TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 53

TALK OF THE DAY.

Bx Sentinel.

THE MAGNETISM OF 'CHASING. There has been a remarkable progress recorded in connection with the Dunodin Jockey Club's winter meeting- during the past few seasons, and it seems to be almost entirely attributable to the introduction of steeplechases on the programme. Tho meeting has .grown from an ordinary fixture to one which last week attracted the largest attendance ever noticed at Wingatui. This very pleasing state of affairs is almost entirely clue to the enthusiasm and energy of Mr L. C. Hazlett, who was the leading spirit in getting the cross-country sport a footing at Wingatui. It seems only two or three seasons ago that Mr Hazlett had several conversations with the writer concerning the advisability of having a steeplechase course erected; on the course, and ho succeeded in getting sufficient support from other stewards of the club to carry out his desire. From subsequent conversations it was gathered that Mr Hazlett had no easy task; but the outcome was that in 1909 the first steeplechase -was run at Wingatui. Tho club ventured on the mild experiment of including one steeplechase, with a stake of lSOsovs, and although it had the sympathy of sportsmen all over the South Island, a field of only four mustered at the post. The water jump ended the career of Aibury, and the stake went to Wanganui, who was ridden by H. Cair. It was a small beginning, but it .at once became apparent that the sport " between the flags" was a draw, and the following season two steeplechases were included in tho programme. The Otago Steeples, of 150sovs. attracted a held of 11, and the Wingatui Steeples one of a dozen in strength. The following season the stake of the Otago Steeples" was increased to 200iovs, and the Wingatui Steeples i rnained at ISOsovs. True Blue won each race. In the first case a field of nine went to the post, and on the second day the opposition to the winner ran to the same strength numerically. In 1912 the Otago Steeples went up to 2Eosovs, and was won bv Lugeon. who also won the Wingatui Steeples, of 200sovs. In 1913 the Hunters' Steeples, of lOOsovs. was introduced, and attracted the fine field of 14; hut there was no corresponding class on the second day. and the owners of hunters had to come in with the Wingatui Steeplechase field if thev desired to race their horses. The Otago Steeples, 300sovs, went to Sportsman, and Mr W. Kain, his owner, also won the Hunters' 'Chase witii Royal Medal. Gold Fin, who had acted as ruiiner-im to Sportsman, won the Wingatui Steeples, of 225sovs. Last season the hunters .again had only one race on_ the programme, and it attracted a field of eight. Tho Otago Steeples had grown to 350sovs, and was again won by Sportsman ill a field of 12. The Wingatui Steeples, of 250sovs. went to Roval Medal, who defeated 15 others. Right through the piece the fields running between the flags at Wingatui have been very satisfactory—at least, as far as numerical strength has been concerned,—and Ibis year tho club launched out with a 500sovs stake for the Otago Steeples, and one of 300sovs for the Wingatui Steeples. In addition, the Hunters' Steeples, of 130SOVS, and the Hack and Hunters' Steeples, of 130sovs. together with tho Pacific Hurdles, of 200sovs,. and the Fairfield Hurdles, or 175sovs, gave the Wingatui patrons a miniature "national" programme, with three jumping events on each day's card, The class running for the 'chases was not particularly high; but they, however, wont, to make up a good sporting programme, which, as previously mentioned, gave Wingatui a record attendance. No doubt the Winter Show is a very welcome

auxiliary contributing towards the success of the Wingatui gathering; but this year tho show did not really flourish until the latter end of tho week, when the racing was in progress, and hence it may bo assumed with a fair amount of reason that honours are fairly even as to the magnet which filled Dunedin during tho past tow days. The main thing, however, is the fact that tho D.J.C. winter meeting has thrived and flourished in a most remarkable manner, and tho extra zest of steeple-chasing imparted to tho programme lias been undoubtedly a large factor which built it up. The issue of extra permits to Hunt Clubs should bo the means of recruiting a larger and continual supply of ’chasers, and thus the success already achieved bears every prospect of being continued. The wider field of chasing which will bo created by the new meetings held by the various Hunt Clubs should also help to "feed” the Wingatui meeting, and one can easily conjure up visions of horses doing a circuit of meetings south of Canterbury before going to Hiccarton to race at the Grand National gathering.

THE WING A TUI SEASON,

The Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter mooting wound up a highly successful season for the Win,gatui racecourse. Throughout the racing year tho fields seen out at tno various meetings have been very satisfactory, and tho attendance drawn by each card indicates a growing popularity of tho Wingatui fixtures. The strength of tho fields may be partly due to tho large number of horses in training; and hence must bo raced somewhere or other. Possibly that is so; but wo have a fairly contested racing calendar, and clubs widen thrive do so in the luce of no little competition from others also catering for the sport. As far as Wingatui is concerned, the competition is most noticeable at tho summer meeting, which is sandwiched between attractive programmes issued by Southland and Oamaru. -- Tho Dunedin Cup undoubtedly 'suffers from its proximity on tho calendar to that of the Wanganui Cup meeting, and under different circumstances the autumn meeting would be sure to attract more patronage from North Island owners. The inclusion of a Dunedin Guineas on the D.J.C. spring programme together with the Dunedin Stakes tor two-year-olds materially assisted in building up tho fixture and gave it a classic tone. These races attract tho attention of tho best class of owners, and induce them to generally patronise a programme which they formorly may have been inclined to pass over. The interest in the spring meeting was indicated by the presence of several northern sportsmen who were anxious to see how tho two-year-olds would make their debut, and also note if the threc-ycar-olds had trained on from their first season. The result was the best spring meeting ever held on tho course, and went to show that a progressive move generally spells success. It has invariably been tho case with Wingatui meetings. Tho summer mooting falls on excel lent holiday dates, and it also has grown from year to year, although it is a matter for regret that tho Southland Now Year meeting has a stake for its chief event which overshadows that provided at Wingatui. One does not care to see the chief event of a metropolitan mooting acting as a sort of curtain raiser to that of a semi-metropolitan; but the all-round attractiveness of the summer programme has made it hold its own. The Dunedin Cup, of lOOOsovs, is a plum well worth gathering at the autumn mooting, particularly as it is backed up by the Publicans, of SOOsovs, and the D.J.C. Handicap, of SOOsovs, as well as other fairly well endowed events. In the opinion of" owners with whom the writer has discussed the Cup programme, its principal weakness lies in the fact _ that ■ the Champagne Stakes, of SOOsovs —it will be 350sovs next year, and tho Guineas go up to 400sovs., —is not adequately balanced by other events for two-year-olds. On tho second day of tho last Cup meeting the City Handicap, of 15Csovs, and on the third day the Hopeful Handicap, of similar value, were doomed of insufficient value to attract some of the- youngsters that might bo amongst the Champagne Stakes field. One suggestion made was that tho second day’s card should bo reduced to seven races, and tho two-ycar-old handicaps lumped into one race on the last day. The club, however, is not likely to follow that idea, but as a result of a prosperous season may be found building up the value of the two-year-old handicaps and by doing so help to build up the Champagne Stakes field. Towards the autumn owners of youngsters not up to classic form arc naturally anxious to find some numery event in which form is balanced by handicap; but they are not keen to exnose two-year-olds unless there is some chance of an adequate return in prize-money. In common with the two preceding meetings tho Dunedin Cun gathering was also a success, and the winter fixture is so recent that any comment in that direction would bo superfluous. The financial result of tho season will no doubt be found highly satisfactory; but it is understood that the lion’s share of tho profits over the winter mooting are to go to the Patriotic Funds, and next season's programme may not show the inflation of stakes it would receive under ordinary circumstances.