SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5020, 18 December 1877, Page 3

SPORTING.

NORTH KAIPARA RACES. [VROII OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Dargavillk, November 22. Wb were favoured with glorious weather foi the two days' races which have just ended. They have been more suc:essful than the most sanguine of those who were mainly instrumental ill getting up the meeting over anticipated. People crowded iu largo numbers from the whole of the adjoining settle, me/its, and every person is pleased with the result, and anticipate even greater success on future occasions ; and all agree that great credit is due to the enterprise and public spirit shown by Mr. Dargavillc in connection with those races. The stewards and officers were indefatigable in the way of contributing niucli as possible to the succcss of the meetin", and Dr. Norton, who officiated as judge, Mr. A. Bonar, as starter, and Mr. Percival as handicapper, gave the greatest satisfaction. The various races were well contested ; and although Mr. MeGee's celebrated mares Perfume and Elsa, and Mr. Buckland's Magician were up, the local horsCE held their own as well as could be expected. I send you the following regarding the races:— FIRST DAY.

Maiden Plate of 20sovs.; weight for age. Distance, 1J miles. Mr. Marriner's fj m Frances, 3 years.. .. ..3 Mr. Lamb's b g Jessamine, 3 years 2 Mr. Lambert's Dublin Lass and Mr. Dunne's Katina also ran. Jessamine was the favour, ite, and would undoubtedly have won had she not run inside a post and lost a distance. Even then she recovered a great deal of lost ground, and made the finish a close one— Frances winning by little over a length, Wanoarei Cup (frurdle Race) of 20aova.. welter weights for age ; distance, 2 miles ; over S flights of hurdles ; open to all horses which have never won a hurdle race. Mr. MeGeo'sj g m Klsa, 5 years 1 Mr. Brier's ch g Wide-awake, aged 2 Mr. Dibble's Raipara Kate, Mr. McMurdo's Buccaneer, Mr. Buckland's Magician, Mr. Katene's Kipatu, and Mr. Saunders's Slander also rau. Elsa was the favourite. At the first hurdle Buccaneer collided with Kaipara Kate and both fell, Mr. McMurdo sustaining a rather severe shock. Magician refused the third hurdle, and was pulled up. The race then lay between Elsa and Wideawake, but although the latter jumped well and made a good second, Elsa was >n easy winner. Dargavjlle Cup of SOsovs, ; weight for age. Distauce, 2 miles. Mr. W. S. Bucklnnd's br g Magician 1 Mr. Katene's Young Performer 2 Mr. MeGee's bin Perfume . .. .. .. 0 Notwithstanding the heavy penalty of 211bs. which the latter had to carry on account of her previous performances, she was favourite for the race, but on each successive turn she lost ground, and was virtually out of the race, which Magician won easily, and Young Performer a fair second. Native Race of 2sovs. Distance, 2 miles. There were three started. It was as usual when Maori riders are up hard galloping from start to fiuisb, but. it was finally won by Mr. Brier's Cocky. Bushmen's Purse.—lOsovs., open to horses the bona fide property of settlers; welter weights. Mr. Lamb's Jessamine had an easy victory, running as he liked. Three others started, namely, Mr. Masetield's Young Ilattan, Mr. McMurdo's Buccaueer, and Mr. Leaf's Bundarra. Pony llace of osovs. This was won by Mr. Dibble's Nell. Six started. SECOX ~> DAY. lloktanga Cor (Hurcle Eace), of 25sovs. ; distance, 2 miles, over eight flights of hurdles ; second horse to receive osovs. out of the stakes. Mr. Katene's Young Performer l Mr. AJcGee's Perfume .. .. .. .. ..2 This was a most exciting race. Magician started in, but baulked at the first hurdle. Young Performer had a good lead towards the finish, when Perfume was put to her mettle, but was only able to make a close finish, the race bein£, won by less than a length. Settlers' Purse, of SOsovs.; welterweights; distance, 2 miles. Open to horses the bona fide property of settlers north of the Whau. This race was also »von by Mr. Lamb's Jessamine, beating Young Rattan by a length. Native Scurry, of 1 Osovs. ; 1 mile. This was won by Bundarra. Two others ran, but one of them bolted. Kaipara Handicap, of 25sovs. ; distance, 1£ miles. Mr. MeGee's Elsa .. .. .. .. .. 1 Mr. Minefield's Young Rattan 2 Young Performer and Magician also ran. Magician aud Elsa made a close race up to within a short distance of the finish, when just as every person was on the tiptoe of expectation, Magician fell, his rider, D. Taylor, being thrown over his head, and Elsa was left to finish alone, Young Kattan being a poor second ; and as for Young Performer, he was never in the race. Foresters' Plate of 1 Osovs. Distance, 1 mile; catch weights. This was won by Magician, Jiundarra being second. Consolation" Handicap of lOsovs. Six started, and it was won by Mr. MeGee's Perfume.

A dinner was held in the evening at Raynes' Hotel, at which Dr. Jsorton presided. A long list of toasts was before the meeting, and all were duly honoured and suitably responded to, and a very pleasant evening was passed.

WAIKATO TURF CLUB SPRING MEETING. [I'EOM OI7K HI'KC lAI. COKIIESPOXDENT.] Hamilton, Nov. 57. After the Volunteer Cavalry review had been dismissed, a short respite was allowed, when the Spring Meeting of the above club was held. The following races were run, with the following results :— Hukdle Race. —For troop horses only. Two miles, over eight flights of hurdles.. Weight for age. Ist prize, 15sovs. ; '2nd prize, 2sovs. Mr. l-V. Rutherford's Sportsman 1 Mr. K. Kirkwood's I.o;ifer 2 Out of twelve entries nine started, Gladstone, Count, and Dandy being scratched. Bond's Prima Donna, Taylor's Butcher Boy, and Kirkwood's Loafer were in the highest fettle, and were expected to come in in the. order named. All cleared the first hurdle, but in the next Whitaker's Charlie came to grief, and several others baulked at this and tbe next hurdle. On passing the stand the first time only three were in the race, and soon after Butcher Boy, one of those, fell, throwing his rider, and breaking the latter's collarbone. Kirkwood's Loafer's rider performed a very clever feat here. He swerved bis horse on the rump so as to avoid Butcher Boy's rider. By doing so he he lost the race, but gained the applause of all, and none more than Mr. ICirkwood, Loafer's owner, for his disinterested conduct and manly spirit. Butcher Boy came in a fair third, notwithstanding the state of his rider. Time, otnin. 39secs. Dr. Waddington attended to Bond's injuries. Cavalky Plate.—For Troop horses only, ridden by troopers ; one and a half miles ; welter weights for age. Ist prize, £20 ; second prize, £2 103; 3rd horae saves entrance. W. L. Mtrtyn'sb ra Memento (Owner) .. ..1 A. A. Kay's b g Orakan (Wilkinson).. .. .. 2 Out of seven entries only two started. Memento was favourite, but he had not sueh an easy victory as many anticipated. Orakau kept on her quarter, or girths, but by the utmost efforts could not pass Memento. Both riders flogged hard coming in the straight, and Memento won by a length. Time. 2min. 44secs. Waikato Tukf Clui! Handicap Hurdle Race. —Two miles, over eight flights of hurdles. Ist prize, 17sovs ; 2nd prize, 3sovs. Entrance, lsov. Air. Kirkwood's Tui, C years. lOst. 71bs 1 Mr. Jtu. horford'a Sporttuan, 12st. lib. .. .. 2 .Mr. Mariyn's Gladstone, 11-L. 71b 3 .Mr. Tajiur's Uutcher Boy, 32sc. lib. .. .. 0 Prima Donna and Loafer were scratched, but ten started, and it was for jumping and pace, the best country hurdle race I have ever seen. Every horse jumped well. Dandy's rider fell at the first hurdle, remaining at one side of the hurdle while the horse was at tbe other. He soon remounted, and went the course gamely. After the first round the race was virtually between the first and third horses. The others had tailed off into pairs at tbe back of the course. Gladstone lost grouud and Sportsman took a slight lead, but Tui challenged him iu the straight and won by half a length, Gladstone being a good third. Time, ornin. 2Gsee. Railway Plate.—One and a half miles; welter weight for age. Ist prize, 20sovs. ; 2nd prize, usovs. Entrance, £53.

Mr. Rticltland's filly Qncen Mab .. .. .. 1 Mr. Hill's Golden 'Jrown .. .. .. .. 2 Mr. Hinton's Late in th* Fl'iM 3 Queen Mab, with her light weight as a three-year-old, and superior racing qualities, was able to take and keep the lead from the first to the finish. It was a game race between and l.'iafer for second place. Five started, and two were scratched. Time, 3min. 3secs.

Hurry .Scuhp.y. For this event fifteen entered, and all started. After a hard gallop, the race was won by Mr. Roche's Little Dick, which was then put up to auction by Mr. Hill, and was bought by Mr. Kirkwood for 24 guineas. Tuotting Match (2 miles) then took place between Mr. Carris'a Paddy and Mr. Smith's Polly, the former giving the latter 200 yards in 2 miles. She came in by as great a distance as she started with. There was no interest felt in the event. A Hack Race then took place. After which the Cambridge Band, which during the day had played many excellent selections, played " God save the Queen," and the peopie dispersed homewards. The Band came to Hamilton, and played for some time before returning by coach to Cambridge. Mr. T. A. Brown, of Epsom, officiated as starter of the races, and gave the utmost satisfaction. Mr. Pierce, of the Commercial Hotel, had booths, and there was a great run on the light liquors, owing the burning heat and dust and want of water.