COMBINED HUNTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 200, 25 August 1936, Page 4

COMBINED HUNTS

NEW PLYMOUTH MEETING POSITION OF WANGANUI ILL-ADVISED SPORTING ACTION The action of the Wanganui Jockey Club in permitting the executive of the combined Taranaki and EgmontWanganui Hunt Clubs to select new dates for the two-day fixture without an objection being raised was, it is understood, not permitted to pass at yesterday's general committee meeting without comment. However, in spite of such comment, there did not appear to be any other course open but to accept the situation as it now stands. It is believed that an attempt was made to appeal to the Taranaki executives to race on Saturday and Monday next, in order to avoid interference with the Wanganui spring meeting. This was scarcely likely to be successful, for the combined hunt clubs have already completed their arrangements on receipt of Saturday's communication from Wanganui, and further alterations could not be expected at this late hour.

The sporting action of the Wanganui Jockey Club would have been highly commendable had there been no interference with the plans of trainers and owners through such action, and had there been an assurance that the Wanganui meeting would not be adversely affected through the Taranaki fixture being brought into such close proximity. But for some horses engagements were made at ooth meetings on the understanding :hat there would be an interval of a fortnight between the fixtures. Now :hat the interval has been cut down o a week, apparently without owners ind trainers being consulted, they are placed i:i the position of having undertaken engagements which they may not be able to fulfil without injury to their charges. They have, on the strength of the advertised programmes. committed themselves to acceptance and nomination fees which may turn out to be money ‘‘done cold." This is the position in which they have been placed by the sporting action of the Wanganui Jockey Club. Last year the Wanganui Jockey Ciub made a loss of approximately £5O over the spring meeting. For the forthcoming fixture the club launched out with an increase of £5OO in the stakes offered. Thus there was every reason to suppose that no stone would oe left unturned in an endeavour to ensure that the increased commitments would be covered by revenue, from nomination and acceptance fees, from gates and privileges, and from totalisator turnover percentages. A decrease in nomination fees was noted when entries closed last Friday. Yet within twenty-four hours a decision was made which imperilled the success of the meeting, for the patronage of a large number of Taranaki supporters may not be forthcoming, as few can spare the time for four days’ racing in a little over a week. Last year the spring totalisator turnover was in the vicinity of £20,000. It will have to be £30,000 at the 1936 spring meeting if the fixture is to finish with a balanced budget. The problem for Wanganui now is to attract sufficient patrons to ensure such a turnover. That may suit the exchequer but it may not be accepted as a precedent for another such extravagant and ill-advised sporting gesture last Saturday’s is considered.