IMPORTANT CHANGES MADE

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1934, Page 3

IMPORTANT CHANGES MADE

WELLINGTON’S WINTER MEETING. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Several important changes have been made in the programme for the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting. Two hack and hunters’ steeplechases on the first and second day respectively have been made practically open events, the only horses ineligible being those who have won any single hurdles or steeplechase event worth £250 to the winner. The reason for the change is the desire of the stewards to cater for the many short distance cross-country horses now racing in the Auckland district and in the far south. The concluding hack events of each day have been extended to a mile, theother hack events being slightly shortened and the second day’s order amended, making the high-weight the first event and the Mariri Steeplechase the fifth event. The minimum weight for all flat events has been fixed at Ist. 71b. All stakes, except those for the Wellington Steeples and the Winter Hurdles, have been increased, the total increase being £625. , MELBOURNE CUP ENTRIES. LARGE INCREASE IN NUMBER. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Melbourne, June 6. Excluding New Zealand and West Australian entries, 351 horses have been nominated for the Melbourne Cup, compared with 276 last year. Because it is centenary year the Cup has £lO,OOO added. The Caulfield Cup entries total 332, tin Epsom 121 and the Metropolitan 125. An interesting entry is that of Winooka for the Epsom, the Toorak Handicap and the Cantala Stakes. Winooka’s owners stated that if the horse did not show his best form at Arlington Park he would be brought back to Australia. FLEMINGTON GRAND NATIONAL. OFFER TO ELLERSLIE HORSEMAN. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Ellerslie horseman, L. Dulieu, today received an offer to go to Melbourne to ride the Auckland jumper. Royal Visitor, in the Grand National at Flemington in July. He will leave for Australia by the Aorangi on Monday.