SPORT OF KINGS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 8 (Supplement)

SPORT OF KINGS.

RACING IX THE EARLY DAYS

INCIDENTS OF THE SEVENTIES

The Sport of Kings played a prominent put in the soda! life of the pioneers of Poverty Day; indeed, horse tilting in days agone was the principal, 11 not the only, diversion irom tire humdrum existence of ineessant toil. Kate day was tiie signal ior the renewal ot acquaintances and associations in the world of sport. A day of days lor the pioneers, whose inveterate love for blood stock lias made its mark to-day on the racing stables of Xew Zealand and Australia. In the early days of racing in the Day owners pitted their stock against those of their neighbors and, like many punters to-day, would back the “shirt off their back - ’ on the capabilities of their horses and many and varied are the reminiscences of the good old days.. The establishment ot the Waeienga-a-hika Chib in tiie early 70’s bore testimony lo the interest of the settlers in hoise racing and ior years the annual meeting on Boxing Day on the old course there was the scene of an animated crowd of settlers from all parts of the district. The old \V aerenga-a-hika Club held the meetings on the property opposite the present hotel and the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s meeting was held at the rear of the hostelry.

FOB.MATTOX OF TURF CLUB.

A few years later came the Poverty Bay Turf Club, which secured the course at Makar aka through the representations of the Cook County Council, and has since continued racing there, holding their annual meeting in February until years . later, when the date was changed Lo October, and subsequently two meetings a vear were held.

WINNERS OF IS7G MEETING.

A two days' fixture was held bv the Poverty -Bay Turf Club on 17th' and I.Brh February, 1876. The Tu rang:; Stakes was run over two miles and was won by Mr. E. Farmer's Otoi (by Bicmcdos) who, the previous season, won the first Auckland Derby tor Mr. Watt. Whitefoot, a uselul sort of gelding owned by Mr. Donald Fraser, won the Flying Stakes, Hurdles Race, and Forced Handicap. in 1881 the 't manga Stakes went to .Mr. C. C. Murray's Merlin, w, in Angler next. Foul Play (ail Auckland Cup winner, had a walk ovJlr for the Ladies’ Purse, three miles, on the opening day. Merlin easily annexed the Tradesmen’s Handicap, one mi.o and a-lialf on the opening day when he beat Mavis (who also carried Mr. Murray s colors), also Angler and Fee. l Play. Mr. R. WLector took the Hurdles, two miles, with Mat an who. later in the day, ran second to Mavis in the Publicans’ Purse. Director was in great form at that meeting, wanning tbs Maiden Plate and County Pur.-.o on the. opening day.

GISBORNE PARK CLUB CGMES INTO EXISTENCE.

■The establishment of the Gisborne Park Club in November, 1889, marked the suspension of the activities ol the Waerenga-a-hikn Club which, for many years, had catered admirably ior the spo/t. Among tiie earliest associations with the turf in Poverty Bay were Major C. D. Pitt, F. Dutaiir, Walter Black, Peter Breingan, Tom Goldsmith, Ted Smith, Wyllio, Allan -McDonald (later member for the districtin Parliament), Duncan Hepburn, .Major Westrupp, .John Maynard, Geo. 'iv. Sunderland, John Clark, it. Tholwall, J. \V Suiuieriand, Stapylton Caulton, Walsh (of Patutaliij, and _U. G. Nasmith.

EARLY BLOODSTOCK IMPORTATIONS.

The bloodstock imported into Poverty Bay by racehorse owners of the early days lias left its mark < n the pedigrees of many oi Xew Zealand best tun performers, notably Dainty Arial and Pacific, who were among the best thoroughbreds in England, tho former being one of Kictdlesworth’s progeny, who were brought to Poverty" Bay by Captain Bead, while Mr. Caultoil imported Orlando, Tregeagle and Ghillie Caliuni from . Australia. Mr. Wyilic and Hon. Allan McDonald, who were in partnership in the racing game in those clays', imported the well-known sire Foul Play, which subsequently gained for •'them a number of wins, whilst they also scored notable successes with Musket’s progeny and Aconite. Tom Horsfall imported from Australia King Quail, Eandwic-k and others, while Australian importations by Walter Black were Corsair, Queen of Hearts, Songster, Bothweil and Derringer, all horses of high breeding, physique and stamina, for those were the days of long-distance races. Air. John Clark bred and raced very successfully To Arai, who won the C.J.G. Grand National, also Hobgarden, who was an outstanding per.ormer on the turf. Tam O’Shanter was one of the best importations that ever came to this district, hut an accident- brought Ins career to an untimely end belore he had time to strike his true form. The Auckland Cup. was won by more than one Gisborne owner in the early days, Mr. Allan McDonald annexing it- in ’7S with Arial, and Tom Horsfall in 'Bl with King Quail. Memorable will ever be the famous - Continuance.- — l’aisano double at Christchurch which enriched so many local punters eonsidcrablv.

The difficulties of transport of horses were, as now, tlie main drawback to owners from outside centres bringing horses here. There is one incident which serves to emphasise that fact, when Perfume came to compete at a. local. meeting in ’77, and was dumped overboard from the steamer and allowed to swim ashore, was raced the same day, and won. Mr. S. C. C'aulton imported Dainty Arial from Auckland and Ghillie Cailum and The Barb, and Tregeagle and Wild Darrell from Melbourne. Pie also bred' from Tregeagle and Wild Darrell the high-class hurdler Dayroll, who was prominent, on the 7s.Z. turf of a few decades ago’..

AX EXCITING RACE.

One of the most exciting incidents of the earlv days occurred at the Waerenga-a-iiika Boxing Day races of 1880. 'Lizard was the only horse of three nominations that came to the port, the other two. Sussex and Skylark, having been scratched. Lizard's weight was 9 stone, but Redman, the rider, scaled 9st Sib. Lizard took all his hurdles, says the "Standard,” which were pretty stiff, successfully, until the last, alien he tripped, throwing his rider, who was too stunned to remount. On seeing this, young Doleman, possibly with more haste than discretion, donned the colors and rode Lizard into the weighing-in yard, but he was disallowed. lm scaling 9.4. or 41b short- of Redman’s weight. Mir. W. Mill, riding at Redman’s weight, mounted Lizard hut was refused to hp weighed iu on the ground that a rider cannot scale in twice. The "N.Z. Rules of Racing” cay-. “If a rider falls . and the horse is ridden from the place where he fell, by a person of sufficient- weight, he may take his p'ace.Commenting, on-this, the. "Standard’! said: “If 'si 11. ■-the-; horses; are entered -and all hut one;is serf t-: r.-hed-that .one; should hnyerayshow forhis money. This sera telling business is made too much of and horses, ought- to he run after they are once entered . . -unless debarred by

some cause more substantial and less open to suspicion than the mere whim oi the owner.” When Foul Play was scratched for tho Auckland Cup, the "Observer” had some very strong observations concerning the unfairness of scratching the horse, pointing out that many people had been “dene in"’ for their money through the scratching taking place at the last minute.

At the Waiapu races m ifcSl the Sergeant of Police, says the “Standard,” rather surpiised a noted character who had been ill the hab.it of what he ceils “plugging” people ter the last ton years on the Coast with impunity. He was aOout to start to “plug” when tiie Sergeant "downed” h:m, and handculUit h in.

A LIVELY DAY.

A race meeting in the early days was always an exciting time, s inkers coming f um all parts. T he fir-.f mee ting of the Poverty Day Turf Club, at least as far as Mr. Robe: t Thrhvall can recall, was on a cause laid out behind the Biidge Hotel, Matawhero. The following vear. he believes, it took place at The Willows, Mata 'hero, and the two iollowing virus Wue-rengu-a-hika was the lo.ation. A few years later the course was changed to Make raka, where it has remained ever since.

The M’atavhera meeting, however, is the one that lemains most vividly in Mr. Thelwall’s memory, for it was indeed a lively day. Some of tho disbanded Forest Rangers were pres me and, needless to say, these old soldiet's were out to enjoy themselves to the full

After some exciting finishes, Double arose over a race.' A i.e"i-k>> w > resident, who v. as a good rider, had a horse called Tiie Herring because it was so thin. It was not entered in the race, hut-, lor pure devilment, the rider joined in the race at the back of the course as tho horses were passing round the second time. Being fresh. The He:ring ran in an easy winner, Cut, on reach inn 11: * post, dropped dead. This incident caused, arguments that lasted ior many a long day afterwards!

“BATTLE” BETWEEN BAKE HAS AND MAORIS/

Then came the greatest incident of the day, the memorable fight between the Maoris and the pnkchas. It all arose through a row !•< tween a liu cpoan and a Maori, which ended in a scrimmage. Two or three others jo'ned in and then the fight became general. Captain W est: upp, who had been in command o', the Poverty Bay Mounted Rifles when they disbanded, called out to his men to "fall in.” They responded readilv and general fighting took place, stirrup leathers and irons being freely used. Many others get palings, while still more secured stent sticks, pieces of timber or hunting crops. On the command of Captain Westrupn the Europeans made a charge at hundreds of Natives. Many of the pakelms were mounted, but the majority of Maoris were on root. 'Hie Natives stood up to it for a time determinedly but eventually turned and ran with the Europeans in full pursuit. They were chased down the course and for half a mile down the river. Many jumped into the water and swam across to the Patutahi side, landing at the spot

which is now the junction of the Wai-ro.a-Patutahi road. Then the ;>a n I has gathered on the opposite bank and had a war dance in honor of the ore s'on returning later to the course. It is p'easing to record, that no sesicus damage resulted on cither side.