THE FIRST RACE MEETING IN NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9816, 27 August 1897, Page 2

THE FIRST RACE MEETING IN NEW ZEALAND.

" Weekly Press and Referee."

A few weeks back, in speaking of a visit to Mr Charles Watt, of Upotipotpon, near Benalla, I (•' Terlinga" in The Australasian) referred to Mr Watt's father having raced in New Zealand in the seventies, but I was mistaken. Mr Watt's father was racing in New Zealand long before that period, in fact, as far back as 1842, as is evident from an extract from the " New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator" of that year. This excerpt is one of the many interesting curiosities—literary and otherwise —in the possession of Mr Watt, who, needless to say, values it very highly. The report of the races was placed in the column which in modern newspapers is usually set apart for the leading articles. Mr Watt ventures the opinion that the race meeting at Petoni was probably the first race meeting ever held m New Zealand, and I daresay he is correct in hie surmise, since New Zealand could not be said to have been colonised until 1839. In that year the New Zealand Company sent out a party of settlers from England, under Colonel Wakefield. The first settlement was made at Petoni (now spelled Petone), at th«s entrance of the valley ol the Huttj-and "the company, in honour of the Wellington's patronage, of Wakefield's views when South Australia was founded, called the new settlement' Wellington." , At the Petoni meeting referred to Mr Watt's father owned and rode the winner of the principal race, and a horse belonging to Colonel W&kefield also took part in the meeting, winning a match against " Mr Virtue's bay mare." The extract Mr Watt

has forwarded is so interesting that I reprin it in its " native ruggedness " :— NX W ZEALAND GAZRTT X AND WELLINGTON SPKCTATOU. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1842. PETONC RACES. THURSDAY. OCTOBER 20. Sweepstakes for ten guineas e*vci». Gentlemen riders. Heats of one mile and a half. Ttte following horses started :— Mr. Waifs eh. h. Figaro, ridden by owner 1 1 Mr. Moiesworth's hk. li. Caluine Tartar, ridden by owiter 8 2 Mr Virtue's gr. jj. Marksman, do. do 3 0 Mr G Hunter's b. in. Temperance, Dorset 4 4 Mr Uannister's eh. g. Sulky, do. Wade 5 3 Capt. Buckley's br. h. Daylight, do. Owner 6 ilr Mr Raven's " gr. h. Mnzieppa, do. Tyser di«t. Figare's superior blood enabled him to win both heats with the greatest ease. He was the favourite throughout, and freely backed at 5 to 1 after the first heat. Several other matches were afterwards made up on the spot, of which we believe the following to be a correct account. Sweepstakes for one pound each. One mile : — Mr Re van's bk. g. DaMv, rid'len l>v Dr. Dorset 1 Col. WakefieW's eh. %.' Beau, do. Mr Watt 2 Mr. G. Hunter's br. g. Wai-ake-ake, Owner 3 Mr. Allen's gr. g. do do.. 4 Mr. Virtue's bin 5 Matches for one pound aside, distance one mile— Mr. C. Voa Alzdorrs bk. g Black Billy beat Mr. Machattie's bay pony. Mr. Lyon's c»rp horse beat Mr. Virtue's cart horse. Match ior Jive pound a fide. One mile. Col. Wakeßeld's eh. jr. Beau beat Mr. Virtue's bay ma.re.

i)iuing this race Mr Wade rode up on Sulky in a most unsportsmanlike manner between the two horses, and we see our contemporary has imagined that a match took place between Bsau and Sulky.