INCREASED STAKES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 60, 8 September 1937, Page 13

INCREASED STAKES

NEXT N.Z. CUP MEETING

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.")

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

Having had a very successful Grand National Meeting last month, the Canterbury Jockey Club has made a substantial addition to the prize-money for the November Carnival. The programme adopted yesterday provides stakes totalling £15,700, an increase of £2275 compared with last year.

■ It will cause no surprise to find that the chief events have received special attention. The Metropolitan Handicap has been raised from £750 to £1000 and the Canterbury Cup from £500 to £700, making two excellent races to back up the £2000 New Zealand Cup, which had previously been increased by £ 500. The shorter races have also been looked after, the Stewards' Handicap being increased from £700 to £800, the Criterion Handicap from £400 to £500, the Pendalton Handicap from £450 to £500," the Jockey Club Handicap from £500 to £600, the Otaio Plate from £400 to. £500, and the Members' Handicap from £450 to £500.

This definite policy of building up good stakes for the best horses is to be commended. During the last few years the leading performers have been sent away to Australia, attracted by the lure of big prizes, and racing in New Zealand will be greatly benefited if the principal clubs in the Dominion can continue to offer inducements in the way of good stakes.

While building up its big races, the Canterbury Jockey Club has not overlooked other events. The Apprentices', Riccarton, Linwood, Randolph, Epsom, Avon, Seymour, Cressy, and Stonyhurst Handicaps have benefited to the extent of £50 each. There are four races on the programme with prizes of £250, an excellent minimum, but most of the hack events have stakes of . £300. The two-year-old races have also been well endowed, the £750 Welcome Stakes being supported by handicaps of £300, £350, and £500. ,

In looking for a point on which the programme may be criticised, it may be found in the restricted opportunities given to the jumpers. Brush-hurdle events have been provided on the first and third days, but on the other days they are replaced by highweight handicaps. The Canterbury Jockey Club is alone in catering for brush hurdlers, and it seems a pity that owners are not given the greater inducement to school new horses by the provision of one race for them each day. This appears to be the only direction in which an' excellent programme for the November carnival could have been improved.