RACES AT TE RAPA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21227, 25 September 1940, Page 8

RACES AT TE RAPA

LABOUR DAY FIXTURE WAIKATO HUNT PREDICAMENT UNABLE TO RACE AT HOME With the acquiescence of the military authorities, the Labour Day meeting of the Waikato Hunt will be staged at Te Rapa next month and the Spring meeting of the Waikato Racing Club will follow on November 3 6 and 18. With the encampment of the l c t Battalion, 16th Waikato Regiment, on the Cambridge course and the occupation of the buildings by the military • authorities, the Waikato Hunt will not be able to utilise its course this season. This occupation of the course buildings has entailed, among other things the stripping of the interior of the totalisatcr house and it wduld be impracticable to replace the dismantled sections to permit of the totalisator operating for one day’s .racing. On learning of the predicament of the Waikato Hunt the Waikato Racing Club offered the Hunt the use of its Te Rapa course free of charge an offer that was accepted by the Waikato Hunt. This arrangement, of course, is subject to the approval of the Auckland District Committee, the Minister of Internal Affairs and finally that of the Military authorities. Following detailed negotiations, the Waikato Racing Club has been given to understand that, its Te Rapa course will be available J’cr racing, but tn&t certain sections wfll still be utilised by the authorities The members’ car parking area, for instance, where the men’s tents are erected, will not be available to the public on race day. It is the intention of the Waikato Hunt, if it races at Te Rapa, to devote all net profits from the fixture to patriotic purposes. TE AROHA JOCKEY CLUB EXTRA PERMITS GRANTED TRANSFER. FROM GISBORNE (By Telegraph.—Press Association) gisbor'.'lE, Tuesday Permits Tor two or the si pc days’ racing allotted to the Poverty Bay nurf Club hare been transferred to the Te AroQia Jockey club, which wMI continue to use the dates until such time as the Glsiborlie Club’is delicit Is liquidated, together with a det>t to guarantors in connection with the Park course. This decision means that Poverty Hay will onlv have live da> racing annually, including the Jlun.t Club’s one-uay fixture. The above information was given by tne president, Mr F. Tolerton, to the annual meeting of the Poverty Bay -Club. He added that the new arrangement enabled the club to carry on without increased difficulty until the railway reached Gisborne, when the clu3» could draw outaiae horses and patronage.. Mr Tolerton -said the dliTlimlttes In the way or racing Imposed by the war were considerable, but he saw no reason for the club to leel de.-i.-oiid.-nt. Some critics believed racing shouVd. be abandoned during the remainder oil' the war, but when the efforts which wej;e being made at Home to keep the s-porY going were considered it seemed that they would be poor sports to lei the gairie down in this country. Racing clubs had an obligation to keep the sport going, especially in view or the interest taken in it by many men now serving abroad wlVh the forces. The club passed a resolution drawing the attention <«r the Minister of Internal AfPalrs to the difncuKles or country racing clubs and suggesting that c'iubs with a dailv totalisator turnover not exceeding £ i nbo be granted 1 per cent, rebate. The Watroa Racing Club, at its annual meeting, passed a similar resolution, tne I)resident, Mr A. G. Nolan, saying that difficulty had always been experienced in racing in getting any d 1 fferentlatlon be- \ ween country and metropolitan clubs. He e v,pressed the opinion tli«/t the Racing Conr„ -rence mu*t realise that country clubs 1 U ve to he assisted to some degree while > war Is <>n, adding that country clubs jm nbably did more l<j.r racing throughout the whole of the * miftry than metropolitan (.•lit ». — (Press Assn.,

THAMES TROTTING CLUB

At CEPTANCES DUE FRIDAY Acci 3ptances lor all events of the Thamt s Trotting Club’s Spring meeting on, October 5 close on Friday at 5 p.m. w. ith Blomfield and Co., Auckland, at id at 8 p.m. with the secretary (Mr E. O. Brownlee), Mary Street, Thames.