TROTTING Record $393,400 Stakes Paid At Addington

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32308, 28 May 1970, Page 4

TROTTING Record $393,400 Stakes Paid At Addington

A record $393,400 has been paid in stakes by the three Christchurch trotting clubs racing at Addington Raceway. They held 19 meetings, averaging a record $20,705 a day.

Last season the three* clubs gave $350,350, an average of $18,437 a day, a figure still higher than the $18,206 a day given this season by the Auckland Trotting Club.

This year’s record average is a sharp increase on the average of 814,053 of the three clubs when they distributed $238,900 in 1962-63. The total in 1964-65 was 8297,000, an average of $15,632, while in 1966-67 the total was 8318,200 and the average 816,747, and in 196768 the total of 8321,500 gave an average of 516,921. Next season the three clubs are expected to give stakes totalling more than 8400,000 for the first time. The New Zealand Metro-

politiin club headed the aver-! ages this season with 824,300■ a day. followed by Canterbury Park with the second highest for New Zealand of 818.275, and New Brighton with a rather meagre 815,460. The Canterbury Park club deserves the highest commendation in raising its stakes; to such a high level. It fin-] ished the season with on-1 course investments on its' four meetings amounting to! 8783.611, an average of '8195,902, against 81.031,826 when an extra meeting was held last year, giving an average of 8206,365. Off-course betting improved at the four meetings, totalling 8805,225, an average of 8201,306. Last year the aggregate for five meetings was 8911,677, an average of 8182,335. The Canterbury Park averages are a far cry from the Auckland club on-course figure of 8249,231, and their off-course figure of $221,043; but their stakes average of $18,275, against $18,206 at Auckland, would suggest that Canterbury Park is too generous, or Auckland is not playing fairly with owners and trainers. Next season will no doubt see Auckland heading the Canterbury Park average. •New Brighton Owners and trainers can also expect sharp increases in stakes at meetings run next season by the New Brighton club. This season the total for five meetings was $15,460, a worth-while increase over the $13,787 distributed the previous season, and $13,340 the season before.

The New Brighton club experienced a most successful season as far as totalisator turnover was concerned. On-course the total for five meetings was $955,257, an average of $191,051. Last year the total was $750,234, an average of $187,576. Off-course the total was [51,114,490, an average of [5222,898. Last season the total was $804,479.50. an average of $201,119. The averages of the New Brighton club compare' (favourably with those of the (Canterbury Park club in all ways exept stakes. The New ■Brighton club this season adopted a more positive ! approach to stakes and worked to a schedule which ! provided for the same stakes Ito be paid in each class at [all meetings. The New Brighton club, [too, has been attempting to establish feature races, with [good results. It ran a twonight cup meeting in January with splendid results, particularly as far as off-course turnover was concerned.' The mid-week night attracted $277,063.50 from pff-course sources, while the on-course total of $189,050 was slightly better than the $188,020 invested on the first night on a Saturday. _

The New Brighton club, might find that a two-night meeting in January could be; more successful than a Febru-| ary meeting; and it might be possible to attract northern' horses in January. Total betting on the 19 meetings run by the three clubs was $8,945, 679, against $8,618,475. Off-course the total was $4,701,075, against $4,320,617, while on-course the total was $4,244,604, against $4,297,858. «