HAWKE’S BAY JOCKEY CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1459, 11 April 1918, Page 9

HAWKE’S BAY JOCKEY CLUB.

AUTUMN MEETING. With the Easter meetings now over attention is now directed to the remaining autumn fixtures which are set down for decision this month. The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club will hold their autumn gathering on the Hastings racecourse on Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, and the

two days’ racing carnival promises to be liberally patronised by owners, as with the season rapidly drawing to • a c'ose the meetings become fewer. The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club made special efforts to maintain the high standard invariably associated with autumn racing at Hastings in drawing up a highly attractive programme in connection with the approaching gathering. Chief in order of precedence is the Hawke’s Bay Cup Handicap, of 700 sovs., one mile and a-half, to be decided on the opening day. The event in question should attract a large number of the best performers throughout the Dominion who are bell forward for their winter engagements, and a particularly strong field should be in evidence to contest this richly-endowed race on April 26. The principal sprint event on the opening day is the Porangahau Handicap, of 300sovs , six and a-half furlongs, which should meet with a splendid entry from the ranks of sprinters. The Nursery Handicap, of 225sovs„ for two-year-olds, is one of the few events for juveniles that remain to be

decided this season, and for that reason alone is certain to merit the attention of owners and trainers of eligible candidates. The. Autumn Handicap, of 200sovs., once round, can be relied upon to entice a representative field, while two hack flat events, loth to be run over six furlongs, also figure on the opening day’s programme. Two hurdle races, the Longlands Hack Handicap Hurdles, of 125sovs , one mile and a-half, and the Mangatarata Handicap Hurdles, of 17550v5., one mile and three-quar-ters, are set down for decision on the first day, and offer special opportunities to jumpers. On the second day the important classic, the Hawke’s Bay Stakes, of 500sovs., six and a-half furlongs, in which a particularly strong field is engaged, will be the centre of wide interest. The big handicap event will be the Burke Memorial Stakes, of 400sovs, one mile and a-quarter, in which the Cup candidates of the previous day will have a further chance of earning distinction The two-year-olds will again be seen out in the Juvenile Handicap, of 12550v5., five furlongs while the sprinters will be occupied with the Farewell Handicap, of 200sovs„ six furlongs. The Karamu Handicap Hurdles, of 200sovs., two miles, and the Ohiti Hack Handicap Hurdles, of 12550v5., one mile and three-quarters, should provide interesting contests among

the lepping division The Scurry Hack Handicap of 115sovs., and the Okawa Hack Handicap, of llosovs., once round, complete the second day’s programme, so that the two days’ racing should constitute an excellent attraction to enthusiastic followers of the turf. Nominations for all events, with the exception of the Maiden Hack Race (first day), close with the secretary, Mr. H. S. Moss, Box 13 Hastings, on Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m.