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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Racing — The Manawatu Racing Club

Racing.

The Manawatu Racing Club was founded in the year 1880, and the meetings were held on a reserve close to Palmerston North until 1903, when the club acquired a freehold property of 100 acres at Awapuni, near Palmerston North. The expenditure on the grounds, buildings, bringing in the railway, etc., amounted to £22,000. The course is one mile round, and a chain and a half broad, and inside the rail of the course proper is a grass track and an excellent ploughed track. The buildings on the grounds consist of a grand-stand capable of seating 3,000, dining rooms, stewards and secretary's offices, a pavillion, large outside stand, booth, a totalisator house, twenty loose boxes, a sand roll and twenty scraping sheds, refreshment rooms, and booths. The lawns and paddocks are beautifully laid out, and have a background of an area of native bush, with a large lake, facing the members' paddock, at the rear. Two race meetings are held annually, the Summer meeting at Christmas, for three days, and an Autumn meeting in April for two days. Stakes are given to a total of £7,500. Officers for the year 1907: Messrs. R. S. Abraham (president), D. Buick and J. H. P. Strang (vicepresidents), F. J. Nathan (hon treasurer), and J. M. Johnston (secretary.)