NELSON STEEPLE CHASE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 671, 30 September 1854, Page 2

NELSON STEEPLE CHASE.

The gratification which our race meetings have always afforded induced the lovers of the sport to try to shorten, this year, the period between them, and a Spring Meeting of one day was proposed and decided upon, to take place in the early part of August. For various reasons, the chief of which were the high prices of corn and hay, and the consequent heavy cost of training, the Turf Club was induced, after some consideration, to defer the attempt for another year, rather than risk the chance of a failure ; whereupon a few individuals, unwilling to be altogether deprived of the promised sport, entered into a private subscription to get up a Steeple Chase, and were quickly able to advertise stakes which induced three horses to go into training, and subsequently a fourth, which comprised the field. The day appointed for the race to take place was Wednesday last, and the ground selected was in Waimea East, starting from a ploughed field belonging to Mr. Snow, just beyond Destruction Hill, and proceeding in a Btraight line across the lower field on Mr. Cautley's farm, over a low hill to Ranzau, and then, turning to the right, the course back ran parallel to the main road, to the winning post in a field nearly opposite to the old Baptist chapel on the plain. The course selected was admirably suited for the purpose, and possessed the advantage of being seen nearly throughout from Wensley Hill, while equestrians were able, after seeing the start, to gallop down a cross road and come out on the plain and see the run in. The ground was nearly all enclosed, and was partly in grass and partly under crop, with here and there a newly- ploughed field. The leaps were twelve in number, and of every variety — post and rail, ditch and bank, gorse hedges, and a brook ; and although none of them were very severe, they were quite sufficient. The state of the ground, too, was calculated to try the powers of the horses, for it had rained in very heavy showers for upwards of thirty hours. Fortunately, the weather cleared

up onr the morning of the race, but one of the horses happened to be on the other side of the Waimea river, which was heavily flooded, 'and it was doubtful whether he would be able to cross. But it is not" a trifle that will keep a sportsman from his appointment, and accordingly, although at the cost of a good wetting, Mr. T. Redwood brought his horse across the river in the morning, and entered him at the post for the race. The NELSON ANNUAL STEEPLE CHASE, of 5 Son. each, h. ft.; 30 Sovi. added; second hone to lave his stake, over two miles of country, in the Waimea ; for three yrs old, 9st 61bi ; four, lOstlOlbs; five, Ilst4lbs; six and aged, list 71bs; 4lbs allowed to mores and geldingi. Entrances to be made to the Secretary of the Turf Club on or before the ISth of August, after which the entrance will be doubled. Mr. T. Redwood's eh g Wild Harry, 0 yrs . Owner 1 Mr. Schroder's b g The Fiddler, Syn . G. Cutti 2 Mr. Price's b g Bob Sawyer, aged . . Lyford 3 Mr. Dale's gr g Billy Gray, aged . . H. Stafford Betting at starting was in favour of Wild Harry, but the grey had been previously in request, under the impression that he was the safest card at a leap, if not the swiftest of foot. At the word, the four went away across a heavy newly ploughed field, Bob Sawyer, without asking the consent of his rider, taking a strong lead, followed by the Fiddler and the chesnut, the grey last, in which order the lot cleared the first leap, a ditch and bank topped by a rail. In the next field, which was swampy, Bob's headlong course received a check by putting his foot in a hole, which brought him and his rider to the ground. Lyford, however, was soon again in the saddle, but Harry and the Fiddler had given him the go-by. In the meantime, the former, having now possessed himself ot Bob's place in front, took the remainder of his .leaps flying, and reached the winning-post before either of the other horses showed in sight. The Fiddler was second, and at a long distance Bob came third, but the grey never showed at all. In the second field Mr. Stafford endeavoured to take his horse over a side fence into a road, to avoid some bad ground, and in doing so the grey fell, and broke his rider's collar bone. Instead of pulling up, Mr. Stafford again mounted his horse, and did not abandon the race until a second fall convinced him he could pursue it no longer. Fortunately, a medical gentleman was at hand to render the necessary assistance. After the race, a large party of sportsmen were liberally entertained at Wensley Hill, by the spirited proprietor, W. O. Cautley, Esq., who was one of the stewards of the race.