Greyhounds decision slated

Press, 12 July 1980, Page 21

Greyhounds decision slated

The recent decision of the Racing Authority to uphold an objection by the Greyhound Racing Association to the Avondale Jockey Club’s proposal to hold a race meeting on Labour Day because of an on-course-only meeting'to be held by the Auckland Greyhound Racing Club on that day was strongly criticised by Mr Hughes. He failed to see the logic in the authority’s reasoning! that in a city the size of I Auckland. Avondale should! not be allowed to race in competition with a greyhound meeting, he said. “It would seem that the decision has been made on the ground that Labour Day is an established date for the greyhound club,” he said. “It is admitted that

> greyhound races have been I held in Auckland during the day over the last two years. However on-course betting 1 turnover was only $28,433 in ; 1979 and $52,306 the pre- . vious year so it must be accepted that attendances ’ were very small indeed.” Mr Hughes said that such a small attendance effective- ; ly disposed of any suggestion that people interested in horse racing were also interested in dog racing, and vice versa. “By what logic, then. I should the Auckland racing ! public be denied attending ; their own sport simply because the followers of another sport are also conducting a meeting? It is about as logical as suggesting there should be no rugby league games played in Auckland whenever a major rugby fixture is to be held.” (

Sent abroad Mr Hughes said that during the year a record number of certificates of pedigree had been issued for 1479 horses sent abroad. The main destination had been Australia: of 1217 horses sent there 850 had been of racing age and there had been 272 yearlings, 18 weanlings, 74 broodmares, and three stallions. Of the remainder 103 had gone to Singapore, 55 to South Africa, 39 to Kuala Lumpur, 28 to the United States, 21 to Britain, 15 to Hong Kong, and one to Ireland. Race coverage Present arrangements for the coverage of race meetings by Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand in the new season will be

maintained in principle, with some innovations. In future results from weekday meetings will be broadcast by community stations immediately they come to hand and will be confirmed on a network link every hour. The previous arrangement whereby races were broadcast on the network if they carried a stake of $lO,OOO or more will be superseded by a network link of those races which appear in the conference’s list of prestige races. The proposed programme for th; live television coverage of races includes 25 meetings in the new season. These are mainly city meetings but subject to the availability of outside-broad-casts equipment live coverage may also be provided at Awapuni, Tauranga, and Invercargill.