THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 270, 11 August 1919, Page 7

THE TURF

AUSTRALIAN TURF GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE. (By Tclcgraph-Prcsa Association-Copyright (Rec. August 10, 5.5-p.m.) Melbourne. August !). Tlio following is tho result of the race for tho Australian national steeple- . CHASE, of 1750 60v9. . About 4 miles. 'Algous, lOst. lib * (Baker) 1 Sir Prim, 12st. ilb (Moon) 2 Mountain God, list. 41b. (Wood) 3 Sixteen acceptors' started. Mountain God and Tinana made the early running, tho latter soon going- to t)io front, to bo displaced by Sir Prim, followed by Algous and-Tinana. Sir Prim led into tho straight, but Algous, by a fast run, won by two lengths.' Timo, 7inin. -43J sec. Jack Rico and Lady Sunderland wnro killed by falls. Gladfnl, Dorian, Cuffs, and Sir llnomon also fell. ' Melbourne, Aiignst 10. Algous's time was a course Tecord for four miles, over 21 hurldles. . If. clips Blsoe.. off tho previous best... Toisen dor's time, lmin. 553 sec. in the Balaclava Stakes, and Pram's Sixiin. 46} sec. in ■ the Knowsloy Steeplechase were also records for these events. ROSEHILL RACES; ROSEHILL HANDICAP .-British Arch, I; Colano, ,2; Amadis, 3. Won by a length and'a'lialf. Time, 2mln. 9}sec. AUTUAJN- HANDICAP.—Bimeter,. 1; Kenilis, 2; Boranul, 3. Won by a length, prime, lmin. 2Siscc.

MANAWATU RACING CLUB The thirty-ninth annual report of the Committee of tho Manawatu Racing Club Btates "For the past year onr racing was again curtailed to four days," but conference lias granted us usual five days', racing tor tho coming season. The amount put through the totalisator this year for both meetings was .£143,618. Compared with' last year, this is d reduction of ,<£33,453. That being tho Desert Gold-Biplano year, it is scarcely a fair comparison, but compared with 1916-17 (live days' racing) t'lie increase is £Sol\, or on a four days' basis the increase Is .£36,135. Tho averago amount per day put through the totalisator for the year ■was i 37,129, as against .£29,019 in 1916-17. ■These results are very satisfactory. The Bet profit balance was <£189 3s. id., after iwriting off ,£452 6s. 6d., and placing .£2OOO to tho credit of tho new totalisator purchase account. Donations to the epidemic and patriotio funds amounted to -.£3M Gs. 2d., and subscription to the lnmt clubs amounted to ,£3OO, The Government taxation for- tho year totalled .£7398 lis. ' • .

"On the armistice being signed, demobilisation immediately took place at Awapuni, And the oourso and l)uildin?9 were vacated and taken over from the Defence Department on February 14. Export cstißaies were obtained to assess the amount necessary to rehabilitate the buildings and grounds. I was found that a sum of close oh ,£ISOO would be necessary for the purpose, but, after due consideration of tho committee, it was' decided to maJca 110 claim against fho.Defence Department in this connection, seeing tho buildings and appointments had wen placed at aheir disposal thrpughout the ,ivar free. of' rent or expenses. "Early last year negotiations were entered into.through Mr. A. E. Whyte, of the Wellington Racing Club, and the Automatic Totalisators, Limited, lo form a syndicate for t)ho .purpose of' obaining the letters patent for New Zealand for the 'Julius' machine. .Conferences were held with the representatives .of tho various clubs interested, and it was duly ngreed that, the Mnnawatu Club subscribe to the syndicate and purcliaso ono of the machines, which will be ,an improvement on the pj'esent one in Auckland and. at Pandwick. The tolalisator ordered ia a EJ-horse machine, with thirty ,£1 and two l£s issuers.

"The stakes were increased .£I2OO during tho year. Receipts, through decreased gate revenue, totalisator, etc., showed a falling off. compared, with last year, of i' 4045. TVitfhi. tlio cxcep.tiqn...of-,thes9..;two items, there was-no .material, alteration in receipts and expenditure. Tho com-' mittee thanks the honorary officials and permanent staff for the satisfactory manner' in which their duties have been carried out."