BALLARAT CHAMPION RACES. (From the Melbourne Herald.)

Otago Witness, Issue 621, 24 October 1863, Page 4

BALLARAT CHAMPION RACES. (From the Melbourne Herald.)

The seventh Intercolonial Champion liico is over, and ae;ain has the honour beea achieved by Victoria, Mr Harper's colt, Barwon, having carried off the blue riband of the Australian turf almost in a canter. For some days previous, Ballarat, always one of the most thriving towns in the colony, had been literally beside itself with excitement, Snull knots of horsey men were to be seen congregated outside the doors of the principal hotels discussing with eager and animated gestures the prospects of the various candidates for the great event. Train after train added fuel tc the flame, for scarcely one but brought its quota of the patrons and habitues of the turf; while ever and anon a strong horse-box betokened the arrival of one of the equiue heroes or heroines upon whose prowess so much depended, The afternoon traia on Wednesday was hali-an-hour behind its time, so large was the number of passengers by it. No sootier, bowever, had they got comfortably settled in their various J otels, than they proceeded to business, and the report as to the condition of the course being highly satisfactory, and the stories of "mud up to the h uses' knees" provod mere canards, tUau a fiir amount of betting took place. The doubt as to Mr De Mestre's intentions, and the strong belief entertained by many that he would, if possible, win with Hairtee, caused Archer to recede al'ghtly in public estiraatiou ; but he was backed freely against the field. Mormon, Haidcc, and Barwoa, (ach hai a small party who would have taken G to 1 about them, but the bo3'maker3 appeared disinc ined to lay more than 4. Zoe was almost neglecteJ. Tiu momma; of the eventful day was fine, and althouah tow.iiiis mid-day tbe aspect of the sky was rather threatening;, not lung beyond a few drops of rain fell. As may therefore be imagined, B illaaral was • early astir and on tho way to ths convincing eround, situate aboutseven miies iiom town, the road, tbrough here and there not exactly metropolitan in it* character, was neverrheles3 better tbaa had been expected, and the journey was accomplished in r.bout an hour. The fir^t detachment of cars having landed their freight on thecourae, returuel to Ballaarat to meet the tiaiu due there at twenty minutes to eleven ; but as usual, when anything at all out of tlie common happens, the arraugruunU of the authorities were completely at fault, for the train wli h rojtained about seven hundred { ersons, did not arrive until just one o'clock, when it was learnt that the delay had been caused by want of locomotiva power ro draw the heavily burdened tnin up the steep grndi-ntd. At one place in parlicuhr,— a s-hort (U-tuice from Lai La! — we undeist'i'id the train almost cunetoa standstill, a fact which caused great consternation among the passengers. We ennnot pa«s this subject without recording our strong protest against tl.e minagemeut iviiLh deludes people into the idea th-it > a ceitiia thing shall ba don?, without taking- ths ordinary means, such as in this instance, an extra cnq;ine, to ensure its fulrilment. However, when the train aid arrive no tuna was I 'st by the Jiims ia btiubins; i-\ fact, sosnuait did one coaclimsn wish to appsar, that he defeated himself tor tbo horses bounded U'k'ev the whip and left the coach bahiml, not without fitst almost upsetting it. These little ditlicu'tks got, over, the roa! wiia traversed in compai alive safety, only one accident happening to mar a really plcaia'it li ie— a carman having hy souu, means ran agfinst a stump and beea thrown out. Uq was at onca convt-y.-d to the nearest Lotel, where it w( s found tb it three of his ribs were (roken. Wo should nisntion that most of tho carmen extorted the " modest" amount of teu ihil'ings for the rile.

Arrived *",n the course, the scene was most animated. The vLiio-?, aaiGng; v.ho.v v.ms a large spriikliiuj of the gentler bex, could nut have numbered less than t>'n tliotran \ and tbo various stnniis were completsly crowded. All tho time-honored laceooirse amuieraonts were repie ent'd an i lib.-rally patronised. The saddling paddock was of course the centre of att> action f,r the e*suUin!ly sporting portion ot the visitors, aud a fair amount ot b'.tting tojlc phce. Tue appearance rf the candidates lor champion honow created intense inteiest, and woithily so. Aiclicr lookei magnificent and required all t!ic pitierce aud bkilt of his attendant 1 ?, so restive was he. Mormon al-o appeared iv splendid fettb, and tight little Harwon was r. picture of health and freshness. Zoe diii not attract much attend n, consideiabiy more being paid to her sister Competitor, Shortly after half past one o'clock the boll rang for the fust iac;, the Haudi-.-np Hurdle Race, won by Tarn O'Shautar beathu; Fri.ir Tuck and a field of six. After an interval of about an hour the horses engiged in the great event emerged from the saddling paddock in the following oider:-Zoe, rddeu by Ashworth; Archpr, with Cutts up ; JJsudee, with M'Cabe; Barwon. with S. Waldock; and Mormon, "With Simpson. After but slight delay, they were drawn up in a line before Mr Hepburn and a fair start effected, Banvon leading, followed by Zoe, Mormon, Archer, and Haidee in the order named. The race is summed up in a few words - Barwon was never headed and won as he liked, whilst a fair race between Mormon and Archer resulted in the former obtaining second honours ; Zoe, fourth ; an.l Hjvitlee, who never showed in the race, last. The two first horses, on returning to scale, were most vociferously cheered.

At ahout half-past llivco the District Plate, for which about eight entered, was won by Bosh, with Saddler second, after a good laoe with Slink Bonny the elder. The fifth biennials, which was to lave been run at four o'clock, was consideubly dolajed by the bolting of Triamph and the overthrow 1 of his rider, happily -without injury. The truant having been caught, the race was won easily by him, with Aruma second, and Devil-may-Oare laat. Handicap Huiroip Rape, of 60 soys ; entrance, § soya ; second to save hjs stake ; ab&ut two miles. Mr H. 0. Mount's b g T.im CShnntfr 0 yrs

(M'Minimj) 1 m J, Stephens' b g Friar fuck 2 Mr A, P. Sullivan's eh g §pqr|t£inau ag'd (Sullivan) 3 Mr L. Gordon's grju Modesty, a&eci.,,,((iQvdon) Q Mr S. Cole's gr m Alice, aged .(\Vcst) 0 Mr G. M. BeH's b g Smoker, nged... . . . .(Howell) 0 Mr W. I. Faris's b g Count, aged ( . erkins) 0 Mr H. Hoyt'a b g faarey, Bged (Kelly) 0

Betting sto 2 agst Modesty ; B, to 1 ag3t Alice j 4 to 1 agst Tarn O'Shanter; 6to 1 agst Sportsman ; and 7 to 1 agst the others. A,t the start Modesty went away iv \\s font but

had to yield to Friar Tuck, who held his position to the stand, when ascending the hill the second time rounl Tarn O'^hanter came up, and after a shoit strugele passed the Fiiarat the last tura, and won easily by four lengths, Sportsman finishing third.

THE CHAMPION RACE. Seventh Champion Sweepstakes, of 100 soya each, with 1000 soys added ; the second to receive 300 soys from the stake, «nd the third to save Ma stake. Distance, three tniies. Five per cent to be deducted from the gross stake for expenses. Value of the stake, 2105 soys. Mr J. Harper's b h Barwon, by Boiarilo—Jean- ._ nettegtyears (S. Waldock) 1 Mr P. J. Keiahmn's b h Mormon, by The Pramier—Delaware Girl, a (Simpson) 2 Mr De Mestre's b h Archer, by William Tell— Maid of the Oaks, n (Cutt-) 3 -Mr A. CLeeke's eh m Zoe, by Sir Hercules— Flora M'lvor, a (AshworMi) 0 Mr Da Mestre's eh m Haidse, by Chevalier— The Deformed, 4 y,-a:s (M'Cabe) 0 Betting: 5 tn 4 on Aicher; 3to 1 ag;t Barwon; 4 to 1 agst Haidee ; sto 1 agst Mormon : 10 to 1 ag-tin-t Zoe. A» soon as the borses were marshalled before Mr Hepburn a ftart was eflccted, Barwon jnmi.ing otf with the lead, Zoa, Mormon, Archer, and Haidee following in the order named. These pcsitbns were m intained until rerchbg the grand s,tai;d the flrsc time round, when BmvonluH a more (leaded lead, and Archer liad come up to and passed Mormon, but was rgain Id't, behind ou going round the next turn. Going up the Mil Arcber again went past Mormon, aud aft^r him, Zoo, "au'l tried t'i catcb. Barwon, but without success, tbe little horse never beiiisj pastel, and wiu- ing en&ily, At the last cum, Archer gave way to Mormon, and afterwards cut down Zjo for tLiid place, Haidee never tor one moment showing in the race. Time, G mm 3 sec,