TROTTING Worth-while Increases In Stakes At Addington

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31975, 30 April 1969, Page 4

TROTTING Worth-while Increases In Stakes At Addington

Stakes totalling $350,350 will this season be distributed by the three clubs racing at Addington Raceway, an increase of $28,850 over the 1967-68 season, and $111,450 more than in 1962-63.

During the period under review all three clubs have applied steady increases in stakes, and it is predicted that more increases will be applied for 1969-70.

Few other clubs will be able to produce figures showing comparable increases in stakes during the same period. In fact the increases of the majority of clubs will compare most unfavourably with those at Addington. This season the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club raced on 10 occasions, and the Canterbury Park Trotting Club will have used five permits when its winter meeting is run on May 24. The New Brighton Trotting Club used four permits this term.

Stakes distributed by the Metropolitan club amounted to $219,300, against $187,200 last season when nine permits were used. The daily average increased to $21,930 from $20,800. In 1966-67 the daily average was $19,980. against $19,522 in 1964-65 and $17,066 in 1962-63. The Metropolitan club’s increases have been applied to almost all races, although those at the national meeting in August, the least successful run each season, have, perhaps, not been as great as at some of the others. Stakes at the national meeting were $33,400, the same as for the previous year. However, increases applied to the various classes, were announced after the pro-| gramme for that meeting had: been approved. There should; be a significant increase ini stakes for most classes at, the meeting next August. |

Big Jump In 1962-63 stakes at the national meeting amounted to $29,900. Stakes at the cup meeting in November reached $103,050 this season, a worthwhile increase over the previous season when the total was $91,400. In 1962-63 stakes at the cup meeting amounted to $77,600. The Easter meeting has also had worth-while increases in stakes. These; jumped by $5500 to $67,900 this year. In 1962-63 the total for:

the Easter meeting was $44,600. The Easter meeting is now one of the most attractive in New Zealand each year.

The club has the use of one of the two “floating” permits two years out of three. In 1966-67 stakes for this meeting amounted to 913,800; this season they amounted to $14,950.

Up $4OOO

The daily average stakes distributed by the Canterbury Park club this season amounted to $15,180, compared with $ll,OOO in 1962-63 when $44,000 was the total. Tbe total this season was $75,900. The club’s daily average rose to $12,120 In 1964-65, and to $13,850 in Last season there was a slight drop to $13,520. Stakes at the club's New Year meeting have increased from $25,400 in 1962-63 to $33,750 this season. The stakes of $14,500 distributed last Saturday were well above

the $B6OO given at the autumn meeting, usually run In February, in 1962-63. The winter meeting, to be run on May 24, will this year! carry stakes of $13,850, compared with $9500 in 1962-63 and $13,400 last year. The club has used one of the "floating” permits on three occasions, giving $9700 in stakes in 1964-65, $11,700 last season, and $13,800 this term. Brighton Figures The New Brighton club for some time did not appear to have any firm system of allocating stakes, and programmes included few feature events. In recent years these faults have been largely remedied and the club appears to be racing more profitably than when first it changed to Addington in 1963. The club’s difficulties were increased by unfavourable weather for many meetings, but it has been more fortunate id this direction in the last year or two.

When the club last raced a full season on its home course in 1962-63 the total stakes were $41,300. giving a daily average of $10,325. This season for four meetings the total was $55,150, an average of $13,787. Stakes for the club’s first full season at Addington amounted to $60,700, an average of $12,140. The average increased to $12,600 in 19666/ and to $13,340 last year. Stakes at the club’s spring meeting have risen from $10,700 in 1962-63 to $13,100 this season. The stakes for the September meeting were $12,800 this year, against $10,500 in 1962-63: those for !the summer meeting were $14,350 against $lO,lOO, and for the autumn meeting they were $14,900 against $lO,OOO. The club gave $ll,lOO in 1964;65 when it first used one of j the “floating" permits, $10,900 | in 1966-67, and $4BOO in 1967- : 68 ' Stakes given by the three I clubs in the seasons under ’ review were:—

Club 1982-63 $ 1964-65 S 1966-67 $ 1967-68 S 1968-69 S Metropolitan 153,600 175,700 199.800 187,200 219.300 Cant Park 44,000 60.600 55,400 67,600 75,900 New Brighton 41,300 60,700 63,000 66,700 55,150 Total 238.900 297.000 318,200 321,500 350,350 Daily average 14,053 15,632 16,747 16,921 18,437