THE WELLINGTON RACES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5064, 8 February 1878, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON RACES.

[By ELEcnac rrxiiflu-vra.] IriiKss aoe.vcv. \Vi::.u.ngton, Thursday. It rained all night on Tuesday, a l -! &\y on Wednesday and Wednesday night—more or less. Thursday opened doubtful, with socially weather until after mid-day, when it beamc equable, cloudy, but clear. The course being an old sea beach and very porous, did "not suffer much fr.un the rain, and was rather favourable for good racing, the turf bei:-g springy, and without mud or dust, Compared with the previous year, the .ittendar.ee was meagre, indeed when the Governor and suite arrived there were not more than live hundred on the ground, and only about half a dozen in the lawn where bookmakers frequent. This it is said was entirely due to the practically prohibitive charges lixed by the Jockey Club for entrance iuto the lawn. saddlingpaddock, and grand staud. l'etting was very slack, the general impression prevailing'tbat the bookmakers had more influence over the races than was compatible with the public interest. Hui'.ni-K Race, bOsovs ; mile and distance ; sevenhurdles.—Four started : Grey Mon.us, Victor, Shark, and To Whetnmarama. Victor went away with a line lead, leaving all the others in a heap. Though all the others were more or less fretful and fractious at the start, the signal being H iven, Victor jumped away with a lead several lengths r.t the others, all moving forward in a cluster. The first jump was cleared in line style by all - at the second, Mi.imis bauhted, le Wlietu looked dangerous, but Victor took his jump easily, and uever baulking, gamed such an advantage over his competitors that they could not overcome. At the sixth hurdle. Shark baulked and Monnis fell and baulked at the seventh. Victor won easily, Te Whe'.n and C.-cy Momus were nowhere. H.M'K Hruni.*: i;.«T_-Seven started. A rood race, all the jumps being taken very we'll. W..'.t by .1. Macara's Forest, Cj.ieen. Wi:u.iNon>s Di::i;y, of lOOsovs . tvith a I sweep-take of HI guineas; half forfeit: for j three-year-olds. Distance, 1 Smiles. About the time of this race there was the best i.tleiidaneo .ui tii.' groa.ifj, that not being more than Io.W. The start was rather slow, nearly all the horses being hatful and fractious* Standard-bearer went nil' with a lead, Truuip Card being outside, and Chokebore last. After pi-smg the grand staud a few hr.ndrid yards, the racing uas between Trump Card and Standard-bearer, Chokeb >re bein • evident!'.' out of the race. At the imish Trumo Card, although -.vir.ning only bv about a ! ::u'th, showed by bis style that he had 1 1.-ntv of running in him. and consequently coV.d have made considerably faster time. Fi.vini: S.vi;i:s. i.a-, heap. ."iOsovs., threequart-, rs m.le : il've.i entries. After all other s*ar:.r- ]'ut :;ti, Kakapo's number went up, xu\ '.'.e'w.mt'an 1 raddled up at the starting pi'.,v. '!'ho-e -o.'atehed were — IV.aebar'. ■..•.vera, !- _:acv. and Sailor. Starters —Kakapo. L:.ak Walton, Titania, Standard-',, ar> r. >:!■ navy. Lady of the Lake, Stirabout. Th. re was a bundle at tiie start. but the s j.•.::■'. ata n.pt was sr.ee-•ssful, all i-otting r.'.'e.- pretty well together, exe:pt V- l; .,ai-.ib.are:-, who was sadly in the r-.ar. The i'f.-r.l: was a s larp in favour of the former. Time : hn.li. w.i:!;u'-Vvifrv'.'..:,"■;■ y'.V-.s'o ;. 1 Gib's. '.*. '.'. -j Maiukn I'l-.tp. : KOsovs. : weights for at;e : mile a'-.d a halt. —Uidy three- entries. Talley, Mufti, an.l Pimire. " Mufti went oil" with a lead. aV, three passing the stand in a cluster, Mufti being hard held. On passing the grand stand, Finiire, wno had inside place, led, and Talley ran last. A good race took plaee between Mufti and Piuiire, especially in the straight run coming home, but Mufti seeming to have most wind and bottom responded to the call and forged ahead in the last struggle which took place in the 7"> yards before reaching the grand stand, and wou gallantly by about a neck. Jockey Ci.rE Handicap, of loOaovs : second hor--e, trosovs. ; mile and a-hr.lf : 13 entries.—The following horses came to the fccrat:jh : —Danebury, Utupai, Titania, Songster, Oman, Pi.elire, Legacy, and Stanley. Eiirht eanie to the post. There was a ditricultv in the start, the horses being sect back twice. Eventually, all got Well oil together, Stanley leadinu. and Ouila and Otupai being second and thirl. After r.u exciting ra-e, Titania came in lirsr. and Songster second. The only accident was that a rider was thrown in the Hack Hurdle P.a.-e, who seemed considerably iijured—getting on his feet twice and immediately falling a.'ain. Tu-mtirrow bidi fair ti be a beautiful day. The fo'.lo'.vini' Wei-thi* .ver2 deelired for the Hurdle Kate to night :—C.-ey ilon;r.=, 11.-t. 4'.os ; Te Whetum '.rami, lis;. ; Vie-or. list: Shark, liht. -!".bs. ; Sentimus andTe "'.Vhetu, !)sr. lOlbs.