LOWER VALLEY RACES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1814, 15 October 1884, Page 2

LOWER VALLEY RACES.

(To the Editor,) Sir,—The deputation from the Lower Vklley Jockey Club to the Mas-terton-Opaki Jockey Club having failed in its mission, witLyour permission I should like to point out a few things which ha-ve possibly been overlooked by some of the members of the latter Club. Their President, Mr Lowes, says that the interests of the two Clubs are not identical, I will point out to him that they are. In the firßt place there are are a good number of horses both in the Upper and Lower Valley which would attend both meetings, increasing the interest in and swelling the funds of the Clubs in nomination and acceptance money, if held on separate days; the gate money would also be much greater, as many people have hitherto attended both meetings who can cow. only attend the one. The Masterton Club makes a point of the attendance of the Wellington people, I do not think that they will gain much by that, As a rule they are not a racing community, as witness the comparatively poor support received by the Wellington Racing Olub at its meetings, though only a few miles out of town. I do not think that the attendance from Wellington will counter-balance the deficiency from the Lower Valley, . as the counterattractions in Wellington are also to be considered,; The Maßterton olub unconsciously is playing into the hands of a few owners of horses as thus-s-a person who posswses say five- or six horses can nominate for each meeting now, and, send some of his horses to each aoooading to the way in which he in the handicapfteg, or as Mr Hill)

put it, the horses go where they are best treated, thus dividing and spoiling what would, otherwise be a good field. In another way it will suit some but may have the same effect, viz,, that the Palmerston race meeting being held on on the same day many-.-of. the best horses such as Mr Tancreds will probably be out of tbe valley and also out of the way of some of the smallor fry.who will thus have a cut in; a chance which otherwise they would not get, I have always held the opinion that racing should not only, be a pastime, but that it should be made to encourage the breeding and bringing out of good stock, but if our races are to held on the sauie day as Palmerston and other places I think we will find that our best horses will leave for those places, and though the increase in entries may be greater than previous years the horses running will be of inferior calibre, The MastertonOpaki club meeting has-been' hitherto looked upon as the second district meeting in the valley, but many will not be sorry if it still persists in its unjust and selfish line of action towards the Lower Yalley Club to see it become as it surely will a purely local meeting for second rate horses.