WINGATUI SLIPPING

NZ Truth, Issue 1205, 3 January 1929, Page 9

WINGATUI SLIPPING

Cup Should Be Run At Christmas .Meeting

(Froni "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative)

■ The lack of interest shown by the public, and the ; financial result of the last two Wingatui meetings, should create uneasiness, if hot alarm; among those who have m. their keeping the welfare of racing at headquarters m the south.

THE Dunedin Jockey Club can he its own salvation if f it makes a courageous attempt to 1 put' its house m order, but .'although', at the present time; it enjoys metrOpolitari status, 'it "is.. giving its patrons ra'cihg up to provincial standards only. '.People cannot be -forced' to bet, but where there is an assembly of good horses there will be. more' wagering than if the fields are comprised of moderates: ;; '..• ' ': :"■' r yy-;. "77 '< • The , punedin Siimriier. meeting , just passed was a very poor effort i -! at metropolitan racing. ' b '■-'". If the -club hopes to- rnakebit the principal meeting of the Christinas circuit In the south, it will, have to make if' the 'Cup meeting instead;' of runningbthe' Cup -m February. 7b; : ; ; J With '■' t ; wo lOOOspvs. 'Stakes and a. number pf 506sovs. :-cpuntry cups ' to; be competed for, Riccarton trainer s who now"' go north would patrpnize . ...the . s'puth, and the Dunedin summer meeting -would not.'be so .neglected; by o>vners as it is at present. ; --, b .'; The Q'tagp.'..:pandicap.;.Ap'fy'4s'osovs:.' drew a poor field of -six horses, ; -which was • expected,; for, fbllc^ingbabweek later is f he- Waikouaiti. Gup of ",500sovs.; the Wyndham Cup of '550spys; the Invercargill Clip^of lOOOspvs. arid the Open handicap on ';. the .second day at Southlarid-rrAyorth twice as .'•; much as. the Otago Handicap. 7 Just hbw :^ muchrbiVingatuiis shadowr ed : by the TNew- Year, meetings farther south was evident m pne race, where th'e'-bw-rie'iS.Ywhpse..praisesb.are''''sungVb - y; the jockey club for being- a : lion supporter, scratChed'his horse, thereby reducing; the field..' tb: a four-horse race, 'bb7,'-^:7b;b:7^,: : ,:7.;,,b,..;,: / b:,

because he Avas afraid of the rehandicap he Avould receiA'e at Inyercargill. i ■ Owners and, trainers m the game as a business cannot be condemned for turning their attention to the richer prizes; rr ;•'■ The- club's most pressing need is to restore public confidence and bid keenj'ly. for popularity. ; .'Here is an unfortunate.; exarriple of what is meant; TA Ayell-knoAvn .owner gave 7the club -33 noihinafipris ' and 21 acceptances, Avhich, apart f rorii their monetary value te the club, helped to swell the fields arid patch up'" -poor meeting., .'bb -;"'''■"' -■' ; : y; .. Not one of the stewards thought it worth his Avhile to invite the benefactor .y to iurich; •or otherwise express thanks for his liberality, and; when, towards the ' end: of. the -second; . day; .the PAyneV won his only race at the meeting, there; was a slgnificarit silence on. the stewards' ■■■>}; ;,y '--•■" ■Yet, m alrriost every, other race, the same steAvards showed iheir approval by applauding the Avinner /when it . returned to the enclosure.. " : This iriciderit-, (arid many, others like it, are tending to disiritegrate .the f ouridations of an , did;club; ; 'y ; .At the present time it is,. riot v functioning as it* should,band/ if those at present m cohtrol cannot y •rehabilitate the; club Kthey should . V- •; v make rootn for7those who' can. v The .mere ("dropping .".; of/ bt6tebreturns| is similar, to ■'the; forturi.es „ .of'. all' clubs throughout the7 epiiritry,;; but Avhen a meeting is going consistently frpm bad tp worse, somethihg's.houid be- done— and .quickly,. too: ■.-■■■-' 77b 77; 7 b The writing 7is, on the Avail m Dime-dini;'-'--b; ,';'. b'-- '.;".■; ' „,-v ;' : ; . ,; y -.;