Sporting.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7, 9 July 1888, Page 2

Sporting.

4 WELLDiaTON RACING CLUB STEEPLECHASE MEETING. A more favourable day than Saturday for the steeplechase meeting could not have been selected, the weather being beautiful and the course in oapital order. The attendance in the morning numbered abont 800, but as the da; wore on the number gradually inoreased, until quite 1000 people were present t* witness the big event. Tb» racing was exoellont, and a finer or better contested event than the Steeplechase Handicap has perhapß never bees seen on the Hutt course. Shillelagh proved rather a surprise in pulling off the Hurdles, but tha race was a capital one, and tha win well deserved. The horte waa backed by a few lucky ones, and they were well repaid for their speculation when the good round dividend of .£23 16s was deolared. It is a singular thing, however, that the stable did not have sufficient confidence in tha horse to back him, it being stated that they had not a sixpence on the horse, but this may be accounted for by ihe way the fielding treated them in the Trial, when he could not be persuaded to look at th* first jump, It waa satisfactory to not* the freedom from accidents during the meet* ing, the only severe fall being when Clyde tipped off Chambers in. the Selling Hnrdlei. Mr. N. Grace is to b» complimented upon the manner in wb\ofc he got his fields away and the Stewardialao ttpon the excellence of the arrantfemeftta. The crowd was & siagu. larly orderly o»e, and although Inspector Thomson aad a jpewe of police were present, theup servioes were not called into requisition during the day. The following are the oonoluding events of the meeting j— Wellington Steeplechase Handicap, of ISO bovb ; second hon* la receive 15 soys from the stakes. Afeoat three miles. Mr. J, Leopold'gbg Kangaroo, aged, lOst lQlMPelft ... „.'„' M 1 Mr, J. B. Williamson's br g Artist, agea, 9stMb(fiadfield) ... 2 Mr. W. EUingham'B b m Denbigh, aged, lOst 71b (Eedmon)d 3 Chemist, aged, ISst 21b, and Waitangi,

aged, 9at Blb, also ran. Te Ngamu was scratched, having lamed himself in the trial. Chemist and Denbigh were the favourites, the latter perhaps the warmest. Mr. Grace got hia field nicely away at 3.30, and Artist immediately went ahead, taking the obstacles like a greyhound. Denbigh followed in his wake, Kangaroo third, Waitangi fourth, and Chemist last. It waa in this order that the horses first passed the stand. When approaohing the big gorse fence on the loft-hand side of the stand, Waitangi, who was going badly, dropped into the rear, and at the first water-jump emptied his rider, Edgecombe, on to the award. The jookey mounted again, however, and pursued the field, who were a paddock or two away. Artist still leading, with Kangaroo seoond, Denbigh third, and Chemist several lengths in the rear. The whole field were jnmping splendidly, taking the big jumps as easily and neatly as though to the manner born. The second time past the stand the positions were still the same, but Kangaroo waa gradually dosing upon the leader,- and when the gorse fence at the far aide of the oourse was reaohed, he was olose upon him. At the fourral fenoe the two horses rose almost together, and Pell gaining an advantage in the leap, took the son of the Mute over the final hurdle and home a olear couple of lengths ahead of Artist, Denbigh some diatanoe away third, but fresh as a daisy, Chemist fourth, and Waitangi a field or two away. Time, 7min 2seo. There were 577 in the totalisator, and 107 on the winner. Dividend, iJS la. Selling Hurdle Race, of 40 soys ; abont one mile and tbreo-qnartera. Mr. A. G. Pilmer's b g Orlando, aged, 9st 121b(F/ewin) 1 Mr. J. Smith's b g Kingaak, aged, Bat 121b (Furnesa) 2 Mr. J. Driscoll'a b g Reputation, aged, 9st 121b (Pell) 3 Also started— Clyde, 6yre, lOst; Velooipede, Bst 121b; Halicoro, aged. Bst 121b. Artist and Oddfellow were soratehed. Clyde was first favourite. Reputation went away at the start, and led his field along at a merry pace. At the hurdle on the left-hand side of tho course Clyde, who was coming up in style, and for whom the raoe was looked upon as a moral, tumbled off Chambers, his jookey, whan rising to the leap, and was out of the raoe. Reputation led past the stand, with Kingask at his quarters, Orlando a good third. Coming ronnd into the straight on the road home, Orlando came np with a rush and romped in a winner, Kingask a good second, and Reputation third. There were 310 in the totalisator, 40 being on the winner. Dividend, £6 195. The winner was . bought in by his on iier for £20. Winter Handioap, of 60 soys ; second horse to receive 10 novs from the stakes. One mile and a qns.rtor. Mr. G. Hunter's b f Lenore, 3ji-g, 6st 71b (Peterson) 1 Mr. D. SaaUy'a oh g Rufua, Gjvs, Bat, including olb overweight (M'Cormiok; 2 Mr. T. Ray's b g Pilgrimage, aged, 7st (Buokeridge) 3 Armourer, aged, 7st 131b; Charmer, 6yrs, 7st 101b; Germaine, aged, 7st 91b; Corsair, aged, 7at; Fabrication, aged, 7st; Wanda. sjrs, 6at 81b; Sylph, 4yrs, 6at 71b ; Torohunga, 4yra, 6st, also ran. Patrioious was soratohed. Rufus waa first favourite, hia performance in the Flying, bringing him into favour. The raoe lay between Lenore, Rnfus, and Pilgrimage, the remainder being out of it after the first half mile. Rufus led until coming into the straight, with Pilgrimage on his quarters, but he had shot hia bolt, and waa unable to come nt the finish, leaving Peterson to bring the filly through and win an interesting race. Time, 2min 20aeos. There were 394 on the totalizator, 61 on the winner, dividend JBS 15s.