NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 1489, 29 May 1880, Page 20

NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE CLUB.

(Pee Pkess Association Speoial Wire.) Cheistohurch, May 24th. The weather was fine to-day, and the attendance good at the steeplechases. The Agent again achieved a double victory, winning both the handicaps and the Cup. Two totalisators were on the ground, and were well patronised, the one outside the paddock doing most business. Both were improved machines, and appeared to give satisfaction, the figures being much larger, and the arrangements for preventing tampering more perfect. The following is a description of the events : — THE NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP, Of 200 soys, with a sweepstake of 5 soys (fov acceptors) each, to go to the second horse. Distance four miles. Mr P Butler's eh g The Agent, 12st 71b (II Lunn) 1 Mr F Brittan's b g Royalty, list . . (Sheehan) 2 MrW Douglass' b g Baron, list 61b (including 21b overweight) . . . . (J Munn) 8 Mr C Turnbull's Lone Hand, 12st 71b (Cullon) 0 Mr R M'lvor's Grey Momus, 12st . . (Owner) 0 Mr T M'Kay's Banjo, lOst 101b .. (Owner) 0 Mr S Osborne's Black Prince, lOst 71b (Owner) 0 Mr R O'Neill's Thilo, list 121b (including 51b overweight) .. •- •• (O'Neill) 0, Mr Herbert's Swindle, lOst 91b (including 31b overweight) .. •■ •• (Hawkins) 0 Mr Douglass' Harkaway, lOst 31b .. (MM'Coy) 0 Mr G Dillon's Mickey Free, list 41b (including 81b overweight) .. ■. •• ..0 Mr n Schluter's Little John, list lib (including 51b overweight) .. .. •• ..0 Mr R. M'lvor's Loch Lomond was scratched. Betting : 2 to 1 against The Agent; 5 to 1 against the others. There was considerable delay in starting. The Baron broke away twice at the post, and it was two minutes to 1 before Mr Egan got the horses away. The Baron and Lone Hand showed in the lead affcer the start, and rose to the first fence together, which they cleared, the rest of the field quickly following. Lone Hand declined at the second fence, but, by a little persuasion, scrambled over standing. Baron was first over the stone wall opposite the stand, and Royalty the last. Swindler stuck, but eventually bucked over. At the next fence, on the near side of the course, Baron led over, the others refusing with the exception of Banjo, Agent, and Royalty, who cleared a way, the leader forcing the pace. The race, bar accidents, now evidently lay between these four, who were a loag way ahead of the few who had managed by this time to get over the corner fence. Entering the straight, Baron still led, Agent second, Banjo third, Royalty fourth, and in this order they passed tbe stand up to the stone wall, which they all cleared. After jumping the comer 1 fence, Royalty collared Banjo, Agent also coming up, and passed Banjo before the double fence was reached. At the opposite side of the course, Agent took second place, and comine; into the straight headed Baron, who was evidently beaten. Royalty now camo away hard, and after clearing the last fence cams up under the whip, getting within a length of the leader. A splendid race ensued from the distance-post, but Royalty was too much done up. Lunn waa sitting steadily, hardly moving on the favourite, and landed him a winner by a little more than a length. On. comiug to the scale the first and second horses were loudly cheered. Time, 10 mm. 39 sec. The totalisator results were as follow : — Hobbs and Goodwin's, 290 shares at LI. Of these 4l were on the winner, and received L 4 3s each. Hill's, 25 shsxies atL2. Of these four were on the winner, drawing Lll 5s each. MAIDEN PLATE. Mr A Keith's Venture, aged, 12sfc 31b . . (Owner) 1 Mr V Butler's Stella, aged, 12st 31b . . (M'lvor) 2 Mr W Clifford's. Clarcnco, aged, 12sfc 31b (Luim) 3 Mr TCochran's Bluebell, aged, 12st 31b (Cochran) 0 Mr T Murray's Tarn o' Shantcr, aged, 12st 31b (I* 1 Hedge) 0 Mr II Jiradley's Miss Ilniigerford, 5 yrs,, 12st 121b (Owner) 0 Harkaway, Tally-ho, and Swindler were scratched. Betting : 6to 4 agst Clarence, 2to 1 agst Venture, 3 to 1 agst Stella, 5 and 6 to 1 agst others. Mr Campbell sent the crowd away to a very good start, of which Clareuce had a little the best, Tarn o' Shanter and Stella following closely. At the hedge and bank opposite the stand Tarn o' Shanter took the lead, and the reßt followed his example in getting well over, the pace, however, being exceedingly slow. Stella, who was being hard held by M'lvor, commenced, notwithstanding, to go to the front, and at the jump by Rsd wood's , the mare led. Opposite tho stand Venture was first over, but almost immediately afterwards she again gavo way to Stella. Clarence went down at the double, though Lunn soon had him on the track again, with bo harm but the delay. By this tims Venture had taken a good lend, and as the result (showed, a fimil one. StelU was oi Ibij stage a liberal four lengths behind, and Clarence waa endeavouring to make np for tho lost time, though to little purpose. Of fibe rest of fclie field Uipw wm nothing to attract the attention of ibo spectators, the horses having tailed off kemendouaiy. Venture continued to lead

on entering the straight, Stella now being ridden. The win was all but a walk- in for Venture, Stella, 20 lengths behind, being second, and Clarence a bad third \ the rest nowhere. Time, 4 mm. 45 sec. The totaliaator results were :— Hobba and Goodwin's, L2ll, divided amoDgst 45 investors on the winner ; S. Hill's, L 53, divided amongst 12 investors on the winner. HUNT CLUB CUP, Of 150 soys, added to a sweepstake of 5 soys each for acceptors, to go to tho second horse. Weight for ago. Amateur riders allowed 71b. The winner o the Grand National Handicap to carry 101b penaltyDistance, three miles. Mr P Butler's eh g The Agent, aged, by Oliver Cromwell .. -- •■ (MrH.Lumrt 1 Mr R. M'lvor's Grey Momus.. .. (J.Rao; & Mr W Douglass' b g Baron, aged . . (J M".n») « Mr A Dillon's eh g Mickey Free, aged . . (A Keith) 0 MrW Herbert's blk g Magic, 5 yrs .. (Owner) O Mr II Schluter's b g Little John, 5 yrs (Mr C Bourn) 0 Mr II D Bradlcy's b m Miss Hungerford, 5 yrs (Owner) 0 Mr R M'lvor's blk g Loch Lomond, 5 yrs (Owner) o Betting : 3tol on Agent ; 2to 1 against Baron ; 3 to 1 Grey Momus and Loch Lomond ; 5 to 1 against any other. < Mr Campbell despatched his horses well together. At the first attempt Baron and Grey Momuß immediately went to the front, taking the first fence simultaneously, leading the field by several lengths. At the second jump Baron fell, and Little John refused. The latter thenceforward waa out of it. The horses passed the stand in the following order : —Agent, Grey Momus, and Magic, some distance separating them from one another, the favourite going well within himself, and fencing magnificently. At the last fence but one from home Magic fell heavily, giving Hankins a very ugly fall, and although the race had never been in doubt for the last mile, there was now nothing left to iuterfere with The Agent, who sailed home an easy winner by 40 length?, Grey Momus being a bad second. Time, 7 mm. 14^ sec. CONSOLATION HANDICAP, Of 50 soys, added to a sweepstake of 2 soys for accepted horses. Distance, two miles. Mr W Clifford's bg Claronce, by Ravensworth, aged, list 31b .. •• •■ (M'lvor) 1 Mr F Brittan's b g Royalty, aged, 12st . . (Sheehan) 2 Mr P Butler's eh ra Stella, aged, 12st 121b (SOsborne> 3 Mr R M'lvor's Loch Lomond, list 121b (J Rao) 0 Mr T M'Kay's Banjo, 12st 101b .. (F Hedge} 0 Mr Douglass' Harkaway, lOst . . (P M'Kay) Betting : 2 to 1 against Clarence ; 3to 1 Royalty ; 3to 1 Stella. Clarence and Harkaway cl-sared the first fence abraast. At the next jumpj ump Harkaway also led, Stella falling bofore reaching the double. Royalty, who had hitherto been lagging behind, ran up to his horses, and was on terms with the leading horse, Mickey Free having fallen heavily at the jump before the double. Three-quarters of a mile from home Royalty had assumed the lead, Clarence lying second, and Stella some lengths in the rear of Clarence. Mr Brittan's horsa led into the straight and over the last jump, but when it came to galloping, the issue was never in doubt, the Blenheim wianer overhauling Royalty at every stride, and winning, hard held, by a length.