SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9402, 8 January 1894, Page 6

SPORTING.

Br the s.s. Talune, which left on Saturday bust for Sydney, Mr.T). O'Brien was a passenger, taking with him Loyalty, who is engaged in the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup, which events are to be run at the V.R.C. Meeting, in March next. Mr. M. Power, who represented Mr. S. Hordern at the recent Wellington Park sale, was also & passenger, taking with him the Castor Frailty colt, Necklace colt, and the Hotchkisa—Rose of Wellington colt.

The steeplechaser Despised has become the property of Mr. J. Hand. The price said to have been paid for the Cap-a-pie gelding is £200.

Our Thames correspondent writes :—At a meeting of the committee of the Thames Jockey Club on Friday last the question of holding a winter meeting was considered, but after lengthy discussion it was decided to abandon the proposal, as it would be necessary to give £420 in stakes for the one day, in order to comply with the average set forth in the new metropolitan rules of £300 per diem, where two meetings are held in any one year. HOBSON RACING CLUB MEETING. The first annual meeting of this club was field on their course, Mr. M. Cobbald's paddocks, Te Kopurn, on New Year's D?y. The course which is three-quarters of a mile long was only ploughed last week, and was expected by many to have been somewhat dangerous, bus by thoroughly harrowing and rolling the ground, which is formed of a beautifully fine mould, was got into very good order and was not at all slippery or sloppy after the rain. A little attention during the year and the course can be made equal to anvthing in the province. The number of those on the ground is placed approximately at 400. The grandstand was well patronised, and so too, were the booths of Mr. M. O'Connor and Messrs. Molloy and Foreman. At the latter a good luncheon was supplied at the very reasonable charge of 'hteenpence. The Kopuru Band was in attendance, and performed its work with efficiency and satisfaction to all. Mr. Seymour, and the other officers of the Club, are to be complimented on the management throughout Everything was carried out quietly and promptly. The races as a whole were well contested, and no accidents of any consequence occurred. The course being somewhat heavy possibly gave the stronger horses an advantage. The following were the events of the day :—

Hurdle Bacf. — Omaki, 1; Blue Ribbon. 2; Mititai, 3. These were the onlv starters. Blue Ribbon and Mititai both fell, and Omaki secured a long lead which enabled him to carry off the race, thouEh he baulked once at the last hurdle, and travelled but slowly at the finish. There was a Rood lace for second place. There were 63 tickets on the totalisntor, 18 of them being on the winner. Dividend, £16*. A protest entered against Oui&Kl, on the ground that the jockey was unlicensed, was dismissed. . • ..■ r _ _ , '' Maiden Plate.—omaki, 1; Major, 2; Rocket, 3. Miss Bell also started. The struggle for first place was a close one. Miss Bell was the favourite on the machine, securing 'U backers from a total of 51. There were only eight tickets on Omaki, and the dividend was £2 17s. Hobson Cur.— 1; Pakeha, 2. These were the only starters, and though the ho'se* kept fairly close together, there was never any doubt as to the result. There were 00 tickets on the machine, 51 on the winner, and the dividend was 13s. „ . • _, ■ Pony Race — Nettie, 1; Major, 2 Toby, 'A. Curiosity and King also started ; the latter fell and was out of it. The machine showed 67 tickets, 86 on the winner, and the dividend was 17s. Flying- Stakes.— 1; Blue Ribbon, 2. Fishmonger and Bravo also ran, but there was nothing very interesting in the contest except that some wanted to know why Bravo made such a poor show in this race. 82 tickets on the machine, 46 on the winner. Dividend, ISs. „..,.„ Hack Race.—Tiger. 1; Ngakura, 2; Fisbgirl, 3. There were eight entries for this, and an interesting race for honours took place. Consolation Race.— Ribbon, 1; Major, 2; Rita, 3. There were six starters, and the horses tame in according to merit. — iNorthern Wairoa Correspondent]