sporting.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 30, 11 March 1865, Page 5

sporting.

NELSON KACE MEETING.

- The Nelson Race Meeting of 1865 came off on Tuesday and Wednesday last. The weather was remarkably fine, and although, there was no lack of dust on the road, there was no wind to raise it in clouds, and cause that annoyance which we have sometimes witnessed on such occasions. That our. races had not lost their old attraction, the attendance amply testified, particularly on the second day, when the concourse of people present was unusualllv large. A change, however, has taken place in tho appearance of the road between Nelson and tho course, for, instead of being crowded with pedestrians as formerly, it was occupied by a considerable numbor of smart omnibuses, American wagons, and vehicles of a similar character, all of which were excessively crowded, so that several hundred persona must have found their way to Stoke by this means, who would otherwise have had to trudge the distance on foot.

Although the fields of horses were in moat instances small, the races were generally well contested, and on the second day particularly so. The late sales of our racing stock at Canterbury and Auckland, of courso operated to the prejudice of the Meeting, and as Nelson, in regard to the excellence of its horses, has come to be regarded as the Yorkshire of England's colonies in the Pacific, we must expect to see our young stock drafted off to win laurels in distant places, and whilst hearing of their success, wo must console ourselves with the knowledge that it was in Nelson they were reared. But other causes besides the sales made by Mr. Redwood and Mr. Stafford at Canterbury and Auckland, contributed to reduce the number of horses brought out at this Meeting, and to leave more than one well-known stable unrepresented ; and the absence of the colours of some of our most steady patrons of the Turf, was but poorly cdmpensated by the presence of two or three that were new, although we welcome these very heartily. If the latter carried away no prizes, they contributed very greatly to the sport ; and we hope that better success will attend their next efforts. Another year, we shall hope to see old friends again in their old places, and it is by no means unlikely but that some of them will oome out in great strength. The chief interest of the Meeting centred in the running of Ladybird and Gulden Cloud, the gelding never before having run in Nelson, although the two had met with varying fortunes at Christchurch and Dunedin. At the Christchurch Meeting in 1863, Golden Cloud beat the mare in the Criterion Stakes, one mile and a-half, time 2 mm. 68 sees. ; and on the next day beat her again in the race for the Grand Stand Plate, of one mile, time 1 mm. 45 sees. ; and again on the third day of the Meeting, the pair met in the Forced Handicap, Golden Cloud, 3 fn, 7st 131bs ; Ladybird, 4 yrs, Bst 61bs, one mile, time 2 mm. 3 sees. ; won by the Cloud. At the Champion Meeting, at Dunedin, a month later, the gelding beat the mare for places in the Town Plate, on the third day of tho races, the latte* carrying a penalty of 51bs. At Canterbury, last year, the gelding beat the mare for the Canterbury Cup, Golden Cloud, 4 yrs, lOst 31bs ; Ladybird, 5 yrs, lOst lllbs ; one mile and three-quarters, time 3 mm. 33 sees. The severity of this race told against the gelding the next day for the Ladies' Purse, in which he was beaten by the mare ; and although he started on tho third day of the Meeting for the Queen's Guineas, it was with no idea of racing for it, but simply to satisfy the public, as the horse was a complete cripple. It will be seen that the pair had met in six races, without reckoning the Queen's Plate at Canterbury, and that the gelding had beaten the mare on five of these occasions. At the late Champion Meeting at Canterbury, they did not run together, being both in the same stable, but as the mare was selected for the great event, it must be concluded that she was regarded as the better animal of the two. The running, however, of the Cloud at the Canterbury Meeting was so good, that Mr. Redwood was quite justified in believing the horse to be as good as ever, and that, barring accidents, "his investment on him of £500, would not be a very foolish thing.

The running of those two crack animals, both for the Turf Club Plate on Tuesday, and for the Town Plate on Wednesday, must in some respects hare been a disappointment. The Cloud is a horse that will never make running, unless most severely punished, while Ladybird is one of the most determined pullers that ever started. As Mr. Redwood had no second horse in either of these races to lead the Cloud, the pace was as slow as a top, Cutts keeping the mare well in the rear, and Cundy being quite unable to get the gelding along. Thus the race for the Turf Club Plate was run for the first mile and a-half, when Ladybird went up to the Cloud, but never attempted to head him until within the distance, when she made fast running home, and won easily ; the time occupied for two miles being 4mm 12 sees. It might hare been supposed from this race that the Cloud was amiss, or had lost his speed, but yet, within an hour after* wards, with 191bs. of additional weight, he won the Handicap Plate of one mile and a-half in 2 mm. 55 sees — a truly great performance, considering the weight carried by the gelding. Again, on the following day, for the Town Plato of three miles, the Cloud was suffered by Ladybird to lead at a slow pace to the distance, when only the contest began ; but from the manner in which the race was run, it occupied 6 mm. 30 sees. ; nor could the Cloud, without a horse at his head, and a more resolute rider on his back, be got to improve his pace. But then again, in the very next race, the Victuallers' Handicap, in the company of horses that would make running, and with E. Cutts on his back, the Cloud, carrying lOst 51bs, did his mile and three-quarters in 3 mm. 30 sees ; later still in the day, in the Forced Handicap, run under- similar conditions, and carrying lOst 121bs, the horse ran a good race against Regina. We have entered into these lengthy particulars concerning the running of Golden Cloud and Ladybird, because the time in which the two principal races of the Meeting were run, is calculated to mislead persons at a distance, unless an explanation of the cause was furnished. Mr. Stafford ran his mare in the only manner in which he could insure success for her ; and Mr. Redwood, from not having a second horse in his? stable, could not run the gelding differently. The Cloud was in splendid condition, while the mare did not look so blooming as she did at Canterbury ; and, had Otto been in form, instead of crippled in his feet, we should have seen such running as has never been witnessed in Nelson since we lost Zoe and Strop.