DRASTIC REDUCTIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1931, Page 4

DRASTIC REDUCTIONS

WANGANUI SPRING PROGRAMME. Had anyone ventured to express the opinion twelve years ago that stakes at a Wanganui meeting would, within little more than a decade, be reduced to such an extent that “‘open’’ races would be endowed with as little as £BO, he would have been considered more than a pessimist, writes "Kestrel” in the Chronicle. The. programme for the spring meeting to be held on Thursday and Saturday, September 17 and 19, will be circulated within the next few days, and owners and. trailers will no doubt peruse the list of events with considerable interest. They should exercise a little charity in commenting on the. slakes in these days of extreme taxation bur- i dens. At the 1930 meeting the stakes offered totalled over £4OOO, and, of course, a loss was shown at the meeting. For next month’s meeting the stakes offered will total £1730, including the- £5OO offered for the Guineas, nominations: for which closed over 12 months ago. Thug there is left the sum of £1230 to divide among the placegetters in fifteen events. Naturally the stakes offered in the various events suffer by comparison. The following is the list of' events with the stakes offered, with those for the 1930 .spring meeting shown for •purposes of comparison:—

It will be noticed that the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes has been replaced, temporarily it is hoped, by the Belmont Handicap, which will be run over a distance similar to that of the Scaflcld Handicap.

First Day. 1930. 1931. 175 65 Okehu Hack Hurdles ... 220 so Putiki Hack Handicap .. 200 70 Seafield Handicap 225 80 Wanganui Guineas .... 500 500 Duric Hack Handicap 200 70 Maraugai Handicap .... 400 120 Flying Handicap 300 90 Second Day. 1930. 1931. £. £. Debutante Stakes 175 05 Gonville Hack Hurdles .. 200 so Spring Hack Handicap .. 200 70 Belmont Handicap —. so N.Z. Eclipse Stakes .... 400 — Trial Handicap 200 70 ' Higgie Handicap 350 120 Moutoa Hack Handicap 200 70 Owen Handicap 300 90