THE HOLIDAY MEETINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 54

THE HOLIDAY MEETINGS.

The Racing Calendar indicates that we are almost on the eve of * plethora of sport, and those who intend to use their vacation as a chance of indulging* in their favourite pastime will soon be mapping oat a campaign of pleasure, and abo, perhaps, one which they hope to be not entirely devoid of a financial profit. One ■•would, indeed, require to be hydra-headed in order to witness all of the racing which is booked to take place between, the Christmas and New Year holidays, as the rarioua chtbs in the country will give well over 40 day* sport of some sort or other to their patinas. This is a. bit of a deluge, and one wouM require a financial ark to weather the lot if participation in racing were entirely flavourless without a bet on every race. The most important meeting will, of course, take place at Auckland, where the A.R.C. will get through a four-days' programme. We, however, are more concerned with what is to take place nearer home, and those who are anxious to whet their racing appetites prior to indulging? in bigger things later on can do so by participating in the- Lake County and Alexandra meetings, which fall on the 13th, 14th, and 20th of the month respectively. The Chrktehurch Racing Club will race on the 14th and 16th/ and their meeting: is one of more than ordinary importance tp us because the majority of the borses racing there are likely to appear later at the Dunedin Jockey Club's summer fixture. The old-established Cromwell fixture is to be held on the 26th and 21th, and at Wingatui there ia every probability tbsvfc cur metropolitan club will be < in a position to present their patrons with the best 0 card which has ever yet ueen issued for a Christmas meeting. The fields engaged are numerically very large at present, and quality is almost on a par with that usually seen out at a Dunedin Cup meeting. This clearly indicates that the meeting is growing in importance, and that the substantial increase to the prize-money list has been appreciated by horee-owneTS. At the Now Ye-ir we have the Palmerrton Racing Club's meeting to consider, and on the following day the Waikouaiti R.C. will hang up a programme which will have to be run off without th« assistance of the totalisator. Both these fixtures givean opportunity for a pleasant and brief run out of town. The Vincent Jockey Club will hold their meeting on the let and 2nd of the new year; the Wyndham Club will open their gates on New Year's Day, and southerners will also have an opportunity of patronising the Southland Racing Club's meeting, which takes place on the 2nd and 3rd of January. Whilst next January » yet young many, no doubt, will have their racing appetites satiated, but in the meantime the prospect of a feast is pleasant t» dwell upon.