CHRISTCHURCH HUNT CLUB'S SPORTS MEETING.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9812, 23 August 1897, Page 6

CHRISTCHURCH HUNT CLUB'S SPORTS MEETING.

The annual sports meeting of the Christchurch Hunt Club took place on Saturday at the Plumpton Park racecourse. The attendance was fairly good, and a large number of ladies were present. Before the business of the day commenced a dinner was given to the farmers, and, including Hunt Club members, some fifty persons partook thereof. Apologies were received from a large number of gentlemen who were unable to attend. Mr W. F. Buckley, Vice-Presi-dent, proposed ** The Health of the Farmers," thanking them for their kindness to the followers of the sport. Messrs J. Overton and J. G. Murray suitably responded. " The Health of Visiting Masters" _,Vao -was proposed, and Starky (Master of the Brackenfield Hounds) and -.'worthy (of the South Canterbury Harriers) responded. The hound show was one of the features in connection with the gathering, half a dozen couples of fine pups being exhibited, Mr C Dalgety'a Stormer, by Mr G. B. Starky's Glider from Rival being awarded first, and Miss G. Ly-jna's Boaster, by Mr A. Lyons's Buster, from Mayfly, second prizes. The racing commenced with a Ladies' Bracelet for farmers' horses, eight going to the post, victory resting %vith Miss Donaughey's Valetta, who later on in the day won the Farmers' Handicap from six others. The Light Weight Hunters' Steeplechase produced a most exciting and interesting contest between three of the four starters, but the Farmers' Hack Hurdles was robbed of interest through the falling of Shylock, one of the three starters, whose rider (Mr J. Hampton) received a severe shaking, and the Welter Hunter's Steeplechase was full of incident, as two of the starters ran off at the stand double,another fell twice over the small hurdles, and the rider of the other mistook the course. Nothwithstanding this, the race was not without excitement towards its close, and altogether the outing was enjoyable enough. A number of bookmakers wore laying the odds, and favourites got home in three out of the five events. The following are the results :— LADIES' WiAUHLET, for horses the bona fide property of farmers resident in Selwyn and Akaroa" counties that have never started in any advertised rase of the va'ue of £10 ; 1 art 71b each. Five f urlonjfs. Miss D'>n:iu<;hey _ eh g Valetta, by Burlington, 4 vr_ .. .. (Mr K. Donaujjhey) 1 Mis. O'Hara's br g Jacko .. (Mr D. Kimbell) 2 Mr W. Mansion's eh g Ringwood (Mr A. McCausland) 3 Mr >[. Connelly _ Belle of Lyceum (Owner), Mr J. Gillandrra' b)k jf Chaos 11. (Mr I>. Gilianders), Mr W. J. Moreland's Riseholme (Owner), Mr W. Leer's Tommy the (Mr W. Tubman), Mr S. Stewart's Ploughboy (Owner) also started.

Betting—Even money and 6 to 4 on Chaos, 3 to 1 Valetta, 5 to 1 Ringwood and Jacko.

Valetta and Chaos led for the first furlong, when Jacko headed the favourite and clo3ed upon Valetta, who, however, won by two lengths and a half; a fair third, Chaos and Riseholme fourth and fifth. Time, lmin B_sec.

light-weight hunters' strrplkchase, for trophy value 5 soys, for qualified hunters; minimum weight, list 71b. About three miles and a half. Mr X M. Tureen's b m Dastmar

(Mr J. T. Ford, junr.) 1 Mr W. 0. Palairet. %c g Will-if-I-Can (Mr I). Kitnbell) 2 Mr C. M. Turrell -br g Warsaw. .(.»lrR. E. Harley) 3 Mr A. Boyle's blk g Master Bill .. (Mr A. Ford) 0 Betting—Even money Will-if-I-Can, 3 to 1 Master Bill and Warsaw, 5 to 2 Dagmar.

Will-If-I-Can and Warsaw wore in front for the first round, aud until the last turn on to the course,. where Dagmar joined issue, and, after a desperate race in the last half-mile, won by a neck, Warsaw three lengths off, Master Bill beaten oft".

FAKMERS' HACK HURDLK RACE, of 5 s->vs, with sweep of 5s to go to second; u'iuiimim weight 12st 71b. One mile and a half. Mr W. Green's br _■ Tommy the Dodger

(ur W. Tubman) 1 Mr T. Mellwraith's eh h Vixen (Mr T. Trickett) 2 Mr F. J. Carr- b g Shylock (Mr J. Hampton) 3 Betting — Even money Shylock and Tommy the Dodger. Tommy the Dodger went to the front and led all the way, winning by six lengths. Shylock fell at the second hurdles, and Vixen missed the last. WELTER HUNTEIW STEEPLECHASE, for trophy value 5 soys; for qualified hurUera owned and ridden by members of Hunt Clubs only; minimum weight 13-t 71b. About three miles and a

half. Mr C. Palairet's eh g Nanakia. by Natator, aged (Mr D. Kimbell) 1 Hr T. L. Cowlishaw's b g Walrus, 6 yrs . .(Owner) _ Mr H. J. Beswick"* br g Little Minister, aged

(MrK. Neave) 0 Mr W. Laleham . eh g Sergeant-Major, aged

(Mr Thomas) 0 Betting — Even money Nanakia and Walrus.

j Nanakia ran off at the double, and Little I Minister and Sergeant-Major followed suit, leaving Walrus to go on witli a long lead, j the advantage of which he lost through taking the wrong course. Nanakia went to the front, followed by Little Minister and Sergeant-Major at long intervals, Walrus I quickly overhauling the two latter. On | entering upon the second round he overhauled Little Minister and Sergeant-Major, who fell lat the first hurdle in the straight, and on being remounted at the second in front of the stand. From this stage out Walrus continued to lesseu the gap, but failed to reach Nanakia, who won by half a dozen lengths. FARMERS' HANDICAP, value 5 soys; ssme condi- .. tiona as first and third races. Minimum weight list Mr J. Donaughey's eh g Valetta, 12st 121b, 4 yra

(Mr ti. JJonaughey) 1 Mr S. Stewart's eh g Ploughboy, llet 3lb, 6 yrs (Owner) 2 Mr W. Manson'B eh g Ringwood (Mr A. Ford) 3 Belle of Lyceum, list 71b (Mr M. Connolly) ; Chaos 11., list 101b (Mr J. T. Ford); Bridal Rose, list 81b (Mr T. Suialley); Riseholme, list 71b (Mr J. Moreland) also started.

Betting—tiven and 6 to 4 on Valetta, 2 to 1 Riseholme and 5 to 1 Chaos.

Riseholrae and Chaos 11., followed by Ring wood, raced hard to the" end of six furlongs and then compounded, Valetta, who got away badly, coming through from two chains in the rear and winning easily by five lengths; Ploughboy, heading a beaten field, a lengtli in front of Ringwood. Time, lmin 37_sec.