TROTTING Comparison Of Stakes At Country Meetings

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32392, 3 September 1970, Page 4

TROTTING Comparison Of Stakes At Country Meetings

Three of the major country clubs in New Zealand will race in Canterbury between September 26 and October 10 and a study of their programmes shows the effort they are making to keep stakes as high as possible.

The clubs concerned are Methven, which races on September 26, to be followed a week later by Ashburton, and, finally on October 10, by Banks Peninsula.

The Methven club will this year distribute $10,920 in stakes, an increase of $730 over 1969 and $2220 over 1965. Stakes at Ashburton will amount to $13,780, an increase of $5BO over last year and $2330 morel than in 1965. The Banks Peninsula club, which races on one day only, will distribute $10,450, $450 more than at last year’s meeting, and $2680 more than in 1965. The total this year might rise to $11,350 if the race for 2min 19sec class pacers is run ip divisions. The Methven club has made provision to pay stakes of $650 in each division of the race for 2min 20sec class pacers, compared with $5OO a division five years ago. At Ashburton a stake of $7OO will be paid for each division, compared with $450 a division in 1965. The Banks Peninsula club will pay $750 for each of its maiden races, against $5OO five years ago.

The Banks Peninsula club will pay $9OO for 2min 19sec class pacers, while the stake for these horses at Ashburton and Methven will be $BOO. In 1965 Banks Peninsula paid $550 for this class, compared with $6OO at Ashburton and $630 at Methven. Banks Peninsula will pay $llOO for 2min 18sec class pacers, $lOO more than the other two clubs. In 1965 Banks Peninsula and Methven paid $BOO for this class, $lOO less than Ashburton. The Ashburton .club will this year pay $l4OO for 2min 17sec class pacers, while Banka Peninsula will pay

$1350 and Methven $l2OO. Ashburton paid $l2OO in 1965 for this class, while Methven and Banks Peninsula paid $lOOO. Up $lOO The Ashburton club will pay $lBOO, $lOO more than last year, for 2min 16sec class pacers, while the Banks Peninsula club will pay $l7OO. There will be no corresponding race at Methven. Banks Peninsula paid $1350 for this class in 1965, while the stake was $l6OO at Ashburton.

The Ashburton and Banks Peninsula clubs will both pay stakes of $750 in races for maiden trotters, while the stake at Methven will be $7OO. The Methven Cup will this year carry a record stake of $2600, plus a trophy valued at $l2O. Last year the stake was $2200, and the trophy was valued at $l5O. The stake was $2OOO, plus a $l5O trophy In 1965. There has been an increase of $lOO in the stake for the Ashburton Flying Stakes, which this year will be worth $3OOO plus a trophy valued at $lOO. The stake in 1965 was $2540, plus a trophy valued at $6O. The stake for the Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup this year will be $2200, plus a trophy valued at $lOO. This is an increase over last year. The Ashburton club will pay $1530 for a race for 2min 17sec class trotters, against $l4OO last year. The New Brighton club will pay $l4OO for a similar race on Saturday. Totalisator betting at the three meetings runs very much in line with the stakes paid. Last year on-course betting at Methven was $95,541, while in 1965 it was $99,610. Off-course betting was $141,988 last year ana $114,041.50 in 1965.

Last year on-course betting at Ashburton amounted to $108,735, while in 1965 it was $110,816. Off-course last year the total was $163,417.50, compared with $190,018 in 1965. At the Banks Peninsula meeting on-course turnover last year was $94,260, compared with $111,570 in 1965 when the meeting was held on its own course instead of Rangiora. Off-course betting last year was $105,280.50, compared with $94,495.50 in 1965.