SATISFACTORY YEAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 202, 27 August 1936, Page 4

SATISFACTORY YEAR

WELLINGTON RACING CLLB. THE ANNUAL REPORT. Satisfaction with the season's operations is expressed by the president, , Mr. E. L. Riddiford, in his annual re--5 port to be presented to mem- ' bers of the Wellington Racing club next month. Totalisator investments amounted to £408,168 for the season, s compared with £375,854 the previous year, a gratifying improvement in view of the fact that both days of the spring meeting were wet, and the sad news of the death of His Majesty King George V was received on the eve of □ the summer meeting. The substan- - tial increase recorded therefore oce curred in the latter half of the sea- - son, particularly at the winter meetr ing, which was the most successful - steeplechase fixture the club had held - for many years. The main totalisator house was rell constructed between the autumn and 11 winter meetings, in readiness for the 5 - installation of an up-to-date win-and- - ;- place electric totalisator which would, 1 he felt sure, be much appreciated by ; - the club's patrons. o The stewards record with deep re- : o gret the deaths of the following 1 y members:—Mr. O. S. Watkins, Sir : e Francis Bell, Mrs. P. F. McEvedy (life > H members), Dr. D. L. Clay, Sir James Coates, and Messrs. C. Bush, W. y Cooper, A. D. Kennedy, P. S. K. 1 j Macassey, R. Steel, Thomson, and F. 0 H. B. Townsend. e The following office-bearers retire < c j in accordance with the rules, and are ’ eligible for re-election:—President, ‘ p Mr. E. L. Riddiford; vice-president, I Mr. C. W. Tringham; stewards, ’ e Messrs. J. C. Crawford. D. M. Findlay, W. Higgins, N. McLean, and Dr. H. A. 1 c l H. Gilmer; auditors, Messrs. O. G. J s Kember and A. R. Sclanders. t The balance-sheet shows that 0 £25,500 was paid in stakes. Totalisa- ' tor taxation amounted to £16,326, di- t vidend tax to £17,853, and stakes tax s n to £255. In amusement tax £lOO2 was I I paid on gate receipts, and £192 on t members’ subscriptions. The total e r taxation was £35,630. I s The interest bill amounted to < £3847, maintenance and improvements ? r to £6376, the Racing Conference levy r c to £894, and salaries and pensions 1 £2015. A sum of £3OOO was written I off buildings and property. The total- ( .* isator yielded the club £45,000, gates t - and railways £9414, members’ sub- e scriptions and entrance fees £2480. e nominations, acceptances, etc., £5943, •) and privileges £2374. The net revenue 1 for the year was £294. e 1 NOTES AND COMMENTS j r t A question of Charge. j Some clubs, writes “Sentinel,” show > s a desire to charge their patrons as j s much as possible instead of as little s as possible in the way of cost to start j t a horse in a race. They hold the same ’ y idea in regard to gate fees. The main { y point should be to get. patrons, and the j n cheaper the cost the greater the y crowd. e A Welcome Audition. ( The Western Australian jockey, E. ) Peck, who is coming to Wanganui this } “ week under retainer to Mr. G. M. ’ 1 Currie, was tenth on the winning rid- ( y ers’ list for the State last season. He ] >• scored 20 wins, 26 seconds, and 19 £ *’ thirds. The season's champion was 5 1 the former South Australian, S. ( s Dodd (47 wins), who left a fortnight j y ago for S’ngapore under retainer to > n ride in Malaya. j - Rule Ignored. j It was given out at the Racing Con- } v ference that all clubs must in future n provide a notice board in the pressroom for the posting of information in - regard to inquiries, protests, etc. Als ready the request has been honoured 1 i more in the breach than in the obser- \ e vance, states the Otago Daily Times. 5 p American Invasion. ( English papers contain full ac- . e counts of the defeat of the American , t horse Omaha in the Prince of Wales j Stakes at Newmarket on July 2. , There were six runners, and odds were laid on Omaha, who had 9.12 to the 8.8. of Taj Akbar, second favour"j ite. Omaha, who looked well, and was quite cool when he left the paddock, ! was in a nasty mood when he reached j the barrier. He would not face it. and delayed the start nine minutes. Quar- ■ J ter of a mile from home Omaha led. 1 but he started to climb on the rise, 1 B and Taj Akbar beat him a neck in 2min. 3425ec., against Fairbairn’s 2min. 32sec. when he won last year. 3 Some of the English critics now say , " Omaha-is not a true stayer and that even a mile and a-half is a little too 3 far for him. but the great race he ran ; ’ against Quashed in the Ascot Gold Cup tends to dispose of that idea. Taj . Akbar may be another the Aga Khan ■ will send to the stud next. year. That ? possibility is already announced. I Bigger Foxton Stakes. I An increase of £9O in stakes is being I offered by the Foxton Racing Club for I its Spring Meeting on September 19 i next. Every event except the Carna--3 von Gold Cup. which again carries a 1 I 50-guinea trophy donated by the club, and the Trial Stakes participates in ■ the increase. A change in the programme is the substitution of the ■ Foxton Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase, 2i miles, for the Foxton Two-year-old Handicap, which was not a success last year. The steeplechase. < which will be the last of the year in this part of the island, carries a stake of £B5. The Awahou Hack Handicap, , 9 furlongs, is also a trophy race, a ■ cup valued at £l5 having been donated to the club to go with this event. ; : The trainer of the winner of the Carnarvon Gold Cup will receive a stop watch, and the rider will be presented ■ with a gold-mounted whip. The miniI mum weight has been fixed at 7.7 in the flat events. SPRING RACES | HINTS FIXTURE NEXT. NOTES AND JOTTINGS. I With the Pakuranga Hunt Club meeting held yesterday, the next fixture for followers of the turf is the two-day meeting at New Plymouth, | on Thursday and Saturday of next I week. The Wanganui spring meeting is to I be held, as scheduled, on September I 10 to 12, opening two weeks from toI day. Handicaps are due on Monday I next and the acceptances close on Monday week.