TROTTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18388, 2 May 1923, Page 6

TROTTING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES.

May 3, s—Forbury Park T.C. '■'.';. ; Vi . May Thames T.C. Annual.;,.', ,"*"'.. May 12—Cambridge Trotting Club- • June 2 and 4—Canterbury Park T.C, June 4— South Wairarapa T.C. "'; "--"'"-. 5

NOTES -; BY PICADOR.

AUCKLAND CLUB'S SUCCESSFUL MEETING. ,

; The autumn, meeting: of:' the Auckland Trotting Club, which was held at Epsom last week, proved one: of the most successful that . the club has ■ yet had at; this;.- season of the' year,' despite '■'. the fact 4 that;. it was found necessary to postpone the gathering owing : to, •: the ':■■ unfavourable weather -; conditions. The opening day was held in dismal weather, and ■ consequently the /attendance was not so large as 'might have been, hence there was a falling off of . some £512(H in the totalisator' returns compared with; those of the corresponding _day last year. However, perfect weather, tho promise of good racing, and the expected appearance of the record-holder, Happy Voyage, attracted a large crowd estimated at- nearly 25,000 — Epsom for the second day's sport, and, the crowd being in a very speculative mood, the 6um of £61.236 was put through the machine, making •. a grand total of £101,000 for. the meeting, thus wiping off the first day's deficit and making the totalisator turnover ; £9902 i ' ahead of that for .the corresponding meeting last year. The management of ! the gathering was as good as ever, and reflected the greatest credit on the. secretary, Mr. C. F. Mark, and his staff' of able assistants, who all worked hard ■to make =• the gathering a ' success, i ■>; The trotting, ■ with. a couple or exceptions where easy ; wins were recorded, was, on the whole, 1 ■ really excellent, and the club's handicapper, Mr. F. W. Edwards, has every reason to feel proud at the. result of his work. The fields fori the, greater part were . large: :'«'. in act', *in some cases .the number of competitors could '.well have been less. ,"•'.• '■•'.;-.;■.:../'i->- : ...' •.• ;; '-'-'.vv .•■ : '. --V.',•'.■.

TOTALISATOR INVESTMENTS FOR ■ : SEASON AT EPSOM: 'With the conclusion of the Auckland' Trotting Club's - Autumn Meeting ,On „ Saturday the curtain j was: rung down .on trotting: for the season in the Auckland district' as far as totalisator meetings are concerned! The season has ' been one of ■•■ progress for-; the sport,' notwithstanding' the period of,financial stress from which the country is just emerging. The totalisator is more or IeBS a financial barometer, -' the .- .; -investments ': on : the machine giving . some" indication of the degree of prosperity ; enjoyed ;by the community. An analysis of the totalisator returns for the- season just closed and for the previous season - shows that u the spending power of trotting patrons has slightly improved since the 1921-22 season, the . increase for the season just concluded being .£3264 10s. ' Adverse = weather conditions, at both the summer : and autumn meetings, this season - affected • the totalisator returns, and tthe fact that an increase been shown in the face of this drawback , indicates that .the spending power of the ' public is, increasing. The- comparative -• .figures ..for .' the .meetings of the Auckland: Trotting Club ;in the seasons of 1921-22 and 1922-23 and,of the two: Otahuhu Trotting -«lub's- meetings: for t the same seasons are as follow '■—-.' • - !; : :/■■-'■-' -;•'.',:': Auckland.. "' '■:'■., '■-■ ■'■'; 1921-22. 1922-23. '. ".'• •:."'• • "'■' ■ ■;. " £. .C':'-'' £- - H Spring ■•-.■>: ... '♦. 87,850 . 102.613J '. \ '"- Summer' .. V V.' 213,108 ;■ 191,6594, ; s Autumn „ ... "'" 91.0974 j 101.000 v Totals . . . . . £392.0554 £395,273 . ;', ;. , ;;;';■ •■ OTAHUHU. ;". '&:.ss-<:~ :-.'.' "•.'■:■■:■.':,.■' . ?;'{-. V'-.. .'- "= £. £. V-. ,'.< - Spring \:'- : . - •'•■■;■•' ,106,616 :. 104,9774 ;. ■'•"'. Summer '■ ..... '88.337 90,0424 Totals -. . . .'£194.953 . £195,020.