Riccarton has $8000 race in sponsored series

Press, 29 August 1978, Page 21

Riccarton has $8000 race in sponsored series

and trotting

By

J. J. BOYLE

The Canterbury Jockey Club has been invited to participate in the staging of four races to be sponsored by Dominion Breweries next year.

Dominion Breweries will provide $22,000 as well as trophies worth $3200, for the series to be known as the DB. Galaxy Stakes, and staged by the Canterbury Jockey Club, the Otago Rac--IPS. Club, the Wellington Racing Club, and the Auckland Racing Club. For each event only mares and entires will be eligible. Otago will stage the first race of the series on February. 24 for a stake of $6OOO. The Auckland Racing Club will follow with the second race of the series on April 16.

The Canterbury Jockey Club s race of the series will be on April 18 and it will be the feature event on the second day of the Easter programme for a stake of $BOOO with Dominion Breweries contributing $4OOO. The final D.B. Galaxy

Stakes will be run at Trentham on May 9. The Auckland event will be worth $20,000 and Trentham’s will be worth $lO,OOO.

The races at Ellerslie, Riccarton and Trentham will be run over 2000 m and the distance of the Wingatui event will be 2200 m.

“Sponsorship has an important part to play in racing in New Zealand and I see the promotion of this unique series of races as being of great benefit to the encouragement of racing of breeding stock which will undoubtedly improve the already grand heritage that exists with the New Zealand thoroughbred,” Mr John Fulton, chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club said yesterday.

Mr Fulton said that the directors of Dominion Breweries were to be com-

■ mendeu for their foresight in (introducing the series and I his club was grateful for the sponsoring firm’s support. In welcoming the announcement, Mr Arthur Hughes, president of the New Zealand Racing Conference, said tha’ the long-term purpose of the series was to provide an incentive for New Zealanders to retain their best racing stock in this country for breeding purposes. “This is essential for New Zealand to maintain its racing and breeding industry in its competitive position with the Australian market,” Mr Hughes said. Sir Henry Kelliher, chairman of Dominion Breweries, who announced yesterday that his company would sponsor the four races in the series, is a great horse lover, a love that developed from his experience as a cavalryman ir World War I.

The Kelliher-owned Puke- I tutu Island Stud on Manu- I kau Harbour, Auckland, has | bred Mister Pompous, one of I the best three-year-olds of I his year in the colours of I Mt and Mrs B. H. Ballin, of I Christchurch, and a half-sis- I ter Lumley Lass, winner of I the New Zealand St Leger. • Puketutu has also been the place of retirement for ' the great Southland-bred 1 pacer, Cardigan Bay. 1