SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5496, 28 June 1879, Page 6

SPORTING NOTES.

I The Waimate Steeplechases took place on I Jnne 11, and were fairly attended, consider- ' ing that many people were kept away, owing to the sitting of the Supreme Court at Timaru. The weather was cloudy, and the air sharp and bracing; the course, which took in gorse, ditoh and bank, post-and-rail fences, and a stiff water-jnmp, was in capital order. From accounts, the meeting was not conducted in the best of manners, as rowdyism was the order of the day, and several free fights took place, and, at one time, assumed the appearance of an Irish faction row The run in was situated on the side of a hill that sloped toward the fieldbelow, and was altogether, the most primative place Tor » race meeting to be held on-flax-bushes, stone?, and water-conrses predominating. The racier, on the whole, was good and the fencing of many of the horee3 was superior to any seen before, as going down to the waier-jump they had to take a zigzag course among the uaxbushee, and it was surprising that they could have kept up a sufficient speed to carry them over. The Agent again proved his claim to being a steeplechase horse of no ordins-ry merit, as he landed both the principal events. From his recent performances, it is no certainty that the mysterious Lone Hand could beat him" ct even weights, especially over a stiff country, and he vrould be worth taking over to Australia to try conclusions with the cracks on the other side, and prove that co«d horses can be bred in New Zealand. He has plenty of size and substance, and being a young horse he will most likely go on improving. The following is a summary of tho races: — Waimate Steeplechase (Handicap) of 10030V5., added to a sweep of ssovs. each. Distance, 3 miles. Mr. P. Butler's The Agent, 12st. 91b3. ... 1 Mr. P. Murtagh's Harkaway, lOst. 31bs. ... 2 Mr. O. Goodman's Ivanhoe, lOat. 121bs. ... 3 Looh Lomand, Loyalty, Lone Hand (N.Z.), The Lad, Sunrise, and'Pakeha, also ran. At the fall of the flag Sunrise went to the front, followed by The Agent and Harkaway, the rest in a cluster behind. After crossing the sicond jump The Agent went to the front; all refused the next fence except him. After coming to the first jump past the stand, The Agent refused, and Sunrise went to the front and continued the lead to the double, where Sunrise fell. After that, The Agent had his own way, and, never refusing auocher fence, won in a canter by twelve iengtha ; the same between second and third. Maiden Plate, of 50sovs.; weight for age. Distance, 2 miles. A r r. Lyford's Silverstroam 1 Mr. Culling'e Naomi 2 Mr. Muir's Lone Sand •> This race was a gift to SuVeratream, as he was the only horee that took the wnterjump the first time, and he completed the whole round and cleared the water-jump the second time before the others had got over once. The other two raced home for second place, .Naomi having no difficnlty in securing it, Lone Hand refusing more than once. Waimate Steeplechase Cop.—Weight for age. Distance, 24 miles. Mr. Butler's The Agent 1 Mr. Calling's Naomi 2 Mr. Muir's Lone Hand •> Loch Lomond also ran. At the fall of the flag, The Agent went to the front, followed by Loch Lomond, the others close up. All cleared their fences for the first half-mile. When they came to the water-jnmp, all refused except Lone Hand, who cleared it, followed by The Agent, who took it the second time of asking. Coming past the stand, The Agent assumed a loDg lead; Lone Hand second, and Naomi third — Loch Lomond sticking at the water-jump. The second time round Lone Hand banlked at the sod fence, Naomi taking second place; The Agent, clearing all his fences withont » aiistake, won in a canter. The Consolitiok Handicap of 40aovs. Distance, 2 miles. Mr. Mclror's Loch Lomond 1 Mr. Maitland's Loyalty 2 Mr. Goodman's Ivanhoe ... ... ... *> Harkaway, Sunrise, The Lad, and Pakeha also started. Pakeha cut out the running to the water-jump, which he refased, and was never afterwards in it. Ivanhoe then took the lead, but soon after wa3 headed by Loch Lomond and Loyalty, the former having it all his own way, and won in » canter. Sunrise fell at the sod fence, and broke his back, his jockey escaping un. hurt. " Augur," in his notes of the horses in training at Flemington, speaks very highly of the colt by the Peer, out of Calnmny, but aays that he is growing so fast that he will be unlikely to make his mark in the Maribyrnong Plate, as he will require lots of time. • Tke Frees states that, "at the recent half-yearly meeting of the Marlborough .Racing Club, Mr. Rayner gave notice o£ a motion, that the club appoiat a paid handicapper." If a few more clubs of a similar kind wonld adopt the same course, there can be but little doubt but that there would be one paid handicapper throughout New Zealand, a consummation, which in every respect, is devoutly to be wished.