SPORTING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1069, 23 September 1879, Page 2

SPORTING.

OMARAMA RACES. (FROIH A On the ISth inst. a large concourse of highly respectable people assembled from far and near to witness the sport afforded by our enterprising friends Messrs. Stewart and M'Arthur, lessees of the tirst-class hotel recently erected at Omarama, which reflects credit on the proprietor, Mr. Sutherland, as no expense has been spared to make the same as comfortable and commodious as vjjy hotel in town and he has supplied ,i want long felt in the neighborhood. No wish the lessees every success, and it must be gratifying to them to have seen so large and influential a meeting at the opening of the Gmarama Hotel, which speaks volumes for their popularity. We hope that nothing will be wanting on their part, with a little more experience, to make the Omarama Hotel the best of our up-country hotels. Waitaki people should feel gratified in having now hotel accommodation equal, if not superior, to any district in the Province. The Omarama Hotel contains 11 rooms, with a splendid cellar. The hotel is mainly constructed of brick, with facings of white stone from Oamaru, and reflects credit on the designer and builder-, Messrs. Johnston and Given, and the other tradesmen who rendered their services in completing it- The painter's (I believe, Mr. Kennedy) work was very noticeable for the high and artistic finish displayed in the graining, &c., of the doors, which was much admired.

The ball was opened by that handsome and promising colt ?4agician, a son of Sorcerer, who. wo.il the Maiden, after a well contested race, by a neck, while Kelpie—a strong and powerful son of Waitaki, well up to 14 stone —was in grand form, but short of work. This colt was considered the best hack in the meeting. Mr. Murray deserves great credit, as usual, for the manner in which he brought his horses to the post, despite Kelpie's superb condition. Little Wonder also ran well, finishing on Kelpie's quarters. The Shepherds' Ilace was won by Mr. Smith's Bella, who, after some good running, managed to push herself first past the post, Richmond a close second, and the others well up. The Cup brought four horses to the post, and the excitement became intense when Unknown, the local celebrity, was brought out to measure strides with the hacks. After the preliminary canter, wo were sorry to see the Maid of Yv aitaki going rather stiffly, and on enquiry learned that she had received a slight injury on the near hock, which had the elfect of causing her to run badly. Unknown pulled off the Cup, with Coeleno on his quarters, and Magician lying on Coeleno's quarters, and the Maid gained so much that she finished on the quarters of Magician. The Hack Race brought seven good ones to the post, and resulted in Little Wonder winning easily ; Lady Mary second, Tiehboine was disqualified, as a protest was entered, not because he went inside a post, but because he ran off the course, and cut oif a part to gain an advantage, The trot was won by Mystery, who ran in grand form, and won easily from scratch, with Goai and Paddy close up. The Consolation was the race of the day. Cceleno won by a neck ; Belle second, and Kelpie third. A good start was effected by Mr. Jamieson as usual, and Cceleno soon took command, with Kelpie running closely to him, while Belle lost so much at the start that she did not improve her position until a quartey of a mile from homo, when she put on a spurt, and on entering the ' straight all three were under the whip, and a most exciting finish took place, and . resulted as above. Hoskins deserves a meed of praise for the manner in which he handled Belle. We hope to have a taste of Magician's and Belle's qualities, with other horses, before Duntroon. A. Gunn is to be complimented for having so good a string, and we must say iie lias done them justice during the short time he has had them up. We hope he will have batter luck at Otematata on the 2Gth. The Judge (Mr. D, Sutherland) and the Stewards (Messrs. Middleton, Murray, Cairns, Jamieson, Stoddart, M'Phail, Armstrong., Dalgety, Fletcher, Dewar, and T. C. Hill) deserve crodit for the carrying out of the programme, and the starter gave universal satisfaction. The settling up was everything that could be desired, and after each and all had replenished the inner man from a well-spread table, the room was cleared, and all who felt inclined to trip it on the I; light fantastic'-' could do so, to the melodious strains of Madame Schibbolich's grand band, accompanied by Mr. Bain, from Benmore, who did his best to make the ball a success. The meeting, taken as a whole was a very successful one. The following is the result of the meeting : Maiden Plate, of 15 sovs, Mr. Sutherland's Magician ... 1 Mr. Murray's Kelpie ... ... 2 Mr. Stewart's Little Wonder ... 3 Shepherd's Pcp.se, of 15 sovs. Mr. Smith's Bella } Mr. M'Lean's Tichborne ... 2 Mr. Green's Belle 3 Cur, of 20. sovs. Mr. Hill's Unknown (Cotton) ... 1 Mr. Stodrtart's Cceleno ... ... 2 Mr. Sutherland's Magician ... 3 Selling Hack Race, of 15 sovs. Mr. Stewart's Little Wonder ... 1 Mr. Murray's Lady Mary ... 2 Mr. M'Lean's Tichborne ... 3 Tuorrixr; Handicap Race, of 10 sovs. Mr. Cairns' Mystery (Brunton) 1 Mr. M'Phail's Goai, ... ... 2 Mr. Jamiesoix's Paddy 3 CON'SOLATiOX Race, of 12 SOVS. Mr, Stoddart's Cceleno (M'Kay) 1 Mr. Murray's Kelpie 2 Mr. Green's Belle 3