RACING NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21906, 18 March 1933, Page 19

RACING NEWS

By Sen tin eiNominations for the Riverton Racing Club’s meeting are due on Monday. One of the latest horses intended for the jumping branch of the sport this winter is Park Acre. Park Ocre has been a failure on the flat. His latest performance was to run third in a high-weight handicap at Bulls last week Nominations for the Otautau meeting are due to-day. ~ ~ The Wellington Racing Club’s meeting will be concluded to-day. The Trentham owner-trainer J. W. Lowe left by the Wanganella on Thursday for Melbourne, with Red, Sun and Sage. In his absence the remainder of his team will be in charge of A. Browne. The Oamaru Jockey Club has received an excellent list of acceptances for the first day of its meeting, and the fixture carries every promise of success. Revision’s form in the Handicap at Trentham yesterday will swing favour to her for engagements to- ■ day.; Hector Gray’s license as a trainer was cancelled on Thursday by the Licensing Committee of the Racing Conference, Supreme Ruler, who was galloped s on while racing at the Franklin meeting, has resumed work at Elleralie, and is reported to be looking in good fettle after his short spell. So far this season this maiden has failed to show the. promise , expected of him, but there is no doubt that he possesses more than average galloping ability. He should show to more advantage in the next few months than , he has in the past. # . , Mobile was always going well, in the Tinakori Handicap at Trentham yesterday, but just failed to withstand Might's finishing run. _ _ The Taranaki ownpr, Mrs W. D. Graham, has completed the purchase of the yearling colt by Lord Quex from Shrill from his breeder, Mr John Gleeson* This youngster, who is a half-brother to Father’s Voice and High Pitch, is a particularly fine specimen who should come on early. , - In Iteland last year the totahsator turnover for 197 days’ racing was £105,557, an increase of £19,799 as compared with 1931. After paying air expenses, there was a profit of £1745 on the year’s workings. In 1931 there was a loss o f £1732. This year the Board of • Control for Mechanical Betting in Ireland is endowing four, races with £SO each. , v ■ . Following up his triumphs- in the Viceroy’s Cup and King Emperor’s Cup, Sans Ame won the Eclipse Stakes of India on January 28. Sans Ame, by Samourai out of the French-bred mare Santoi, is owned by .Mr Edward Esmond. He scored by & length and ■ a head from Masked J ester and Karapoti, the New Zealand gelding. The Eclipse Stakes of India ; is worth £3750 to the winndr. Masked Jester ! raced in England last year, when he won the Bretby Handicap at Newmarket. In the autumn his owner, Mr A. K. Macombef, sold the colt to the Maharaja of , Rajpipla, who shipped him to India. For the first time for many years the Wellington Racing Club has adopted the idea of holding the two race days of the autumn meeting in succession, thus doing away with the spare,day in between. The change has undoubtedly been appreciated by owners and trainers,;and in times such as at present other clubs would be well advised to follow Wellington’s lead. The arrangements mad©' for both the forthcoming Oamaru and South Canterbury meetings to hold their fixtures on Thursday and Saturday may be thought wise to take advantage of the. Thursday halfholiday in those districts, but there are owners and trainers who would be keener on patronising the meetings if they were not involved in the extra expense to cover the “off” day. Opinions differ /among Sydney owners • and traiders,as to whether the abolition of sweepstakes for starters is to be commended. (says the Referee). Some point out that if a horse has a winning chance I the odds from the sweepstakes make a very much , better , bet than the book- ! makers are likely to lay. Others take the stand that horses must be educated, and consequently the sweepstakes charge I falls too heavily on owners who cannot I well avoid racing, some horses that do j not possess any chance. Of course, it ' can be contended that an owner should not start his Horse unless _ be honestly ~believed it could win, but if that practice were generally adopted there would Ihe some very email fields. One thing > certain is that the lower cost will tend : to larger fields, and unless the new order of things means increased prize money the total return to owners for their outlay in entrance and acceptance fees will not be comparatively as great as under the sweepstakes system. It can be taken for granted, however, that the A.J.C, will see to it that owners do not suffer, and 'that stakes! at the various courses will he in keeping with the amount'received in entrance and acceptance fees. ■ The Australian Jockey Club has, in a measure, fallen from its high estate. Hitherto all money received in connection with the nomination and running of horses has added to .the value of a race (says the/Press). Financial stress has caused the club to adopt the system of entrance and acceptance fees, the money received in that way being retained and not being qn addition to the stake. , During the current season unfavourable weather has given the club some bad days In consequence there has been a great off in receipts from charges for admission, and, as compared with the first six months of last season, the totalisator turnover has decreased by £113,000. If the club had not decided upon entrance and acceptance fees the added money for various minor handicaps, as well as weight-for-age races, at the coming autumn meeting would have been cut down. The principal races carry the forfeits and sweepstakes, because nominations closed for them under those conditions prior to the recent alteration. The value of some of the minor races has been slightly increased, but the club’s distribution will not be quite as great as last year, and the return from entrance and acceptance fees should be very substantial. The revenue received in this direction may enable the ruling body to increase its prize money at other meetings during the season. In fact, it will-have to set an example to the proprietary clubs, which will also be at liberty to drop the sweepstakes early next month, and charge acceptance as well as entrance fees.