SPORTING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2488, 22 December 1886, Page 2

SPORTING.

The following are the Feathurston Rioing Club's acceptances; for their New Year's Meeting New Year's Handicap.-The Spy, First Water; Rumour,' Little Sc|» Giriri, Rata: V , F.R.C. Handicap,—First Water, Normauby, Rumour, Nikau/Rollo, Giriri, Rata. ■ ; • Fltog Stakes.—The Spy, Priitcea Royal, Little Scrub, Tornado; Giriri, Torohanga. •••;• Taohbbenikau Stakes,—First Ihe Spy, Honeysuckle, Rollo,. Torna/10, Giriri, deanotte. '

The Wellington correspondent of- theReferee says" A few weoks ago I had occasion to compliment tlio Stewards of ■ the Featherston Racing Club on their action in engaging professional aid in thy matter of handicapping.. If argumeaf were required as to the advisability of abolishing local handicappers, no doubttho Lower Valley Jockey Olub can furnish it. The latter Club received, for a small meeting, excellent nominations, including three entries for each of their handicaps from Mr Tanored. ' Somo of the stewards wore entrusted with tho framing of the handicaps, and when they were declared it >as plain to the most unobservant, that in their two principal handicaps there was one animal, .Giriri, weighted so leniently that it was useless any others accepting. Mr Taricted at once scratched the whole of hiß horses, and what would otherwise have been a moßt enjoyable little ; moeting was ihus completely spoilt." ' ' _ ' . .w The same writer also Bays; " Thenar* terton-Taratahi Jockey Olub have- issued a programme: for a day's racing- -on January 22. The date is that upon "which the Island Bay Club Meeting.-begins, namely, Saturday, January 22.' It seems a pity that the Carterton folks did not. sweet the Saturday following ■ the.- Island r Bay fixture, as they then iould ii'ave, relied on receiving strong support" fronjf owners of horßes engaged at Island Bay*' and a section of the Wellington:; pubho also would no doubt have patr6nieed,tho Carterton meeting. It it is riof jooJafce I would suggest that the date. be altered. The extra money that would, go throifgh the totalis,itor would more than recoup the Olub for anv loss of attendance thit mightoccur.' . ; , This advice is all very veil, but ' when it is taken into consideration vtbafc the Taratahi-Carterion Jockey Club have bald their meetings for several years on.-' Anniversary day, the Isknd Bay Jockey Club sheuld have studied tha countiy club before jumping'its'day. i"here has too much of this over-riding tyisinMßy tho would-be Metropolitan..Clubs iiTTlio Colony, and it is almost tj&Bhat the up-country Clubs made a stawT against it.. '