ASHBURTON MEETING.

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 7

ASHBURTON MEETING.

' (By "Truth's" Special Rep.) The Asbburton Spring meeting can be voted a success, Rain threatened the first day, but held . off. The second day the weather was; ideal. Class '■ was ' not '■ strongly represented, and me'dlum-quality horses had a good innIngs. The totalisator returns showed but . a • slight : falling off— £17,86& against £19,225. As usual, Secretary A. A, Fooks managed his staff m the best racing style, and- the meeting passed off without a hitch. Parable won 'the hurdle .race each day rather easily. Her success was chiefly due to the very weak opposition. Nearly all the hurdlers bore traces of having gone through a' severe season's racing, and looked used up. Parable 'paid a good price each tune. • - *'■..'.• Hataha was. favorite for both hurdle races, but he plainly requires a rest Marvelfte is a useful gelding. He is by Rawiri— Bronzewing7\and won the Trial Plate from end to.und. Jumped up 101 b he got within a neck of Don, Francisco m the Hack Handicap on the same day; His. owner again ran him out on the second day, .and he' finished third , to ' Charlotte and Lion m the Falrfleld • Hack Handicap. He will always be handy; m moderate company. . ■ . ' v .... ; The three"- year-old gelding Samiel finished. very, -straight m the Braemar Welter. He won nicely from Briar Patch, iHe is by ; Dp wnsbire—Hamattan, and may make a good horse. The hurdler, Corrie,- led from end toend, m the big .event, the-Ashburton County" Handicap. She was the outBider of the field of five. Chrysotis got within half a, length of her at the finish, b'nfc Cprrle could have gone one better. The winner was the only horse m the race whohad been trahied over a distance, and her win should not have caused so much surprise. The three-year-old brown colt, Don Francisco, won the Hack Welter like a racehorse. lie is well bred, being by San Francisco—^Madowla. This was his first start, and he should not be long m winning again. ■ • ,'■■ Twelfth, Night looked the best-condi-tioned horse In the Spring Handicap. He proved himself by .coming along and winning nicely. from Teviotdale. That useful filly, Charlotte, won the Fairfield Hack Handicap all the way In the fast time of lmin. 14 l-6sec for the ; six furlongs. THe three-year-old, Lion, was made very hot, and did really well m finishing second. He is by Berizonian from that fast mare Zemlia, and should prove himself above the ordinary. There was a bit of bumping at the start of. the CoJdstream Welter, six furlongs. Clynelish was the first to emerge, and there the race ended. With the steadier 0$ 10.11, Clynelisb was naturally stopped a bit at the finish. Scotch Melody was Becond and was a better favorite than the winner. First Flight made no race of the Tinwald Handicap, one mile. When Bell moved -on him m the straight the other boys wondered what was tho matter. He appeared to bolt from the field, and won with great ease from Briar Patch and Troon. A certain owner was heard to loudly complain 'of his horse's running on the first day. On the second day, when the money was up, the horse won easily, and the solid dividend it paid must have amply ■ compensated' the owner for his previous disappointment. Tho two trotting events were uninteresting, as tho result was never m doubt m either race. In the Longbeach Handicap, on the flrat day, Lady Superior soon put a gap between herself and the field. She was tiring at the finish, and finally won by four lengths from Caledon. The mile was run In the fast time of 2mln, 23 l-ssec. The Winchmore Trot Handicap was responsible for a reversal of form on tho part of two runners on the. previous day, Rose Dillon and F. E. Bells.. Rose Dillon led all the way, and won by ton lengths from F. B. Bells In the fast time of 3m in. 13 4-Esec. for tho mile and three furlongs. Ottawa was third. It is understood that the trainer of Ottawa wished to protest, but that the club would not accept the protest. Racing stowards do not understand trotting very well, and some owners, or trainers, seem to think they, can take liberties. Should many moro happenings of this kind occur it will not be very long before racing clubs will dolete trotting events from their programmes.