SUCCESSFUL SEASON

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 152, 30 June 1938, Page 13

SUCCESSFUL SEASON

TAXATION OVER £21,000

After allowing for depreciation and setting aside an amount towards a reserve for building a new stand, the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club made a profit of £425 3s lOd on the season's operations. The receipts from every department show an increase over those of toe previous year,:and the success-'of the In-ter-Dominion Championship, despite several postponements, is a compliment to the club's enterprise. During the season the sum of £39,775 was distributed in stakes. Of this amount £18,075 was given at the Championship Meeting. This is a record.

The Government benefited to the e& tent of £21,185 8s 3d -by way of taxation, and £2527 19s 6d .was paid out in. salaries and wages. Expenses of running race meetingi amounted to £4777 Is sd, and £244 11s--7d was "given to the Remount Encouragement Fund. Repairs and maintenance cost the club £2961 Is lOd. Included in that is the club's share ior painting the grandstands and fences. Donations, to charitable objects absorbed £367 18s, and £2712 10s wai set aside from the year's-income towards building a new grandstand. During the year owners contributed £7823 10s 6d in nomination and ao ceptance fees, and members', subscript - tions amounted to £1043 145.. Revenue to the extent of £16,352.4s 6d was received for. admission to the grounds and stands and for privileges*; 1 Training fees collected -were £48 0s 7d. and a refund of totalizator tax assisted the income of the club by £500. The balance of assets over liabilities is set down at £91,238 7s. NEW RULES DRAFTED For some months the New Zealand: : Trotting Association and the New Zealand Trotting Conference have been - kept busy in redrafting the Rules of Trotting, and a copy of these rules has - been sent to each club for the approval of members. At the conference . of club delegates in Wellington next month the president, Mr.: H. F, Nicoll,. , will move that the old rules be dia> r carded iand the new ones substituted.- • Consideration of so many rules may; occupy some time, but members have i had the opportunity to study them thoroughly and should have little difr Acuity. Outside this remit there'is little of importance" and only the Manawatu, Gorei and Winton' Clubs will offer any suggestions in the alteration of rules. The Gore Trotting Club win propose alterations to seven rules, the Man* watu Club will have two remits, andthe Winton Club six. , The Manawatu Club will seek to have a new Rule"226A included. It will- . read as follows: "Notwithstanding anything herein contained in the rules, no, driver's or rider's licence shall be granted -or issued to any person over the age, of 60 years." This remit will be vigorously Opposed .by certain Clubs who are averse to instituting an age. limit on anyone connected with the- ' sport. Although there ■: are very lew drivers in the sixties, several of the best-known Canterbury reinsmen have attained that age, and thwe include J. Bryce, Free Holmes, R. W. Franks, and others who, under the proposed new rule, would find their activities at an end in the course of.'a very lew years. The three drivers mentioned have all the nerve and good judgment of men half their age, and their retirement would be a distinct loss t# trotting. M. HOLMES'S GOOD RECORD Considering that M. Holmes, racee only a small team, his success this sea- : son has been outstanding,,, and since * last August representatives of the stable have fearned £8067 10s, In all they registered twenty-one firsts, twenty-two seconds,: and seven thirds. The biggest stake-earner was Pot Luck, who won £3315. During the year he "won three races, . was six times second, and once third. His; principal. vitrtory was in the Grand Final of the Inter-Dominion Cham-, pionship. He qualified for the event by running second'in two heats and won a total of £1800 at the meeting. Pot Luck also ; won the Louissun Memorial Handicap at Addington in November, and Was' successful in the 'Burwood Handicap at New Brighton in September. He was the runner-up in the Ashburton Cup, Canterbury Handicap, and Dunedin Cup. The horse's condition and improvement testify to his trainer's skill, for when Mr. H. Stafford purchased Pot Luck, from his breeder, Mr. J. D. Smith, the gelding had weak' hocks. Only careful handling has moulded him into a good horse.* . • Another pacer, that has done well for Holmes is Renown's Best, who, in the early part of her career,, was very nervy. He succeeded in winning five races with her. She was five times second and twice third, her total winnings for the season being. £1345. His prospects for the new racing period are bright, for he has a number of pacers, in. his stable that promise to reach the best class. Among them are the two-year-old Aldershot, TJonor, Attain, Renin's Best, Wynan, Ere- , hom, and Tarunai. . ; , While thes£ horses are winning their, way to better classes, Holmes's star performers in Pot Luck and. Worthy Light will stillbe capable of' froldlar their own ipt big races.' HORSE POWER SOLD | Mr. G. J, Barton, now on his way t® Australia, has purchased from Mr. O. Rosenbaum the three-year-old gelding Horse Power, the champion of his age in New Zealand. HorSe' Power joined J. Fraser'sf.team at Addington yesterday, and will make his next appearance at Addington in August. Mr. Barton has-disposed-of Royal Doulton. who has been purchased by Mr. A. Hallam, of Western Australia. She will join Tempest and 'Cloudy, Range, also recently purchased by Mr, Hallam, .