Evening Post. FRIDAY, NOVEMBEE 14, 1879. RACING AFFAIRS IN WELLINGTON.

Evening Post, Volume XVIII, Issue 117, 14 November 1879, Page 2

Evening Post. FRIDAY, NOVEMBEE 14, 1879. RACING AFFAIRS IN WELLINGTON.

Although the entries for the Wellington Cup this year are of a satisfactory character, it cannot be denied that racing matters in Wellington are far from being in such a condition as all true lovers of the sport would desire to be. Many years ago Wellington was the chief centre of racing in the Colony. Among its early settlers were many genuine English sportsmen, and they imported some capital racing studs. The old Burnam Water Course has witnessed some racing as good as ever has taken place in this Colony. Now, however, the glory has departed from Wellington, and the Grand Metropolitan Meeting takes place, not in tho neighbourhood of the Capital of the Colony, but near Christchurch, while the Wellington meeting excites little more attention than some of tile better class of country meetings. Indeed as the value of the Wellington Cup has this year been reduced, while Wanganui is going in for a big .£IOOO stake, it would seem that Wellington is likely to sink even lower, and to take rank below one of its own country districts. This is very far from being a pleasant or a proper' state of things. On several occasions within the last two or three years, we have drawn attention to some of the causes which were exercising 1 a deteriorating effect on racing in Wellington, and pointed out the probability of such a state of things arising as now seems very near indeed. There has, however, been no reform made, or even attempted, and hence it was not surprising to find a movement on foot some time ago to start another racing club. That attempt did not succeed, and it was fortunate it did not, for if one club has managed to get into such difficulties, that it has to appear as a defendant in the Resident Magistrate's Court, the existence of two clubs managed on the same principle would not be at all likely to elevate the character of Wellington racing or conduce to the promotion of sport. It is a fact that the general public are steadily losing whatever interest they once had in our races. There have been so many barefaced swindles perpetrated on the Hutt Course, and passed over without remark by the powers that be, that the people do not care to subscribe money towards encouraging such practices. Neither do they care to witness races which have been previously squared to suit bookmakers or virtually determined by the drawing of a sweep. Under proper management we are convinced that the Wellington meeting might by this time have been established as the principal one of the Colony, and its Cup regarded as the blue ribbon of the New Zealand turf. The Wellington people have shown every inclination to patronise and support genuine sport, but their confidence has been so often betrayed that it is scarcely to be wondered at that they are now rather shy. The branch railway to the racecourse should have been made; the enormously high and exclusive charges of admission to the stand and paddock should not have been imposed ; good old sportsmen should not have been elbowed out of authority because their ideas were somewhat old fashioned,* and, finally, the rank swindles which have more than once been witnessed on the course should have been sternly dealt with, and the culprits punished. Had all this been done racing prospects in Wellington would have looked far less gloomy than they do. Is it too late to hope that these prospects will brighten ? We hope not, and we think we have indicated the direction of the steps necessary to secure such a desirable change. ___ ___„,_________,________,