THE HOLIDAY MEETINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3899, 4 December 1928, Page 55

THE HOLIDAY MEETINGS.

The nominations received for the Dunedin summer meeting augur well for the success of the holiday meetings which arc now fairly close on the calendar. There is a good deal of attraction for horse owners during the holiday meetings, and the various clubs have to contend against a lot of opposition in efforts to draw’ satisfactory nominations. The star performers are generally found at the Auckland Cup meeting, and it is more difficult to pick up a race there than at any other fixture on the calendar. The Manawatu meeting has also an attractive programme, and several Canterbury horses are likely to be engaged there. The West Coast meetings also tend to split the patronage likely to be bestowed on the Otago and Southland meetings, and hence the necessity of making the programmes as attractive as possible. At one time the Dunedin summer meeting, with Waikouaiti, Wyndham, and Invercargill following, promised to make a particularly good circuit, but Dunedin has weakened, and its principal stake looks small in comparison to those featuring on the programmes which follow for the. New Year meetings. The support wffiich owners have bestowed on this year’s summer meeting at Wingatui should, however, help to build it back to some of its former financial attractiveness, and so strengthen the combination of fixtures held in Otago and Southland. It may be taken for granted that the majority of the horses entered for the Wingatui meeting will also be engaged at the New Year meetings at Wyndham and Invercargill, whilst the attractive programme which is to be issued for the Waikouaiti meeting will also draw a good share of patronage. The inclusion of a r<ice for two-year-olds on each card of the Southland Racing Club's meeting promises to be an immediate sue-

cess if one can by the liberal entry of youngsters rjt Wingatui. The attraction provided by four races for two-year-olds at Dunedin and Invercargill should materially heli) the success of both meetings, both this season and in the future.