Rotorua's Claims for More Racing

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1058, 23 August 1930, Page 12

Rotorua's Claims for More Racing

EXTRA MEETING WANTED ADDITIONAL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS The position of the Rotorua Racing Club is such that it perhaps calls for special considerati n at the hands of the ‘overnrnent, through the New Zealand Racing Conference. Tourists from all over the world stop over at this popular resort, and the Government lays itself out to cater for this tourist traffic. Visitors from overseas generally look forward to taking in a New Zealand race meeting as a very necessary part of tlieir itinerary, and to neet them the only permit available is that for a two-day meeting. One would think that at least one day’s racing a month would not be overdoing it in order to provide Rotorua visitors with the added attraction of a series of turf contests as staged under the control of the New Zealand Racing Conference. Added Attractions The Rotorua Racing Club is fully alive to the situation and is doing its part in order to add frequent race meetings to the attractions of the world’s wonderland. Reporting to the annual meeting last night of members of the Rotorua Racing Club, the executive stated that it had applied for February 14 and 16 for its next race meeting dates; these have now been gazetted. In addition, formal application was again made this year for an extra two days’ racing permit. The application was backed up by a deputation to the meeting of the Dates Committee held in Wellington on July 7 last. The personnel of the deputation -was Messrs. C. H. Clinkard, M.P., W. HVVackrow and the secretary. Considerable evidence and detail were submitted and the deputation reports that it received an attentive hearing, but was advised there were no further racing dates available for allotment at present. If Dates Available However, it was promised the club’s application would be noted and should further racing dates become available lor allotment later, consideration would be paid to the Rotorua Club’s request. It is felt by the executive that the club’s request is an honest and just one, which must yet be realised, and persistence on the particular question must ultimately result in the request being granted. “We ask you.” concluded the executive’s report, “to join, with us in thanking the members of the deputation for their efforts on behalf of the club, also to extend special thanks to the secretary for his work in connection with preparing maps and details to supplement support of the club’s claims.”

RESUMED WORK PINK COAT ON THE TRACKS BRILLIANT TWO-YEAR-OLD Pink Coat, who last season won twice and was once second out of three essays, but who, for some time back, has been on -the retired list suffering from rheumatism, has made his ap- I pearance on the tracks again at Washdvke. He was a brilliant two-year-old, Ills five efforts during that period resulting in four wins and a second I berth, his victories being recorded in j sequence. Should he successfully cope with the strenuous task of a he should this season be a difficult com- j petitor to silence, sufficient evidence in ! support of that presumption being apparent in his high-class performances during his two and three-year-old career. He is one of the Hunting Song tribe, as he was sired by the Gisborne-owned son of Hurry On, his dam, Red Edna, being a daughter of the dual Cup winner, All Red, from Edna May. SUCCESSFUL FIXTURE AFTER POSTPONEMENT ROTORUA’S ANNUAL February 15 and 17 were the dates as set down lor your last annual race meeting, but owing to the unfortunate weather conditions prevailing on th£ morning of the 15th, your committee decided to postpone the first day's meeting to Monday, the 17tli, and the Monday’s programme to the 18th, reported the executive of the Rotorua Racing Club to the annual meeting of members last evening. While the decision was somewhat drastic, yet the conditions were such as to leave no alternative. The meeting took place on the Monday and Tuesday, and the weather had cleared and glorious sunshine prevailed, when conditions generally were ideal. While the attendance was large on both days, the postponement had a marked effect on the gate takings and totalisator returns, a decrease on last year’s figures has to be recorded. The racing itself passed off with saLisfaction, the statutory ■officials being high in their praise of the conduct of the meeting. The fields generally were good and some excellent finishes were witnessed. The innovation of the two-year-old race on the programme each day proved popular and large fields faced the barrier. The gross returns from the meeting amounted to £ 7,608 10s Id, and after cash disbursements, a balance of £931 15s 4d remained to the profit of the meeting account, against last year’s figure of £I,BOO 14s 9d. The markeg shrinkage on last year’s figure is, in the ojjinion of your committee, accounted for by the unavoidable postponement of the first day’s racing. IN THE ROUGH COUNT CAVOUR’S TASKS Count Cavour, looking very much in the rough yet, has been attending the tracks at Riccarton for the past month. ITe was out doing easy work this week and his tasks will now be gradually increased.