Tapanui Annual Races.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 30, 4 February 1875, Page 5

Tapanui Annual Races.

. „ The Tapanui Jockey Club, race meet--1 ing was held at Tapanui on Thursday^ 1 Friday, and Saturday. It was hot, we [ regret to say, the grand success itfought , to have been, considering the ' large i amount of money (about L 500) offered • as .stakes. The causes which coni tributed towards its failure, or rather 1 partial failure, are to be traced to j various sources. Strange as the- ad- ! mission may seem, the stakes were too ? large to induce tire healthy competi- \ tion that would otherwise have taken- • place. One or two really crack horses — i outsiders —were induced to enter,, and 1 the general run of horses, such as are to be found in and around the district were thereby deterred from taking part in the meeting. These heavy stakes, ■ as the Tapanui Jockey Club learned to : its cost, are a great mistake. They were^predisposing cause to the failure noticeable last week, and we have very little, doubt but that in future they will be A avoided. Smaller stakes with a . more numerous and varied programme i of events, would have gone a great way s towards rectifying tha error, and we • have_Jittle doubt but that the Tapanui 1 Club, as. well as district clubs in general, will profit by this lesson. Although this was a principal cause contributing towards the non-success of the meeting, it was not by any means the sole cause. Tapanui and its environs are purely pastoral and agricultural districts. At this^time of year the settlers are far too busily engaged attending to the seasonable operations entailed by these pursuits to afford the time for relaxation, such as an event of this kind is intented ;to promote. To that cause may be attributed thes cant attendance on each of the three days, more especially oh the third day. It might be well for the Tapanui people to take this into their serious consideration. However excellent a programme may be offered, the fact has been proved over and over again, that the settlers will not lay : aside more passing engagements, for the mere pleasure of being present at.) such sports. A few weeks earlier or ! even a few weeks later would, we have j no doubt, bring about a vast improve- \ ment in this respect. . Lastly the weather, although upon the whole fine, was the opposite of settled, and we know of our own knowledge that visitors from a distance were deterred from being present on that account As we have stated before, we deeply regret the partial failure of the meeting Still, this is due to preventable causes, and it is to be hoped the club will profit accordingly. The attendance on Thursday and Friday could not have exceeded 300 or 400, and on Saturday it was not much over one-half that number. The bookmaking fraternity was largely represented. Indeed their number went a great w a y towards making up the sum- total of those present. What are known as the " pigeon mob " were but a very scarce commodity, hence speculations, or rather peculations, were far short of being an order of the day. In the absence of more profitable game, the t: talent " took to hooking each other, and, on the principle of " honor amongst thieves," we may readily infer j that the business done was for the most part " fair and square." The grand stand erected by- the Club is rather an imposing structure, capable of seating some 500 persons. Mr H. N. Simpson, of - S'witeers, and Messrs Hunter and Co., of Waikaka, were purchasers and keepers of the respective booths. All things considered, w& are disposed to think they barely covered expenses. Between the club and the- kical body of Good Templars a dispute had arisen, which resulted in the latter setting up a booth on their own account, at which refreshments in conformity with the principles of the order were dispensed gratis. This device proved to be rather a formidable opposition to the publicans, and one we are afraid they did not bargain for when the conditions of sale were fixed with the club. The racecourse is an exceptionally good one From the position of the grand stand a splendid view is obtained right round the course. Of the horses present, we can only say that Right. Bower and Flying Dutchman commanded the lion's share^ of the notice. The latter is a finejanimal, and judging by the remarks m,a ( He, we should say he will show well up~in the betting for the Dunedin Cup. He made his debut in New Zealand on the Tapanui course, and, all things considered,, we are sanguine of some-" thing good being heard of him before long. The following are the results : — Maiden Plate, of L4O soys. ; one mile and ; weight forage; For horses - _, that never won an advertised prize -^exceeding L2O. Mr 'Ttfbsworthy'fl Somnambula, 3 yra , (Richardson) 1 „ A. Mackay^s Sultana, 5 yrs (Reay) 2 f Two horses entered and came. to the post, but after bantering with Somnambula a distance of 100 yards, the little miare Sultana returned ta the paddock, and Somnambula cantered the distance, thus .winning the race. „ '.. ... .-,-...; ! Tapanui Handicap, of 60-'sbvs.j with a sweep of 3 boys. ; second horse to 1 save 15 soys: from stake.- One mile and a half. ;Mr Gy Coombe's: b k UiM ffioweK^ i . "y ■ yi^7ft : l6V>;i. X y. "rjßrenaUll U „ S: Noswortfiy's If h^Tfalfcrpljra,' ] : x ; :>B#ix)lb y: „;;.'/' ;; (&; BMaraw^g t f , J. Morrison's r g :BtackpplC ag^.\ - ; ; -"' Bst Mb \. '• y' J ; r;(H:ftum^rdaon)^ 3 .; ..;.-:, Although thirteen horses 'eatered-fpr ".■ this event* three otiff started. * s Traitor

took ifiie le.ad, with Stackpole and'iisgwi^i - Bower close behind. ' Before the com-^i pletion of the first half mile, Traitor ] w«s overhauled by StaekDole, and when? J passing the. stand. the order was I Traitor first, Stackpole second, and the | Bower third. This or<ier was maintained 1 untilthe completion of the first mile, 1 when Rij^hjfc Bower^ who had been kept J well in hand, rushed to the fore, closely 1 followed by Stackpole. On coming to r J the straight a splendid race ensued between Stackpole and Traitor, but the^ )| latter was too much for the old hors^> J and came in close upon' the heels W J flight Bower. Bullock Drivers' Race, of 15 so*-& ; mile heats; no weight under 9*%, For horses the bona fide property of bullock -drivers. Mr Perry's Saltan (Jas. Ma'one) 1 „ Matbew's Old Jack (A. Mackay) £ Three horses started— viz., Atlanta, Sultan, and Old Jack. In the first beat Old Jack ran off with the lead, and retained it to the finish in capital form.Sultan made a good second, overhauling Atlanta in the straight running. In the second heat Old Jack ancl Sultan "got away well together, with Jack, if anything, in the lead. They kept this order until the straight run homes whan Sultan shot ahead and came in by abowt two lengths. In the run off, Old Jack put Sultan on his metal before he succumbed; but Jack's powers of endurance were not equal to those of the latter-, who came in an easy winner. A protest was lodged against Sultan, but we have not heard the result* Distinct. Mmdieap, ot 25, soys. j oae mile and a quarter. !Mr Monaghan'e Bismarck (Jas. Malone) 1 »» »» Dido (John Malone) 2 Only two horses were entered, and merely cantered round the course,. : Bismarck; winning. Hack Race, of 10 soys. ;; mr c heats ; noweight under 9st* Winner to be sold for LIS, surplus (if any) to go to therace fund.. 1 Jenny Lind l Neil 2 ; A good Gontest took place between Jenny Lind, Neil, and Canny Willip, but Jenny was- too . much for either ot the latter,, the race being a- perfect gift to heir. A hurry scurry race at the close of the first day's races- resulted, mi Jenny Lind 1 second day: , Handicap HUrdle Race+ of 4Q : .sovs. ; onr mile and a half.; over Mx flights of! i hurdles, 3fct. 6in. highi. iGldare (T. Cofton) 1 Dido (Monashan) 2 Six horses were entered for this event, but only Unknown, Bismarck, Kildare, and. Dido started. The race was looked upon ai a certainty to Unknown, but unfortunately, at the mile hurdle, her stumbled', unseating his rider and falling on him. Bismarck's rider (Jas. Malone) also oame to- grief at one 1 of the hurdles, thus- leaving the race-between Kildaire- and Dido.. Dido took his jumps well, but Kildare was too swift of foot for him, and came in an easy winner. Tapanm Joeftey, Club Handicap,, of 100 soys., with a sweepstake of 4 eovs ; second horse to receive L2O from the Btakf a. 2 miles. Mr Coombe's Flying Dutchman, B 't lib (T. Cotton) 1 „ „ R : ght Bower, B*t..(W. Harrison) 2, Flying Dutchman, Right >Boweiv and Traitor accepted for what should have been the event of the meeting; but subsequently Traitor was scratched, Mr fJoombe declared to win "withDutchman, and after leaving the post at a canter, both horses dropped into a walk, cantering in from the straight run to the winning post. It is to be regretted that there was no contest for this event, although at the same time Mr Coombe deserved to win the race for ! his enterprise in placing such horses on 1 the New Zealand turf. Flying Handicap, of 30 eovs., with sweep oi 1 soy. added ; one mile. Mr Coombe's Plying Dutchman, Bit 10! b 1 „ Cotton's Envy, 6 *t 121 b . .2 This was an exciting race throughout, and was keenly contested. The race lay between the Dutchman and Envy from the first, and it was doubtful for a time what would be the result, but the Dutchman was too fleet of foot for Envy, and came in with hands, down. Time, lmin. 51 sees. Hack Mace, of 15 soys. ; mile heat*. Win- . » ncr to be sold for L2O, surplus (if any) to go to. the race fund. No weight under 9„t. Greased Lightning l This race was a gift to Color Sergeant had he not been pulled off the course by his jockey (Thomas JMbnnghan.) Monagban was disqualified from ever running on the Tapanui course, as was also the horse, and deservedly so. THIRD DAY. About 150 persons were present on Saturday, and the events were better contested than the majority, of events on Thursday and Friday. Handicap Hurdle Race, of 20 savsv; ,one mile and a half. V ■...-, Mr Monaghan's Dido -.n 1 „ „ . Bismarck, : . :*::i 2 „ .- Three horses, were, nominated, but '. only two started^ r Atthe.mile,however, Bismarck ian off -the course;, ahd Dido came in winner. :: ~y* XJy ; Stewards Hajidicapl'oi 2o Soys. ; bneaWd a halfmilei. /'-^^r' I''^1 ''^ ' ..< -F^ma-yy y^yy^xyyy: :,V-i£:'- 2 ■ i: the x*aeei-altog ; etn^r. :Unknowuand!Feniah were very evealy c matchedj the former winnihg by a head. ► -and, neck s onlyr J -.o--«^»4-- ; a -,*.