SPORTING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, 2 January 1904, Page 2

SPORTING.

bPUNAKE RACmS CLUB. HACK 3lEdsKfd)A^'

The annu&i meeting of the Opunake ] Rading Club was held at Pihama on New. Year's Day. The weather was threatening in the morning, the result being that the aiteridance was not so large as would • doubtless have been the tase othfrwise. Still the attendance was good. The fields in the Handicap Hurdles and Welter were small, but in the other events fair fields faced the starter. The day was attended with one disagreeable incident. In the Hurdles it appeared'that Hawera was not ga "trier," as the gelding was allowed to canter about seventy yards behind the other contestants, while in the Maiden -Plate he romped home, and of the 448 investors on the machine it was seen that onlv>23 had favoured Hawera with their support. The dividend worked out at £ld 2s, but a protest on the part of the owners of Vanj Courier (second horse)* and a demonstration by the public, caus-. Ed the stewards to award the stakes to the second horse, Hawejsta. being disqualified on the ground of inconsistent runrang. Except for this unfortunate affair the meeting was thoroughly enjoyable. The Secretary, Mr G. W. Rogers, had his arrangements in .perfect order, and as the day turned out bright and cool a very pleasant time was 1 spent. The Opunake Brass Band was in attendance, and throughout the day discoursed pleasant music. The sum of £2,849 was put through the totalisator. 'Particulars of the, different events are : — I HANDICAP HURDLES, Of 40s soys; 1£ miles, 6ver six flights q*' hurdles. ri 123 Mr Whareroa's br g Ranana, 10.8 J (G. Roberts) ...^ 51 W. H- Xongs' "hr g Morelli,. 9^JC^M Jackson) .. ... J ... 70 J. Mitchell's eh g Hawera, lOj^H • (A. Mitcnell) ... ... .^H Only starters. No effort to win uH observable throughout the race; HawJr was at the tail. Ranana jumped badly, and broke through a couple of. fences Investments, £244. Time, 3.2. Div., £1 155., FLYING HANDICAP, Of 40 soys; six furlongs. 37 R. H. Campbell's blk g Rustique, 7.13 (J. - Trigger!. ... . - 1 146 E. Russell's br m Lady Soult, 8.13 (J. Barlow) 2 79 A. Alexander's eh m Tambourina, 7.11 (!•:. Murtagh) ... ..'.'• ... 3 Other starters — Silver ■ Star, Siandra, Nightguard. A splendid finish -was wit nessed, and had Lady Soult made her run sooner, she would probably have won. Investments, £419. Time, 1.20. Divs . £7 12s and 12s. ' * MAIDEN PLATE, ,Of 30 soys; weight for "'age; one mile. 192 H. Eva's b g Van Courier, 8.13 (R. Searie x . ... 1 88 G. Moir's br m Blue Lake, 8.13 (E. Abbot) 2 Other starters : Pashti, Hawera, Silver Crown, Pardon. This was a keenly .contested race, and Hawera, (8.13) finished .first, full of running. The stakes were awarded to Van Courier. Investments. £448. Time, 1.55. Divs., £1 11s and £12s.' , OPUNAKE R.C. HANDICAP, Of 100 soys, 1£ miles. 99 Mr Whareroa's b g . Ranana, - 7.0 (H. Conquest) '.. ... 1 86 I. Hardley's blk g Little Turk, 7.7 (E. Murtagh) " v.. 2 .79 C. E. Brewer's eh m Black Cat, 8.4 (H. Tait) 3 Other starter — Rita, who wag second favourite, and ran last the whole distance. Investments, £351. Time, 2.20. Div., £3 2s. • .. ELEQTRIC STAKES, Of 25 soys, weight Bst; four furlongs. 97 W. Bath's b g Two Bob (E. Mur--tagh) ... i 80 D. HugKes' br, g Kapuni (J. S. Butler) ... .2 135 J. J Melville's b m Vacillate (G. Phillips) .; ... 3 Other starters — Lady - Shell, ' Herangi, Blue Lake, Liquidator, and Toiler. The field started badly, and was strung out from the jump, Lady Shell b6ing U the rear Won by half a length. Investments, £441.- Time, 64secs. Divs., £3 Is and £1 4s. WELTER HANDICAP, Of 45 soys, minimum weight 8.7, seven furlongs. 11 W. Johnson's b g Lurcher, 10.5 (P. ' ..,1 6 11. Cleland's b m Pashti, 8.9' (J. Trigger) k OnJy starters. Lurcher led the whole distance. Investments, £17. No time taken. Div., £1 7s* NEW YEAR STAKESTHANDICAP, Of 45 soys, one mile. 62 E. Russell's Lady Soult, .8.9 (E. Abbott) ... ... ... ... l 32 W. F. Mantle's b g Siandra, 7.7 1 (J. Conquest) '. .. 2 30 0. E. Brewer's eh m Black Cat, 8.3 (H. Tait) ■ 3 Other starters— Rita, Rustique, Little Turk, Tambourina, Ranana^ The lastnamed was a hot favourite, , but did not justify the public's expectations that he would win a third race on the one day. The starter, Mr Chevannes, exercise*! much , patience, and gave the field' an excellent start. Investments, £489. Time, 1.51. Divs., £5 6s and £3 Bs. FINAL ..STAKES,, Of 25 soys, weight 9st, five furlongs. 73 W. Bath's b g Two Bob, 10.0 (14lb penalty t (E. Murtaghy ... ] 25 0. Matthews' eh g Herangi fE.' Abbott) . 2 146 1). Hughes* br g Kapunf (J.S. Butler) ... $ Other starters— Van Courier, MacUlate. Silver Crown, The Toiler. Notwithstanding the 141b penalty imposed upon the winner of the Electric .Stakes, Two Bob ( carried the additional iiurden to victory in brilliant style. The placed houses j hard.for position; and were bimch- | cd' at the finish. Investments, £440. Time, 1.10. Divs., £4 and £3 19s. Divs., £4 and £3 19s! '. • » '