Racing Notes.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 19, 23 July 1920, Page 7

Racing Notes.

DATES OF MEETINGS. SEASON 1920-21. September 11. — Otago Hunt Club (Wingatui). October 8, 9.— Dunedin Spring Meeting. October 23, 25. — -Gore Spring Meeting. November 6, 8, 10, 13. — N.Z. Cup Meeting. November 17, 18. — Winton Jockey Club. November 25, 27. — Forbury Jockey Club. December 15, 16. — Lake Coemty J ockey Club. December 27. — Gore Trotting Club. December 27, 28. — Dunedin Summer Meeting. January 1. — Wyndham Annual Meeting. January 3, 4.— Invercargill Summer Meeting. January 19. — Wairio Annual Meeting. January 26. — Tapanui Annual Meeting. February 2. — Winton Trotting Club. February 5, 7.— Forbury Park Trotting Club. February 9, 12. — Dunedin Cup Meeting. February 23. — Clifden Racing Club. March 9, 10.- — Gore Autumn Meeting. Marcli 16, 17.— Southland Autumn Meet. ing. March 26, 28. — Riverton Annual Meeting. March 26. — Lawrence Annual Meeting. March 28. — Beaumont Annual Meeting. May 5, 7. — Forbury Park Trotting Club. June 1, 3, 4. — Dunedin Winter Meeting. Winton Jockey Club had a very suecessful season, and secretary Harry Price presented a good acconnt of the year's working to the annual meeting last night. The seven stone minimum advocated by the Dunedin Jockey Club was again thrown ou ; by the Racing Conference. It really doesn't matter because every club has the right of fixing its own minimum when drawing up its programme. The Birchwood Hunt Club had a nice litle spree after their steeplechase on Wednesday evening, but the Digger bloke wasn't on the list of invitations. Bad luck when one drinks so much that it is too costly to invite him to a smoke oh. For the first time for seven years Marton has lost pride of place in the wmning sires list this season. Demosthenos with £27,756^ heads him off, his stock having woi £24,466. Each had forty-four winners of place money going for them. Josh Lewis who should lcnow, writes in this weeks "Referee" that Silverpeak is not the short-pedigreed mare on her dams side that many would make her out to be. Short pedigreed or not she can make fast times over a short ccurse, and has won £2130 for Bill Stone this aeason, President Hazlett was lcnown on the Racing Conference a year of t'wo ago as "the stormy petrol from the South," but lie has quietened down with the experienca h? is getting each year on this body, and was only'heard enough last week to be reported two or three times. What sort of a job will bookmaking be when Mataura Anderson has fixed up his bill? The fine business don't cut much ice, but the "cooler"~is quite another matter. It i reported that the leading man in Dimedin is packing up his traps for the other side, where the law allows the game. But still it will be carried on throughout New Zealand until the end. Despite Curry and Co's strong recommedations, the question of licensing jockey.s by the Conference was again thrown out. Representative Hazlett was a strong opponent to the motion, and made strong representations for another chance being given to repentant sinners. A fellow feeling makes us wondrons kind ! Jockeys are to get more money for their v/crk and so they should. They had only to ask for it, or almosf anything else in reason in a nice manner and they wouid get it, There is no more generous employer in the world than an owner, and he is always open to receive suggesfcions that will improve the condtions of the sport and its followers. But one does like to be asked in a nice way, and not denianded as a highway-man would have done in the bad old days. A good crowd witnessed the flag steepleebases at Otautau on Wednesday afternoon. Martin O'Brien (a brother of Te IV. Mick), won the heavy-weight race with Lady Betty, and J. Flynn's Miss Trixio with Digger Joe Taylor astride was first home in the lig^Lweights. H. Marshall's good little pony Glenisla had a couple of spills in the heavy division bnt rau two good xaces finishing second on each occasion.