SPORTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1942, Page 6

SPORTING

MASTERTON CLUB’S MEETING

CAR TICKET MISUNDERSTANDING EXPLANATION BY SECRETARY. This morning Mr Norman James, secretary of the Masterton Racing Club, stated that there appeared to be a misunderstanding regarding the club’s action in. not issuing car tickets along with members’ tickets for the club's meeting at Otaki on Saturday. Mr James said that members would not have to pay for their cars because they had not been issued car tickets. When the meetings had been held at the Masterton racecourse car tickets had been issued to relieve congestion at the gates, but at Otaki it was not necessary. As the matter stands, the production of members’ tickets will be sufficient to take a car on the course without charge. Otaki—Not Opaki. The venue of the Masterton Racing Club's spring meeting, which has been changed from Opaki to Otaki, has resulted in understandable confusion in some people’s minds, as the names are somewhat identical. From the point of view of Masterton and district racegoers the possibility of patronising the club’s meeting is exceedingly remote on account of travel difficulties. The railway time-table is such that the trip to Otaki and back takes up three days. Masterton patrons would have to connect with either the special trains which leave Wellington at 9.5 and 9.50 a.m. and arrive at Otaki at 10.54 and 11.20 a.m., or the ordinary trains which leave Wellington at 8.30 and 10.15 a.m. To do so would mean leaving Masterton on Friday as the early morning rail-car would probably miss the connection with the 10.15 a.m. train. To return to Masterton from Otaki, also means another night’s stay in Wellington as the return trains which leave Otaki at 5.17 and 6.7 p.m. miss the Wairarapa connection. Wairarapa people will probably wish that it was a case of Opaki—not Otaki. Showed Promise. Po Huka, one of Nightly’s progeny, showed promise when he notched a second :»t Otaki on Saturday. Trainer Kelleher had stated that he was well satisfied with Po Huka’s track work and his performance at Otaki, although he was seventh favourite on the machine, was not surprising. The bay gelding is owned by Mr W. R. P. Cooper, of Masterton. On Saturday’s showing there should be a bigger share of the stake money due to Po Huka in the near future. The Champ’s Win. If ever a horse could be called a course certainty it was The Champ on Saturday. As predicted in this column, he stripped a very fit horse on Saturday and his win, in good company, was particularly impressive. Ably handled by W. J. Broughton, The Champ hung in behind the field to the straight where he assumed the lead and won easily. On form The Champ will be hard to beat if he is produced at the Mas- . terton Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday. The Champ is trained by T. R. George at Opaki. Too Soon for Piastre.

Piastre, another of T. R. George’s team, is still green but a race or two should bring about a great improvement.