Egmont Racing Club Summer Meeting.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2320, 7 January 1893, Page 2

Egmont Racing Club Summer Meeting.

' ITbident.J 1 The importance of this gathering is, I > think, of sufficient interest at the present ) time to warrant me in making a few j remarks tbereon. The splendid nominations received by the Secretary on the 20th ult. gives overwhelming evidence of the popularity of this prosperous club, and leaves nothing more to be desired in that > respect. In 1882 the club started by giving £267 in prizes, and in 1893 (for the Summer Meeting only) the amount of added money is £1200. This is a big stride in a country district like this, where the number of local racehorses as yet can almost be counted on one's fingers, I and it shows conclusively that a goodly . number must be supporters of the sport of horse racing. A comparison between this and last summer's nominations brings forth the following results :— ; m . 1892. 1893. I Waunate Handicap ... 36 25 Egmont Handicap 36 31 I Flying Handicap 22 30 i Atkinson Memorial Stakes ... — 35 Normanby Stakes 18 28 Hawera Welter 12 16 , First Handicap Hurdles ... 9 16 1 Second Handicap Hurdles ... 10 16 Totals 143 197 i which leaves a balance in favor of 1898 of ) 54. This shows a big advance on last year's nominations, but it will be observed that it is mainly owing to the capital , entry for tbe Atkinson Memorial Stakes. , Should Mr Henry (the olub's handicapper) be successful in apportioning the weights so as to satisfy the majority of owners (of which I have very little doubt) a big acceptance list may confidently be predicted on the 24th Jannary. This year the club has departed somewhat from tbe stereotyped form of programme in vogue for two or three yeare past, and. on the whole, I think a great improvement is noticeable in this respect. An increase of £200 in the amount of stakes is at once observable when the different items are totted up, and this will no doubt prove a tempting bait to owners and trainers. To deal only with the events on the programme for the Summer Meeting.it will be noticed that tbe Waimate Handicap, of seven furlongs, is tbe first race on the card, taking precedence of tbe Hurdle Baoe. The former race has hitherto been ran on the second day of the meeting, and over a somewhat loDger course. The amount of the stake has been reduced, but. in view of the number of sprinters at present on tbe turf, the change no doubt will be acceptable to the majority of owners. The Egmont Handicap, which remains at tbe same amount (300 soys) as last year, precedes tbe Sapling Stakes, of 60 soys (same as previous year), The First Handicap Hack Flat Race (I should like these hack events to have shorter names) is now worth 40 soys, having been raised 10 sovs ; while the other event on the first day's programme (Welter.Handicap) is the same > as last year. On the second day's bill of fare, the Flying Handicap and Second ;Handioap Hurdles have riot* beetf- altered in any respect, but 5 soys have been added to the Second Handicap Hack Hurdles, and also 5 soys more to the Seooud Hack Flat Bace. ' The Nursery Handicap and Normanby Stakes have, been.lpit.^e they were. * A' new race, however, haß been iqtrodnced in tbe Atkinson Memorial , Stakes; (which it will beiobeemtf has halted fotth a big entry of o^'flbritpstants). It is a very good stake of 200 soys, being the fourth race on the second days-prog-ramme,.. It is run over a. 6}ißta;nije\of one mile and a half, and will be/a good second string to the Egmont Haridiqap. It i flhould fee a favorite' race' wltb'bwnere, and I am pretty confident that a big field will face the starter for this jevsnt. The ,o|u.b is to be . congratulated^, on having received sqoh good, entries j££, response to J its invitation, which will be considerably < augmented, when the. .nominations and | general ' entries are made, on {be 24th instant; and owners, on the other haqd.wiU not regret a visit, to the Egmont Convincing ground Ceyen if they are not successful), for it would be hard to find a cooree which- affords better going tha* it doss, and' on tbe local training ground

and oonrse danger against mishap or v iDjory to horses ' is reduced to a minimum. A few notes on improvements lately effected to the raeeooarse grounds will shortly appear. ■