WINTER PROGRAMME FOR HASTINGS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 202, 24 May 1944, Page 9

WINTER PROGRAMME FOR HASTINGS

Dominion Special Service. „„ HASTINGS, May 22. The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s winter programme provides for eight races and stakes worth £l9BO. The Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase, run over two miles and three-quarters, is worth £4OO and the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles and Winter Handicap £3OO each. The patriotic meeting to be held a week later has a programme of seven races. The only open flat race at this meeting will be the United Nations Handicap of 10 furlongs. A much appreciated improvement at the Hastinges racecourse is a trainer’s lodge which has been erected near the ambulance room and overlooking the tracks. This will be a boon to trainers during the winter. The fence which formerly separated the outside and lawn enclosures near the totalizator house is being removed, thus allowing patrons to move around the tote house more freely. Mr. K. Herbert, a young Taradale sportsman, has purchased a filly by Autopay from Lady Waitangi by The Ace from Swiftbird, who is to race under the name of Castlematn. She is now being broken in and will be trained by R. Gardiner. Matador, who has been resting since the Poverty Bay meeting at Napier, is back in work again. Nothing definite has been planned for the half-brother to Battledress, but if he goes along satisfactorily he wlll take part in the early spring classics for three-year-olds. Fame Bian, a half-sister to Whackie and Olsuara, who won a maiden event at Napier last month, has joined J. McLean’s stable.