THE TURF.

Northern Advocate, 13 January 1912, Page 5

THE TURF.

WHANGAREI RACING CLUB,

FIRST DAY RESULTS

Yesterday's weather conditions were ideal for the opening day of the Whangarei Racing Club's annual meeting, and consequently there was a very good attendance of the public to enjoy the sport provided for them. At times the sun was rather hot and therefore the shade afforded by the grandstand was sought after, resulting in an unusual scene of animation and color, which added considerably to the gaiety of the occasion. Both inside and outside the enclosure keen interr-st was shown in the racing, which must have been gratifying to all onlookers| The hurdle race was the least interesting on the programme, as it was easily seen that Black Northern, although not making the pace, commanded the position from the start; but the other events, especially the Cup race, the Settlers' Handicap and the trot, were exceedingly interesting, and resulted in good exciting finishes, as did the Publicans' Purse between Ruatangata and Tipua. Mr Chadwick must be congratulated upon the handicapping which was the primary cause of the close finishes, and Mr Nelson upon the good starts made, as there were one or two horses which behaved badly prior to the races.

Mr Stone, the judge, had some narrow margins • o delineate, probably the closest finish being that for second place between Viva and Mahinga in the Kensington Stakes. All arrangements had been made well for the convenience of the public and for the systematic management of the meeting, and for that Mr R. J. Dent, the untiring secretary, was in a large part responsible. The catering provided by Mr iGroome was a big advance on what has been the state at some former meetings, and the provision made by him to cope with the large crowd displayed' a keen knowledge of how the business should be carried on, and was a credit to him and to the Club . Investments en the totalisator showed' a large increase, due, to a large extent, to the absence of bookmakers. In 1910 the machine on the first day put ough only £940 10s, last year £1228 10s, and this year £2879 10s, being an increase of £1651 over last year's total. »■

Of the jockeys O'Shea was the most successful, he winning with Vietalia in the Settlers', riding Ruatangata into a first and a second position, and Viva into two seconds. McKinnon won with Tipua and Firelock and also rode the former into a second position. I Curran was up on the Cup Winner and got a second and a third with Bonny and Mahinga respectively. Julian with Black Northern and Pell with Luperin also rode winners. Julian also won the trot m Smuggler. Following are details of the racing:— SETTLERS' HANDICAP (Of 23 soys, 6 furlongs). Vietalia (O'Shea) 7st 71bs 1 Bonny (Curran) 7st 51bs (carrying 61bs extra) 2 Madam Paul (Deeley) Ist 121bs .. 3 Nimrod (Whittaker) 9st, Luros (Deerey) Bst 121bs (carrying 41bs), Luperin (Pell) Bst 21bs, Rangiora (Mitten) Bst, Tutanekai (R. E. Brown) Ist lOlbs (carrying 21bs extra), and Waitangi (Evans) Ist 91bs (carrying 51bs extra) also started. The field started in a bunch, with Bonny lying last. Bonny, however, quickly made up the lost ground and gained the le id at the half way. The field closed up and, upon entering the straight, Vietalia was racing neck and neck with Bonny, with Madam Paul coming up on the outside. Vietalia crossed the line half a head in front jof Bonny, with Madam Paul about a length behind and Luperin fourth. The j time was lmin 19sec.

KENSINGTON STAKES HANDICAP (Of 30 soys, 4 furlongs). Tipua (McKinnon) 7st 81bs 1 Viva (O'Shea) 7st 31bs 2 Mahinga (Curran) Bst 91bs 3 Soultstone (Pell) 7st and Agram (Morris) 6st 121bs (carrying 4lbs extra) also started. Tipua gave some trouble at the starting point, but got away well and quickly obtained a lead with Viva, and was followed by Mahinga, who started a hot favorite. The winner passed Viva just in time and won by a short neck with the favorite a close third. The time was 50 4-5 seconds. FIRST HURDLE HANDICAP (Of 40 soys, iy 2 mile) Black Northern (Julian) lOst 131bs 1 Sabine (Ross) Sst 51bs 2 Burnbrae (Henderson) 9st 3 The only starters.

From the start the race was the winner's, who was favorite. Sabine led over the first four hurdles and jumped beautifully, but Black Northern passed him between the fourth and fifth jumps and gaining in the gallop entered the straight an eaay winner and romped him by 6 lengths in 2min 4d l-ssec, with Burnbrae a similar distance behind Sabine. FIRST TROT HANDICAP. (Of 18 soys, 2 miles).

Smuggler (Julian) 33secs 1 Fiery Cross (Cambie) 12secs 2 Lady Member (W. Pearson) 26secs 3 Kirikiriroa (Sullivan) 9secs, Casket (Bayliss) 23secs, Redpath (Greenwood) 25secs, New Vita (McElwain) 2'Jsecs, Bob (Haslan) 33secs, and Benny (K. Pearson) 38secs also started. Benny was overtaken before the completion of the first round by Smuggler, and Lady Member, despite two breaks, led past the stand. At the back of the course Fiery Cross was cming up fast and Benny had dropped altogether out of the running. Entering the straight for the finish Lady Member and Smuggler commenced to fight it out with Fiery Cross taking up a good position on the outside. Smuggler broke and Lady Member got a temporary lead, which' she lost by breaking again herself with 75 yards of the post, and Smuggler passed her r,nd won easily, while Fiery Cross, trotting beautifully, fell into second place. No time was taken. WHANGAREI CUP HANDICAP (Of 60 soys, 1% mile) Fuss (Curran) ,Bst 21bs 1 Ruatangata i.OShea) 6st lllbs * Scotch (Whittaker) 7st 121bs 3 Jolie Fille (Satman) 9st Slbs was the only other starter.

All horses started with a fairly even share of patronage and the race was an excellent one from the spectators point of view. From a good start, Jolie Fille overtook Scotch, but the latter again assumed the lead. All the horses were in the race when entering the straight aaii in tbe final dash with whips out, Ruatangata passed Scotch, but was beaten by % of a length by Fuss, who came up> very rapidly ora thb outside. Scotch was very close up at the finish. The official time vras 2min 11 l-ssec.

RAILWAY HANDICAP (Of 25 soys, 6> furlongs) Luperin (Pell) Bst - 1 Kadam Paul (Deeley), 7sfe 101 ba .. 2 Master Sly (Biown) Bst2lbs 3 Sapper (Hynderson) 9M 21hs was the. only other starter:. From the start Madanr Faul worked; up from last tc Luperux.. Thie latter, however, maintained ai good lead and won in a canter by 4 or 5 lengths in the same time as,the former 6 furlongs race, lmin 19secs. A meeting of.the stewards was held after the race to inquire' feto alleged inconsistency of the winner's running. After hearing the jockey's explanation, it was decided not to interfere with the result. PUBLICANS' PURSE HANDICAP (Of 30 soys, 7 furlongs) Ruatangata (O'Shea) 7st 1 Tipua (McKinnon) Ist " Condamine (Deeley) 7st (91b extra) 3 Caruso. (Whittaker) 7st 61bs and Maika (Stockley). est 71bs (71bs extra) also ran.

The race was a good betting one. Tipua gave more trouble at 'he starting point, but got away well again and took the lead, only to have it wrested from her at the top end of th« straight by Ruatangata. The pair raced neck and neck down, the chestnut gelding winning by a r arrow margi 1 and Condamine, who had run last over a fair portion of the distance, .filling third position. The time was lmin Si^sec. FLYING HANDICAP (Of 30 soys, 5 furlongs. Firelock (McKinnon) Bst 3ibs .. 1 Viva (O'Shea) 7st 21bs 2 Luperin (Pell) 7st 91bs and lOlbs penalty — 3 Frontino (Whittaker) Bst lOlbs also ran, but was sore. From the jump Frontino assumed the lead, but Firelock took up the running and led into the straight, the top weight falling to the rear. Firelock won comfortably by two lengths from Viva in lmin 4%sec.