NEWS AND VIEWS

Evening Star, Issue 24283, 26 August 1942, Page 2

NEWS AND VIEWS

(By “.St. Clair.”)

Acceptances for the Otago Hunt Meeting close to-morrow at 5 p.m. It has been decided to start the first race at the Otago Hunt fixture at noon, and there will be only 35-minute intervals between races. Royal Donald, engaged m the hurdle race at. Wingatui next week, will carry Mr J. Carter’s colours, which have not been seen since he raced that good horse Royal Saxon. The McLean Stakes, to be decided at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting next month, will be the first race for two-year-olds in the South Island. Answer to a correspondent: Mr J. M. Samson has held the position of vice-presi-dent of the Forbury Park Trotting Club since 1935, and Mr H. Halliday was first elected to the committee in 1929. The ‘ Southland Times ’ states that Koval Lancer will not be a starter at ihe Ola<m Hunt fixture next week, and is not likely to appear in public until the Gore meeting in October ... Strip will meet much weaker opposition in the hurdle race at. Wingatui next week than he was up against at Riccarton, and with 9.8 has been given a good chance to open a winning account over hurdles •Last Effort, engaged in the two hack races at the Otago Hunt Meeting, will not make the trip as he has not done well since the National fixture, and is to be treated to a spell of hacking for some weeks. The total membership of the Forbury Park Trotting Club is 302, including 22 in the Army In the elections for officials last evening a total of 243 votes wcie recoided, showing the keen interest taken in the two elections ... , - ~ „ Fancy Goods paced well in the Navy Handicap on Saturday, and registered 3.21 3-ssec for the mile and a-half. Assessed at 3.43 in the race over the same distance at the Hunt Chib fixture, this U. Scott—Entice mare will only have to repeat last Saturday’- form to he very hard to beat The following remain in the Wanganui Guineas, lm;—Bright Gesture, Broiefort Star Damask, Rickie. Lady Spiral, Representative Dash Up, Catteriek Bridge, Sun Blaze. Hippodrome, Tawhainm, War Effort, Manpower Boulder Dam. Broadcaster, Plato Boy. Theolateral, Kahuraniki, Dominate Indian 'Sign, Broieveine. Enthrall, Beau Vaals, Lastik. Three of the four members of the committee elected last evening were not present to return thanks at the annual racetin<r of the Forbury Park Trotting Club. Mr T. Fogg was engaged on ■ private business, Mr J. Trongrove is on ihe sick list, and’his military duties prevented Major J. E Brunton from being present. In returning thanks to those who had voted for him last evening, Mr James Mitchell, one of the defeated candidates, remarked that evidently members did not appreciate the good work he had done for the club. Mr Mitchell, as a member of the Track Committee, has certainly been an assiduous worker in the interests of the Last year horses from Otago and Southland stables beaded the list of winners at the National -moting. This year Awanuni stables with £1,980, Otago and Southland £1,980, Riccartou £1,942, and Hastings P 1172 were the most successful. North Island' horses won £1.327 10s and South Island horses £4,122 10s at the fixture. Mr F. Fay was the only speaker besides (ho mover and seconder on the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet at last

night’s meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club, lie prged the committee to cnttcavour to secure extra days of racing in lieu of rent from the Government. —Tue Chairman replied that that aspect of the situation hah not been lost sight of. Both Skipldn, winner of me last Melbourne Cup, and Spirak, winner of the Australian Steeplechase this month, were gift horses. Spirak, who was quoted at 50 to 1 in the belling, gave the bookmakers a “skinner,” as very few of them _ even wrote ins name. He has both St. Simon and Gaiopm blood on both sides of his pedigree, and the sire of his dam was the migmy Carbine. During the many years he has been associated wall the executive of the Forbury Park Trotting Chin Mr J. M. Samson, who was defeated in the election for the vicepresideney last evening, has been a very valuable member, and saved the club many hundreds of pounds in contracts and other ways. Mr Samson, as a member of the board of the New Zealand Trotting Association, will still take an active part in the administration of the light-harness sport. Answering an inquiry regarding the profit made over the patriotic meeting iast Satur. day, Mr Callin stated at last evening's meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting C.ub that he had no- yet received all the accounts in connection with the fixture, but thought there would be about £1,400 available. As the meeting was run soleiy for patriotic purposes there was a chance of the amusement tax, amounting to £ll3 4s Bd. being refunded by the Government. Last year Lady Don 7.8 i,. was beaten by a Jengih and a-half by Milton Abbas, 8.3, in the iivc-I'urlongs hack race at the Otago Hunt fixture, and with 7.7 won the six-fur-longg race the same afternoon by eight lengths from Earoa, 9.1, and Gnohill, 8.6. In 11 subsequent starts she won once over six furlongs at Gore under 8.13, and was twice third. With 9.6 in the five-furlongs race and 11b less in the six-furlongs race this year she cannot claim to have the best of the handicap. She meets Gnohill on 331 b worse terms.

Bali, who has been allotted 9.8 in the President’s Handicap, raced in open comEon the opening day of the National ,ing, but was never prominent. He won four races last season, returning a sensational dividend at Geraldine, his first start, and is a brilliant beginner. His last win was scored under 8.6 at Camara last May, when he registered Imin 12 4-Ssec for six furlongs, beating a big field. True Mate, who finished third to him, is handicapped to meet him on 111 b better terms at Wingatui.

At last night’s meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club a member suggested that the secretary had not made all the efforts possible to secure nominations for the recent patriotic meeting, basing bis charge on the fact that one Christchurch trainer is alleged to have said that he would have entered a horse for the fast class trotting pao; had be known it was such a weak field This member evidently did not know that a secretary cannot divulge to anyone the nominations he has received until after closing time, nor the good efforts made by Mr Caffin to set as many nominalious for the fixture as lie did.