ASHBURTON RACES.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7443, 17 October 1889, Page 6

ASHBURTON RACES.

This meeting, which commenced yesterday, was favored with splendid weather and the attendance was in advance of what we are accustomed to see at this gathering, the farmers apparently finding October a more convenient month for them than November. The Club are making still further improvements on the course, having this season provided a shilling stand with large tea rooms below. With the exception of the Cup, which supplied only three contestants, the fields were generally good, averaging eight horses to each event, and some of them were very closely contested. Ivanhoe was made a hot favorite for the Hurdle Race, Tornado being next in demand. College Boy, Ivanhoe, and Cathedral were close on one another after crossing the last fence and a good race ensued, all three under the whip, the grey gaininpr the verdictby half a length. The Maiden Plate was won a bit easily at the tlnish by Investigator. A good-looking dark chestnut three-year-old colt, by Cadogan, from Deceit, Sebastopol, who ran second, is a fine upstanding son of Digby Grand, and carries himself in much the same fashion as his sire. In the Cup Rosebud cut out the running, and was never headed, but rounding the home turn St. Malo got on terms with him, and a good race ensued until well into the straight, when the light weight drew ahead and won by a couple of clear lengths. Ie was anything but an artistic finish, the rider of Rosebud being all over his horse, and attending more to the horses behind than his own mount. The Windermere Handicap proved another easy victory for Investigator, and our old friend Jack, wlio is now owned by Mr Frisby, of Ashburton, was the runner up. The old. horse looked well, and though running in a bandaged foreleg, did not appear lame on returning to the scales. A full half-hour was .cut to waste before Mr Thomas-could despatch the fifteen horses in the Novel race. Relief, with White, his owner, up was warmly supported, but when coming on nicely got blocked in. and a great finish ensued becween Goldfinch and Emma, only a short head dividing them. - Red Ensign made his own running in the Spring Handicap, and after disposing of Murat won hands down from Road Metal and Artemus, between which there was nothing to choose. Red Ensign was looking bigger than he used to, and he seems to run more kindly. The times recorded for the various events shows that the Ashburton course still holds Its position as one of the fastest courses iv New Zealand, for it must be borne in mind that the horses competing were a | long way from flrstclass. i Messrs Mason and Roberts ran the totalisator, and passed -31664 through their hands. The following are the details:— Handicap Hurdles, of 40 soys; second horse 5 soys. Two miles. . 24. Messr3 M. and C. Hobbs' g g College Boy, by John Bull—Honesty, aged, 9st -__ _ •, (McDonald) 1 83. Mr T. Stewarts b g Ivanhoe; 5 yrn, list . (Owner) 2 2. Mr J. Meikle's bg Cathpdral, aged. 9_t 71b (Cortin) S 35, Tornado, lOst 12lb; 8, Little Arthur, 9st 71b; 17, Sankey, 9st (carried 9sC 21b), also ran. Little Arthur was quickest away, and led College Boy and "Sankey well down the straight. Cathedral was lying third on passing stand, Ivanhoe being well in the rear. On nearing the turn at the back of the course, Sankey and Tornado began to move up. Going along the back stretch College Boy was leading*, with Sankey third. At the top turn Ivanhoe had improved his position, and on entering the straight he ran into second place. A capital race home resulted in a half-length victory for College Boy, two lengths separating Cathedral from Ivanhoe. Time, 4min. Dividend, £6 7s. Mah)-*" Plate, of 20 soya. District horses. Weight for age. One mile. 85. Mr S. Alexander's eh o Investigator, by Cadogan—Deceit, 3yrs, Tst 13lb (Cox) 1 17. Mr W. Grices b g Sebastopol, 4vra, Bat lllb (Rosewarne) 2 36. Mr A. McLeod's eh m Martha, 4 yra, Bst 81b (barns) 3 10, Glenrowan, 9st; 14, Royalty, 9st; 0, Cascade, Sst 121 h; 24, Songster, Sst lllb; 7. Hetty, Bst 91b; 11, H<3tty, 7st 131b, also ran. Sebastopol got away with a good lead, followed by Royalty and Songster. Sebastopol held command till turning into the straight, where Investigator, who had been amongst the ruck, was allowed to go up, Martha at the same time displacing Royalty. Investigator then went away and waltzed in the easiest of winners six lengths in front of Sebastopol, with Martha a bad third. Time, lmin _-£sec. Dividend, £2 39. Ashburton Cup Handicap, of 70 soys, second 5 soys. Mile and a half. 136. Mr T. Stewart's b "m Rosebud, by Cadogan—Wild Rose, 6 yr_. 6st 1010 (Ray) 1 174. Mr G. H. Clifford's bgSt, Malo, 4 yrs. Sat 31b .. .. (McGrath) 2 66. Mr T. Twomey-t g g Little Shamrock, oyrs, Tst 101b .. .. (JacJ_son) 3 » St. Malo was first to get aw..y, but Rosebud quickly passed him, and. leading the whole way, won by a couple of lengths from St. Malo, the same distance separating second and third. Time, 2min 40 l-ssec. Dividend, £2 9s. WiNDER-tERE Handicap of 25 soys; second horse to receive 5 soys from the stake. District horses only. Three-quarters of a mile. 111. Mr S. Alexander's eh c Investigator, by Cadogan—Deceit, 3 yrs. Tst .. (Grice) 1 11. Mr A. ITrisby's b g Jack, aged, Bst 'Holmes) 2 31. Mr J. C. N. Grigg's blk m Aparima, 5 yrs. Set tol_ee.e> 2 4. Peimine. Bst 71b; 22, Cymaro, Sst 31b; 53, Yarra,Sst; 14, Authentic, Bst; 7,Miss Lucy 6-t, also ran. Investigator led Aparima to the first turn, when Jack ran Into second place. Investigator, however, who was scarcely asked to gallop, held his lead, and won comfortably by a couple of lengths. Time lmin 15 l-sth sec. Dividend, £"1 Is. Novel Race of 25 soys. Weight, Sat. Half-a-mile. 52. Mr M. Scott's eh m Goldfinch, by Burlington, aged .. (McGrath) 1 5. Mr Hay Smith's b m Emma, aged tC_*X£t*s>ft>\ 2 99. Mr P. W. White's eh g Relief, 3 yrs (Owner) 3 3 Wire-In, 9 Lady Darling. 2 Matagouri, 21 Lord Sligo, l Angelina. 15 Inchkeith, 3 Toorak, 24 Belladonna, 1 Brunette, 6 Lopear, 11 Olearowan, 19 Sailor, also ran. After a good deal of trouble and delay at the post, the field were got away to a fairly even start. Relief, Goldfinch and Emma being the first to show in front. ' A rattling good finish resulted in a short head victory for Goldfinch, with Emma second, and Relief, two lengths away, third. Time, alsec. Dividend, £7 Is. Goldfinch was bought in for -620),

Sfb-sw Handicap, of 30 sovsi: seamd horse to receive 5 aovs from the stake. One mile. 17. Mr J. Harris' eh m Red h*nsto>. by St. . 391 Mes-ri M. and C. Hobbs* b c Bead MetaL 3y-*g-7stsib - -v (Jackson) 2 8L Mr F. L. Popham's br h Aid-tons. * yrs. 89t_lb (Derritt) 3 56Sir Jnl.ua, Sst Sib; --Marat, fiat 71b,also ran. , . Murat and Red Ensign .jumped away m front of Aicinous and Sir Julius, and led. them by three lengths for about half the distance, RnAd Metal lying in the rear. On turning Into. the straight Red Ensign drew away from Murat, who fell back beaten, and Road Metal coming up with a rush, ran into second place, but he could not get on even terms with the leader, Bed Ensign winning easily by three lengths. Time, lmin __sec Dividend, £11 6s. District Welter Haj-dicap. of & so™ Second horse » soys. One mile and a quarter. 43. Mr J. McKellar's eh m Yarra, by Bun-doora-Bribery.4yrs.93t9lb Huxtabie) ± A Mr L. Markey's b m Authentic, 5 yra, 93t_.Ib .. .. •• „ • < Ro *_ 2 64. MrT. Watson's br mZealot. Oyrs, 10st21b (Mr Pitt) 3 29, Doubtful, 10_t 91b; 34, Cymaro, 9st 121b; 3, Songster. 9st2lb; 12. Audrey. 9st. also ran. Audrey led Authentic, with Doubtful third, to the back of the course. At the top turn Yarra commenced to go up to the leaders, and getting her head in front won a good race by a length and a half from Authentic, Zealot a good third. Time, 2mln 17-tsec. Dividend, -33175. The folloWing are the acceptances for today's racing:— Coo-mr Hurdle Handicap, of 35 soys. One mile and a half. st lb I st lb Little Arthur ..10 7 Cymaro ..10 2 Lewis ..10 51 Royalty ..9 7 Match for 50 soys. Six furlongs. Leodogran I Toorak Ashburton Racing Club Handicap, of SO soys. One mile and a quarter. st lb I st lb J-rln-go-Bragh ..8 5 litosebud .. 710 Little Shamrock 910 | Sir Juliu3 ..73 Disposal Stakes, of 30 soys. Six furlongs. Lopear I Lad I Belladonna Goldfinch I Lord Sligo I Wire-in Emma | Glenrowan | Hollowback Lady Darling | I Wi__ticb Handicap, of 35 soys. One mile and a half. st lb I st lb Brin-go-Bragh .. 11 12 College Boy .. 910 Rosebud ).. 10 i | Murat ..9 0 F_-_nq Handicap, of 30 soya. Five furlongs. stlb stlb Little Shamrock 812 Koad Metal .. 7 10 Aicinous .. 810 Investigator .. 7lu Red Ensign ..8 8 Loo ..7 0 Tornado ..8 6 Counts' Plate Handicap, of 30 soya. , One mile. stlb stlb Doubtful ..8 7 Martha .. 7 4 Yarra _. 8 7 Hetty .. 6 12 Jack ..8 7 Songster .. 610 Authentio .. 712 Glenrowan -.6 7 Cymaro ..7 7 j