RULES OF THESE RACES

Watching the finish of a race; L. Royal, official time-keeper, J. Puti, Patron of the Club, and the newly appointed President, J. Martin

EARLY RACING

In his book on early Horowhenua. Rod McDonald has recorded that a meeting was held near Otaki in 1854 at which his father, Hector McDonald, held the combined positions of steward, starter and judge. The race course was at that time at Katih [ unclear: ] ku on the south bank of the Otaki River and events were run on a straight course, the riders doubling around a post and finishing at the starting point. When McDonald attended his first meeting at Otaki in the early 70's the starting post was outside the old Telegraph Hotel. The horses ran a gruelling race down the unmetalled Beach Road, round a post at Dodd's Corner, and back to the Hotel again.

Although most of the horses competing at local meetings were Maori hacks, some of the best blood imported into New Zealand was to be found on this coast and there were among those hacks some excellent gallopers. Rod McDonald was himself the owner of many thoroughbreds. One of these, Volcano, by Southern Chief out of a Don Juan mare, won numerous races at Otaki during the 1880's, and after he was sold accounted for most of the big steeplechases in Auckland and Taranaki. Another horse which he raced at Otaki and which afterwards claimed bigger stakes was Uranus, by Blair Athol from a Kakapo mare. Shortly after being sold this horse won the steeplechase and two hurdle race at one Auckland meeting.

Manuriki Tehiwi, clerk of the course in 1900. (Turnbull Library Photograph)

Receiving the bets. On the table, far left, is one of the issuing machines on which all bets are entered. All bets are at once relayed technically to the totemobile

A skilled operator works out the dividend from the total of bets shown on each veeder. he does this with the aid of a logarithm table. His calculations are relayed to the indicator board. Sometimes the Otaki Club has put more money through the tote than metropolitan clubs

THE TOTEMOBILE

Part of the equipment of a modern racecourse is a “totemobile” which is seen at the right of the picture. A totemobile is a vehicle carrying the electronic equipment with which dividends are calculated. It has wheels because it is not permanently at Otaki but is moved from course to course. The owners and operators are Automatic Totalisator Ltd., of Sydney.

It is wired to the issuing machines and every bet is recorded behind one of the windows of the totemoble, each window representing a horse. The progress of the betting can therefore be seen from the windows which are usually known as “veeders”. These allow very rapid calculation of dividends; the balancing of the tote can be completed in two minutes or less.

At the indicator board anothers operator receives the latest dividend figures over the intercom and displays them to the public. Before the races all eyes are glued to this board which shows how the betting on each horse is progressing

Back in the club room, in the main tote building, the tote steward, Mr A. Hakaraia (left) generally supervises the tote operations. He is responsible for giving the all-clear signal at the commencement of a race and for deciding when windows for issuing tickets are to be closed. With him are the calculator directly in charge of the totalisator company, a government officer and other official

McDonald was of the opinion that racing in those days was pursued more for the sport of the thing than is done in these days of commercialised racing. The stakes were not attractive and £15 and £20 for the main race of the day was considered a worthy prize. It is even recorded in the minutes of an early meeting that a vote of thanks was passed to the donor of one white rooster as the stake for a race.

Nearly all events were weight for age, welter weights being more usual. Hurdle races were quite popular and were normally run over a distance of two miles. Other events which sometimes drew large entries were pony races, these were usually not less than a mile.

The events were run in heats, and all horses finishing the course became eligible to enter for the second heat. This meant that a horse had to win two heats straight out to win a race; if two different horses won first and second heats they were required to run it off for first place.

The first official racing club at Otaki was formed in 1880. This was a European one for which John Jillett, who died three years later, was secretary. They raced on an area of land known as the Rikiriki which formed the first circular course in the district. It was of a mile in length, and on one side followed the Rangiuru stream not far from the mouth of the Otaki River. After functioning for eight or ten years the Club encountered financial difficulties, and the course became overgrown with dense variegated thistle which in most places grew so tall that spectators were unable to view the progress of the horses until they made the home stretch. Attendances soon decreased until the club was finally disbanded, being superseded in 1885 by the Otaki Maori Racing Club. After spending £250 on reforming the course and a further £170 on the construction of a Stewards stand and grandstand the Otaki Maori Racing Club became firmly established. In 1896 they claimed to have never had a loss at any meeting held. They also boasted in the following year that they had achieved a record in the number of nominations for a hack race meeting anywhere in New Zealand. Their entries on this occasion totalled 170.

(Concluded on page 51)

A large number of part-time workers are employed inside the Tote as payout clerks