A DIVISION RACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 853, 23 December 1929, Page 12

A DIVISION RACE

HACK EVENT AT ELLERSLIE

GENEROUS STAKE MONEY Division races are as unpopular with racing clubs as they are with the general run of racegoers. One such will be seen at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. this being in the hack e\4nt, the Robinson Handicap. j n which the acceptors numbered 34. the safety figure being So at the seven furlongs barrier. It is quite probable that there v ill be four defections by starting time, and this, of course, would obviate the necessity for dividing the race. On the other hand there may not be any scratchings. so that the Auckland Racing Club was wise when it decided at once to divide the field, rather than wait for any scratchings. Other clubs have adopted this waiting policy but it has proved disastrous when the race had really to be run in divisions through insufficient scratcaings. and thus leading to endless confusion, particularly among the punters. The two divisions have been drawn up, and been published. The Auckland Racing Club has treated the race in a most generous manner, adding £2OO on to the stake,* making the total value £6OO. Of this the winner, second and third horses in each division receive £250, £35 and £ls respectively, so the race is still well worth the winning. The actior# of the club in so increasing the stike is to be commended, for it is extremely doubtful if the revenue received from this event, run as a divided race, will be so much as if it was just one straight-out contest. Dividends are being paid on the winner only of each division, and this in itself generally cramps betting, for backers, or the majority of them, dearly love to have an avenue provided for a get-out in the event of their horse running second. The time is fast corning when *he conference will have to cope w ith the situation as concerning division races. What is wanted is official sanction to pay dividends on first and second horses in division races. Until this is done clubs having to face the position must prepare for a deficit on them. It is not every club that can meet the position in such generous fashion as the Auckland Racing Club.

N.S.W. YOUNGSTERS

PREFERENCE FOR VEILMOND

In the opinion of some racing men Uplands is quite as good as Alberic. Perhaps, but if both run in the December Stakes, Alberic is likely to be at the shorter price, despite his 71b penaltv, quotes a Sydney writer summing up N.S.W. tw o-year-old lorm. Half a furlong from home Uplands was a very easy winner of his division of the Woollahra Stakes at Rand wick. He was not after in the slightest danger of defeat, but he only beat Pasticcio half a length, and it is doubtful whether Munro could have got much more out of him. At Warwick Farm Pasticcio was easily beaten by Rosendo, and the latter had no chance against Alberic when they met in the Kirkham Stakes. The luck of the race was with Alberic, but, if he had been equally fortunate, Rosendo could not have beaten Mr. Barnett s colt. Some of the beaten horses may find Randwick more to their liking than Warwick Farm, and J. Carey is hopeful it will be so with Longwood, who, though lightly built, seems none the worse for his Warwick Farm run. Longwood will meet Alberic 71b better, but the latter appeared to beat him all that. Veilmond’s Chances Something that did not run a couple of Saturdays ago may down Alberic, and Veilmond (Limond —Veil) is the one generally selected as likely to prove his master. Veilraond, jyho is moving freely, did not incur a penalty for his Randwick win. Three years ago Beckwith defeated Greenline in the Kirkham Stakes, but the former, with 101 b penalty, was beaten into third place by Greenline and Black Duchess in the December Stakes. The following year Elizabeth’s -March won both races, and was not as much in demand for the December Stakes as either Golden Music or Crowdel. She had 71b penalty, as did last year’s winner. Holdfast. Backers did not make any mistake as j to his chance, sending him out at good I odds on, and he won at his ease in the ! fast time of lmin O^sec. Good Weight-carrier • Alberic may be the third successive 1 penalised runner to win. No youngster at present racing ia ' Sydney looks more like a weightcarrier, and past experience has shown that a few pounds extra rarely a *fect a good two-year-old. j However, taking a line through Tartana, Veilmond is entitled to preference. He beat her as decisively at Randwick as Alberic did at Warwick I arm, and in the December Stakes gets 71b from the latter.

OHINEMURI CLUB

OFFICIALS APPOINTED At a meeting of the committee of the Ohinemuri Jockey Club at Paeroa last week, the following officers were elected:— President. Mr. T. P. Vulgar: vicepresident, Mr. P. E. Brenan; judicial committee, Messrs. J. Clarkin, W. Neil and H. R. Bush; starter, Mr. A. Vincent; handicapper, Mr. F. J. McManemin: judge, Mr. A. Tronson: clerk of scales, Mr. Bert Neil; timekeeper, Mr. P. Corbett clerk of course, Mr. W. Marsh; medical officer. Dr. Smith: treasurer, Mr. P. E. Brenan: honorary veterinary surgeon, Mr. T. A. Aris. The dates of the race meeting for 1930 were set down as Saturday. March 15, and Monday, March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day).