AUCKLAND ANTICS.

NZ Truth, Issue 66, 22 September 1906, Page 2

AUCKLAND ANTICS.

Prancing Prads at Potter's Paddock. The Duiifce and the Dumped. Celerity Among Cows and Coppers. • There was a good crowd at Potter's Paddock last Saturday to witness the racing at the Pakurahga Hunt Club meeting. There being no tote the bookies were there m full force, not only the genuine ones, but all the sweepings of Vulcan Lane ; the tipster and the guesser discarded their occupations for the nonce and appeared on the scene duly armed with bag, book and pencil, prepared to lay some of the runners till the cows came home, and the cows very nearly came home m one race. Anyone who wanted to back a favorite with some of these bounders had to lay six to four oh. Proceedings commenced with a setto between "Tlie Dunce" and the chump who rode him. Prior to the start of the Farmers' Handicap Flat Race, The Dunce, who showed a disinclination for his lesson, started.operations by landing the chump on the broad of his hack, hut the chump was not to be knocked out m one hit, and re-mounted. Then The Dunce bolted -twice round the course with the chump, and was . finally led back to the enclosure without being allowed to participate. in the race, his backers thereby losing their brass, as he had been m the starter's hands, before indulging m his humorous display, his rider m the meantime was sent to tlie Hospital suffering from concussion. Soultawa, who .had been served up a red hot favorite, was never m the hunt and the race m question was won by Freemount, with Dogger Bank second. . The Hunters' Handicap Hurdle Rao& produced an even money favorite m Pukerimu, ridden by Mr Tonks, who won comfortably from Sterling, ridden by Mr Crowther. Then came the Open Flat Handicap, m which some of the "cunning" geegees were m, and Omati, ridden by Cress, was pounced. on as the good thing, and on being backed by his party hardened to even money m some places, "no money" m others, and then there was a rush for Celerity at the last moment, and with a promise of two triers the pu_br lie expected an interesting go, and they were not disappointed, for the field had no sooner started, with Celerity and Omati m the lead, when two cows were suddenly discovered calmly contemplating the view from the middle of the straight. Two mounted policemen charged down the track after the cows, but did not succeed .m driving them off the course, so they surrounded them, j.ust as Celerity and Omati came flying round the turn. Celerity. with a two lengths lead, baulked slightly at the curious mixture of cows and coppers and it looked as though Omati would prevail; but it was not to be. as m spite of cows and coppers Celerity won with something to spare. The Hunters' Steeplechase was the next item on the programme, for which Perseverance was solidly supported, but the prdsevering punters were doomed to disappointment as Pukerimu won again. The bell rang, the numbers went up and all appeared to be over; but there was more excitement yet, on the stewards suddenly discovering that the horses had taken the wrpng course. Instead of declaring the race, off, they rushed out and told the riders to go round again, which they did, and Pukerimu again triumphed.; still the trouble was not finished^ as a protest was 'promptly put m arid the "books" were told not to pay. and every bodyasked everybody else what was going to be done. In the midst of the confusion the stewards suddenly ordered the "books" to pay out on Pukerimu, and settled all arguments, protest or no protest. The Open Pony Race next claimed attention and kept up the evil reputation of such events, fbr after Hopscotch was rushed as eagerly as a crook drapery sale, the knowing ones embracing stewards, guessers and all sorts, put m their money on Sonoma. At the start Glenora was left at the post, and the two triers, Hopscotch and Sonoma, ran first and second,

but the stewards, sore at the defeat of Sonoma, coolly declared "No Start," and ordered the race to be run again. Their funny biz. was of no avail, anyway, as Sonoma couldn't raise a gallop the second time and was badly beaten by an outsider m Herculean. Brigham won the Heavy-weight Steeple* Being the only smarter, his victory was an easy one. Locherbie beat a hot favorite m Sterling for the last race, and the day's excitement wound up with a tram smash, a block on the line, and the forlorn punters walking to Newmarket.