REVIEW OF THE PAST SEASON. No. IX.

Otago Witness, Issue 1449, 30 August 1879, Page 18

REVIEW OF THE PAST SEASON. No. IX.

At Opotiki, Auckland, on New Year's Day, a long programme of eight races was got through, but the amount of stakes was not over LIOO The principal race was the Opotiki Cup of 25 aovs, which was won by Mr Cuawen'a roan gelding Gainaboro', beating Doubtful, Whakatane, and Baron. In the Settlers' Stakes, however, Doubtful met Gainsboro' on 81ba better terms, and managed to just beat him on the post. Major Goring's Whakatane had » turn in the Maiden PJafce, but the other competitors at the meeting call for bo special mention.

A somewhat similar meeting was held at Tologa Bay, Auckland, on January 3. Mr Gk Burnard's Skysail is the bosfc known horse that ran there, and he won the Uawa Stakes ; but, on a protest, he was declared disqualified for that race on account of his nomination not having been received by the adrertised date, and the stakes were awarded to Mr J. Harding s Pepper. In thejForced Hsradicap, however, Skysail again came in first, and tho en» tries having been received on the ground, » second protest which was lodged could not of course be entertained. Pepper secured the Maiden Plate for Mr Harding, after losing 100 yards through bolting. Mr E. Robson'. Zambula bolted off the course in two raceß. but in the Flying Stakes managed to run straight, and won easily. At Ngaruawahift, Auckland, on the same day, the J. O. Handicap of 30 govg wna won by Mr Bond's Flirt, a very Buccesiful mare at the Auckland proyincfal meeti'mre. The name gentleman's Wee Pet secured" the Gallowar Staked, and Scotland carried off the Handicap Hurdle Race. F Whakatake, Auckland, races were held on January 6th, and many of the horses that had figured at Opotiki put in an appearance. Whakatane won the County Oup for Major Goring, beating his old antagonists Doubtful and Gainsboro'. Doubtful, however, placed the Settlers' Plate to Mr Chaos's credit. Seven horses started for the Handicap Hurdle Race, and after a scrambling race, in which spills were plentiful, Mr J. Merritt's Mount was returned the victor. There several other events of minor importance. iS|At Mongonui, Auckland, on January 7tb, there was some good racing for sta«U stakes. For the principal handicap The Worm and Mr Dtmlop's Eclipse ran what the judge declared to be a dead-heat The owner* of The I Worm, however, protested, and ref Ußed to ran it off, consequently Eclipse had a wrik-ov«» for the stakes. In the Hutdle Raoe Primata smashed through the first hurdle, but eventually won a good raco, beating Magician, Blomojm, and The Worm. The Settler*' Race waa won by Lawyer, vrho defeated Primate and Derby. Coming back to Ofcago, I find that th* Mount Ida annual meeting w»« held on January 9th ! and lOtb, with a bill of fare of about L 230 provided. Mr H. Goodman paid thia fixture a visit, and carried off the Maiden Plate of 20 hoys with Playboy, the twe.year old oolt by Yattendon — Frolic. The same owner took also the Grand Stand Handicap, of 40 boy», with the help of York (7»t), whose only op- , poaents were Freestone (8»t 101b), and Blue Peter <Bst 4lb). For aome reason neither of Mr Goodman's pair startpd again during the meeting, ho that in the Mount Ida Handicap, of 40 soys, on the second day, Mr Swanson 1 * Blue Peter (8«t 4lb) bad little difiaculty ia bowliDgr over Wild Manx Boy (7«t), and Freestone (7s(s 101b). Blue Peter also secured the £ff e x 6x 6 nd{c ";P» °f 20 , S0TB » &y&S Jack the Flat 221b and a hard beating. The latter horse, however, earned for Mr M'Kay the Selling Race, of 20 soys, beating old Backbiter and Numa : and also the Hospital Race. Mr Jones' Larrikin carried off two Selling Races, of 15 soys each ; and Numa, in the Consolation Stakes, of 15 bovb, made amends for his previous defeat. Queeustown (Otago) Races extended over January 16th and 17th, and about an equal amount of added money to that given at Mount Ida was given. Mr Taylor's Haricot was here again in good nick, as he had been in the spring;. He won the Franktoa Handicap of 35 sovh., carrying 9jt 51b, and bsating Speculation (9st), Patch (Bst 9lb), and three more. He also carried off the J.C. Handicap of 40 ) sjvs. (9at Sib), boating Foam (7st 91b), Patch, and four others. Mr Tuohy secured the Wftkatipu Handicap of -', 20 aova. with Tunbertop, who gave Tommy Dodd and Devonshire Lass lumps of weight and a good beating, and the District Race of 15 sovb. with Port Phillip Buck. Mr Cash's Medora unexpactedly put Tambourini and Tommy Dodd through in tho Maiden Plate of 15 soys : but in the Handicap Hurdle Race of 25 soys. Mr Howarth's horse had his revenge, winning easily, while Medora could not get a situation eves. The v«:t«r*n Mistletoe, or a horse of that name, waa stcond out of the five starters. Tambourini was pulled out again ftr the very next race— the Novel Handicap of 30 sovb,— but, as might have been expected, he had too much taken out of him, and a good raca between Mr A. Douglas' Abinadab and Mr Taylor's Frances resulted in favour of the former. Abinadab, who was then purchased by Mr Patterson, wop the Selling Race of 15 »ovs, land waa bought in by her new owntr. Old Schoolboy won the Hospital Race, and' Me Barry's mare Foam beat the unfortunate Patch and Flying Beauty in the Consolation Stakes. At Taupo, Auckland, something over LIOO waa run for on January 20tb. Mr Stott'a Vengeance seems to have bean the hero of the occasion, carrying off the Taupo Cup of 30 iovb and the J.C. Handicap also. Mr Brady'a Stwltrap won the Hurdle Handicap, Mr Griffith* Gamecock baulking early in the r»ca ; but tho latter secured the Maiden Plate immediately afterwards. Hokianga (Auckland) meeting, on January 21st, wiK? not a very grand affair, and it will be sufficient to say that Mr Cochran'a Bundarra won the Hokianga Handicap and the Ladies' Purse, while Wideawake took the Handicap Hurdle Raco. About Ll2O was given in stakes at Kawakawa, Auckland, on January 29th, and here again Mr Cochrano's Bundarra was in great form. In the J.O. Handicap of 30 sore, he won easily from Deceiver, and in the Parse, weight-forage, he secured a still easier win. The Hurdle Race proved a good thin* for Deceiver, who in the property of Mr Smta-

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