NORTH OTAGO COURSING CLUB.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 957, 14 May 1879, Page 2

NORTH OTAGO COURSING CLUB.

We have little to add to the remarks we made yesterday upon the opening meeting of the North Otago Coursing Club. The Derby Stakes have proved highly successful in every respect but one. The slipping was simply wretched in several instances. Mr. Marshall, who acted in the capacity of slipper to the Club last season, and who was then a novice at the work, does not appear to have profited by the 1 irge amount of experience in the performance of his responsible duties, but,jif anything, seems to have become even worse than when he first took charge of the slips. This matter is one of importance to the Club, and on that score we make special reference to it. Owners of dogs will not be content to enter their dogs and pay heavy entrance fees if they see a prospect of their dog's chances of success being curtailed by the bungling of the slipper, for we can designate some of the slipping yesterday by 110 other name. Next to the judge the slipper is the most important personage 011 the coursing field, and should be throughly up to his work, if owners of dogs are to be satisfied. With this solitary exception the meeting which was commenced yesterday and finished to-day was, without doubt, the most successful event of the kind that has been held in the Colon} 7 , and the Club must decidedly be complimented upon the excellent commencement it has made in what promises to be a highly successful season. The arrangements wore excellent, and they were carried out in a throughly business-like manner. Mr. Lloyd's judging gave great satisfaction, and the Club may fairly be congratulated upon having secured so capable and conscientious a judge. That twenty-four courses should have been run off in the day affords ample proof of the abundance of hares in the district; this, added to the magnificent coursing ground at the disposal of the Club, and the countenance and support given to the sport by large landed proprietors, leads us to the conclusion that Oauin.ru must take the foremost position in coursing matters in this Colony. Immediately the second ties were completed, Luff'ra and Rose were put into the slips to compete in the third ties. A very even course took place, though Rose had slightly the best of the hunt. During this a curious scene was presented, arid one which would have been highly di- - verting had it not deprived the judge of the onportunity of seeing the finish of the course. While following the dogs in an almost level stubble field the jud«e, owing to same unaccountable reason lost his seat, and fell from his horse, fortunately without hurting himseif. This little contretemps caused some amount of amusement, and Mr. Lloyd is not likely to hear the last of the affair in a hurry. Kathleen and Juliet had a capital give-and-take course, the latter having throughout the best of the bargain. This was probably owing in some measure to Kathleen having cut both her fore legs in her previous course ; but still Mr. Reid's slut was in capital condition, and all the better for her trip to Tokomairiro the other day. After this came a contest which was looked forward to with considerable interest the course between the favorite Morning Star, who divided the Sapling Stakes at the end of last season, and Malice, who had run a good slut throughout the day. Morning Star, who was in fine condition, however, gave another taste of her quality by beating Malice easily. Hinemoa, another well-conditioned slut, then ran a bye, and the proceedings for the day wore closed, only.three courses remaining to be decided to-day to finish the meeting. It was nearly ten o'clock this morning before a start was made to run off the three remaining courses in the Derby Stakes meeting. The weather was again all that could be desired for coursing, but the attendance was not so large as that of yesterday, many looking upon it as a foregone conclusion that Morning Star would win. As will be seen by the resiilt given below, however, the pot boiled over terribly, the favorite being disposed of ill her first course to-day. Rose and Julliet were the first pair to enter the slips, ijmt it required only a short course to decide-

the contest. Juliet led up by some yards, scored nearly every point, and made a good kill. She worked the hare beautifully, and the course, though short, was a very pretty one. Hinemoa and Morning Star were then placed in the slips, and despatched to a hare which had a long start. Pussy going over a rise and getting in a gully, got away from her persuers, and the dogs becoming unsighted, a no course was declared. After a short spell they were again put in the slips, and then followed the grandest course ever witnessed in New Zealand. -Mr. Kett's Morning Star, by favor, led up, and scored a couple of points before Mr. Caverhill's black slut got in. Once in, however, Hinemoa took nearly a complete command, working and turning her hare almost in circles splendidly. All this time Morning Star was not idle ; on each turn towards her she got in, and made the contest close and exciting. Hinemoa scored point after point, and when near the finish had tilings nearly all her own way, though Morning Star came again at' the finish, and concluded a brilliant course by a clever kill. So great was the excitement of the spectators that an involuntary cheer was given all round when tlie grand struggle closed. The judge's verdict was for Hinemoa, and right well she deserved it, for a more splendid piece of hare managing than she displayed no one could have wished for. Morning Star also worked well, though she did not appear to run so freely as she did yesterday. The only two dogs left in the stakes being the property of the same owner, the stakes were divided according to the usual rule. Cheers were given for the various office-bearers of the Club, who had so successfully carried out the meeting. Mr. Brydone, the marshall, in responding, paid the spectators a high compliment for the orderly and businesslike manner in which they had acted, and expressed a hope that similar good conduct would mark the future meetings of the Club. The meeting was then closed, and a few private courses were run, the most noticeable being that between Tasman and old Geelong Cornet, the old dog giving a taste of his quality by winning a capital course. We give below the pedigrees of Mr. Caverhill's two sluts, and in this connection we may mention that their parents were, with two other greyhounds, passengers from Home by the ill-fated Queen Bee, wrecked last year within a few miles of port. Glare, the dam of Mr. Caverhill's two sluts, succeeded in swimming ashore, but the other three were drowned. As will be seen from the pedigrees given below, Hinemoa and Juliet are closely related to noted English dogs, their relations having provided winners of the English Waterloo Cup. Mr. Caverhill has, we believe, a dog from the same litter as the two sluts named, and may be congratulated upon possessing three of the best bred dogs in the Colony. . The following are the complete results : The Derby Stake of L 5 ss, for Puppies. Mr J. M'l'onald's blk w s Luffra beat Mr T. M'Auly's r w <1 Shylock. Mr T. M 'Auly's f w d Wild rake beat Mr. A. Turn bull's r w s Coronet. Mr R. Smart's r w d Tam-o'-Shanter beat Mr M. Taylor's brd d Colonel. Mr M'Laren's brd s Rose beat Mr. A. Rid dell's bl w s Blue Bell. Mr W. H. Ronayne's bl w s Kathleen beat Mr G. S. Liutott's brd s Queen of the Seas. Mr T. Y. Duncan's brd s Minnie beat Mr W. W. Mitchell's f s Fly. Mr J. S. Caverhill's f s Juliet beat Mr A. Thomson's w r d Othello. Mr T. Brydone's f s Brenda beat Mr R. Smart's f w s Yeno. Mr J. F. Reid's blk w s Malice beat Mr G. Coomb's blk d Guy. Mr G. Cooinb's bl d Catapult beat Mr. A. Thomson's brd s Marie Stuart. Mr M. Grant's f d Roving Robin beat Mr S. G. Smith's brd s Slioofly. Mr. J. S. Caverhill's blk w s Hinemoa beat Mr. M'Laren's brd w s Sly. Mr. J. D. Kett's w blk s Morning Star beat Mr. G. Coomb's blk w s Butterfly. l-'IRST TIES. Luffra beat Wildrake. Rose beat Tam-o'-Shawter. Kathleen beat Minnie. Juliet beat Brenda. Malice beat Catapult. Hinemoa beat Roving Robin. Morning Star ran a bye. SECOND TIES. Rose beat Luffra. Juliet beat Kathleen. Morning Star beat Malice. Hinemoa ran a bye. THIRD TIES. Juliet beat Rose Hinemoa beat Morning Star. FINAL COURSK. Mr. J. S. Caverhill's f s Juliet and Mr. J. S. Caverhill's blk w s Hinemoa divided the stakes. F s JuMKT and bk s Hinemoa

We should not omit to mention that both Hinemoa and Juliet were trained by Mr. Bird, who has so far been highly successful this season, having had the preparation of Camelia, the winner of the Metropolitan Club's meeting at Tokomairiro the other day, and he is decidedly to be complimented upon the state in which he brings his dogs out.

Balchristie Glare (Brother to Contanir :| ) Cashier Bill) at the Bowste, Musier M'Gratli Medal O i? 1 ~ C g" §. SP o -2 z~ >— p ~ &