TROTTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19719, 19 August 1927, Page 16

TROTTING.

SEASON'S FIXTURES. J September 17—Wellington Trotting Club. October 15. 19—Auckland Trotting Club. s November 19, 23 Otahuhu Trotting Club. November 8. 10. 11— N.Z. Metropolitan 1 Trotting Club, | December 3 —Wnikato Trotting Club. December 27, 29, 31—Auckland Trotting Club. February 18. 22—Otahuhu Trotting Club. June 23, 27—Auckland Trotting Club. AUCKLAND CLUB'S YEAR. LARGE PAYMENT IN STAKES. MEMORIAL TO LATE SECRETARY. The annual meeting of members ol the Auckland Trotting Club was held yesterday, the president, Mr. J. llowe, presiding over a fair attendance. Before proceeding with the business, Mr. [{owe mtide reference to the great loss the club had sustained in the death of Mr. C. F. Mark, who had been secretary for thirty-six years and had greatly assisted the progress of the club by his work and knowledge. Reference was also made to the death of Mr, Munro Clark, who was for a number of years assistant-secretary, and of Sir James Carroll. As a mark of respect to the deceased gentlemen, those present stood in silence for a few moments. In moving the adoption ot the report and balance-sheet, published in the Herald on August 12, Mr. Rowo said that as each season passed the .inanciai position ol the club grew stronger. The sum of £29,700 was paid out in stakes for the year, £2700 short of last year when the club had eight days' racing, which was an increase of £'•2000. This large amount given in stakes was a wonderful attraction to owners, with the result that the programme provided by the club had drawn, not only nominations and acceptances, but also starters from all over the Dominion, and from Australia, and the horses that had competed at (he meetings were the cream of the trotting horses. Cinder Training Track. The club had always been, and he would say still was, anxious to do all within its power to meet the requirements and wishes of the owners and trainers, for the benefit of the spcrt. With that object in view, and after careful thought, and inquiry, the committee, at considerable expense. had put down a sand track for training purposes. He was sorry to say it had not been a great success and the c °? n * mittee was now considering the advisability of making it a cinder track. This, he was informed on expert authority, would ensure a perfect training track for winter conditions. The club had also erected a number of stalls and loose-boxes for the accommodation of horses and the appointments in this respect were now second to none in the Dominion. Some time ago 'owners and trainers had presented a petition to the club praying for a winter meeting and the committee decided to grant the request and fixed the month of .Tune for the meeting. Now some of the owners and trainers were asking that the meeting should be changed back to April, as previouslv The club could not chance all over the calendar and would continue with the .Tune meeting. The chairman paid a tribute to the work of the j stewards and stipendiarv stewards and regretted to announce the retirement of Mr. T. TT. Davey, who had filled the position of chief stipendiary steward for a number of vears with credit. A word of praise wns also due to the club's hnndicapper. Mr. G-. Paul, jun., for the excellent results he had achieved. The attendance at the club's meetings had increased considerably, as the season advanced. which was further proof of the growing popularity of the sport. For the seven days trotting the sum of £387.000 hnd been invested on the totalisator. and on Ihe year's working the "lub had shown a profit of TotaJisator Facilities. The club had been criticised by a section of the press on its totalisator appointments, at the same time advocating an electric machine. The committee was fully alive to the requirements of the public and quite realised the advantage of the electric totalisator, but the club had a contract to keep, and until it expired no alteration could be made. At the end of the 1927-28 season the committee would consider the question of installing the electric machine. It was an easy matter to criticise and find faultbut no trotting club in the Dominion bad spent in improvements the amount paid out by the Auckland Trotting Club since 1912; the short period it had owned the freehold of Alexandra Park. There would be no decrease in stakes for the next year s programme. , . , The Gaming Amendment Bill, which was to come before Parliament very soon, would if passed, have considerable effect in stamping out the bookmaker. He was very much in favour of the bill and sincerely hoped it would be made law. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. , . t i , It was suggested that something should be done to perpetuate the memory of the late Mr. C. F. Mark, by the erection of a tablet in the main grandstand. Mr. Rowe said the committee had the matter in hand and something would be done in this direction. although it had not, yet been decided ns to what form it would take. A Mark Memorial" hnd been provided for in the new programme . Votes of thanks were accorded to the president the committee and stewards. Messrs. J. "Rowe. T Buxton. George Me. Millan, TT. Morpeth. .Tohn Mornson. J " Evan (retiring members) and G Hodgson were elected to the committee. Messrs. <. W Ainowovth. H fhntteris. F. C. Pnvall. .T F. Hhnnlv and Robert Wright, (retiring «*to\vnre-cleciod stewfiros. TCEEPTNO TV FRTZE-MOXEY. AUCKLAND CLUB, £25.705. The committee of the Auckland Trotting Club has decided on the programmes for the three meetings to be held at Alexandra Park this season. The sum allotted in prize-money amounts to £29.705, which is distributed as follows:—Spring meeting (t\yo days), £8000; summer meeting (three days), -£15,005; winter meeting (two days). £'6700. A consideration of the figures shows that the average stakes per day for the seven days runs out to £4243 10s. which is to be regarded as decidedly attractive. With regard to the spring programme, a noteworthy alteration is that it is now embellished with the Great Northern Derby, which was previously decided at the summer meeting. The alteration made in regard' to the classic race is to be commended on various grounds, and it should tell to the advantage of the club. The ralue of the Auckland Trotting Cup is again fixed at £2200 in specie, with a gold cup of the value of lOOgns in addition. THE NEW ZEALAND CUP. LIST OF NOMINATIONS. i fBY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday The following nominations have been received by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club for the New Zealand Trotting Cup. of £3OOO. two miles.—Sheik, Man o War. Tnlaro, Sea Pearl, Escapade, Waitaki Girl, Logan Chief, Peter Bingen. Jack Potts. Black Admiral. Great Bingen, Cardinal Logan, Locanda, Mac, Prince Pointer, Ahuriri, Great Hope. Acron. Loganwood, Queen's Own, Audacious, Kohara and Imprint