$140,000 for next year’s Final
From G. K. YULE Sydney
A stake of S 140,000 for the Grand Final of- the 19 8 1 In t e r-Dominion Championship series to be held at the Royal Hobart Showgrounds was announced on Thursday evening by officials of the Tasmanian Pacing Club. The stake is $lO,OOO greater than that distributed last evening at Harold Park. However, the big difference is that none of the stake in Tasmania will be paid by the host chib. The spnsors, BP, will pay $70,000 and the r&maining half has been granted by the Trotting Control Board of Tasmania from monies retained from the T.A.B. The surprising feature of the programme is the allocation of only $7OOO as a minimum stake for qualifying heats. Qualifying heats in Melbourne, Christchurch and Sydney, where the last three series have been run, have all carried stakes of $lO,OOO.
“I think you’ll find the heats will carry bigger stakes. The figure they have listed is only a minimum amount,” said the chairman of the Inter-Do-minion Trotting Council
(Mr Graeme Cochran), of Melbourne, when asked how his organisation could justify its approval of a programme which downgraded the series to such an extent.
This was confirmed by the chairman of the Trotting Control Board of Tasmania (Mr Martin Crawford). “We realise the stakes for the heats are low and I’m confident they will be lifted in the next few months.”
The programme was announced at a function where the emphasis was on the tourist attractions of Tasmania. “We expect a minimum of 6000 visitors from New Zealand and inter-state,” said Mr Crawford. “And the various organisations involved are confident that they can provide racing of the highest standard on the new 750 m course.”
The development costs of $3.5M have been provided by the Tasmanian Government. The major problem will be the transport of horses. The InterDominion Council this week spent some hours discussing the subject and appointed a sub-committee to report a final proposal by next June.
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Press, 29 March 1980, Page 22
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336$140,000 for next year’s Final Press, 29 March 1980, Page 22
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