Later decision on short intervals

Press, 20 February 1986, Page 38

Later decision on short intervals

Special correspondent Auckland The Auckland Trotting Club will decide after its next meeting, on March 4, whether to continue with a 7 p.m. start and 25minute race intervals. Auckland Trotting Club meetings usually start at 6.10 p.m. and intervals between races are longer, sometimes up to 40 minutes. Mr Jim Patterson, the secretary of the club, said yesterday that, while the new format for Tuesday night’s meeting produced an excellent result, there were many factors to be considered. The meeting was a comparatively lowkey affair and the attendance of 6200 and course totalisator turnover of $769,790 far exceeded expectations. The turnover would have topped $BOO,OOO if more betting windows had been open. Mr Patterson said the change on Tuesday and for the meeting on March 4, also a Tuesday, was an experiment. Usually, 120-odd windows would be open for a midweek meeting, except during holiday periods. In view of the shorter race intervals, the number was increased to 145 on Tuesday and the club anticipated a turnover of about $650,000. “You can’t very well judge on one meeting,” Mr Patterson said, “and while it was an excellent result on-course, the T.A.B. turnover was very disappointing.” The off-course figure of $792,163 was, according to Mr Patterson, the lowest for some years. Usually, it is over $1 million. Mr Patterson said the

club would be asking the Totalisator Agency Board to ascertain the consequences of a later starting time and shorter intervals. “T.A.B. offices have the option,” he said, "of staying open later than the normal closing time of 8 p.m. “Possibly, many of them did not do that A lot of betters with a telephone account like to hear the early prices before having a bet.” “With the shorter time available, there could have been difficulty ‘getting on’.” “The effect on catering of a later start also has to be seriously considered.”