WANGANUI RACES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 5, Issue 234, 3 December 1861, Page 3

WANGANUI RACES.

(From the Wangamii Chronicle) We have to congratulate the inhabitants of Wanganui on one of the most successful meetings ever held on their course. Notwithstanding the quantity of rain that fell in the beginning of the week the course was not nearly so heavy as might* have been expected ; the strong gale of Wednesday having done much towards drying the ground. A high wind also prevailed throughout Thursday, causing great inconvenience to jockeys and spectators, which was however counterbalanced by its drying qualities. We have the authority of many old members of the sporting community for saying that never has this meeting been surpassed for better contested races, game riding, good feeling, and, we are sorry to add, worse arrangements. This last feature of the meeting may to some extent be accounted for by the indisposition of two of the most energetic of the stewards, who in former years have done so much to the firm establishment of the Wanganui meeting ; but still this is insufficient to excuse the remainder both of stewards and committee, for the absence both of a ring, posts, and good hurdles. ITBST DAY. On Thursday, the high wind prevailing probably prevented many from venturing on to the ground ; indeed we have never seen so small an attendance. The horses entered for the Produce, five in number, all appeared at the post ; Don Jon and Gipsy King being the favourites, although the tohers — Fisherman, Eobinhood, and Kitty — had their admirers. If ever were two favourites greater contrasts. Gipsy King — a son of our old friend Gipsy — stands, we should think, over 16 hands, a large brown horse, powerful, but scarcely possessed of the points of a racer Don Jon, on the other hand, is a low long horse, very powerful behind, standing about 15 hands, and showing strongly the Biddlesworth blood. It is hardly necessary to particularize the others as the race was actually reduced to a match between these two. A good start was effected, all passing the judge's box well up ; but on reaching the heavy ground all but the favourites fell behind. These made steady runv ning to the straight when a very pretty race ensued ; the Don beating the King by a neck_. The others not placed. In the second heat, Gipsy King's jookey made play, closely waited on by Heywood on Don Jon ; but the pace was too good for the big horse, who gradually fell behind, and notwithstanding the effort and scientific guidance of his rider, was beaten by about a length and a half; the other horses saving their distance. 1. Produce Plate oi £50, (or more if subscribed) added to a Sweep stakes of £5 ss. each, PP., open to all horses foaled in the colony, and that have never run for public money previous to the ensuing racing season 3 yrs. old, Bat. Vlbs. ; 4 yrs. 6st 71bs. ; 5 yrs. lOst. ; 6 yrs., and lOst. 41bg. Heats, mile and-a-half ; second horse to receive £10 out of the stakes, no person allowed to enter a horse without he is a subscriber of at least one guinea to this Plate. Mr. 'Alex. Cameron's b.h. Don Jon, 5 yrs. Heywood 1 1 Capt. Blewitt's br. h. Gipsy Bang, 4yrs. xr t •, r. rv R - * • Bi «^> Us* 2 2 Mr. Lewis b. g. Fisherman, 6 yrs. J. Day S 4 Lieut. Lewis' c, m. Kitty, aged, Walker 5 3 Mr. Mussen's b. g. Bobin Hood, 4 yrs. J. Hare 4 S 2. Sczwrry Stakes of £20, added to a sweepstakes of one guinea each, p.p. Heats one mile and a half. Catch weights. Dr. Gibson's c. g. War Eagle, 6 yrs. «• „ _ Walker 5 0 11 Mr. Foreman's c. g. Whynot, aged „ -~ „ J.Day 10 2 2 Mr. D. Cameron's bl. g. Mazeppa, aged Heywood 2 3 Tarn O'Shanter and Blinkbonny also started, This was one of the best races ever run on the course. Sibyl being withdrawn, five came to the post ; they all got well away at a rattling pace, War Eagle being the favourite. But in this heat he sadly disappointed his friends, who were unable to account for the extraordinary way in which he seemed to shut up, except on the score of temper. Whynot came in first, Mazeppa a good second. In the second heat the Doctor's horse seemed to think better of it, made a good start, raced all the way round with Whyriot, a dead heat being the result. This was the event of the meeting ; the horses and jockeys were both rather baked by the struggle, for it was indeed a hard one j every nerve and muscle was brought into play, and every effort used on the part of the riders, who both landed their horses on the post in a most masterly manner. We are sorry to hear so much discussion on the judgeß decision, and beg to remind our readers, that whatever is said after thiß fiat has gone fortk can do nothing towards changing the event, and can only lead to bad feeling. In the third and fourth heats Whynot made a gabant effort, but the *• good drop " in the Eagle's blood began to tell, who was declared winner after one of the hardest and pluckiest races we ever witnessed. 3. Ladies* Purse of £20 added to a sweepstakes of £2 2s. each, open to all horses, 3 yrs. old, lOst. 41bs. ; 4 yrs. list. 41bs. ; 5 yrs. list. lOlbs. j 6 yrs. and aged, 12st. Heats, two miles, second horse to fcls stakes. Major Trafford's b. m. Sibyl, aged -„ „ ~ , Walker 1 1 Mr. D. Cameron's bl. a, Mazeppa, aged 2 0 Lieut. Lewis' b. m. Blinkbonny 3 0 Sibyl won the first heat easily, and in the second walked over the course. 4. Stock-horse Race of £15, added to a sweepstakes of £1 each, for stock-horses bona fide the property of stock owners in the district of Wanganui and Rangitikei, that have been regularly ridden after stock for at least twelve months before the date of entrance, and that are not entered for any race of the present meeting. Weight same as for Wanganui Stakes^ poet entrance, single event, two miles. Mr. Harrison's Graham ... 1 Mr. M'Gill's Little John ... 2 ; Mr. Hill's i ... 3 Mr. D. Cameron's Rusty ... 4 SECOND DAY. On Friday the weather was all that could be required, and the attendance was considerably greater i than on the previous day. Some time was lost in

the strengthening and heightening the hurdles, whioh after all were by no means of the best. Four horses answered the saddling bell for the hurdle race; the following was the result. 1. Hurdle Bace of £25, added to a sweepstakes , of £2 2s. each, p.p. « 3 yrs. 6st. j 4 yrs. lOst.; 5 yrs. lOst. 7fts.; 6 years and aged lOst. lOHis. Heats, 2 miles, over six hurdles 4ft. high. Second horse to save his stakes. The winner of the Produce or Ladies' Purse to carry 4fi)s. extra. Dr. Gibson's eg. War Eagle, 6 years— J. Day 1 2 1 Mr. D. Cameron's blk. g. Mazeppa, aged— „, „ . Heywood 2 12 Mr. Eraser's b. g. Captain, aged— Hill 3 4. ■Lieut, Lewis s b.m. Blinkbonny— 1, Mr. G. Boss; 2, Walker 4 3 Mr. Hill led the way over the first hurdle, followed by Mazeppa and Blinkbonny, all taking it kindly ; Day on War Eagle took it more gingerly, as the horse seemed by no means sure of what he was going to do j he was, however, put at itbodily, and got over somewhat clumsily ; at the second hurdle Captain refused for the first time, but all the others went straight at it and cleared it. The race now became really exciting, the pace was excellent, and all took their hurdles almost at the same moment; the second time round the ' pace increased, all racing to the last jump. Mazoppa was passed by War Eagle actually on the leap, both Day and Heywood putting their horses at it in the pluckiest manner possible. The chesnut made one of the finest leaps we ever saw, not losing an inch, although we are frightened to make a guess at the amount of ground cleared. "War Eagle, having the heels of Mazeppa came in a winner by a few yards. 2nd heat :— A change was made this heat in Blinkbonny's jockey, Walker being put up, as Mr. Eobb had ridden 14fts. over weight in the first heat. This was nearly as pretty a race as the first, not a single horse refused, and all handß rode boldly to win ; Day, however, believing too much in his horse's powers, waited too long and made his play too late, and in the heavy ground. A fine race, however, ensued— War Eagle making splendid running, passing all but Mazeppa, who won by a neck. 3rd heat : — This heat was characterised by the same good fencing and riding as the former two j the chesnut, however, evidently had the advantage all through, and came in the winner by four lengths. We spoke to several old New .Zealand sportsmen, who all agreed that they never saw such a hurdle race in the colony, and seldom at home. They praised highly the determined and skilful riding of the various jockeys, and seemed to think that probably the name of Day would be soon as well known on the colonial turf as on that of the old country. , 2. Wanganui Stakes of £30, added to a sweepstakes of £3 3s. each, open to all horses. 3 yrs. old, 9st. ; 4 yrs. old, lOst. ; 5 yrs. lOst. 71b. ; 6 yrs. old, and aged lOst. 101 b. winners and thoroughbred horses to carry 41b. extra. Heats, two miles, second horse to save his stakes. Major Trafford's b. m. Sibyl, aged „ . „ Walker 1 1 Mr. A. Cameron s b. h. Don Jon, 5 years - Heywood 2 0 Capt. Blewitt's br. h. Gipsy King, 4 years B. N. Biggs, Esq. 3 0 Three only appeared at the post out of five entrances. No doubt was felt as to the result for the first place ; the only interest excited was as to which would be placed second. Sibyl took the lead and kept it. A doubt seemed to exist in the minds of a few as to Don Jon's right to the second money, but we beg the doubters to consider, that if it is imperative for a horse to go two heats for first stakes, it is just as necessary to do so for the second. 4. Consolation Stakes of £10, entrances £1 Is. each, for all horses that have run and not won a race during this meeting. Post entrances, weights to be handicapped by the stewards, single event, once round the course and a distance. Mr. c. g. Whynot J. Day ... 1 Mr. A. Cameron's c. g. Tarn O'Shanter '' Walker ... 2 =.. Mr. McGill's Littlejohn ... 3 Whynot came in an easy winner. A hack and pony race concluded the meeting, which has seldom been surpassed for really good sport, and was favoured with what our race meeting seldom enjoys, unexceptionable weather.