SPORTING

Evening Star, Issue 16778, 5 July 1918, Page 6

SPORTING

TROTTING. ABOLISHING THE STARTING BARRIER. [Special to the ‘ Star.*] CHRISTCHURCH, July 5. At <i committee meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Tic thing Club it was daeklod to dispense with the barriers now used in ixmi lection with (starting. 'The now starter (Mr H. W. Norman, of Winten) will despatch the events from a moving start. In order to control his fields he will bo mounted on a horse, tho working of tho dock being left in the hands of an assistant This method of starting by seconds has been a big success in the south, where Mr Norman has -earned a high reputation as a dospatchor. V.R.C. GRANT) NATIONAL. Cabled from Melbourne that 25 horses have made final payment for the Grand National Hurdle Race, 3m. to bo run at Flemingion to-morrow. COURSING. At a. conference ol coursing delegates representing Now South Wales. Queensland. and N.-w Zealand, held in Svd nev yesterday, an Australasian Coursing Association was formed. One of the objects achieved was the establishment of an Australasian Waterloo Cup, in place of the present Australian Waterloo Cup. The Dominion was represented at the conference by (Mr Martin. Taylor, of Auckland. In' the Australian Waterloo Cup, for 64 all ages, decided at Rooty Hill, Sydney, -Achieved bent Quair Hope in the final and won tho stake.

At the meeting of tho Canterbury Jockey Club Committee on Tuesday the Programme Committee’s report in reference tq the Grand National Meeting was approved. The programme will be the same as last season’s, with tho exception of the Beaufort Steeplechase, the distance of which has been increased from two miles and a-liaif to three miles. Mr IV. P. M. Buckley stated that euj he would bo absent from Christchurch a good deal he would be compelled to resign his position as chairman of tho committee, and Mr A. Boyle was appointed in his stead