SPORTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5603, 8 February 1879, Page 5

SPORTING.

WELLINGTON RACES. ITIME3' SPECIAL WIRE.]

Seoo.hp Dat.

WELLINGTON, Feb. 7. ■ The flrst event of the day was the Derby, and, after some hesitation, Dundee woe installed as favourite. The race was a pretty Ottej bat condition told its tale, and the fielder drew first blood. Derby Sweet, of lO sois. with 100 sots added j colts, Sst 101 b j filHeß. Ssb 61b; one '..mile and half. Mr l ».-;YaUtoice*s Merlin, Blue Mr W*bb’«,bm»dM. Tradn<jer--Belnga _ Barbella wM scratched at: 18 o’clock. »WBT®ite * on Dundee, who Wat trouble* sorne ct thoi popt. Four false starts were iteteb, W,wng» iOf which Merlin, was the first to prove. ..When the flag did fall, Dundee was priled : badk, and ran about three length. Mbted until half ithe ; distance was covered, after whiwi he olosed in at the two-mile post i and a short length between them, tod to lb. course the pair were locked neck and neck, and a pretty race ensued. On entering the straight Merlin, : who bad kept the. inside,,running throughout, was half a Itogth ahead, ( Dundee then began to whip boro,, tod tedf; wav up the straight Nolan had ito tousovhis none. The zace was won !by half a Jength, with «little id hand. The toper. toe, fester of the pair, bat was not so fitps hisoonquerbr. Time, 2mm. 1 575e0. , Hnanifß Hahwoap.t-75 sovs. Two miles, '■ ,ATfi?.e»s¥:ik»rdle./- in, - ■ Mr iMr ibst Kab,(A.,,,; : . Roebuck, aged, Okt Tib, also ran. Tewhetu fwto tcretohea. ‘Betting, 6 to, 2 on Agent. I After • a ftlse jitarti, in Which Agent was most prominent, the flag fell ' Erenlej at once tock tho leodj tod led over the first jump; Grey Momus second, Boebuck/third. The »tte teder Was maintained to the second temp, When Agent took Roebuck’s place. TwO mpte 'jumps were crossed hi this order, hut half a length separating the : first three. Eversley then cOmmtored to drop back, and Agentgot hfe head to the’ fore and led over the next two jumps. The run into the straight waa now naoned, and as it was entered Agent’s rider hod his whip out, bUt the race by this time' was Virtually dVw, The pair rose for the, last jqxnjp half a length,^ between them, but Agent hit hard and came down. His rider,, who escaped unhurt, quickly remounted, and ipassed the post ahead of Brersley, who was, tome dutanee behind. ; Time, 4min Usee. WbuEston BAciko dtXTB Hahdicap, of 200 sovs. Seoond horso to receive 25 sovs from the stakea. One mile and a-half.

Ur Batter's ISeries, aged, 7«t 101 b (Clifford) ! Ur Gibson’s Otawa, aged, 7st 41b ... (WaiVer) 2 MrYaUance’sLadyMen,svr».6st 121b(Harris) 8 i Bribery, Bst 911); Lara, Bst 21b ,- and Longlands, 7st 111 b; also. ran. Bettiim—Even lara, 5 to 2 Bribery and Otawa, 2 i Bribeiy caused great delay at the post. She would, not. come, and Bay. fell off once, hilt at length, after three attempts, the flag was lowered to a start, of which Bribery had much the best.: Lara, however, was soon bnshed! to the fronts and the pair eat out the tanning. until : the three-quarter post. Here who had been running very awkwardlj, closed up, and Otawa soon afterwards joined company. Bribery was the first to call a go, and Lara- soon afterwards fCQ back. Laertes was now observed to be coming througb, and a great race ensued at the starting post for half a mile, the Australian. being In front with the inside running. Otawa and Lady Ellen struggled hard under (be whip, hut the leader won without difficulty by half a length, the same distance between second and , (bird. The mare, who carried the stable’s money, ran unkindly at first. Time, 2mih 46eec. The Hack Back was not a race at all, as Annie, jumping away with a lead, won by about twenty yards easily. Eb«b Handicap of 50 sots. Five furlongs. Winner of Basing Handicap 71b extra. Mr Butter's Laertes,aged, 7st 71b ... (Clifford) 1 Ur Young's Sailor, aged, ost 71b ... (Lain*) 2 Mr,Knight's Saunterer, 2yrs, fist 61b (Harris) 3 After a slight delay the flag fell, Sailor, as usual, being the first away. The two-year-old raced withhim every yard until the run in, when Sailor attempted to ran off, and forced the colt right across the course. Laertes (hen made his effort, secured a lead, and won bands down. Saunterer was pulled on again, and finiahed with great determination. Time, Iminlfiseo.

Empibb PIATB of 100 sovs; second horse, |26 sots from the stakes; weight-for-age; | one mile and a quarter; for Provincial district horses. Mr Belober’a Expectation, Syrs, fist 61b ... . ; (Belober) 1 Mr Knight’s Lara, aged, fist Ulb ... (Lange) 2 Mr Bay* Diver, aged, fist 81b 3 : Harkaway and Otawa also ran. Betting— Even on Lara, 6 to 2 agst Otawa, 8 to 1 agst Expectation and Diver.

j Harkaway got the best of the start; Otawa was wretchedly behind. Lara and Expectation soon got together, and ran away from the rest. Diver, at the back of the course, closed up, but soon dropped back. At this time it appeared a certainty for Lara, but the mare stuck to him, and being fresh, managed to win by a quarter of a length in 2min. ISsec. Consolation Handicap of 60 sovs; second,

10 sovs from stakes. Otawa, by Tradaoer -Ladybird, 7st ... ... 1 iUndine, 7st 81b ... ... ... 8 Bata, Ost 71b , ... ... ... ... 3 Betting—Even on Undine and Lady Ellen, 2 to 1 agst Otawa. . ! Block Prince (6bt 81b) and Lady Ellen (6at 121 b) also ran. The flag fell to a start of which Bata and Indy Ellen had the best. Undine soon closed up, and Lady Ellen and Bata quickly fell back; ‘At the back of the course Lady Ellen dte;w away, but Otawa, who had seemingly been out of it from the jump, went up very fast. and.entered the straight, dose .to the leaders. He came well under the whip, but never could head the mare, which carried a pot. A protest that the mare crossed when starting was allowed, and the stakes were awardea to Otawa.

DUNEDIN BACHS. DUNEDIN. Ebb. 7. .In consequence of the absence of the lead* ing members of tho sporting ring in Wellington, the betting here during the weekhaa been veryslaok. Templeton, Sinking Fund, and Chancellor are backed for email amounte. Tb* announcement ofMoritana’s success yisterdhy caused her to rise rapidly in public favour. She Is now backed at, 106 to 10. Chancellor continues, first favourite for the Dunedin Cup. Dunedin , bones are out tegularly for practioe, but the excitement Will not commence until the. horses engaged at the Wellington meeting airire. . ;