Sporting & Dramatic REVIEW AND Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette. With which is incorporated the Weekly Standard. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1906. THE WINTER MEETINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 842, 26 April 1906, Page 5

Sporting & Dramatic REVIEW AND Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette. With which is incorporated the Weekly Standard. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1906. THE WINTER MEETINGS.

With the rapid drawing in of the days, it is once more evident that the winter season is almost upon us, and with its advent the attention of racing men naturally begins to centre on the approaching winter meetings. As far as Aucklanders are concerned the three gatherings which interest us most are those held by the Takapuna, Jockey Club on May 19 and 24, the Wanganui Jockey Club on May 24 and 25, and the Auckland Racing Club on June 2, 4 and 9. There are many who take but little interest in ordinary racing, alleging that the many flutters over short courses, such as four, five, and six furlongs, however valuable they may be from a betting point of view, do absolutely nothing to improve the breed of the racehorse in that the weedy thoroughbreds who may be good enough to scamper over such short courses are simply valueless when really tried over a distance. Such sportsmen often sigh for the days of the two and three-mile heats, but as these are unattainable, they pin theii’ faith to the hurdle race and the steeplechase. These sportsmen, and they are far more numerous than might be generally thought, always make a point of attending the winter gatherings to see the “ leppers” at work. The prospect of these meetings proving successful seems fairly satisfactory, although there would appear to be rather a dearth of really good jumping horses this season, but the coming meetings may bring jumpers into prominence whose names at present are almost unknown. The first meeting will be that held by the Takapuna Jockey Club, and the entries, which closed on Friday last, point to' the probability of some good sport being ’shown. For instance, in the Maiden Steeplechase there are seventeen entered, while

the Takapuna Steeplechase contains th? names of nineteen. All the events have filled well, and some exceptionally so.

The Wanganui fixture is always of keen interest to Aucklanders because not only is it in itself a really excellent meeting, but the running at it always throws considerable light on the chances of the horses competing at the big meeting at Ellerslie. Nominations for the Wanganui R.C. meeting are due to-morrow evening. The winter meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, or, as it is more generally known, the Great Northern Steeplechase meeting, invariably proves one of the most attractive on the premier club’s list, and it easily ranks first with the non-betting portion of the community, who argue that there is more to see in a long race than in a short one. Entries for the principal races, viz., the Great Northern Hurdles, G.N. Steeplechase, and Winter Steeplechase close tomorrow evening, when we shall have an opportunity of learning whether any of the Southern jumpers will pay us a visit or not.