THE WINTER MEETINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1463, 9 May 1918, Page 9

THE WINTER MEETINGS.

The 1917-18 racing season is rapidly drawing to a close, the winter meetings being the only remaining fixtures that have yet to receive attention from turf lovers. A large number of horses have already gone into retirement for the winter months, principally flat racers, included in which number are several of our leading performers in classic events, Mr. T. H. Lowry’s formidable team being among those whose activities for the present season are at an end. On the other hand, operations among the jumping division are becoming more general throughout the Dominion, particularly in the North Island, where the Wanganui, Auckland, Otaki, Gisborne, Napier Park, Hawke’s Bay and Hawke’s Bay Hunt, and Wellington winter gatherings have yet to come up for decision. Though flat racing at the meetings in question is of a limited character, there are plenty of remunerative stakes on offer in this department, mostly at welter weights, before the close of the season. The Otaki Maori Racing Club’s meeting in particular, which is to be held on June 3 and 4, offers special inducements to owners and trainers of flat racers, and, judging by the large nomination list received on Monday evening for this popular fixture there is every prospect of big fields being engaged at next month’s fixture at Otaki. The other meetings mentioned above cater more particularly for hurdle horses and cross-country performers, a large number of whom are in training in various parts of the Dominion with a view to capturing some of the valuable stakes offered by the different clubs. The Wanganui Jockey Club will lead off the winter racing programme, Thursday and Saturday, May 23 and 25, being the dates on which this meeting will take place. The excellence of the nominations received for the 14 events to be decided at this eagerly-looked forward to fixture augurs well for its success, and Mr. H. Coyle’s handicaps for the first day, which are due on Friday next (May 10) are

being awaited with intense interest in sporting circles. The Century Hurdles and the Wanganui Steeplechase, with an entry of 22 horses in each, occupy premier position with followers of the turf, and the representative character of the fields in both events, combined with the fact that many of the candidates have recent form to recommend them, make the big Wanganui double of general interest throughout the Dominion.

Following upon the Wanganui Jockey Club’s winter meeting comes the Auckland Racing Club’s Great Northern carnival, which is to be held at Ellerslie on June 1 and 3. Mr. F. Macmanemin has declared his handicaps for the principal events to be run on the opening day, viz., the Great Northern Hurdles, Great Northern Steeplechase and the Cornwall Handicap, and the publication of same has awakened wide interest in the coming fixture. The prospects of the various contenders for Great Northern Hurdle and Steeplechase honours are being carefully weighed by enthusiasts, and a review of the weights, which is given on another page, may prove helpful to early backers.

Southern owners will be principally concerned next month with the Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter carnival, which will take place on the same days as the Great Northern meeting, viz., June 1 and 3. The big event at this gathering will be the Otago Steeplechase, of 500sovs (about three miles), to be run on the opening day, while the Wingatui Steeplechase, of 350sovs (two miles and a-half), will form the principal attraction on the second day. Two hurdle races and two hack steeplechases are also included on the two days’ programme at Wingatui, and the gathering promises to result in another record beingentered up in the annals of this progressive South Island club. The Otaki Maori Racing Club will hold their winter gathering on Monday and Tuesday, June 3 and 4, and the meeting will undoubtedly be largely availed of by North Island stables, 12 of the 14 events being for flat racers, the remaining two races being hack steeplechases. It is safe to venture the opinion that the hack class will be strongly represented at Otaki, while the bigger events, which include the Ruakawa

Cup, of 500sovs (one mile and aquarter) and the Huia Handicap, of 300sovs (one mile and 55 yards) will claim the attention of many of the leading handicap horses from the surrounding districts. The Gisborne Racing Club’s steeplechase meeting, to be held on June 13 and 15, promises to be accorded a wide measure of patronage from owners, the fact of four cross-country events and two hurdle races being included in the excellent programme making it an excellent jumping attraction. Following close upon the Gisborne meeting, is the Napier Park Racing Club’s winter gathering, to be held on June 21 and 22, at which several well - endowed hurdle and steeplechase events will prove a strong inducement to outside owners to visit Napier next month. Two important jumping fixtures to be held at Hastings are the Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club’s annual and the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s winter meetings, which take place respectively on June 28 and 29. The fact of these two gatherings being held a week after the Napier Park meeting will influence many visiting trainers to remain in Hawke’s Bay until the end of the four days’ winter rac-

ing carnival, which offers every inducement to outside stables to be represented at next month’s attractions at the Bay. The Wellington Racing Club is arranging a particularly attractive programme for their winter meeting, which takes place on July 10 and 13, and will mark the close of the 1917-18 racing season in New Zealand.