THE TAKAPUNA RACES.

Northern Advocate, 4 February 1888, Page 3

THE TAKAPUNA RACES.

[BT SPOETSMAK.]

The Summer Meeting; of the Takapuna Jockey Club was held at the North Shore racecourse on Saturday and Monday last. A large number of entries were received for all the races, and capital fields faced the starter. A number of Whangarei faces were seen on the course, evidently drawn thither to see the Whangarei horses pitted against tho town " cracks." It was a matter of considerable regret that Mr Thomas' mare Beeswing was not seen on the course, as there can be little doubt that with such a light weight as 6st 121bs she must have figured conspicuously in the Takapuna Handicap, if indeed she had not scored a win. It is to be hoped that Mr Thomas will be induced to enter his mare to run in Auckland during the coming Autumn Meeting. The racing opened on Saturday with a Maiden Plate, in which only two horses started. The race was simply a match between a race horse and a hack, Miss Alice beating Mantilla in a common canter. For the Handicap Hurdle race six hcrses saddled up. Whangarei was represented by Mr S-mson's Kangaroo, 9st 01b, ana Mr Cowen's Wat Tyler, Bst 71b. The starters were Magnesia, lOst 21b, Coral 9st 121b, Eecruit Bst 121b, and Sirloin Bst 101b. The race was a capital one, resulting in Eecruit beating Coral by half a length, Kangaroo being a good third. The latter was evidently suffering from the knocking about he received at Onehunga, and did not show such foim as when last seen in Whangarei. Wat Tyler ran remarkably well for thefirst mile, and at that distance held second place, but as soon as racing commenced he surrendered his position, and was never dangerous. He managed to dispose of his rider (Tutt), during the last circuit, but neither horse or jockey hurt. Eecruit, a game little horse hailing from the Thames, paid the substantial divi- | dend of £11. The next race was the Novel, in which Yankee camo home in front of Buzzard and Welcome Joe, also beating Holly and Glencoe. Wafc Tyler was also entered for this race, but was scratched after running in the Hurdle Eace. We think that if he had been scratched for the Hurdle Eace and saved for the Novel, he would have boen more likely to score a win, as he has beaten Yankee before on the same terms, and that, too, when in worse condition than ho is now. Yankee won with comparative ease, Buzzard just beating Welcome Joe for second honours. The big race of the day followed, in which the favourite got home first with considerable ease. Tauiora 7st 61b, beat the Cat, 6st 71b, second, Formo, 6st lOlbs, third, friendship Bst 61bs, Snake 7st 121bs also ran. Time, 2 min. 47 sees, was fairly fast considering the course it was run on, but we cannot help thinking that if Beeswing had been there with fist 121bs on her back, she would have made the favourite do the distance in quicker time or else have beaten him. The Selling Eace fell to the Waipu favourite. Squire, Bst olbs, who beat Capclla, Bst olbs 2nd, Briseis 7st 9lbs 3rd, Wat Tyler Bst olbs, Weazel 7st 91bs and Signa 6st 121bs also ran. Squire, who was splendidly riden by W. White, the Whangarei jockey, was taken to the front at the fall of the flag and was never headed, beating Capella, who went out a hot favoerite, easily by , three lengths. Squire paid a dividend of j £5 of'. Several of the Whangarei sports having invested a pound on him. White was warmly congratulated on scoring a win on the first mount he made in town. Squire was put up to auction and bought in by his owner for £41. The Soiling Steeplechase resulted in a boil-over, Mr Chadwick's Fair Play beating a field of eight starters. Traveller was the only repesentative from Whangarei, a»nd he came down at the water jump and was never again in the race. Quilp made all the running and led the field at a merry pace for the first two circuits, his nearest opponents being Huntsman and Fair Play. Eacing into the flat the last time Huntsman and Quilp were together, Fair Play a length behind. M. Maher, the jockey who rode Squire and Kangaroo at Whangarei, brought Fair Play up with a great rush at the finish, and after flying the last hurdle is splendid style, beat Huntsman by a nose on the post, Quilp being a length behind, third. Wideawake finished fourth, but did not run up to her usual standard. Traveller, Eoh Eoy, Patchwork, and Ngata were the other starters. Fair Paly paid a dividened of £11 2/ to backers. The last race of the day fell again to Tamora, who on the strength of winniing the Takapuna Handicap, went oui" a hot favourite. Squire Bsfc, Tupaki 6st 81bs, Haricot 7st *3lbs made the running at a terrific pace, and the three were locked together as they swept past the grand stand. At the back of the course, Wapiti rushed into first place, Squire running second, and Haricot close up, third. Entering the straight, Tamora came very strong, eventually beating Wapiti by a length, Haricot beating Squire by a neck for third place. The other starteis were Jessie, Tupilri, and Brown Eose. Tamora paid backers £2 4s. The second days racing commenced with the Selling Hurdle Eace, in which 10 hoises were engaged, but out of these only fo\u- faced the starter, Wat Tyler being amongst those scratched. The race was an excellent one, Sirloin winning by a short head from. Wideawake, Black Joe being third, and Rob Roy last. The dividend was £2 19/. For the Hack Rate, Bst up, eight horses started, Yankee being a warm favourite. Weazel cut out tl,e running from the start, and was neter headed, winning without being pushed, by three lengths. The other starters were Welcome Joe, Buzzard, Tommy, E-jsella, Lady Lonsdale, Yankee, and Veaetia. Yankee finished second, and Laiy Lonsdale third. The handsome dividend of £6 14s was paid on Weazel's win. Although eight horses accepted for the Handicap Hurdle Eace of two miles, only three horses saddled up. Peter •usbeck list 121bs, Coral 9st 121bs. and Wat Tyler Bst 71bs. Both Peter and Coral were largely supported, and Wat Tyler found a few backers. Coral at once rushed to the ft ont, and led the others over the first hurdle, but here Peter Osbcck struck heavily and came down, giving Hope a nasty cropper. Coral and Wat Tyler raced on, but Coral, {-.though challenged gamely by Wat, was never headed and won by t**j-,Q lengths. The dividened was £2 4s. The Anniversary Handicap fell to Miss Alice 6st lOlbs, Formo 6st 91bs, being second, and Tamora Bst 21bs third. Victoria, Lioness, Cat, and Maratan were the other starters. From a horrible start, by which Cat and Maratan were left at the post, Formo and Miss Alice led from start to finish, the latter winning by two lengths. The dividend was £7 14s. The Selling Eace fell to Briseis, Sirloin being second and Weazel third. Wat Tyler and On Guard also ran. Wat Tyler was evidently suf-

fering from the big race previously taken out of him, and was never dangerous. The Handicap Steeplechase of three miles was the great race of the meeting. Out of ll acceptors, only three were scratched, namely. Falcon, the top weight, lis ' 61bs, Kangaroo 9st lOlbs, and Eob Eoy 9st 71bs. The starters were Magnesia lOst 121bs, Coral lOst 71bs, Whalebone lOst 21bs, Quilp 9st 71b8, Eecruit, 9st 4lbs, Trovatore, Traveller, and Monitor 9st. Whalebone went out a hot favourite, but Eecruit was almost equally in demand. The latter was scratched in the Hurdle Eace in order to save for this event. Trovatore was supported by those who knew him, but these were'not many as evidenced by the fact that if he won he would have paid a dividend of between £40 and £50. Quilp made the running for a while, Magnesia and Whalebone running second and third alternately, but on the second round Nolan took Magnesia to the front, and secured a good lead. Recruit fell while jumping the fence on the hill, and was out of the race. Coral also baulked at the water-jump and was out of the contest. Whalebone made several game efforts to catch the leader, but Magnesia, who ran better than we have ever seen her, was never caught and won easily by a dozen lengths, Whalebone beating Quilp by a necK for secend place. Old Trovatore came very strong at the finish, and was a good fourth. The win was a surprise to everybody, as *lagnesia usually runs a perfect jade. Traveller i-art a^Su*iv-t. all the way. The dividend was £5 6/. The last race, the Summer Handicap, was won oy Artist, 6st lOlbs, Capella 7st 81bs, being 2nd, and Cateby 7st 4lbs 3rd, Squire Bst, finished a good 4th, and the other beaten horses were Friendship, Wapiti, Lioness, Haricot, Lady Alice, and Jessie. Friendship and Squire led for the first half mile, but were collared in the straight by the others, Artist winning by a neck. The dividend was £6 4s. The Whangarei horses will probably be taken home at tho end of this week.

At a meeting of the Northern Jockey Club held on Wednesday. Mr Dickey gave notice that he would move at the next meeting of the Club " That the added money of the club for the next Derby shall be reduced from £50 to £25,. and that the swfeep be £3 instead of £5.

The Poroti races are fixed for the 16th inst, the programe of which is adverin another column. Ample provision is made for an attractive day's sport, and these races being held in the immediate vicinity of the great Wairua|Falls,by starting early, visitors can both visit these and enjoy a day's genuine sport.