NEW SEASON’S DATES

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24904, 18 June 1946, Page 6

NEW SEASON’S DATES

RACING

CANTERBURY DISTRICT APPLICATIONS

Applications by clubs to the-New. Zealand Racing Conference for dates for‘ the next season, which commences on August 1 and ends on July 31, 1947, have been made on the assumption that the ban on mid-week racing will continue. The applications will be ’considered at the annual meeting of the Racing Conference in Wellington on July 12. There are permits available for 240 days of racing in each season, and the number granted in the Canterbury •district is_29. This season only one club, the Clifden Racing Club, has not applied for a date. There is likely to be some alteration in the dates even when approved, as tne General Election is to be held at the end of November or early in December, and the municipal and local body elections are to be held in the third week of May. 1947. No racing is permitted on Lie days fixed for those elections. The following are the dates applied for by clubs in the Canterbury district:— Canterbury Jockey Club: August 3, 10, 17; November 23. 30. December 7; February 1; April 7,8, 12. Banks Peninsula Racing Club: November 2; March 1. Ashburton County Racing Club: September 14; November 30 (district committee recommends that another date be selected); May 3; June 21. Geraldine Racing Club: September 21; October 19 (with an alternative application for September 7). ~ South Canterbury Jockey Club: October 12; April 19; May 17, 24. North Canterbury Racing Club: October Hororata Racing Club: December 14, Amberley Racing Club: April 26. Waimate Racing Club: March 29. -Waimate District Hunt Club: July 12. South Canterbury Hunt Club: July 19. Christchurch Hunt Club: July 26. The North Canterbury Racing Club has also applied for an additional permit for October 26, the Saturday before its annual meeting held on Labour Day. Brilliant but Unsound Epping, which won the Manawatu Steeplechase, gave further proof of what a good horse he would have been had he been sound. He made his debut as a steeplechaser last winter, when he fell in the Great Northern Steeplechase, and was pulled up in the Winter Steeplechase at the Auckland June meeting. He has run only twice since then, and Saturday’s effort was his first in a steeplechase since last yei\r. Epping is not sound enough to be given an orthodox preparation; but he was quite sound in Saturday’s race, and after W. Jenkins had nursed him for two miles and three-quarters he came home with a fine burst to defeat Red Glare. Epping was a seven-year-old before he ever saw the racecourse. He is yet another good jumping winner sired by Hunting Song, and while he can be kept in training he will have prospects in better fields than the one he defeated on Saturday.

Surprise Ptace Favourite Presumably on tne strength of his winning the Duke of Gloucester Cup and running second in hack company over a mile and three furlongs at Dunedin when carrying 9-4,‘ Pencarrow was sent out place favourite for the Oamaru Winter Cup. Although he made a forward move approaching the straight. Pencarrow at no stage looked like bridging the gap to the leaders, and he finished seventh. The strong finishing run he displayed at Dunedin was missing, and his races therp may have taken the sting out of him for the present.

Second Effort the Better Gold Dance was saddled up twice at Oamaru, being placed on each occasion. At his first start, the Burnside Hack Handicap, he started slowly and was well back in the running at Jhe straight entrance; but he finished well to take third place. However, he had no chance with the winner, Altruist, or the second horse, Finalist. Altruist and Finalist are improving three-year-olds. When produced again in the Farewell Hack Handicap, Gold Dance made a smart beginning, and he and Knigjit Crusader were together for practically the whole journey. Gold Lance was giving his younger rival 121 b, and he had the outside running for the whole way. In the straight he just could not produce that effort necessary to head off Knight Crusader. Shaped Satisfactorily Although some of his efforts when schooling at Riccarton were any tiling but promising, Arctic Dawn made a good showing in his first race over fences/at Oamaru on Saturday. He was ridden by the successful cross-country rider R. Heasley. Arctic Dawn was well up in the running on Saturday, but appeared to be blinded at the last fence and could finish only fourth. The fences were light, but were very useful for educating a green jumper to race conditions. Rider Leaving for Melbourne The Wingatui trainer-rider, A. E. Dldham, will leave for Melbourne shortly, his intention being to ride Royal Flight in her early engagements there. Royal Flight was left at Mentone in the care of S. M. Pyper after her failure in the spring. She has now had plenty of time to become acclimatised.

Ashburton Racing Club Acceptances for the winter meeting close with the secretary, x Ashburton, To-day (Tuesday), 18th instant, at 8 p.m. —Advt.