SPORTING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 13 February 1863, Page 4

SPORTING.

The success which attended the late Auckland races, should induce those among us who are interested in the breeding of horses, to take steps for ensuring like success in following yeai’s. The public subscribed liberally ; and the coramitte, on Monday night, were enabled to settle all claims in full. This shows that it only requires an effort to put the annual races here on a permanent footing We have heretofore adverted to the necessity for guaranteeing the stakes, at least six mouths before the races, so that owners might be justified in going to the expense and trouble of training horses, and we do not intend to do more than mention that point now. Its importance will be apparent to all. We have likewise suggested that a jockey Club should be formed, without which the success of any meeting here must be problematical. This subject was mooted at the settling dinner, fay the Secretary of the late Race Committee, and we hope it will generally bo taken up. Unless wo have race meetings properly managed, it is idle to expect any marked improvement in thoroughbred horses in the province ; and without a Jockey Club, the management of the races will not generally give satisfaction. One of the first steps of the Jockey Club, when formed, ought to be to secure a race course. We are convinced that a suitable course might be procured near Auckland, which would turn out a profitable investment to the Club. We understand that several gentlemen have put down their names each for L 5 annually, as their subscription towards the funds of a Jockey Club, and we think that all who wish to promote legitimate sport, and advance the interests of the province in this respect, would do well to append their names to the list, and so render the movement successful. In the Middle Island great attention has been paid to racing matters, and consequently the Southern provinces have taken the lead in rearing thoroughbred horses. By devoting more systematic attention to “the turf” in Auckland, instead of doing things hurriedly and imperfectly, although at first the progress made would be slow, yet in course of time it would be seen that we were gaining ground, and that if we did not distance our sister provinces, we could, at all events, hold our own with them. —Daily Southern Cross, February 4.