WANGANUI JOCKEY CLUB

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 167, 19 July 1935, Page 4

WANGANUI JOCKEY CLUB

PREPARING FOR SPRING. SUGGESTED PROGRAMME. By “Kestrel.” Weather and calendar indications lombine to bring forcibly before the it tention of racing followers the fact hat the spring meetings are fast approaching. On of the hrst of these to engage attention is the Wanganui JocKcy Club’s spring fixture, to be held on Thursday and Saturday, September 12 and 14. The programme for this meeting has already received the approval or the executive committee and has been forwarded by the Wanganui District Committee to be approved by the New Zealand Racing Conference committee. It may be of interest at this stage to note that the programme does not differ in any material degree from that which was placed before owners twelve months ago. Natural?, the first event to engage attention is the Wanganui Guineas, entries for which of oourse were taken last year. This is to carry a stake of £2OO in addition to the sweepstake of £5 for starters. The additional stakemoney amounts to £5O, and this should serve to indicate that the club is doing its part m encouraging owners and breeders in maintaining a high stand ard. Another event in which there is an alteration is the Aloutoa Hack Handicap, run over a mile and a-distauce on the second day of the meeting. Last year this race carried a trophy valued at £55, donated by the Wanganui Wholesale and Retail Licensed Trade. No trophy is, as yet, attached to next September’s event, but the stakemoney is fixed at £l3O, which is in itself an increase of £3O o'er the amount offered by the club last year. This race should again be a popular event with owners, though had the added money been expended on a trophy the prospects might have appeared brighter. J he events for handicap horses on each day cover a fairly wide range, for they include distance, middleulistance and sprint races. Un the opening day there are the Marangai Handicap (1} miles) the Seafield Handicap (7f furlongs) and the Flying Handicap (six furlongs), while on the second day the Higgie Handicap (a mile and a distance) and the Owen Handicap (six furlongs) will engage attention.

Two hack events each day are for sprint and distance performers, while tne Maiden Race the first day is for maiden horses only, with the Trial Handicap on the second day for horses that have not, prior to the time of nomination, won a flat race exceeding the value of £6O to the winner. This provision would not debar some good winners from being eligible to compete. Hurdlers will be catered for with an event'over a little more than a mile and a-half the first day and a mile and three-quarter race on the second day. With so many horse qualified at the hunt meetings in the vicinity of AX anganui, it is rather surprising that a hack and hunters’ steeplechase over a distance of, say, two miles, has not been included, but it must be remembered that the Wanganui Jockey Club’s experience in this direction in the past has not been as encouraging as the sponsors could have desired. The spring meeting at Wanganui would not now be complete without the Debutante Two-Year-Old Stakes, the first race on the second day of the meeting. A pointer for this is obtained by staging the juveniles' parade on the opening day. Following is the programme suggested for the meeting and shortly to be circulated:— First Day. Maiden Race, of £80; five furlongs. Okehu Hack Hurdles, of £110; one mile four and a-quarter furlongs. Putiki Hack Handicap, of £100; eight and a-half furlongs. Marangai Handicap, of £145; one and a-quarter miles. beiAield Handicap, of £115; seven and a-quar|er furlongs. Durie Hack Handicap, of £100; six furlongs. Flying Handicap, of £120; six furlongs. Second Day. Debutante Two-Year-Old Stakes, of £65; four and a-quarter furlongs. Gonville Hack Hurdles, of £110; one ami three-quarter miles. Trial Handicap, of £80; six furlongs. Wanganui Guineas, of £200; one mile. Higgie Handicap, of £145; one mile and a distance. Moutoa Hack Handicap, of £130; one mile and a-distancc. Owen Handicap, of £120; six furlongs. •Spring Hack Handicap, of £100; five urlongs.