W.R.C. SPRING MEETING.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7914, 1 December 1887, Page 3

W.R.C. SPRING MEETING.

iBV TStEOBAPH.] - VVellington, Wednesday. t> The spring meeting of the Wellingto Racing Club was commenced to-day 0 the Hutt course, and was attended wit ;-■ success, both as regards the weather an i , the attendance. The day was fine an V ; ;. bright, and about 1500 persons wei I-' ' " •

present. Since the last meeting the club have altered the course, which ia now about eleven chain; shorter than the old one. The principal difference is in the length of the straight, which has had a large slice- cut off, but notwithstanding phis the present course is considered an improvement. While the Hack Hurdles was being run sonic excitement was caused by the top of the grand stand being noticed to be on fire. For a moment or two it appeared as if the stand must go, but willing hands, with the hose which ia always kept handy, were soon at work, and the flames were extinguished before much damage was done. Some agitation was occasioned ameng the ladies in the lower portion of the stand, and for a time it was thought that a panic would result, but on the advice of several gentlemen, including Inspector Thomson, of the Police Department, order was maintained. A dispute arose over the scratching of Strenuous for the Hutt Park Spring Handicap. The horse is trained and ridden under the supervision of Mr P. F. Tancred, but is owned by Mr F. Hill of Wanganui, in whose name the horse was entered. The latter gentleman wished to scratch thehorse for the race in question, but Mr Tancred objected, and questionei the right of Mr Hill to interfere. The stewards were asked to decide the matter, and after consultation they held that Mr Hill had a perfect right as owner of the horse to scratch him, and eventually this was done. The racing throughout wns interesting, and Mr Evett was specially congratnlated on his handicapping for the Hutfc Park Spring Handicap. Two machines were at work, and pnt through £3300. The following are the results : ••- FLYING STAKES, Of 40.soys ; second horse to receive 5 soys ' from the stakes ; 6 furlongs. Mi*J. P. Belcher's Tongariro, 7st 121 b . (Belcher) i Mr S. Thompson's Little Lamb, 7st 81b (Hockley) .2 Mr W. Davies' Giriri, 7st 12lb (Avery) 3 —Cupid (7st 61b) also ran. Forester, The Shah, Rivulet, and Fabrication were scratched. Tongariro was made a hot favorite at 6 to 4 on. From, an even start Tongariro was taken to the front, and was never headed, winning with comparative ease by two lengths, Giriri a bad third. No time was taken. Dividend £1 9s. HANDICAP HURDLES, Of 40 soys ; second horse to received 5 soys' from the stakes ; 2 miles. Mr H. Hill's Kangaroo, list 41b (Winteringham) i ... 1 Mr J. Jones' Rata, 9st 51b (Jones) ... 2 — Reputation (9st 121 b) also ran. Kangaroo was a hot favorite. Kangaroo led for half a mile, when Reputation was taken to the front, and led past the stand for the first time, but at the turn by the river Kangaroo again took' command, Rata being several lengths away last. All along the back stretch Kangaroo was increasing his lead, and Reputation running off the course left Kangaroo to win as he liked. Rata was second. Reputation did not finish. Time, 4min 12Jsec. Dividend £1 12s. HACK HURDLES, Of 15 soys; ljlnile. Puke 1 Blucher 2 — Ivo also ran. Won easily. Dividend £1 14s. HUTT PARK SPRING HANDICAP, Of ISO sovg ; second horse to receive 15 soys ; li mile. Mr D. Campion's Laurel, Sst 01b , (Belcher) 1 Mr J. Munn's Rivulet. 7st lllb (including 51b*ovet) ( Woods) ... ... 2 Mr P. F. Tancreds Administrator, Sst lib (Vaile)' 3 — The Shah (9st), Giriri (7st 81b), Smooth (7sfc 21b, iucluding 121 b. over), and Steelbone (6st 41b) also ran. Strenuous and Rumour were scratched. Laurel was the favorite at 2 to 1 agst, The Shah 3 to 1, Administrator 4 to I, 8 to 20 to 1 the others. A good start was effected, except Laurel, who was kept hanging at the post. Administrator at once made the running, with Smooth on his quarters, the remainder in a bunch a length away, with the exception of Laurel, who was six lengths behind. This order was maintained to- entering the straight for the first'time, when Giriri took the lead, with Smooth and Administrator at her girths, the others well up. Laurel had also made up the lost ground and was running in the ruck. Passing the stand the positions were the same, Tmt at the bottom "Tram Giriri dropped away, evidently beaten, and left Administrator, Smooth, and Laurel racing in front, the others in a' bunch a length away. As the field entered the back stretch Smooth' and Laurel were racing together, with Administrator a length behind, followed by The Shah, Giriri, Rivulet, and Steelbone in w cluster. Nearing the bend into the straight Laurel drew out a length from Administrator, anil Rivulet was seen coming fast. Laurel was first into the straight, but had little the best of it. In fact the race at .this .time was one of the best seen on the course, as all the horses were, together. Cries of "Laurel wins 1" "'Rivulet wins !" and " Administrator wins !" followed in quick succession. At the distance post Rivnlet and Administrator both challenged Laurel, and a great struggle resulted in Laurel gaining the verdict by half a length from Rivulet, who beat Adnrin'strator by a neck, Steelbone an excellent fourth, The Shah fifth. 'Time, 2min 42sec. Dividend £2 9a. ' The Cavalry Handicap, a sweepstake of 10 shillings, was won by Trooper Thorn's Brawn Stout, who beat four others. : Time, lmin 20sec. Dividend £3 13s. The Maiden Hack Race, of 10 soys, was won by Mr Cundy's Patriot, who beat ten others, paying a dividend of £8 Bs. GRAND STAND HANDICAP, Of 50 soys; second horse to receive 10 soys from the stakes ; lmile. • Mr P. Belcher's Tongariro, 7st 121 b (tfelcher) 1 Mr J. T. Thompson's Little Scrub, 7st 21b (Hockley) ' 2 Mr J. Peters' Smooth, Gst Olb (Peters) 3 — Rnmour, Bst 51b, also ran. The Shah, Forester, Giriri, and Fabrication were scratched.Tongariro was a red- hot favorite. On the fall of the flag Tongariro and Smooth made play for a quarter of a mile, with the Scrub and Rumour following a length away. Approaching the straight Tougariro drew away from Smooth, who also gave place to Little Scrub. The favorite led into the straight, and the race was never in doubt, he winning easily by half a length, Smooth an indifferent third. ; Time, Imin46sec. Dividend £1 6s. \ LADIES' BRACELET, Of 20 soys ; welter weight for age ; 1 i mile. Mr J. F. Quinlivan's Steelbone, lOst lllb (Mr Quinlivan) t Mr J. Munn's Waterfall, Bst 121 b (Mr C. Lyford) t Mr J. Burgess's Cloud, list 101 b (Mr T. Smith) 3 — Voltigeur (list 31b) and Bronte (9st 12lb) also ran. Waterfall was made the favorite. Cloud led for three-quarters of the distance, when Steelbone went to the front and was apparently winning easily, when Waterfall came with a rush, and from the distance post a great race resulted in the judge giving the race a dead heat, Cloud a fair third. Bronte' was fancied a good deal, but after going halt a mile the horse stumbled. Time, 2min 24sec. Dividend on Waterfall lGs, on Steelbone £4 16. In the run off Waterfall won easily. The following are the acceptances for to-morrow races :— HURDLES, 1 J mile. Kangaroo .. 12 5 Rata .. .. 0 7 Reputation . . 10 i ST, ANDREW'S HANDICAP, 1J mile. Strenuous .. 812 Administrator.. 8 i Laurel . . . . 810 Rumour . . . . 712 Tongariro ..8 8 Kangaroo ..7 2 Itivulet .. ..8 7 Little Scrub .. GlO RAILWAY PLATE, •I mile. Forester . . ..02 Rumour „ . . 710 The Shah . . 812 Little Scrub ..72 Strenuous . . 812 Smooth . . ..70 Tongariro .. 8» 9 Kangaroo ..7 0