AUCKLAND SPORTING.

NZ Truth, Issue 67, 29 September 1906, Page 2

AUCKLAND SPORTING.

AVONDALE AVARICE. Crook Running and Disputed Dividends. Ironmould's Mouldy Display. , Glorious weather and a good attendance greeted the management for the opening day of the Avondale meeting. For the Maiden Plate, Pearl Necklet was pounced on as navmg a Rood chance, but once more disapV gointed her backers, as she was never m the hunt ; Lord Seaton winning from Arai-tq-Uru, with the gay Cachuca m third place. The winner paid the substantial dividend of ten pounds five , and the second horse paid four pounds three. • Then the funny business commenced with the next race, the Hurdles. After mysterious little whisperings and confabs m every hole and corner of the paddock, it was finally decided, by guessers, hoodlums and bounders that Aqvn Piegia was the only tiier, and that animal was m consequence backed down to odds on, and no. doubt would . hajve won only for throwing a seven ; then other riders were m a tangle as to who was to come to light, and Swagsman eventually won, with Defender a comfortable second. The Avondale Stakes brought out some fine looking two-year-olds, the New Plymouth colt Ne£, by Soult— Inamorita, being one of~tbe handsomest ; Frontino, by Soult— Miss Dauphin, is also a well-built, racy-look-ing* specimen. Hierarch, 'by Cyrenian. —Miss Annie, is another classy lookins; colt. However, Cadence, by Cyrenian—Lute, was seized on by backers as having the best chance, but only succeeded m failing, as far as first or second was concerned, the race being won by Quadroon after a good finish with Hierarch, and Cadence next. It was then anticipated j that a substantial dividend w.o.i'd be paid, as on reference to the grand total now exhibited on a separate machine with the number on Hrst and second horse, Quadroon was seen to be paying about eighteen pounds, but the dividend put on the board was ten pounds fourteen. The matter, which is a serious one, will be dealt with elsewhere m our columns. Eight' geegees were now saddled up for the Avondale Cup and various were the rumors as to the cracks that were trying or not trying as the case may be ; but the majority were of opinion that Gladstone was out for; keeps and he was duly installed a very hot favorite, though a lot* of public money went on Ironmould. But the latter never showed up prominently m the race at any time, and Gladstone had no difficulty : m settling the pretensions- of Aka> rana and Apologue, who ran second and third. The Plunket Handicap attracted a good field, Millie andWaikato carrying most money, but Soult Maid, ridden by Ryan, made no race of it. The winner ■ was also well backed, as it only paid three pounds two ■ and. m connection with this race another "blo.ome'r" was made on the machine ; Claremont ran se-

cond ar.il » is dividend was vested up as one pound, but after about five minutes the officials managed to discover that they were wrong m this instance, and altered the figures to [ two pounds. I The Steeplechase only provided foiir runners— Hakaria, Cannongate, Loch Fyne axA Ziaa— and the noble a? my of punters were prepared to see Hakaria, with Billy Wilson up, make a runaway race ; but a good many stood loyally to old Cannongate and were rewarded for their confidence. Loch Fyne indulged m running rcund the right fences and jumping the wrong ones, evidently making for the Avondale Asylum, where some of his backers should have been. Cannongate went to the front soon after the start and simply made an exhibition of Hakaria, outracing and out-jump-ing him right through the piece, and his backers cheered themselves hoarse when he returned to the paddock. In the Pony Handicap Ruatamata was made favorite, but had to succumb easily to Storyteller, who paid the fair dividend of four pounds 'Seventeen. The Flying Stakes wound, up . the programme. Soult Maid, Bin Jonson and Black and Gold were all well backed, and Soult Maid managed to win again with Sweet Alice second, paying the handsome dividend of over nine pounds for second place. To-day's -selections- : — ■.■<■•■ MAIDEN HURDLES. Sir Regel or Kruger. NEW LYNN HANDICAP. Omati or Cachuca. WELTER HANDICAP. Ben Jonson or Bonomiana. , : , SECOND STEEPLECHASE. Hakaria. '' GRANDSTAND HANDICAP. .: Olaremont or Hautapu. ELECTRIC HANDICAP. Black and Gold or Discoverer. PONY HANDICAP. . Hopscotch pr Ruatamata. PUBLICANS' HANDICAP. i Hautapu or Conductor. • .. :•