West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 31 January 1898, page 3


A NEW RACECOURSE.

THE HELENA VALE RACE CLUB

PROPERTY.

FORMATION OF THE COURSE AND

IMPROVEMENTS.

(By "Paynator.")

On Saturday morning last I was granted the favour of a special visit of inspection of the new racecourse near at hand to Midland Junction, on which the recently registered Helena Vale Race Club will hold its race meetings. Mr. Sainsbury, of the firm of Denny and Sainsbury, the architects and surveyors to the club, made the trip with, and for the nonce, was my guide, philosopher and friend. He fulfilled to the letter the sociable qualities of each character, driving me out from Mid-land Junction to the locale of the course in a comfortable buggy, philosophising while en route to the scene on the morals-and immoral of racing, which we found a controversial topic of conversation. _ A short resume of the circumstances leading up to the formation of the Helena Vale

Race Club will fit in here.

Some twelve months ago Messrs. T. F. Elliott (the owner of Bain Marie and others) and S. Dick (who owned the Mentor geld-ing Fun as a two-year-old) bought from Mr. James Morrison, of Guildford, an area of 150 acres, then thick with scrub, about two miles out from Midland Junction and situate near the Albany railway line. The purchasers were impressed with the excellence of the investment made by the Canning Park Turf Club proprietary, and

were imbued with the idea of making a racecourse upon their newly acquired property, the same to be registered and used by a proprietary. A little time intervened

before Messrs. Elliot and Dick were successful in interesting a number of gentlemen (2 men of the right sort, to quote Mr. Sainsbury) in the proposed venture, but with the initial difficulties overcome, the rest was comparatively easy. To be con-cise, a syndicate was formed to take over the land bought and to form a proprietary racing club. The shareholders were limited to twenty in number, and the original " prospects " of the " field " benefited to the extent of receiving promoters' shares in the concerns Among the twenty shareholders, men with the local interests of the Midland Junction and Helena Vale districts at heart were included, with also several Guildford residents and city sportsmen. To give a metropolitan tone to the venture the headquarters of the club were fixed in Perth, and the registration of the office of the Helena Vale Race Club on St. George'sterrace was effected, after which the Western Australian Turf Club granted official registration to the club as a racing

institution.

The clearing of the 150 acres involved some work which, when effected, was followed by the preliminary of surveying and laying out the line of a course, and Messrs. Denny and Sainsbury, to whom this work was entrusted, were given a free hand to lay out " what must be the widest and what ought to be the fastest, course in the colony," which was the effect of the instructions given them by the directors. The surveyors gave the plans their undivided attention, and, forming an opinion upon the as yet unfinished state of the

work at the course which I saw on Saturday, the consummation of the wishes of the

directors should be assured.

The course proper, as laid out, is about an equal length with the track of the Western Australian Turf Club. That is to

say, it is a little over a mile and a quarter

round-and the start for all mile and a quarter events would be made a few yards away from the judge's box. The width of the course is quite its best recommendation. '. It should be two chains wide, was the decision of the directors, and the surveyors assented to the wisdom of the decision. Laid out at the length stated, and made two chains wide, the course was one that

would be very highly appreciated by owners, trainers and jockeys alike, and therefore the decreasing of the width of the running by half a chain, recently resolved upon, is to be somewhat regretted. It was not by a unanimous vote of the directors

that the width of the course was reduced. Indeed, Mr. R. Wolfe, one of the directors, assured me that he was personally opposed to the move made. Leading out of the straight past the judge's box there is still a little incline just such another as that leading out of the Perth course straight - which, however, is being levelled, the dirt taken out of the hill being used for banking the track and levelling it in other places. There were other portions of the course on which drainage water from adjacent hills would lie during the winter, but these have been drained and embanked, and should be secure from the water trouble in future. The half-chain taken off the width of the course proper is to be used for a training track, upon which, however, not a great number of horses may be expected to work, as metropolitan trained horses for the most part will be running at the meetings when once commenced.

The Brothers Broadwood were the first contractors for the forming, clearing, and making of the course, and they got the work to a fairly advanced stage when Mr. Edwin Rudd, who at present has the work in hand, took the contract over, and that contractor has now over a dozen men ploughing, clearing, and levelling the course, with rolling as the next process in

view. There are still small sticks and stones the residue of the original scrub clearing operations on the course proper,, but these will all be picked up and thrown off before rolling is commenced. Mr. Rudd is making great headway with his portion

of the contract, and should " hand over " the course proper to the club in perfect

order some time next month.

Mr. G. Napier, who was the contractor for recent Canning Park improvements, has the contract for the erection of the administrative buildings, the stabling and birdcage buildings, and the entire fencing of the course, and is to be congratulated on the excellence of his work as advanced to date. The fencing around the members' and grandstand enclosure and the birdcage is stayed and strutted so admirably that, should a gale blew ever so hard, it will find a resisting force capable of withstanding the strongest wind in the 12ft. high fencing. The roofing of the roomy stalls in the birdcage is another feature of the workmanship displayed by Mr. Napier and his 21 workmen. The same good work has been put into the construction of two totalisator houses - each holding two

machines-one in the enclosure and one on the flat in the jockey?' room (lined with wood), chaff-house, latrines, etc. The buildings now up are all of the best jarrah, of which material also the members' stand which will be ready for the initial race meeting is to be constructed. The provision for a birdcage full of horses has been made by Mr. Napier, 32 stalls being built. The " paddock " extends three and a half chains away from the jockeys' room, is 18 chains long, allowing for the inclusion of a carriage paddock and birdcage in one. The contractor has yet to commence the fencing of the course proper, which work will be proceeded with when Mr. Rudd has the level of the course quite obtained. This post-and-rail fencing is to be of solid make, and to be structed to ensure its security.

The length of the straight running will be two furlongs, one of the longest straight in the colony, and altogether when finished the course should be a model one.

In clearing the flat the woodman spared more than one tree, under instructions, the age of some half-dozen fathers of the forest being respected, and these old gums afford a shade that should be appreciated by the patrons of that portion of the course. Mr. Napier's suggestion that rings be placed in the trunks of these trees for

the convenience of horsemen or those driving out to the course, whereas they may tie their horses up, is an excellent one that may be improved upon by the placing of a few seats in the shade which the homage of the trees will afford on the sunniest days. Several of the variety known as " Christmas trees " were also allowed to stand, and when in bloom these should add considerably to the prettiness of the landscape view from the grandstand enclosure. The course is situated somewhat similarly to Canning Park within a

reasonable distance of the foot of some hills, in among a small forest of trees, a comparatively secluded spot, though the eastern railway line is within a dozen chains of the grandstand enclosure " from gate."

The erection of a platform alongside the line will be effected in time for the first race meeting, and later a siding right alongside of the course with in station proper, as at Canning Park, may be needed.

To date the work accomplished on the course, the direct result of the enterprise of the directors of the club who have been prompt in the payment of calls to provide funds to carry it on-and the energy of the surveyors and contractors is well advanced and particularly satisfactory. It amply evidences the advance of the " sport of kings ¡" it testifies that the Helena Vale Race Club is establishing itself on a firm footing, and suggests that it purposes coming to stay. With this end in view the directors have next to consider well the appointments that they will require to make in the personnel of the necessary officials. They have chosen well at the outset in electing Mr. W. W. Berry secretary. That gentleman has only to display the same administrative faculty in handling the reins of the Helena Vale Club as he has in connection with the Canning Park T.C. to ensure its success. While casting no reflection upon the integrity of similar office-bearers in connection with other clubs, I dare voice the popular opinion that a complete change in the faces of the majority of those who act at other courses (the startership excepted)

would be welcomed.

The Helena Vale Race Club will hold its first meeting on St. Patrick's Day Thurs-day, March 17 next and the time will be opportune for the powers that exist in connection with the new institution to conduct the racing on their new course on new lines, under the supervision of new officials. The " Dakin" of the colony has yet to be unearthed, and the H.V.R.O. would make a move that would be undoubtedly popular if they at least gave a tritihto a new handicapped At an annual general meeting of the W.A. Turf Club, Mr. J. C. H. James wittily observed that he was unaware whether or not there was an import duty on handicapped. There is no such Custom levy, and there is similarly no absolute necessity to import new weightadjusters. New blood in the line of handicapped is amongst us locally, to be found if sought after, and the new club has a chance now of asserting its independence in a direction that would have a vital bearing upon the popularity of its meetings.