Working Loss By Ashburton Club

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32385, 26 August 1970, Page 4

Working Loss By Ashburton Club

The club suffered a loss for the year, the excess of expenditure over income being $lO5 but allowable depreciation amounted to $3886, the president of the Ashburton Trotting Club (Mr V. W. Russell) said at the club’s annual meeting last evening.

Mr Russell said that the club’s committee was inquiring into the conditions of entry for the Sapling Stakes and a report would be considered in due course with the idea of a possible alteration before the next entries were taken for the race. Mr Russell said he did not think the criticism from some quarters about the size of the club’s fields was justified because the eapacity-sized ■fields had been remarkably free from accidents and the club had a large and roomy track. The club committee had decided not to participate in any future jackpots, Mr Russell said. It was now dear that unless the pool had reached a high figure there was little interest taken in the jackpot. The Royal Commission on Racing and Trotting had visited the course with members of the committees of the racing and trotting clubs; and they had been most impressed with all the facilities, including the infield dividend indicator, he said. He also mentioned the improvements to the track be

tween the 4j furlongs and 2f furlongs and considered the Ashburton track one of the finest grass tracks in the country. ‘This was proved when Mr F. Oliver’s Boy Friend ran Ij miles in 3min lOsec at our last June meeting,” Mr Russell said. Stakes for the year totalled $57,440 Compared with $53,580 last year. Totalisator turnover on-course was $532,402, an increase of $67,173 on last year. The off-course turnover was $567,377.50, an increase of $62,866 on last year.