial drop in turnovers at the club’s three-day autumn meeting made it almost certain that stakes would have to be lowered.

Reductions of £<soo have been made in stakes for the major races, the Grand National Steeplechase, the Grand National Hurdles, and the Winter Cup. The Grand National Steeples will this year be worth £3lOO. the Grand National Hurdles £2OOO, and the Winter Cup £l5OO.

Cuts varying from £5O to £250 have been made on some of the other races. Two races with £250 cuts are the Lincoln Steeplechase and the Islington Handicap, two attractions on the third day’s programme.

They were both £l5OO races last year.

FIVE SKELTON BROTHERS

Youngest Now At Riccarton

The fifth and youngest of the Skelton brothers has come to Riccarton and has entered an apprenticeship for a race riding career.

Max Skelton, aged 14, a brother of four well-known jockeys, is now an apprentice to the Riccarton trainer, J. A. Cox. Frank Skelton, who now lives in Invercargill, was also with Cox at Riccarton while he was an apprentice. Bill and Bob Skelton the two most successful members of the family, were apprentices to L. H. Pratt at Orari, and Errol Skelton had his introduction to racing as an apprentice to the Washdyke trainer. E. P. Corboy.

Representatives At Conference

Mr D. W. J. Gould and Mr W. A. White will represent the Canterbury Jockey Club at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference this year.

The club’s delegates to the Canterbury District Committee will be Messrs K. Austin, P. D. Hall, H. A. Rhind, B. G. Rutherford and R. G. G. Westenra.

Barrier Draw At Ashburton

Keep Time, top weight 1n the Ashburton County Handicap on Saturday. has drawn No. 21 at the barrier not No. 2 as was published in acceptances on Tuesday. In the Coldstream Handicap, the second leg of the double, Montreux has drawn No. 17 and Newmarket No. 16. They both had No. 17 draw in the acceptances.

WAIMATE RACING CLUB (INC.) ANNUAL RACE MEETING SATURDAY. MAY 23. 1959. NOMINATIONS for all events at the above meeting CLOSE with the undersigned on THURSDAY. MAY 7 1959, at 4 p.m. Programme appears tn Official Calendars of April 15. 22, and 29 J. R. DONALDSON. Secretary. P.O. Box 33. Waimate. ‘Phones: Bus. 8220. Private 8949 Telegrams: "Donson,” Waimate. —Advt THE People’s Day. Free Admission, Oamaru Trotting Club’s 50th Jubilee meeting, Oamaru Racecourse, Saturday. —Advt.