TROTTING Forbury Park Club Had Record Season

Press, Volume C, Issue 29508, 9 May 1961, Page 5

TROTTING Forbury Park Club Had Record Season

The Forbury Park Trotting Club ended its most successful season ever on the final night of the winter meeting on Saturday. Totalisator turnover, on and off-course, topped the £T million mark for the first time.

The total for the club’s two day and five night meetings was £1,073,756 ss, of which £514,683 was invested on-course. The previous record was £762,877, handled in the 1952-53 season. Of that amount £545,266 10s was handled on-course.

On and off-course figures at all the club’s meetings this season showed substantial increases. On-course figures were up by more than £25,000 at the spring meeting, while off-course figures for the same two days increased by more than £28,000 when compared with the turnover last season. The club then changed to night trotting and held its first meeting on January 26. Since then the turnover has exceeded £70.000 a night oncourse, the best being £77,498 10s on the second night on January 28. The total oncourse was more than £77.000 on the other two nights of the summer meeting. For the three nights the increase was £63,795 15s over the turnover at three days meetings 12 months ago. The increase at the winter meeting was also substantial, the total being £27.506 10s greater on-course than 12 months ago. The change to night trotting has also brought big increases in off-course turnover. The turnover for the three nights of the summer meeting amounted to £287.141 10s. which was greater than the £265.109 15s handled offcourse on seven day meetings last season. The off-course total for the current season was £559.073 ss. an increase of £283,963 10s on last year's figures.

The on and off-course total of £1.073,756 5s exceeded the turnover for last season my £409,520 15s.

Surprising Increase

The Forbury Park Club's decision to race at night on April 29 and May 6 was followed with great interest. Most observers expected attendances to be small because of the cold weather usually experienced in Dunedin at that time of the year. However. the support the club received was greater than most members of the committee had hoped for.

Attendances each night reached between 8000 and 9000. Gate receipts on the first night exceeded £l6OO. compared with about £4OO last year.

On-course turnover on the first night amounted to £72.221 ss. The weather that night was fine and there was practically no wind. Last Saturday it seemed as though attendance figures would drop sharply when heavy intermittent drizzle swept Dunedin for most of the day and continued into the evening. However, a surprisingly large crowd, estimated to be about the same as for the previous Saturday, attended the meeting in unpleasant conditions.

Investments on - course amounted to £74279 ss. which surprised everyone. The support the club received for its winter meeting confirmed that night trotting had "taken on” in Dunedin. If the attendances continue in the future, the club is assured of success.

The club has spent a considerable sum in changing over from day to night trotting: and it intendes to spend more to improve amenities as soon as money is available. The lighting of the track has come in for some criticism, but the erection of a white fence for about one furlong and a half on the

bend approaching the front straight has improved the position. The club intends continuing this fence to the straight entrance. However, it appears as though the dark surface of the track is absorbing too much light. The track is patchy, particularly when it has been necessary to use a water cart. The club is investigating some method of lightening the colour of the track, perhaps by the addition of crushed limestone, similar to that used at Hutt Park Raceway, where the lighting is as good as anything seen in New Zealand or Australia. Lightening the colour of the track could prove that the present lighting of the track is adequate. The club is fortunate that

its totalisator facilities are adequate for the crowds which have attended meetings this season. There have been instances of some hundreds being shut out, but that has usually been the result of persons waiting too long before making investments.

Facilities for owners and trainers to watch races have been over-crowded, but the club hopes to right the position within the next 12 months.

No major works are intended in the near future, but members of the committee plan a large number of minor improvements which will be to the advantage of everyone attending Forbury Park. Eventually, when the money is available, additional seating will be provided.