RACING AT PAEROA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4954, 22 March 1926, Page 2

RACING AT PAEROA.

TOTE WELL BEHIND TIME.

RACE TRACK REQUIRES BANKING.

The following comments, reprinted from the Sporting News of March 19, arc worthy of consideration by the club ocncernied: —

The attendance at the Ohinemuri Jockey Club’s meeting at Paeroa on last Saturday week was, a very prac.tical indication of the popularity of the fixture, and the accommodation a.t all points of vantage was taxed to its utmost.

There was a lot of congestion round about the totalizator, which made it very uncomfortable for the majority wishing to make and it will not be an easy, matter to overcome this drawback, unless the building is shifted further ba,ck from the Stewards’ and Members’ Stand.

rThe sloping ground fronting the course gives a. natural grandstand to spectators-, but if full advantage is - tp be gained the club will eventually \iavc to terrace this; area in order to accommodate and give more comfort to patrons.

The closing of the totalisator got saclly behind tim<» and very long delays occurred between the time of closjhg and the hoisting df the, semaphore to indicate that*the figures ha,d been adjusted, the result being that the last event was not started till about s.4o—just about 15 minutes; la;ter than the book indicated, and about 40 minutes- later than is desired by the majority of patrons. RUNNING LATE. The two-division race probably contributed to the delay on Saturday last, for at one stage the totalisator did not close till abo>ut twenty minutes after the time set. down in the racebook. Some of the lost time, however, was made up in the last two races,, and even then quite a number of intending investors patronising 1 the 10/- windows were shut out. Clubs make the mistake of extending the time of the first few races, and the public, noting this Yact, delay as. long as possible before investing in subsequent events, the result being that instead of being' purchased in regular sequence it is a wild scramble just about the time the betting should stop.

Tn the long run clubs lose by this procedure df extending the time for. closing the totalisator early in the day, for if schedule time Was kept for the first two or three events the public would realise that if they wished to make an investment they could not afford to be dilatory. ■ : ADJUSTING THE FIGURES.

< Better arrangements should ajso be made by totalisator proprietors about the adjustment of the figures, and more expedition in this department is sadly-required. The delays at Paeroa between the closing of the totalisator and the hoisting of the signal were very tedious, and better arrangements are possible. A saving of a couple of minutes even each race tots up during the day, and reform in this matter is- urgently needed. It is purely a matter of internal organisation, and should be easily accomplished. The track at Paeroa is on the small side, and going out and entering the'straight horsas are’ inclined to swing out very wide. The bends are fairly sharp, which, no doubt, is > the main reason for the wide, detours made, but to the. eye it also appears that at these pointe the tra,ck is not sufficiently banked. COURSE ON THE SMALL SIDE.

• These courses with sharp bends are all in favour of good beginners who draw the rails or manage to get into the lead ear'ly, for a tremendous saving in the ground Covered is thus effected. Keen punters ,are not inclined to f plunge on tracks, for. the element of chance is very pronounced.

The Ohinemuri, Club does not appear to have much room to spare to enlarge the race tra'ck, but it can be said that, though the prospects, of some of the competitors were spoilt by being carried out wide or being bumped in the running, there were ”no falls in the flat events.

The racing proved enjoyable under’ the ideal weather conditions that prevailed, but'a larger track and better curves would tend! to give the public more confidence in their transactions.