RIVERTON RACING CLUB.

Evening Star, Issue 22262, 13 February 1936, Page 16

RIVERTON RACING CLUB.

ANNUAL EASTER MEETING, APRIL 11, 13, and 14. PROGRAMME. First Day. 1. Orepuki Novice Stakes, of £125. Six furlongs. 2. Waiau Steeplechase Handicap, of £l5O. About two miles. 3. Aparima Handicap, of £225. Six furlongs. 4. Longwood Handicap, of £l5O (Hack conditions). Seven furlongs. 5. Riverton Cup Handicap, of £SOO. One and a-quarter miles. (Starters to pay a sweepstake of £5, which shall go to the first horse.) 6. Great Western Steeplechase Handicap, of £450. About three miles. 7. Visitors' Handicap, of £l5O (Hack conditions). Six furlongs. 8. Pourakino Handicap, of £2OO. One mile. Second Day. 1. Trial Handicap, of £125. Seven furlongs. 2. Otaitai Steeplechase Handicap, of £l5O. About two miles. 3. Flying Handicap, of £2OO. Six furlongs. 4. Southern Champion Hack Handicap, of £350. One mile. (Starters to pay a sweepslako of £3, which shall go to the first horse.) 5. Easter Handicap, of £350. One and a-quarter miles. 6. Riverton Steeplechase Handicap, of £250. About two and a-balf miles. 7. Wallace Handicap, of £l5O (Hack conditions). Seven furlongs. 8. Monowai Handicap, of £175. One mle. Third Day. 1. President's Handicap, of £125 (Hack conditions). Six furlonngs. 2. Wakatipu Trot Handicap, of £l3O. One ond a-half miles. 3. Fiord Handicap, of £2OO. One mile. 4. Fairfax Handicap, of £125 (Hack conditions). Seven furlongs. 5. Autumn Steeplechase Handicap, of £l5O. About two and a-half miles. 6. Ohai Trot Handicap, of £l4O. Two miles. 7. Waipango Handicap, of £125 (Hack conditions). One mile. 8. Farewell Handicap, of £l5O. Seven furlongs. Full programme in ' Referee of March 5 and 12, or posted on application. G. B. BANKS, Secretary. P.O. Box 15, Riverton.

EXCITING FINISHES IN THE CUP. The two most exciting finishes for the Dunedin Cup were those of 1879 and of 1890. The former between Mata and Sinking Fund, and the latter between St. James and Occident. In the first case the judge’s verdict was a dead-beat, which was run off and ended in favour of Mata. Many people thought that Sinking Fund won. The boy riding him also thought he had, owing to the fact that he felt his knee in front of his opjsonent’s as the horses passed the post, and knowing that his horse had a very long rein, that is - , from the saddle to the bit—not a bad test—he was astonished when lie saw the verdict against him. Mata was a very stout horse, and won easily in the run off, and was undoubtedly a good deal shorter in the rein than Sinking Fund. In the race of 1890 the judge would have made no enemies had he given the verdict of a dead-heat, but St. James got the decision. The friends of the winner thought his chance was negligible unless a strongish pace was observed, but for over a mile and a-quarter the horses ran at a strong three-quarter pace, after which they came fully extended. At that point Occident was lying fully 35yds in the rear, and had it not been for th.at fact must have won easily. On the other hand, had it been a true run race from one end to the other, it is likely that St. James would have won and nothing else. Some called it a dead-heat, while others said that Occident did get up and win. A dead-heat rarely gives unqualified satisfaction, but the judge is really the only one with a true line to guide him. To those beyond the box it always appears as though the horse with the inside running has won if it is a dead-heat, and the opposite seems to be the case to those standing to the left of the box. • It is easy, therefore, to see how opinions may clash. THE KING’S HORSES. An old rule of the English Jockey Club that stood for a long stretch of years was that which declared nominations void on the death of the owner. This rule was not revoked until some few years ago. The death of Lord Hosehery in i929,_ which led to the voiding of Midlothian’s nomination for the Derby, could be cited as the most pointed case that led to old rule s being deleted and the adoption of oii<3 more in keeping with the spirit of the times. „ , The new rule reads“ Entries and subscriptions shall not become void on the death of the person in whose name they are made or taken, and all rights, privileges, and liabilities that could nave attached to the deceased person had he or she been alive shall attach to his or her personal representaThereforo the nominations that figured in the name of the late King George still stand. Three horses from the Royal stable engaged in the approaching Derby are Fairey, by vairway—Polish Air: Canvas, by Solano Scuttle; and Vitrics, by BosworthStained Glass. JOTTINGS. Acceptances for the first day of the Winton Jockey Club’s Jubilee Meeting close on Monday at 7 p.m. Handicaps for the opening day of the Gore Racing Club’s Summer Meeting are due next Monday morning. No race on the Oamaru Jockey Club’s Autumn Meeting programme carries a stake of less than £IOO. Light-harness horses have been well catered for at the Oamaru Autumn Meeting, four races carrying £425 in stakes being included. Owners and trainers are reminded that acceptances for Saturday s events at Wingatui close at the club s office at noon to-morrow. Mr T A. Duncan recently received advice from H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester that he had huutedhis gift horse Silent Bill, and the Aew Zea lander had pleased him very much. Man-o-War, who was destroyed at Kerrytown a few days ago, one of the very few pacers to win over £IO,OOO in stakes. His gross earnings m the Dominion were £10,095. Sure has come on rapidly under the charee of S. A. Edwards, and now assessed at 4rain 27sec for t ",° .she is rapidly approaching the best class. One more win over two miles will make her eligible for the New Zealand Cup. Tho attention of visiting owners and trainers is drawn to the Racing Club’s programme tor its annual meeting at Easter. The distribution of stakes has been made in a generous manner, and jumpers are particularly well catered for. A certain amount of carelessness has been shown in the compilation of records in to-day’s race card. Stealth is entitled to be mentioned with Nones and Pelmet as having run four furlongs in 49sec, arid Vintage s time when he won the Dunedin Cup in 1934 was 2min 36sec, not 2min 30seo as stated in the book. The Dunedin Cup was first run over a mile and a-half in 1899 (Djin Djm’s year), and his winning time was 3mm 40 2-ssec. That was the first Cup race run on the present course, and the times recorded in later years show how much the course has improved. During the first 10 years (1899-1908) the fastest time is credited to Bulawavo (1904). 2min 36 2-ssec. Prom 1909 to 1918 the best time recorded was Flora Macdonald (1914). when she won in 2min 33 2-ssec. During the next decade Pilliewinkie. in 1925, reduced the record to 2rain Slsec, and since 1928 Silver Scorn has the best record when she won in 1933 in 2min 31 4-ssec. The Ashburton Racing Club, whose meeting is to he held on June 27, has decided to offer no objection to tbe date of the South Canterbury Winter Meeting being changed from June 20 to June 23 (King’s birthday). The Jubilee Race Meeting of the Birchwood Hunt is to be held on the Invercargill course on March 28, when £555 will lie given in stakes. Two steeplechases, each of £IOO, are included. The Oamaru Jockey Club will give £1,860 in stakes at its Autumn Meeting to bo hold on March 21 and 23. The principal stakes are the Gardiner Memorial Handicap, one mile and a quarter, £2OO. and the President’s Handicap, one tnilo, £175. Silver Streak, who cost Mr E. Aubrey 55gs as a yearling, has started 94 times

and won 19 races. His total winnings amount to £3,500, about £B3O of which was won during the current season. For a time he ran in the colours of his trainer, T. Hobbs, but he has always been owned by Mr Aubrey. Silver Streak should add to his record this week at Wingatui. There are 83 entries for the Santa Anita Handicap, IJra, to be run on February 22. The stake is £20,000 and the entry fee £SO. with an additional £l5O to start. Among the entries is the former New Zealander, Pillow Fight, but an American exchange states that it will occasion, considerable astonishment if he finishes among the first four. As there is a maximum weight of 9.4, the race is at present looked upon as something of a good proposition for the champion Discovery, The Dunedin Jockey- Club acquired a lease of Forbury Park about 1869, but it was nearly two years later before the course was ready to race on. The leading men in charge of the club’* affairs at that time were Captain Hutchinson, Messrs H. Driver, John Stephenson, Hugh Gourley, Georg* Dowse, James Hazlett, and N. H. Taggart. To these good sportsmen, all of whom have now crossed the Great Divide, the present-day followers of racing owe a great debt, and the fin* course and appointments _ will alway* remain a monument to their memory.