THAMES IMPROVEMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17586, 15 December 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

THAMES IMPROVEMENTS.

NEW RACING SURFACE PREPARED.

INCREASED TOTE PROVISION.

AN EXPENDITURE OF £4OOO.

The Thames Jockey Club, which will hold its annual meeting on January 12 and 14, has enlarged and improved its course at Parawai. The old course has been obliterated and a totally new racing track laid down under the direction of Mr A. G. Hill, the caretaker of the Auckland Racing Club. The new course is one mile in circumference .with two bends, having 8£ and G£ chains radius respectively. These are thoroughly banked in accordance with-the latest racecourse requirements. The straight and the back stretch are each two furlongs in length. The totalisator accommodation at the club's racing headquarters has also been improved and two machines are now Installed, one facing the outside enclosure and the other the lawn and grandstand enclosure, thereby minimising the congestion that occurred at previous meetings. The cost of the improvements is approximately £4OOO and the new course and its appointments come into the front line with the best on the provincial circuit.

NEW PROGRAMMES. THAMES JOCKEY CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING, JAN. 12 & 14. NOMINATIONS CLOSE DECEMBER 21 The Thames Jockey Club will hold its annual race meeting at the club's course at Parawai, Thames, on Saturday and Monday, January 12 and 14 and strong support of owners and the public can be confidently looked for in respect of this prominent and popular fixture. Proceedings will be Introduced with the Tapu Handicap of £IOO, six furlongs, which is for three year olds and upwards who have not won an advertised flat race of any description at time of entry. The Borough Handicap of £l5O, one mile, is open to three-year-olds and upwards eligible for hack flat races and for horses ineligible for hack flat races but who, at time of entry have started three times in steeplechase or hurdle races. The minimum weight is 9.0. The Puriri Handicap of £125, six furlongs, caters for three-year-olds and upwards that at time of entry have not won an advertised flat race of the value of 100 soys to the winner. Next on the card is the chief event of the meeting the Goldflelds Gup Handicap of £350,' one mile and a quarter. This should attract a fine field of handicap horses and provide a splendid race. The Parawai Hack Handicap of £135, seven furlongs, is for threervear-olds and upwards who have not won an advertised hat race of the value of 250 soys to the winner, or flat races of the collective value of 500 sovs to the winner at lime of entry. Sprinters will be attended to by the Flying Handicap of £2OO, six furlongs and the quality of the held here should be prominent. The same conditions as in the Parawai Handicap are attached to the Waitakarua.. Hack Handicap of £l5O, one mile, while the day's racing will conclude with the llauraki Plains Handicap of £l5O, seven furlongs. Events on Sooond Day. The opening event of the second day is the Kopu Handicap of £IOO, six furlongs, for horses that have not won an advertised flat race of any description at time of starting. In tho Countv Highweight Handicap of £ioo, one mile and a quarter, the same conditions apply as for the Borough Highweight, while the Turua Handicap of £l2O, six furlongs, follows the lines of the Puriri Handicap as far as conditions are concerned. The chief race of the day is the Thames Plate, a handicap event of £275, which will be decided at one mile. The Hikutaia Hack Handicap of £l3O, seven furlongs is surrounded with the same conditions as the Parawai Hack Handicap The sprint horses will centre attention on the President's Handicap of six furlongs. In the Ngatea Hack Handicap of £l4O, one •mile the same conditions as for the Parawai Hack Handicap apply, w'#ile the Farewell Handicap, of £l5O, Will be run at seven furlongs.

Nominations, Weights, Acceptances. It is a well arranged programme and the club's activities promise to meet with appropriate response. Nominations (1 sov) for all evens will close with the secretary (Mr Arthur C. Rae) at the clubs office, or box 7, Thames, or withl the secretary, Takapuna Jockey Club, Auckland,' at 5 p.m. on Frid ay■Deoemhpp "1 Weights for the first day will be 'declared on or about Thursday, January 3, and acceptances will close at the addresses given above, at o p.m. on Monday, January 7.