OTAGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 949, 14 May 1908, Page 7

OTAGO.

DUNEDIN. May 13

The Tahuna Park Club’s winter meeting, which concluded on Saturday last, was, from a financial point of view, the most successful ever held on the track. The club has now been in existence about 16 years, and if the progress made has been slow it has at least been sure. The class of horses seen out last week was not so high as one would like, but taking it all round, the sport provided was of a fairly interesting nature and large fields were the order of the day. During the two days the sum of was put through the totalisator, an amount which represented an increase of 10s over last season’s winter meeting, whilst close on was received in fees from bookmakers. Next season the Club will probably race on their own track. A deposit has been paid on a block of land close to their present course, and when certain formalities have been completed, it is expected that a prompt start will be made on the construction of the new track. All going well the track will be at least 4A furlongs in circumference and this will permit of the races being started at the beginning of a back stretch instead of near a turn as at present. Under the new order of things trotting should make good progress here and it is to be hoped that future programmes will be framed in sufficiently attractive lines to bring more of the fast gaited Canterbury horses to the south than has been the case in the past.

Nominations close on Friday of this week for the D.J.C. winter meeting and it will not be surprising to find it one of the best gatherings held at Wingatui. The dates of the meeting are close to two important matches with the visiting English football team and also with the winter show which brings a good crowd of country folk to the city. With such inducement to visit Dunedin, no doubt the town will be well peopie about the time of the race meeting and in order to give the sport a boast here, it is hoped that Wingatui will claim a share of the visitors patronage. A oart’cularly fine stamp of a a-year old gelding has joined the McKay stables at Forbury. He is a whole chestnut and stands well over 16 hands at a guess. He shows a lot of quality and power and looks - t he beau ideal of a fencer. His sire Brighton, a half-brother by Euroclydon to Lupulite, got him when a 2-year-old. and his dam is supposed to be an Apremont mare. Brighton was in company with several other horses shipped to Melbourne and sold there a few months ago, and if the Australian owner could s?e the stock of his New Zealand bred horse, he would send, up his value at least fifty per cent. Luresome. a performer well known in Auckland, has been sold by the McKays to a patron of J. Rae’s stable at Wingatui. At the summer meeting of the Tahuna Park club Ard Patrick was amongst the winners, but was subsequently disqualified for an incomplete entry form. This decision was appealed against, but the Trotting Association went one better than our local club, as in addition to endorsing the disqualification, they inflicted a fine of