AUCKLAND GRAND NATIONAL MEETING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1267, 11 June 1896, Page 25

AUCKLAND GRAND NATIONAL MEETING.

The Auckland Grand National Meeting passed off successfully ou Saturday and Monday last. The Maiden Steeplechase was the first race on the green. Glonlora, who had been lot in very lightly by Mr Evett, under the mistaken idea that it was Glenora ho was handicapping, was at once backed heavily down here. The weight was then readjusted, and notwithstanding the increased imposition, she won by half a length ; paying the handsome div. of .£Bl 9s. Barnardo was third, but ho ought to have done better. Corel la, who was second, would also have paid a good div. if she had won. The winner of the Winter Welter Handicap, Anita, also paid a good div., while all the favoured ones with the exception of Pegasus were unplaced. Waiuku, Panoply, Lord of Misrule, Dummy, and The Sharper were all out of it, and although the heavy-weight, St. Regol, was second he was not very much fancied. Hop Garden’s win in the Grand National Hurdles was a very popular one. Liberator pulled up lame after the race, but it was evidently only a temporary soreness. Donald McKinnon was second. Mr Harper has had a lot of good luck lately with the old horse and cannot expect to win always. Hop Garden beat him by four lengths, being never headed. Hop Garden has gone up in the estimation of racing men all over the Colony lately and although his win was not expected, everyone recognises that the best horse won. The Selling Steeplechase, won by Kingswood, was a moral for him. Ho won easily and only paid £2 ss. Chris won the Maiden Hurdles and paid £l2 11s. Jle has evidently made another unexpected win. The second day’s racing was more popular than the first, as it gave the bookmakers a chance of recuperations their losses. Levanter gave Mr John Rao a decidedly unexpected win in the Great Northern Steeplechase. Levanter is by Captivator— Steel All, and he carried the light impost of lost. The bookies let Liberator alone down hero after the wire which came through saying ho pulled up lame, and perhaps it was just as well seeing that lie only ran second. What grounds there were, however, for his supposed lameness it is hard to imagine, seeing that he was only beaten by a short head after a splendid race. Old Mutiny came third. Although he was rather fancied to win hero and was backed a littlo, nothing serious was indulged in over his chances. Annabolle won the Maiden Hurdles and the Handicap Hurdles, proving that sho is one of our most capable performers. A curious feature of both races was the diva, she paid. In the first race she paid £4 (is outside, and in the second race £lO Is, showing that although she was well backed for the first race she had not the confidence of the public and her second win came as a eupriso.

The House of Commons, by a majority of 1 11, declined to adjourn over Derby Day. At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday afternoon, the secretary (Mr G. H. •Sealos) stated that two of the trotting clubs had waited on him with a view of obtaining a lease of the show ground for trotting purposes, and it was resolved that the secretary should have power to make such arrangements with the applicants as lie might consider advisable, aubject to certain restrictions,