EXHIBITION SPORTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3008, 21 December 1896, Page 4

EXHIBITION SPORTS.

There was not a very large attendance at the sports on Saturday night._ A very high wind prevailed, and the exhibits in the interior of the building seemed to be more attractive to the majority who attended at the outset than tho ideotiic lig.it gtulienng. Cue of the alleged features of tho evening'B entertainment was tho offoitof I*. Hu:.t, tho Marlon “ Carbine” to put «p unpace J records for one, two and three miles. There had been no records put up previously unpaced, and Hunt practically raced as he liked, eov some unaccountable reason he ran wide at the tutus, but the wind was strong at limes, and the records established were not of any value. The three events for which Hunt way responsible wore slow, and the public manifested no enthusiasm. Running 18 laps by oneself is about as interesting as a 25-mile mule race, with only one mule racing. Hunt s time for the mile was 2min 3G 3-ssec. The two miles ho left behind in smin 20soo, and the three miles iuSminSseo. Hq was assisted by the band only. There was some dispute between tho cash amateurs and the executive, and the riders of the'Wellington Cash Club did not start, the difficulty being about tho handicapping. Tho consequence was that, although the cash men‘entered, they wore not handicapped. There was only one accident during the evening, F. Castle getting hia loft anji and knee badly skinned through being forced down.on to tho outside of the track. The following is a summary of the races : Three-mile Open Handicap. Prizes, X 3 and XI. F. Castle, 75yds ' ... X F. B. Muir, see . - E. N. Grove, 55yds ... 3 Also started—E. Fitz Gerald, X, M. Lucy, A. H. Hunt and C. W. Johnston. The soratchings wore—L. T. Herbert aud \Y. Castle. a good race. Won by a wheel. Grove was half a dozen lengths away, third. Time, Bmin 3sec. Two-mile Open Handicap. X*rizes, X2 and XI. E. Fitz Gerald, syda 1 E. N. Grove, 35yds “. - Also started—F. B. Muir, P. Castle, G, Jeffrey and T. M; Lucy. The scratches were —L. T. Herbert, A. H. Hunt, W. Castle, C. W. Johnston and J. W. Harkor. In this event Muir got too near F. Castle at tho town turn, and the latter was forced to the bottom edge of the track and upset, receiving a bad shaking, Muir pulled up and did not finish. Fitz Gerald won easily, looking round. Time, smin 2-tsoc. One-mile Open Handicap. Prizes, X2 and XI. C. W. Johnston, 100yds ... ... 1. E. Fitz Gerald, 7yds ... ... 2 E. N. Grove, 20yds 3 Also started—F. B. Muir, G. Jeffrey and J. W. Marker. The scratch js were —F. Castle, L. T. Herbert, A. H. Hunt and VT. Castle. The field bad no chance with Johnston. who had too much start. He won very comfortably. Time, 2rain 323-saoc. Five-milk Open Scratch Race. P. B. Muir 1 T. M. Lucy 2 L. T. Herbert 3 Tho only starters. This event was the one which was postponed owing to the smash up on the track a fortnight ago. Muir overlapped Herbert and won by three-quarters of a lap from Lucy. Muir, who practically led all tho way, also.won tho lap prize. E. FitzGerald was desirous of starting, but Lucy objected, on the ground that ho aid not start in the original race. Time, 13min 40 3-ssoo.