STIFF OPPOSITION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 375, 8 June 1928, Page 6

STIFF OPPOSITION

GROWTH OF TIN HARES BIG ATTENDANCE FIGURES It is just a year since tin hare racing was introduced to the public of Sydney, and the growth of the sport has been phenomenal, comments a Sydney writer. Usually it takes years to establish a sport in popular favour, but greyhound racing appealed to people from the start, and although the novelty has longworn off it continues to attract vast crowds. Those responsible for gloomy forecasts are confounded, and so are those who said that the boom period would pass. The Greyhound Coursing Association, whose headquarters are at Epping racecourse, Sydney, boasts an aggregate attendance during the 12 months of 800,000. The average attendance at afternoon meetings now is between 8,000 and 9,000. The largest crowd at a single meeting exceeded 20,000; that was at an evening meeting at which betting was allowed. Betting is now confined to day meetings, but trials are held in the evening. Without betting to act as a draw the attendance at night nearly always exceeds 1,000. Grows Quickly Greyhound racing commenced at Mascot five months ago, and although actual figures are not available the aggregate attendance has probably been about 160,000. The average attendance for an afternoon meeting is between 5,000 and 6,000. Evening trials are held as well. On these figures at least 15,000 people in Sydney attend the sport each week, paying at least £2,500 in admission charges. The attendances are considerably larger when special cups are decided. The prize money distributed by the Greyhound Coursing Association totalled £25,000, and the highest total stakes for one day was £l,lOO. The association has contributed £3,100 to charity, and considerably more than that to its shareholders. The highest total stakes for one meeting at Mascot was £6OO, and the average somewhat less than that sum. Big Staffs Necessary Greyhound racing has created considerable employment. The Greyhound Coursing Association has a staff of 115. By employing the Glebe Band regularly, it has placed the band in a flourishing condition, whereas 12 months ago it had an overdraft. With the success of greyhound racing in Sydney it was inevitable that the sport should spread to other centres within the State. Newcastle has two clubs, and four afternoon meetings each week. The average attendance at each meeting is 3,000, but varies according to the miners’ pay day. Lithgow, with one meeting, has an attendance exceeding 1,500, Cessnock the same, and Maitland, Forbes and Wingham each about 1,200,

or a total weekly attendance at the sport outside the city of just under 20,000 —a grand total for the State of 35,000. Tin hare racing has given a tremendous impetus to greyhound breeding. Owners of sires doing stud duty demand high fees. Whereas a few years ago a greyhound puppy would go begging at £5, one is readily sold nowadays at £2O. A more matured dog, which would be worth £ls on the old reckoning now sells for £4O; or even more. Greyhound owners today include people who never before possessed a dog of any sort. They have blossomed out as trainers, and many of them have been just as fortunate in stake winning as their more experienced confreres. Betting at tin hare meetings commenced on a small scale. Five shillings and half a crown was the most a majority of the patrons of the sport were prepared to risk on a dog. Now the betting is of a more substantial character, and the “ring,” in consequence, is becoming stronger each week. When They Clash The repeated clash meetings between followers of coursing and the mechanical hare companies are causing members of the National Coursing Association some concern, and it is evident that there will be a serious upheaval in the coursing world unless some method is adopted that will give satisfaction to both parties. During the past few months there have been several clash meetings, with the mechanical hare companies having much the better of the affray from the financial standpoint. The large prizes given by the new companies have attracted many new owners who have yet to see “live-hare” coursing, and it is undeniable that the old spirit of coursing is slowly being destroyed by the race for the larger prize money. The National Coursing Association is regarded as the governing body in this State, but at a committee meeting last week it was evident that some syndicates controlling the mechanical hare, would not be bound by the ruling of the N.C.A. A. representative from the Forbes Coursing Club asked that the N.C.A. should . v refuse the Parkes Mechanical Hare Company permission to race on a date allotted to Forbes. The N.C.A. decided to debar the Parkes Club from racing and then Alderman Hourigan, of the Parkes Mechanical Coursing Club, announced that owing to his having already made arrangements, he would be compelled to hold the meeting unless he could notify owners in time. Should the Parkes Club race on the date already given to Forbes, the N.C.A. will have to decide whether it will disqualify those owners who competed. It is a difficult problem and the next moves will be awaited., TE KUITI CLUB It may prove a payable propostion for owners and trainers to remember that nominations for the annual meeting of the Te Kuifci Racing Club, which is to be held at Ellerslie on June 30 and July 2, will close with the race secretary, Mr. W. S. Spence, secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, at 5 p.m.. to-day, Friday. Handicaps will appear on Monday, June 18. RACING FIXTURES June 16—Napier Park R.C. June 20—Hawke’s Bay Hunt. June 22, 23—Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 30, July 2—Te Kuiti R.C. July 7—Ashburton County R.C. July 11, 12, 14—Wellington R.C. August 14, 16, 18— C. J.C. Grand National.