Two-Day Racing Is Very Popular

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29956, 18 October 1962, Page 21

Two-Day Racing Is Very Popular

The change to a two-day race meeting at Labour weekend and the rebuilding of the Rangiora race track in recent years has resulted in a marked gain in popularity of the North Canterbury Racing Club's events with owners, trainers, and jockeys. Record nominations —5O more than the previous best —have been received for the events on tomorrow and Monday. All that is needed now to make the meeting the best the club has held is fine weather and a good response from the sporting public.

Although the club made a loss on its first combined two-day meeting last year, it hopes that with the public now having wider knowledge of the Friday meeting, the financial position will be much improved this time. "Given favourable weather, I feel we can make up much of last year’s loss through improved totalisator figures,” said the president (Mr J. A. Fulton).

An added attraction is the prospect of better racing, for not only have the nominations increased but so has the quality of the entries. While the total stake money has been kept the same as last year there has been some re-allocation amongst the events. The stake for the two major races, the President’s Handicap tomorrow and the North Canterbury Handicap on Monday, have been reduced by £5O.

Stakes have been increased for several other events. A new event will be an open mile and a quarter handicap for three-year-olds and this will carry a stake of £4OO. This race replaces an event confined to hacks last year. In contrast to the restricted event last year the new race has received excellent support from top Canterbury three-year-olds and the club “is hoping it will prove an outstanding success.”

“Wonderful acceptances” have been received for the first day tomorrow and in one of the maiden races 19 of the acceptances have had to be ballotted out. Provision has been made for the maiden races on Monday that preference will be given to horses ballotted out from their two previous nominations.

After recent developments, the eight-furlong and a half track at Rangiora is now regarded as one of the finest in New Zealand. The track is one of the few in the country to have banked turns - a feature which contributes to smoother racing. The track has consolidated “magnificently” and all the drill marks from the sowing down have completely disappeared. To offset the drying effect of recent nor’-westers, the track has been constantly watered, and should be in perfect order. An innovation is the provision of a chute to give a straight start for a six-furlong race, which will be held for the first time, since reforming

the track. A similar chute will be ready for mile and a half events at the trotting meeting in December. “More and more” horses are using the course for training with a number of trotters now being permanently trained there. Gallopers from Riccarton have made use of the new claysand training track at Rangiora, which is a welcome variation from their home course. Some have visited Rangiora also to get the feel of the main grass race track. One of the less spectacular developments has been the cultivation and sowing down of the centre of the course in permanent pasture. There the club is grazing about 100 ewes— a number expected to be increased to 200—which will assist development by making a valuable addition to the club’s finances.

A CHAMPION.—Ch. Kalin a Wander (Aust), owned by Mr H. R. Alford and Mrs Alford, winner of the “best exhibit all breeds” in the North Canterbury Kennel Association championship show held in conjunction with the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association show last year. The 177 dogs entered for this year’s show exceeds the 1960 record by six, while the total number of entries over all sections is close to 400. More than 30 breeds will be represented. Mr W. A. Gregory, of Lower Hutt, will judge the toy, terrier, and sporting dogs and Mr G. Wright, of Dunedin, the non-sporting.