Women’s race at Ashburton

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32700, 1 September 1971, Page 8

Women’s race at Ashburton

A race for women riders, the third to be held in the South Island in recent months, will be run on the second day of the Ashburton County Racing Club’s meeting at Ashburton on September 11.

To be run over seven furlongs, the Ladies’ Plate will, unlike a similar event held at' the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting on July 31, be started from the barrier

The owner of the winning horse will receive a $3O trophy, and the riders of the first three horses will receive prizes presented by Ashburton firms.

The race, for which 12 horses has been nominated, will be run at 11.35 a.m., 40 minutes before the first totalisator race.

The club’s secretary (Mr J. B. Nicol!) said yesterday that at present there appeared to be more women seeking rides in the race than there were horses likely to be available. The minimum weight for the race is 9-0 with catch weights. As an added attraction to racegoers, four prizes will be offered each day to holders of lucky number face books. Twenty-two horses—ll fillies and 11 colts and geldings —have been nominated for the two-year-old parade to be run before the first race on the first day of the meeting next Tuesday. The parade will now be run in divisions. The Ashburton track,'

according to Mr Nicoll, is in good order except for a twofurlong section between the half-mile and the turn.