TROTTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19986, 30 June 1928, Page 15

TROTTING.

WINTER OR AUTUMN. MATTER FOR REVIEW. BY PICADOR. The Auckland Trotting Club conducts three meetings each season and two years ago the third fixture was changed from autumn to winter. Hitherto there was a spell of i ver sis months between the close of a season and the opening of another. It waß felt that this was not in the best interests cf local owners and trainers, and, in deference to the wishes of many, the change was made.

Three winter meetings have now been held and there is a growing feeling among trotting men that it might bo better to revert to the old -order and have the final meeting in autumn instead of winter. The first two winter meetings were highly successful, but the latest was adversely affected by wet weather oil the second day, with the result that the attendance and totalisator turnover fell off considerably. Tho possibility of wet weather is always greatest in winter, and, as clubs aro dependent on gate receicts for revenue and totalisator turnover for stakes, some contend that tho autumn is a more opportune time to hold the meeting. It does not follow that, because one meeting has suffered on account of adverse weather conditions, others will, but it is always likely in winter. The same success that has attended the previous winter meetings may be maintained in future and the club may be justified in leaving matters to stand as they do at present. There are, however, several aspects to be considered, and before the new season arrives tho position should be roviewed. There is no gainsaying that local trainers and owners have not received the benefit from the winter meeting it was hoped they would. Conditions on the local {raining tracks at this time of tho year aro almost invariably bad and it is therefore difficult to get horses thoroughly attuned. Several local horses won at the recent meeting, bat the visitors won most of tho races. It might be the some even if tho meeting were held at any period of the season, but the locals would probably be better prepared in the autumn. Another aspect of the. matter that may be worthy of consideration concerns tho number of races. At the autumn meetings there were always 16 races, whereas at the winter meetings there are only 14, and this means that, there is not such a wide distribution of stakes. The finances of tho club are not likely to bo affected to any extent whether there are 11 or 16 races at meetings, as the stakes are provided out of totalisator revenue. It is worth mentioning that £7IOO was distributed in stakes at tho autumn meeting in 1025, as against £6500, .£6700 and £6875 at the three winter meetings that havo been held at Alexandra. Turk.