GREY VALLEY RAGES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1743, 5 March 1874, Page 2

GREY VALLEY RAGES.

Second Day -Tuesday, Maech 3. [fkom our own correspondent.] Before entering into a description of the events of the second day, it will be necessary to refer to the handicapping of the previous evening and other matters, in order to account for the undoubted dissatisfaction which prevailed on Tuesday, and to fix the blame in the proper quarter. On Monday evening there was the usual difficulty in getting a quorum of the stewards together, tli9 difficulty being increased in this instance by the hurry and bustle of business on the night of a race meeting, and to make matters more complicated one of the gentlemen who had been appointed handicapper for the second day's racing, and who had consented to act, resigned at the last moment, giving a reason for so doing which it; is nut worth while recording here. Another of the handicappers very properly declined to assist in making weights for the District Handicap Kace, because he had a horse entered to run fur the stake. This gentleman assisted at the handicapping afterwards, but the other didn't, although he was a steward as well as an appointed handicapper ; but fortunately the omission did not leave the rest of the stewards in the corner he hoped for. At length the handicaps were made' out, that for the District Race giving general satisfaction. The weights for the Town Plate did not suit Nero or Lacenfeed, and the nominators of these horses declined to accept, leaving the field to Septimus and Sandy. A similar fate befel the work of the haudicappers for the Hurdle Race, Nero and Boy in Blue being both scratched, leaving Sandy and Septimus again masters of the situation. It was decided that both races should be allowed to fali through, as by the rules adopted for the guidance of the stewards, three horses should accept for each handicapped race, or the public money would be withheld.

other races should be substituted for those that were off, the stakes to be of the same amonnt, and the conditions as nearly equal as practicable. It was agreed that the handicopping for the new events should be done by some person who was not in any way connected with the management of the races. Accordingly, when the races were made up, an entirely disinterested gentlemau. Mr John Hastings, was requested, on the race-course, to act as the handicapper for the day. Mr Hastings consented, provided the owners of the horses entered, agreed unanimeusly, and as he has the reputation of possessing a thorough knowledge of the work required of him, the stewards were congratulating themselves on getting rid of an unpleasant responsibility in a very satisfactory manner. But alas ! for the vanity of human wishes on a race-course. Such is the perversity of human nature, and especially of horsey human nature, that when the handicap of Mr Hastings came out for the Stewards' Handicap, the race substituted for the Trial Stakes, which fell through on the previous day, the weights gave, if possible, greater disadvantages than the handicaps of the previous evening. There were 'only two acceptances, viz., North Star and Lacenfeed, both owned by the same partnership, and the race consequently fell in. Mr Hastings declined to act further, and the stewards were again compelled to fall back on their own resources, ; and to appoint handicappers from amongst themselves. When the weights for the Forced Handicap, of 50 soys., were made, public, there was a greater uproar than ever among the cognoscenti. This race was substituted for the Town Plate Handicap of the previous day, and it was reasonably expected that as the weights were reduced all round, especially in the case of, Lacenfeed, who received six pounds less than in the Town Plate Handicap, there would be a rush of acceptances. But fate, or "the Ring," had ordained it otherwise, literally and arithmetically, as well as figuratively, for the event fell through, Septimus and Nero alone accepting. It will thus be seen that the owners, or ostensible owners, of the horses nominated for the several events were hard to please in the matter of weight given. There was a considerable amount or grumbling about the handicap of Mr Hustler for the big race, the handicappers appointed by the stewards failed to give satisfaction, and the handicapper selected, by the owners of the horses themselves, was openly insulted because he endeavored to do his best to act impartially, and the stewards en bloc, when they tried their hands at weight-fixing, were treated with a contempt, which was not by any means silent, for these august functionaries were individually and irreverently described as " potato merchants from Warrnambool," a phrase by the way which we have since learned is as expressive of utter disgust and contempt, and meant to be about as offensive as it would be to call a Glasgow citizen a "Paisley wabster." Two of the principal races of the day having thus fatten in, it was impossible for the stewards to give entire satisfaction to the public, Ueuauso It was out ufthtsix- powor to offer any sport. The stakes were then to be run for, according to a programme made and based on recognised precedents, and if owners of horses could not come to satisfactory arrangements among themselves about the disposal or division of the plunder, it is not the fault of the stewards that the money is still in hand. For the rest, the weather was glorious, there was a larger gathering on the course than on the first day, especially of ladies, numbers of whom flitted about well mounted and gorgeously arrayed in orthodox "racing co3tume." The various ''little games" went on briskly, but the juveniles sadly missed their old acquaintance Aunt Sally, who was conspicuous by her absence, tn the unavoidable long intervals between the advertised races, hurry skurrys and scratch matches went on without intermission. In one of these impromptu events a well-known storekeeper and publican at Ahaura h,ad a rather narrow escape. In consequence of a jostle when at full speed, he cannoned with an Amuri cattledealer, the cannonee coming down a cropper, aud rolling over and over, in fact, describing a perfect "Grecian bpnd." The racing as far as it went was not amiss, with the exception of the Huidle Race, which as usual ended in disappointment. In this race Sandy ran away with his rider at the first hurdle, and was not seen in the race again. Nero parted company with his jockey, and had a fly round on his own account, and Septimus did not distinguish himself at his jumps. The winner jumped well and was exceedingly well ridden, but Sandy and Nero being disposed of, the old grey was not able in his present form to cope with his more youthful antagonist. The District Handicap was a certainty for North Star, and in the Hack Race the finish between Butcher Boy and Fanny was very good. Several protests were entered, the particulars of which will be found elsewhere. The following are the details of the races : — • District Handicap Race, of 25 soys. ; the second horse to receive 5 soys. from the stakes. Open to all howes the bona fide property of residents on the Nelson. South-west Gold-fields, or in the Province of Westland, prior to the Ist of January, 1874. Tho winner of any plate or stake value L3O and over to be debarred from entry. Distance, 1£ miles. Mr. G Flower's b m North Star, aged ost7lb(E Blythe) 1 Mr J. Seaton's b g Boy in Blue, 5 yrs, ort 71b (W. Lloyd) 2 Mr D. Cameron's br h Wide-awake aged Bit 71b (T. Cochraue) ... ... ... 0 Wide-awake got a good start for some distance. North Star and Boy in Blue passed the judge's stand the first time neck-and-neck together. The Star took tho lead at about half the distance round, and the Boy in Blue overhauled Wideawake at the corner coming home. The race from the distance to the winningpost between North Star and the Boy in Blue was well contested, the Star winning by half a length. A protest was entered on behalf of the owner of Boy in Blue against North Star, on the grounds that the rider of North Star jostled the Boy in Blue, and that the mare was not qualified according to the programme, she having won a stake of the value of L3O. Hack Race, of 10 soys., open to all horses Lhat had never won an advertised race. Entrance, 10s. Distance, 1 mile. Heats. Mr B. Gough's Butcher Boy 1 Mr T. Egan's Fanny "'. i . 2 Mr T. Orchard's. Polly ». ... ... 3 Mr H. Harris's Camelia "'„.' ... ;.. 0 Butcher Boy won by a bare head, after

Fanny entered a protest against the stakes being paid to the enterer of Butcher Boy, on the ground that he had previously won an advertised race. Handicap Hurdle Race, of 35 soys., over eight flights of hurdles. Nominations of 1 soy., to be made on 28fch February. Mr J. Seaton's b g Boy in Blue, 5 yrs, 7st (R. Barton). .... 1 Mr D. Cameron's g g Septimus, aged, Bst 71b (F. Callaghan) ...•2 Mr D. Carroll's br h Nero, aged, 9st (W. Lloyd) 0 Mr W. Cochrane's eh h Sandy, aged, Bst 71b (T. Cochrane) ... 0 Sandy bolted at the first, hurdle, and did not show up again. In the second round the rider of Nero was unseated, hi 3 foot touching one of the posts of the hurdles when he was going over, and the I bold Roman was not seen again. Septimus aud the Boy in Blue ran well, together for some distance, but the former baulked at the last hurdle, and the Boy in Blue won the race easily. A protest was entered by the owner of Septimus on the ground that the Boy in Blue did not fairly take all his hurdles. Entries were then called for the Consolation Handicap, but Lacenfeed only came to the scratch, and the race did not come off. By this time it was sundown, and it was too late to get up a hurry scurry, a stake for which was to be run for. • The several protests will be entertained by the stewards previous to paying over the stakes on Wednesday evening. This concluded the most unsatisfactory race meeting yet held in this district. As we have attempted to show, the partial failure arose through circumstances beyond the control of the Race Committee. The programme was a good one, there was plenty of money to meet all demands and leave a handsome surplus. This surplus is. not required for any indispensable object, and the stewards, by substituting, at great personal inconvenience to themselves, fresh races for those whi^k fell through, have proved that they we!^ anxious to give the public some sport. The formation of a Jockey or Racing Club for the whole of the Grey j Valley is tne only remedy for the state of affairs and an earlier intimation that the races will come off will have to'be made each season before the stewards can attract horses or owners of the sort required.