McDonald was of the opinion that racing in those days was pursued more for the sport of the thing than is done in these days of commercialised racing. The stakes were not attractive and £15 and £20 for the main race of the day was considered a worthy prize. It is even recorded in the minutes of an early meeting that a vote of thanks was passed to the donor of one white rooster as the stake for a race. Nearly all events were weight for age, welter weights being more usual. Hurdle races were quite popular and were normally run over a distance of two miles. Other events which sometimes drew large entries were pony races, these were usually not less than a mile. The events were run in heats, and all horses finishing the course became eligible to enter for the second heat. This meant that a horse had to win two heats straight out to win a race; if two different horses won first and second heats they were required to run it off for first place. The first official racing club at Otaki was formed in 1880. This was a European one for which John Jillett, who died three years later, was secretary. They raced on an area of land known as the Rikiriki which formed the first circular course in the district. It was of a mile in length, and on one side followed the Rangiuru stream not far from the mouth of the Otaki River. After functioning for eight or ten years the Club encountered financial difficulties, and the course became overgrown with dense variegated thistle which in most places grew so tall that spectators were unable to view the progress of the horses until they made the home stretch. Attendances soon decreased until the club was finally disbanded, being superseded in 1885 by the Otaki Maori Racing Club. After spending £250 on reforming the course and a further £170 on the construction of a Stewards stand and grandstand the Otaki Maori Racing Club became firmly established. In 1896 they claimed to have never had a loss at any meeting held. They also boasted in the following year that they had achieved a record in the number of nominations for a hack race meeting anywhere in New Zealand. Their entries on this occasion totalled 170. (Concluded on page 51) A large number of part-time workers are employed inside the Tote as payout clerks