Concern At Drift To North Island

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 4

Concern At Drift To North Island

Concern at the drift of trainers and jockeys to the North Island, where “rewards are much higher,” was expressed by the chairman of the Ashburton County Racing Club (Mr R. J. Mulligan) in his report presented at the annual meeting of the club yesterday. He said that unless South Island clubs were able to offer considerably more in stakes it was doubtful whether the shifting of interest to the north could be arrested.

“Our present balance sheet figures show the value of our assets to be about the same as they were in 1950 but unfortunately stakes have not

increased to any great extent,” said Mr Mulligan. “It is said that larger stakes will bring more and better horses to club meetigs, but I doubt that this is so in the case of country clubs. It is, however, our duty to give as much as the club can afford in stakes, having regard to our limited revenue.

“The main problem facing racing clubs in the South Island is to get more people interested in racing both as owners and racegoers. Increases in revenue will then certainly follow and stakes will rise.” The result of the year’s operations was disappointing from a financial view point and the balance sheet was not a good one for a club operating in times of economic prosperity, said the report. The only bright feature was the success of the farming operations in conjunction with the Ashburton Trotting Club, which netted each club a profit of £723. “However, our position is really a good deal better than it appears as we expect to receive between £5500 and £6OOO from the T.A.B. shortly as our share of the profits earned during the past racing season.” Further improvements were being carried out to the training tracks, and it was disappointing that so few local trainers were using the course, Mr Mulligan said. Mid-week Date The club had applied for a mid-week date, Tuesday, April 6, for. its autumn meeting next year, said Mr Mulligan. This was because of a later Easter, and the Nelson-Marl-borough circuit clashing with the Ashburton club’s usual date in early May. When the nine-race programmes were authorised early last season, they approached the New Zealand Racing Conference for permission to include a trotting event as a ninth race on their programmes, but permission was not granted. “A strong approach by both the Racing Conference and the Trotting Conference was made to the Government for some taxation concession from totalisator duties and we sincerely hope that some substantial relief will result,” said Mr Mulligan.