THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE COLONIAL TURF.

Otago Witness, Issue 313, 28 November 1857, Page 7

THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE COLONIAL TURF.

(From ihe-Melbourne Herald, October 5.) - . Saturday will be a memorable day in the racing annals of these colonies, as that, upon which the equine champions of New South Wales and VictonitMTOet to decide their' respective claims to superiority. No previous event in connection with the colonial turf has excited a similar degree of general interest, a fact sufficiently proved by the presence of the immense crowd which thronged the Melbourne race-course. . The history of the " case," as the lawyers would say, is well known to our readers, for the press of both colonies, ever since the match betwceiH r eno and Alice Hawthorn was concluded upon, has exerted itself to place every particular in relation to it before the public. The challenge to run a Victorian horse against a New South Wales one for emanated from Mr. Anthony Green of Melbourne ; and, after several modifications of the original terms, was accepted by Mr. G. T. Rowe, of Sydney, who nominated Veno ; the Victorian party named "Alice Hawthorn. The other matches was arranged subsequently, the main object being the very sportsmanlike one of adding to the interest of the daywhen the match for the Championship would be decided. Ever since the arrival of Veno, in July, he has been the favourite, the betting quotations ranging during the interval of 2 to 1 downward to 10 to 9. The performances of the horse, as compared with those of Alice» gave him this advantage, for no other test of comparative merit was to be had. The Victorian public knew little of him, and indeed, although the horse has been in the neighbourhood of Melbourne nearly three months, he was quite a stranger until Saturday, to all but a select circle of his owner's friends. Alice Hawthorn was believed to be the best racer in the colony, an assumption which we fancy it will be difficult to maintain in future. However, the mare had a host of friends, if not of admirers, and numbers backed her on what might rather be termed national grounds, than on any having relationship to her merits. Every confidence was felt in her trainer, Mr. Anthony Green, but somehow there was never much enthusiasm displayed in her behalf, even by her supporters. The decided nature of some of the defeats which she sustained prevented implicit faith being reposed in her ; and the equivocal quality of her pedigree was not in her favour when sh c came to be pitted against an animal of Veno's re_ putation. Those experienced in crowds estimated that the number of persons assembled on the race-course on Saturday was not short of 20,000. Melbourne during the hours devoted to the racing events of the day, was like a city without inhabitants. Almost every public vehicle had been pressed into the service of the traffic between town and the race-course, and specimens of every " wheeled thing" known to the colony, from the aristocratic drag to the plebian dray, or the severely incommodious police van, were in requisition. Every available inch of space on the steamers had its occupant, and the weather being fine, crowds of pedestrians thronged the road across the swamp. The gatekeeper must have profited immensely by the public excitement : and the booths, of which there are twenty, came in for a large extent of patronage. The Grand Stand Refectories were under the direction of Mr. Disher, who we fancy has no cause of complaint on the ground of want of custom. A large booth, serving the purpose of refreshment rooms and stand, has been erected near the Grand Stand, with the designation of the Sydney Grand Stand ; and the old familiar name of Coppin was to be met with emblazoned on the canvas facade of a spacious booth at the extremity of the line. Whether there was any intentional significance in the circumstance, we do not know but the flag over the entrance .was the particular phase of the Union Jack, hoisted by vessels requiring a pilot. Captain Nunn, however, in the absence of the chief pilot, is an efficient navigator, and evidently possesses the public confidence. About a quarter to one o'clock, Alice Hawthorn was led down the course by her groom, Mr. Green accompanying her, and smiling as though confident of success. Veno arrived shortly after, and preliminaries having been satisfied, Higgerson declaring one pound over, the pair appeared in company on the course. The appearance" of the Sydney champion was magnificent ; and although, on the whole, by no means a handsome animal, has obviously many good points— and, above all, the splendid condition in which he was brought to the post, gave extra confidence to those of his supporters who had never before seen him, and set numbers of his opponents hedging. Alice, on being stripped, looked well but perhaps scarcely fine enough, her deficiencies in the matter of " blood" no doubt iprohibiting her being further reduced. Both animals were lustily cheered by their respective partisans, and the riders of both appeared cool and self-reliant. Higgerson, who has all along had the charge of Veno ( now officiated as his helmsman ; while Stephen Mahon, one of the best jockeys we possess, did the arnkflple for the mare. The betting, which, prior to the of the animals- on the course, had exhibited an increase in the good opinion entertained of. the mare, now. gave Veno a more decided lead than ever. As much as 6to 4 was offered on him just prior to the start. Shortly after one o'clock, Mr. James Henderson, flag in hand,. made his appearance on the course, and immediately summoned the two competitors to the contest. Both advanced quietly to the start, the elasticity. of Veno's action being the general theme of admiration. The mare was evidently in fit condition to do her best, but now, more than ever, was it feared that from the first she had been overmatched. The result proved

the correctness of such- a surmise, for the horse could have run away from her at any period during the race. Higgerson, who had allowed. Alice a slight lead to the second mile, then went up to her, headed and shook her off, took her place, and although ultimately winning by about two lengths, passed the winning-post at half-speed, and was pulled up two or three yards further on. The pace, it is true, was extremely slow, but it was all that Alice was able to accomplish ; the horse could have ac- ! commodated her with " double quick time,"' had she been in a position to require such attention. On riding to scale, the winnerwas loudly cheered. The mare exhibited evidences of heavy punishment; but Mahon, who had evidently done his best to" win, came in for a round or two of well merited applause. The second race of the day— that between Tomboy and Cooramin— terminated in another triumph for New South Wales. Higgerson again rode the victor, but this time had a far more difficult task to perform than he had in the struggle for the championship. Tomboy, although not the horse he was last year, was evidently a tough customer for the Sydney nag to encounter, and the rider of the latter very nearly left his closing spirit too late. As it was, Gooramin won by a short neck, the final struggle being marked by an exhibition of.jockeyship on the part of Higgerson, which, for skilfulness, has scarcely ever been paralleled in the history of the Victorian turf. Tomboy led to the Grand Stall by fully two lengths, but almost immediately shut up, in consequence, as we are informed (we did not witness the occurrence), of his rider using the whip. Higgerson called on his horse, which at once responded by collaring Tomboy when within a few yards of the judge's stand, and snatching the victory from his competitor. The third event brought the champion and Van Tromp into mutual competition. The former looked none the worse for his previous gallop with Alice, while the little Dutchman was in anything but tiptop condition, having a long rough coat, and looking unfit for even an ordinary encounter. The betting was all in favour of Veno ; but very little business was transacted, the friends of Van being very select in number, and cautious in pushing their partisanship. Another easy victory for Veno was the ! result of the contest, the game qualities of his com- ] paratively diminutive antagonist enabling Mahon j to make a very pretty race of it. The pace was far ' better than that of the first match, the distance j being accomplished in seven seconds less time. As i before, the winner was loudly cheered by his friends, whose number had immensely increased during the i interval since his run with Alice. The condition of the course was, in parts, very heavy — a fact which will account in some degree for, the slow pace of the two first races. Of the incidents to be ordinarily met with on a race-course, few call for special reference. A large number of police were in attendance, but except in one instance, where a man and a boy were taken into custody for riding upon the course while the last race was being run, there was nothing that we heard of requiring their interference. The Sydney division are large winners, and will probably take away with them thousands from this ! colony. Mr. Rowe, the owner of Veno, was so much ' excited upon witnessing the triumph, of his horse that he fainted away on the spot, his sudden falling { down causing great alarm among the bystanders. A heavy stake was dropped on Tomboy, whose failure was so far from being calculated upon while the race was going on that, although prior to the start 2 to 1 had been laid on Cooramin, more than one ' offer to lay sto I— in one instance in hundreds — on the former was made. Many attributed his failure to the over-confidence of his jockey (Mitchell), but numbers of his friends expressed an opinion that he ' could not beat Cooramin. We now subjoin particulars of the racing. First Race. THE MATCH FOR, THE CHAMPIONSHIP.VICTORIA v. NEW SOUTH WALES. A Match for £2000. 3 miles. lOst. lib. each. Mr. G. T. Rowe's eh g Veno, aged. . (Higgerson) 1 Mr. Chirnside's g m Alice Hawthorn, aged (Mahon) 2 Betting at starting, 6 to 4 on Veno. An admirable start was effected. ' Veno jumped off with a slight lead, and maintained it to the turn of the course, when he was drawn back, and Alice went in advance. She kept the lead to the back stretch, when Veno went up and passed her, keeping about half-a-length ahead to the hill. He then shook her off, crossed to the inside, and came on to j the straight course a length-and-a-half in advance. He was never again reached, and although Mahon I made a dash under the hill, the mare was complete- I ly outstridden, Veno doing exactly what he liked with her. The pace of the run home was evidently at Higgerson's option. Alice gallantly struggled to make a close race of it, but the superiority of the Sydney horse was manifestly too great, and he passed the winning, post hard held in, an easy winner by about two lengths. Time, 6 minutes 12 seconds. Second Race. Match for £400. l\ miles. lOst. lib. each. Mr. G: T. Rowe ns b h Cooramin, aged (Higgerson) - i Mr. Fraser ns b g Tomboy, aged .... (Mitchell) 2 Betting, 3 to 2 on Cooramiu. The Sydney horse had a trifling advantage in starting, and led to the turn, when Tomboy challenged him and took first place, leading two lengths to the side of the hill. This advantage he maintained to the straight running, and althbugli closely raced by Cooramin, catne; up ;to the Grand Stand without the latter having effected any material lessening of the interval between them. Before passing the Stand, Mitchell called upon his horse without success ; and Cooramin immediately went up, and in a stride or two got his head on a line with Tomboy's,, Another stride enabled him to pass the Judge's Stand a ■winner by a head. Time, 3 minutes 1 second.

. . Third Bach. Match, £500 to £300." 3 miles. .lOst. lib. „. . Mr. G. T. Howe's c g Veno, aged . .(Higgerson) 1 Mr. Fraser's b g Van Tromp, aged .'.'. .(Mahon) 2 Betting, 4 to 1 on Veno. Veno led off, but at the turn permitted -Van Tromp to catch him. The two raced to the hill, when,Yeno led out, and came first on to the straight running. , He had a lead of about a length past the Grand Stand, and was never again caught, coming in ultimately an easy winner by two lengths. Time, 6 minutes 5 seconds. For the "first mile and a-half the pace was exceedingly good. Trotting Match for £200. Mr. Messiter's c m Kate .". ...(Owner) 1 Sharper did not make his appearance, and, after waiting an hour, the mare was trotted round the course.