Races at Murewai.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 578, 5 March 1891, Page 3

Races at Murewai.

[own oobbespondbnt. ] Maraetaha, March 2.

A race meeting, under aboriginal auspices, took place on the Murewai beach last Friday, resulting in a very pleasant afternoon’s sport for all who took part in it. The only horses qualified to run were those owned between the Te Arai and Maraetaha rivers, that had never started for public money. This led to a “ glorious uncertainty” even greater than ever, as the merits of the contesting quadrupeds were known only to a select few, and were in some cases overrated even by them. The beach was in good order for going, and most of the finishes were fought out with great vigor to the bitter end. The first race, 1} miles, over four hurdles, brought out four runners. From the start all kept well together, taking the jumps almost simultaneously, till the last fence was negotiated, when Nama, responding gamely to his rider’s forcibly put question, game away amj won fairly easily by three lengths. The Flying (J mile) was won' by Takabi, the other two starters being close up. Seven ponies saddled np for the Pony race, which fell to Pirimia, who came through the crowd 100 yards from home, and won as he liked. ...... The Murewai Handicap was won by Pikao, with Nama second, but. the last named was awarded the stakes, as the winner came from outside the boundary. The nomination money was returned to him.

The surprise of the day was effected by Murewai in the next event, the hack race, (| mile, catch weights), he beating ten others. A donkey race far which four horses entered was won by a horse which, some short time previously, had been bought out of the pound for sixpence. This concluded tbe day’s sport. A large number of natives assembled at Mr O’Dwyer’s hotel in the evening, and for some hours proved themselves enthusiastic votaries of Terpsichore.