TURF TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1930, Page 5

TURF TOPICS.

(By-

“Moturoa.”)

The final payments, for the. National treble and the minor- events' on the opening day of the C.-J.C. winter meeting close tomorrow evening. * * * * Mrs. W. D. Graham has purchased the two-year-old gelding by Illumination from Gamboling, the dam of Helium, and this youngster has entered E. George’s menage. Gamboling is a halfsister to Papatu and The Lover, by Mullingar from Gambode by Martian from Escapade, a grand-daughter of Carbine. Easter Time is the registered name of the juvenile, and he is a second foal. # # # # The distinction of being the first foal of the season is claimed for a colt by Luculluo-Presumptlon. who was foaled at six o’clock on Friday morning. Presumption, by Comedy King-Suubird, is owned by Mr. T. Impey of Auckland. # * * * Seaboy, who won the Lawford Steeplechase on Saturday, took that event in easy fashion twelve months ago. On that occasion only three horsen faced the barrier and Waitaiinaha failed to complete the course. * # * # Lord Ranald’s defection from the Christchurch Hunt meeting confirms the opinion already expressed doubting his preparation being sufficient for the task of contesting a Grand National Steeplechase, and the Masterpiece gelding will now recede in favour for the big event. * * * * The well-bred four-ye.ai/old, Desert Song (Hunting Song-Trebelli), won his first race at the South Canterbury meeting a little more than a month ago, but throughout last season ran a number of good races. He won impressively on Saturday, and, as he appears to be on the up grade, he may pick up a stake at the National meeting. Taranaki Hunt Club. There is no .doubt that hunting has grown in popularity in Taranaki during the past few years, and sportsmen in the province realise that if it were not for hunting there would be a dearth of hurdlers and steeplechasers in the country. And then there is a warm hospitality extended to all at the Hunt Club race meetings, and visitors are always assured of a good day’s outing. The Taranaki Hunt Club’s thirteenth totalisator meeting will be held on August 30, and this body has been granted the use of the Taranaki Jockey Club’s racecourse at New Plymouth. An innovation, which should prove a feature of the programme, is a two-year-old parade, through which race-goers may be able to form a line on prospects for early two-year-old races. The principal event is the Taranaki Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase, of £l7O, including a cup valued at £3O, about miles, and other hunters' races are: Lepperton Hunters’ Hurdles, of £BO, 1| miles and 100yds. Maiden Hunters’ Steeplechase, of £9O, about 2 miles, and Hunters’ Handicap flat race, of £9O, 1| miles. The flat races are: Stratford Handicap, of £llO, six furlongs, minimum weight 7st.; Opunake Scurry, of £9O, five furlongs, weight Sst.; Wailii Hack Handicap, of £lOO, seven furlongs, minimum weight 7st.; Urenui Hack Handicap, of £lOO, six furlongs, minimum weight "st. Nominations vyill close with the secretary, Mr. E. L, Humphries, New Plymouth, at 9 p.m., on August 11. The Way the Wind Blows.

The comparatively poor, patronage accorded the winter meeting of the Mauawatu Racing Club last week will cause some hard thinking on the part of racing officials. There were only 75 passengers on the race special from Thorndon on Saturday, and the total attendance was a long way belqw the average. If it is . a reliable, sign - of what may be, expected, for.y tiie next .twelve months, many.-clubs will be faced with

a serious position. That the present situation is causing racing men a great deal of concern is no secret, and the imposition of a further totalisator tax will be, for many clubs, the last straw. As things are at present, it seems time that all clubs that have hitherto not fallen into line should give very thorough consideration, to the installation of a ten shilling tote. Many of the district clubs in °the Wellington, Manawatu, Rangitikei and Hawke’s Bay-dis-tricts have refused to alter the old system of, only issuing pound tickets.. It might be claimed with ample evidence to back it up. that the day yf the pound punter has definitely-..gone. Metropolitan clubs, reap a considerable portion of their turn-over from the ten shilling tickets, and if they are a sue-, cess.in the cities, the country would appear'to be refusing to face facts when it docs not follow the lead. 1 heard many expressions of regret last week at Awapuni that if one wanted to have a wager a pound had to be, provided. To a degree the limited amount of betting at the meeting might be put down to the absence of a ten shilling machine. The issue of ten shilling tickets might even have induced a larger attendance. The. argument, against the ' ten shilling tickets is, it is. understood, on the score of .expense. Chibs say that' it costs more to issue both'pound and ten shilling tickets. It is difficult to understand why this should be. "If it is so, then it would be better for clubs to issue all ten shilling tickets .and the man who'fwants to invest a pound could purchase two while .the concession would be appreciated by the; smaller purse. Officials of clubs who are not of this opinion would do well to visit a meeting at Wanganui.- - • • For many years Wanganui issued pound tickets only inside and. ten shilling tickets dn the .outer. .For the past couple of years two or more ten shilling windows'have been provided for lawn patrons. The -result can be witnessed any race day- at Wanganui. Long lines of people queue up at the ten shilling ,windows, while, there are no waits for' pound tickets. The length of the queues may be accentuated by the fact that -there "are not so many ten shilling windows'available as there are for the r'dind' tickets, but 'it has very clearly 'proved that there is a large percentage ..of the racing public to-day who desire a ten shilling premium. Especially is this, so ’with °wonjen, and patronage of facimr by women" during the past few. decades has .increased very considerably. From now on racing will have to cut its own suit according to the.cloth, and there is going to be only a limited amount of cloth available. ' So writes “The Watcher’’ in the Dominion, an-d his contention, which echoes remarks in these columns, is substantial. In Taranaki the Egmont, Waverley, Opunake and Taranaki Racing Clubs at first demurred against the change after the “boom” period-, but it is safe to say . that the officials of these progressive clubs have' not regretted the expense of including ten shilling y) 11dows on the inside lawns. The initial outlay has been fully repaid and, in these hard times.-when money is tight even on racecourses, every ten shillings helps-the. finances of the clubs coneeni- . ed. : '