YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 112, 8 November 1930, Page 10

YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY

AFTER NINETY YEARS

SPORT OF RACING

(S.S.) I.

It is not an altogether easy taak to determine from such records as are available when and how and where organised horse-racing, even in a primitive form, was provided for the delectation of the early settlers in this country. It seems to be fairly well established, however, that horses were brought to the North Island from Australia, sonic of them of Arab blood and many of them of doubtful origin, as early as 1837 or 1838 by intending settlers and adventurous traders, who added to their cargoes of sheep^ and cattle an occasional horse or two in the hope that in duo course they would become useful adjuncts to their other possessions. There were at any rate quite a number of horses of one kind and another in various parts of the North Island when Figaro, the first thoroughbred horse brought to the colony, was lauded in Wellington by Mr. James Watt in 1840. In passing it may be recalled that Figaro was only two years old when he was brought to "this country as the progeny of imported Operator, a sou of Emilius, and imported Adelaide, a daughter of imported Theorem, and that he was destined to become, two years later, the hero of the first organised race meeting in Wellington on 20th October, 1842, of which Mr. Edward Jcrningham Wake'iield has left us in his "Adventure in New Zealand" an entertaining account. Mr. Wakefield's story, with its surrounding circumstances, gives the capital city, now the headquarters of the Bacing Conference, a strong claim to be regarded as the birthplace of organised racing within the Dominion, and perhaps tho outline of the story will bear repetition. PRIMITIVE RACING. There were two outstanding events on the card, preserved for posterity by Mr. Wakefield, and several minor ones. "A sweepstake for ten guineas each, ' the text ran, somewhat ambiguously, "gentlemen riders; heats of one mile and three-quarters"; and "a sweepstakes for one pound each, one mile. In addition to these classics, there were three other events, in which sovereigns and five pound notes were involved, and ponies, cart-horses,,and "bay marcs, as well as "thoroughbreds" were allowed to participate. The ten guineas sweepstakes was won by Figaro, by this time a four-year-old, with his owner, Mr James Watt, iu the saddle, and the one pound sweepstakes by Mr. Samuel Bevan's Dandy riddeu by Dr. Dorset, while Mr. C. von Alzdorf ana Colonel Wakefield were prominent figures m the minor events. "About thirty gentlemen on horseback," Mr. Wakefield records, "followed in procession behind the ladies' cart on the road to town in the afternoon, and we closed the day with a race-dinner at Barrett s Hotel." There is about this allusion to the passing hours a suggestion that the stately hostel which still looks down on Lambton quay is more decorous in these- days than it was ninety years ago when race-dinners, it appears, were very emphatic affairs. The next race meeting in tho young colony, if it can be so called, was the display of horsemanship in Nelson, on the first anniversary of the settlement of the province, only a little more than three months after the festivities iu Wellington. In the first volume of the "Turf Register Mr Charles Elliott, to whom New Zealand owes tho foundation of its Stud Book, left a graphic account of the "horse race" included m the Nelson festivities. A WILD BIDE. Mr. Elliott's story, familiar to many of us still may have an inspiration and a thrill for the multitude. "The anniversary of the arrival of the first settlors in their particular locality, this ardent sportsman wrote, "was the first holiday taken by settlers throughout New Zealand, and, as a rule, wherever it was possible to find a course, and horses were procurable, a horse race was a prominent feature of the day's sport. ... In Nelson on its first anniversary, among other sports, was a hurdle race through the fern and flax, uphill and down dale, the course commencing near where Panama House- now stands, proceeding up the hill in front of tho Lutheran Church, then known as 'The Barn,' to the residence of Mr. Tuckett, through the acre on which stand the residences of Judge Broad and Mr. Gully, and onward to the old cemetery, then ascending the hill where Mr. Jones now resides, to descend on the other side and cross Examiner street, onward to Hardystreet, where there was a short level run home to the starting post.' 1 question," Mr. Elliott declared m conclusion, "whether, except in a ride for life horses were ever raced over such dangerous ground as Mr. Duppa rode Quilp and Mr. Thompson Slyboots, on Nelson's first anniversary." When .1 was in Nelson a year or so ago one ot its many "oldest inhabitants" was crood enough to indicate to me roughly the line of country said to have been covered by these intrepid horsemen in their wild career. It is now mainly covered by houses, but I should imagine these would have been less formidable than were the hillsides and broken valleys these fearless riders tackled. BEHIND THE RAMPARTS. A race meeting of more than passin e interest was held at Wanganui on 21st and 22nd December, 1848. Having discovered' an account of this festival in the "Wellington Independent," some years ago, I had the satisfaction of reminding the Wanganui Jockey Club of its own antiquity, and of receiving an appropriate acknowledgment from the stewards. Eighty years ago the relations between the Maoris and the Europeans were less cordial than they are to-day, and for this reason a cordon of soldiers was placed around the racecourse while the sport was in progress. On the first day of the meeting three events were contested, and on the second day two, a good dozen horses being engaged and the stakes amounting to some £50 or £60. The chronicler of the time has left us a picturesque account of the meeting, which recalls tho joys of racing before it became a business. "At noon the denizens of Petre were on the qui vive," lie tells us, "trainers, grooms, and jockeys, attired in orthodox costumes, were seen Hitting here and there, the cognoscenti in grave debate on the prospects of th) favourites, or lost in reveries on the safest way of closing the book, lads and ladies in their best, the grave and gay, the grand-dame and the 'granny dear' —for there was a good sprinkling of the COth —all sought the arena where the addition of horsemen, officials, and non-officials, racers, refreshment stands and the rest combined to give a genuine sporting character to the gathering." And the spirit of the meeting was not unlike the spirit of Wanganui to-day. Tho Biver City is among the most "hospitable spots in the Dominion. CANTERBURY'S BEGINNING. Although Auckland was peopled and horsed for some years before Canterbury and other southern provinces were settled, its distance from communication and the prevalence of Native disturbances prevented it giving serious attention to racing so early, as did some of the less hampered provinces, f'niil-pvbury having taken up its rich heritage only twelve months before,

held a race meeting in Hagley Park on 16tli December, 1851, more than a year before Auckland struck out with a more pretentious programme, but still one chronologically a good twelve months behind the Canterbury adventure. Canterbury, therefore, must take precedence of Auckland in this respect, though since then the Northern pro-' vince has eclipsed its friendly rival in many features of the sport. The meeting at Hagley Park in 1851 was a very modest affair, of which few particulars were preserved. There were four events on the card, Mr. Gordon's Brandy winning the Sweepstake of £5, Mr. Godley's Lady Nugent the Scratch Kace of £5, Mr. Watt's Russell's Stationer, which had been beaten by Mr. Godley's Lady Nugent in the previous event, the second scratch race of £5, and Jaeky Fly the Maori Race of £3. A much more pretentious card was submitted in the following year, and both the quality of the horses engaged and the equipment of the course showed a marked improvement, even the clerk of the course appearing in orthodox pink and "nearly all" the jockeys riding in proper costume. It was about this time that Mr. Henry Redwood adventured the purchase of thoroughbred horses in Australia, and it was largely duo to his enterprise and the enterprise of other Nelson sportsmen that the Canterbury Jockey Club stood for many years as the premier club of the Dominion. THE TWO ENDS. Auckland and'Dunedin, from a racing point of view, are at a disadvantage in being placed at considerable distances from the centre of this elongated country. Auckland, as already stated, was for'many years at a further disadvantage owing to Native disturbances and indifferent communication with other districts. Now it may claim a high place among the sporting centres of the Dominion. For the present, however, we are reviewing the genesis of the sport, and that the susceptibilities of the "Queen City" may not be offended, I have persuaded the first of her authorities to tell of her early sport. '' There may be some difficulty, he writes, "in fixing the date of the first race meeting in Auckland; but what can be vouched for is that a three days' meeting was held at Epsom (now Alexandra Park) on Ist, 2nd, and 3rd January, 1852. The programme each day comprised four events, and the total sum iu prize money amounted to £275. On the second and third days the prize for one of the events was a saddle, bridle, and whip. The meeting was held by the New Ulster Jockey Club, and the stewards were Mr. E. Mayne, Lieutenant G. Wynward, Mr. James Williamson, Lieutenant Cooper, Captain Campbell, and Mr. J. Hargreaves. In the 'sixties meetings were j held alternatively at Epsom, Otahuhu, I and Ellerslie. At the meeting held at the first-named place in 1865, Sir George Grey, then Governor of the Colony, won three races with Dainty Ariel, the horse being ridden by E. D. Halstead." In Otago there were many race meetings during the mining days, and Dunedin, the capital of the province, continues to provide excellent sport to an appreciative community; but the oldest of the available records reach no further back than 1863, when Ultina, a daughter of Towten, carried off the Dunedin Handicap for the Stafford brothers, and initiated a list of winners which still swells the Turf Register. So end the Yesterdays; the To-days are to come.