RIVERTON RACING CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1558, 4 March 1920, Page 9

RIVERTON RACING CLUB.

ANNUAL EASTER MEETING

The annual Easter meeting of the Riverton Racing Club, the leading steeplechase club in Southland, will be held at Riverton on Saturday and Monday, April 3 and 5, when stakes of a total value of £3200 will be distributed among the placed horses in the sixteen events included on the attractive programme. The fixture promises to be extensively patronised by South Island owners, the hand-somely-endowed cross-country events which form a special feature of this popular Easter meeting being such as to ensure a large and representative contingent of jumpers putting in ■;n appearance at Riverton with the object of capturing a share of the

remunerative prize money offering. Not only does the Riverton meeting make a strong claim for consideration from owners of cross-country candidates, but the programme is also particularly attractive to those who have flat racers under their control. The Riverton Cup (114 miles), to be run on the 'first day, carries with it the valuable stake of 500sovs., and can be depended upon to induce a good entry of the leading handicap horses in the south. Next in importance comes the Great Western Steeplechase, of 400sovs., about three miles, which affords the ’chasers an early opportunity of competing for a lucrative stake. The Waiau Steeplechase, of 150sovs., about two miles, also comes up for decision on the first day, and is open to horses that have never won a hurdle race or steeplechase at a totalisator meeting, the minimum weight carried to be 10.7. Other first day’s events are the Aparima Handicap, of 180-sovs., six furlongs; First County Handicap, of 115-

sovs, one mile, for horses that have been owned for three months prior to date of meeting by residents in Wallace, Southland, Lake Vincent, Tuapeka, or Clutha counties; Visitors’ Hack Handicap, ’ of 115sovs., seven furlongs, minimum weight 8.0; Pourakino Handicap, of 115sovs., one mile; and the Trial Stakes, of 115sovs., one mile, weight for age, open to all horses that have never won a race at a totalisator meeting.

The principal attractions on the second day will be the Easter Handicap, of 400sovs., a mile and a distance, and the Riverton Steeplechase, of 300sovs., Zy 2 miles, in both oi which events the fields should be of good size and quality. The Flying Handicap, of 180sovs., six furlongs, and the aFrewell Handicap, of 150sovs., one mile, minimum weight 7.7, are likely to induce wide patronage from owners of sprinters. The remaining second day’s events are the Second County Handicap, of llosovs., seven furlongs (in which the conditions are similar to those of the First County Handicap on the opening day); Otaitai Hack Handicap, of ISOsovs., seven furlongs; Wallace Hack Handicap, of 120sovs., one mile: and the Farewell Handicap, of 150sovs., one mile, for any horse that has not won a race of the value of lOOsovs. to the winner, or races of the aggregate value of 250sovs. to the winner, at time of nomination. Nominations for all handicaps close with the secretary, Mr. John Geary, Box 51 Riverton, on Friday, March 12, at 5 p.m.