A LATE EASTER

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1934, Page 21

A LATE EASTER

RACE DATES AFFECTED

AVOIDING CLASHES

With Easter falling not before tlie third week in April next year, those racing and trotting clubs which generally race round those dates are busily engaged conferring with neighbouring bodies in an. effort to maintain the unbrokeu circuit. The position is going to be complicated, for with, Easter so late it comes on the eve of the opening of the winter racing, which makes it difficult for those clubs concerned with winter racing programmes. Perhaps a way will be found out. of the difficulty, but this perplexing problem will continue to bother racing authorities until, such time as the Easter dates are permanently fixed. That, "of course, is a matter for higher authorities than those which control the sport, of kings. Fram. the purely racing standpoint, such a change cannot come 'soon enough. A BETTER OUTLOOK. The avoidance of the clash between the Auckland and Canterbury Spring Meetings next season has had immediate results, for it has been- announced that the Canterbury Jockey Club has increased its stakes rather substantially, reinforced by the knowledge that with the Auckland Meeting out of its way it could reasonably expect all the best twoarid three-year-olds to be competing at Riccartoa in November, in addition to attracting a truly cosmopolitan field for the New Zealand Cup and other important handicap events. There is no doubt that the Auckland Racing Club made a sacrifice in forgoing its November dates for the purpose of. acceding to the C.J.C. overtures, and it is a/sacrifice that is perhaps not understood by the' majority of those connected with the sports The A.R.C. some time back decided to race the first week in November, and this was tried for several seasons, it must .be said without very satisfactory results. The real trouble lay : with owners, several of whom expressed the opinion that it was not reasonable to ask two- and three-year-olds, especially the former, to race so early in the season under conditions usually prevalent in-Auckland- at that time, when the course was heavy, on the grounds that it took too much out of the young horses. This view will be supported by those.- ,possessiug even an elementary knowledge of spring racing and its effect on tw.o-year-olds. \ ■ .OBVIATING CLASHES. In commenting upon the clashing of important meetings, a southern writer expressed the opinion that it was unfair to owners.and breeders in that it diminished the value of a horse through curtailed- opportunity, to win good stakes. Thi§ critic goes on to say that if other clubs would consider the interests of racing and breeding in. preference to in- 1 diyjdual1 clubs, it. would be the greatest stride 'in progress. ever recorded in New Zealand. It would be considered ridiculous for the-Melbourne Cup and Sydney - Cujr to clash, and also the Auckland Cup and New Zealand-Cup. Nothing could be considered more detrimental to the interests of owners and breeders and hence to the general welfare o£ racing, and the same applies to where a minor clash occurs. For instance, the Waimate Racing Club has' been, forced to recognise that it can-not-afford to clash with the Wellington ' Club's Meeting, and this pr6ves that a: : wider view' of must be taken in the future than, what has-■ been the case in the past. ■ ■ Now the Opunalce Racing Club is moving to-avoid March: 47 as its lace day, which clashes with Wellington^ but , incidentally it is if any swing- ' ovec in the. way"'of dates would benefit the/Opunake Racing Club, which is scarcely strong enough to attract horses from further afield than Taranaki stables. On the whole the Opunake Club is in an unenviable position and it will probably have to carry on as at present. Some time back it was stated that the Opunake Racing Club was going to object to the Wellington Racing Club racing on St. Patrick's Day, -to which the Taranaki body considered it had a prior right, but apparently nobody took the objection seriously. FOXTON'S EXPERIENCE. It will be recalled that not so long ago the Foxton Racing Club held its annual race meeting in January, the province's anniversary day seeing racing going on there and also at Trentham, to the detriment of Foxton obviously. Nevertheless the. Foxton Racing Club seemed to be doing "fairly well with its annual meeting until the depression came along, when, in .common with every other racing and trotting club, the financial returns dropped like the barometer before a typhoon. The outcome was that Foxton gave up Anniversary Day, and in stepped the Ashhurst Racing Club to. get that day for its annual fixture. Since then the Ashhurst Club has never looked back, its last meeting being a splendid success, the tbtalisator returns soaring to fivefigure proportions, a wonderful turnover for a one-day country club. Now Ashhurst is hanging on to January 22 with both hands and it is not likely to give it up. . ■ . • "

In any case the Foxton Racing Club may not want to.go back to. its old date, for now it appears to have done well in arranging two one-day fixtures, the first of which this season was quite successful. But on all sides, wherever one moves in racing circles, is heard the query as to why Forton gave up a holiday date; members and officials of clubs seeking holiday dates have argued this out time -■nd -again.