RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1875, 28 October 1887, Page 25

RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

CAULFIELD CUP DAY.

Satukday, October 22.

The Spring meeting of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club was brought to a termination on the 15th inst. under most favourable circumstances, the weather remainiug fine and pleasant throughout the afternoon, notwithstanding the threatening aspect of the sky towards the close of the day's racing. All the recently undertaken improvements having been finished, visitors to the course were much more completely provided for than on any former occasion, and in every respect the Caulfield Cup day of 1887 was pronounced to be a great success. The attendance was considerably larger than in any previous year, and included the Governor, Lady Loch, and party. The Maiden Plate, with which the racing commenced, was won by Tranter, with Pakeha second and Mentor third. Lady Betty appropriated the Nursery Handicap, being followed home by Venture and Heathcote; and tho Selling Race fell to Violet, who beat Rocket, Toronto, and Tabby. The ! great event of the meeting, the Caulfield Cup, was won by Mr Martin Loughlin's horse Oakleigh, by Roodee — Adela 1 , with Remus second 1 and Dunlop third. The winner has hitherto been a most disappointing animal, showing good form on the training ground arid

invariably failing to maintain it in public ; but on Saturday he ran as honestly as could be, and was ably handled by the clever light weight" Gorry. The same Ballarat stable carried off the ' Steeplechase with Kangaroo, Royal Oak and' Stockman being the winner's nearest attendants ; aud a capital day's racing was brought to a conclusion by Dufferin winning the Windsor Handicap, with Chicago second and Boz third. The following is a description of the two races most interesting to New Zealanders, from the Melbourne Age : —

MAIDEN PLATE,

Of loOsovs, added to a sweepstakes of 3sovs each for acceptors. For maiden 'horses, 3 years old and upwards. Special weights— 3yrs, 7st 71b ; 4yrs, Sat 51b; syrs and upwards. Bst-81b. (Usual allowance to mares and geldings.) One mile. Hou B Mitchelson'a b o Tranter, by Musket— Pungawerewere, 3yrs, 7st 71b ... (Hughes) 1 Mr A Harvey's eh c Pakeha, Sprs, 7st 71b (Power) 2 Mr D S Wallace's b c Mentor.'Syrs, 7st 7lb

(Gorry) 3 Sir W J Clarke's br h First Consul, 4yrs, Bst 51b /Trahan) 0 Mr J X Crooke's b c West Bourke, 3yrs, Tat 71b "(Rainage) 0 Mr J A Lnng'a b c Verge, 3yrs, 7afc 71b (Turnhnm) 0 Betting : 2to 1 each agst Mentor and Pakeha, 3 to 1 Tranter, 10 to 1 First Consul. After some attempts the horses were sent away, Tranter, Pakeha, and First Consul being in front, all close together, West Bourke, Mentor, and Vergo being next. Passing the sheds First Consul wa9 leading, Tranter with Mentor being next, while Pakeha and West Bourke were about a length behind the pair, with Verge last. Along the back, Mentor on the outside had a slight advantage over First Consul and Tranter, while Pakeha was third and Verge last, close up. First Consul pulled hard and maintained his position, he getting slightly in front again as the far turn was reached, with Mentor and Tranter nearest to him, the three being almost in a line, with Pakeha a length and a-half off just behind them. West Bourke waa next and Verge last. Turning into the straight, Mentor, on the outside, was well up, on terms with First Consul and Pakeha, Tranter also being close to the front. The last named came along and finished in good style, aud Pakeha also made an effort, but Trauter won rather easily by a length, Pakeha finishing in second place a length and a-half ahead of Mentor. First Consul was fourth, about five lengths away, West Bourke being next and Verge last. Time, lmin 50sec. CAULFIELD CUP, A handicap of loOOsovs. lOOOsovs of the said sum to go to tiie first horse, together with a gold trophy, value lOOsovs, presented by Mr James Grice ; 300sovs to the second, and 200sovs to the third. (110 subs.) One mile aud a-half. Mr M Loughlin's b h Oakleigh, by Hoodee-Adela, syrs, 6stfllb ... ... ... (Gorry) 1 Mr S G Cook's eh h Remus, syrs, 7st 4lb, [including lib over] ... ... ... (Kamage) 2 Mr It Donovan's b or br h Dunlop, byes, Bsfc [including 71b penalty] ... ... (Sanders) 3 Mr A Drake's eh m Spade Guinea, fcyrs, Bst lllb (White) O Mr W Cooper's bk or g li Silvermine, Gvrs, Bsb Sib (Itobottson) 0 Mr A Drake's bli Pasha, fiyrs, Bst 31b (Kudings) 0 Mr S Miller's eh c Lord William, 4yrs, 7st 131b (M'lntosh) 0 Mr H Oxflnham'a oil h Phaon, oyrs, 7at lllb [including 71b penalty] ... ... (Harris) 0 Mr J White's br g Volcano, 4yrs, 7st lllb (Hales) 0 Mr X On's b h Recall, Syrs, 7st lllb (Power) 0 Mr W T Jones's b h l'he Levite, aged, 7st 81b (Trahnn) 0 Mr J Crozier's (jun.) b o Lava, 'lyrs, Tst. 4lb [including 71b penalty] „, ... (Redfearn) 0 Mr O Collins' eh o Newmastev, 'lyrs, 7st 71t> [iucluding 41b over] ... ... (Swanston) o Mr O S Aguew's eh m Pocahontas, aged, 7ab (Hutchenß) 0 Mr J Murray's br h King of the West, syrs, 7et (.including lib over] ... (Williams) 0 Mr 1C Mitchelsou's b o Escutcheon, 3yrs, 6st 121b (Cracknel)) 0 Mr S G Cook's br c Dividend, 4yrs, tfsfc lllb (Howie) O Sir W J Clnrke's br c Menotti, 4yrs, 6st 101b (Bence) 0 Mr J Leek'e eh o Emerald, 4yrs, tisfc 91b (M'Grath) O Mr R G Talbofa eh c Lord Allen, 3 yrs, Ost 71b (O'Connor) O Mr M Herman's bk c Whitebait (late Defrauder), 4yis, Oat 71b ... ... (Simmons) 0 Air C Collins' Gasburner, ayra, 6at 51b ... (Argall) O Starting prices : 3to 1 agst Volcano, 7to 1 Silvermine, 8 to 1 Tho Levite, 10 to 1 Recall, Lara, Lord Allen, 19 to 1 Escutcheon, 16 to 1 Oakleigh. 20 to 1 Remus, 25 to 1 Lord William, Dunlop, Spade Guinea, 33 to 1 King of the West, 50 to 1 Pocahontas, Emerald, Gasburner, Pasha, Phaon, 100 to 1 Whitebait, Dividend, Newmaster, Menotti.

Some of the horses attempted to go away before Mr Watson was ready, but they were soon got into line again, and after one more break away they were sent off to a very even start, Menotti being the quickest into his stride. Recail, Volcano, and Lara also gained a slight advantage by jumping quickly away, bat Menotti at once went to the front, and proceeded to cut out the running, and when the first furlong was completed he had a clear lead of Dividend, who was just ia advance of Volcano, Recall, Oakleigh, and Silvermine, all the horses forming tho front division being in the centre of the course. Menotti carried Sir W. J. Clarke's colours in front of the field as the horses raced past the grand stand, Lara, Recall, Volcano, Dividend, Silvermine, Gasburner, and The Levite being at the head of the others, while the rearmost horses were Phaon and Lord William. Rounding the turn away from the straight Menotti led the field, with Dividend second and Volcano close on him, Oakleigh, Recall, and King of tbu West being the others who occupied prominent positions. Dunlop and Gasburner were at a disadvantage by having to swing round this long turn on the extreme outside. Lord William still filled the place of whipper-in. The horses disappeared from view for a second or two when passing the small eminence known as the hill, but Menotti was the first to catch the eye as they reappeared, he having a clear; lead over Silvermine and Dividend, the others forming the front division being King of the West, Oakleigh, The Levite, Lord Allen, Pocahontos, Lara, Emerald, and Dunlop, all the others coming along in close proximity to one another. When the back of the course was reached Menotti still showed the way at a rattling pace, he being a length in front of Volcano, Silvermine, and Dividend. Reaching tho far turn along the railway side, Menotti disappsared from his leading position, which was taken by King of the West, Menotti for some little distance holding second place. Silvermine and Lara were next, tit the Head of the others, of whopa Lord William was still last. As the field raced along the railway side towards the turn into the straight King of the West had a slight advantage over the others, and Oakleigb, Recall, Silvermine, Dividend, Emerald, Dunlopi and Remus' were all in forward positions within a length or two of the leader, while the favourite, Volcano, had dropped back into the ruck. As the turn into the straight was reached it was seen that Oakleigh had got to the front, where he wasattendedbySilvermine,KingoftheWest,Dividend, Recall, and Dunlop. Oakliegh, wichJSilvermine in hot pursuit of him, held a clear lead as the distance was approached, where the excitement attendant on the efforts of Silvermine to overhaul Oakleigh was intensified by tbe suddep appearance of Remus^ who, on the imide,'ran forward at a great pace, and got near enough to bring Oakleigh and Silvermine >to the whip. Anxious eyes looked for Volcano to reappear

&nd join in the finish, but they were disappointed. Gorry rode Oakleigh right out, and the horse, responding to the jockey's reminders, maintained his advantage over Remus and Silvermine, with whom Dunlop and Lord Allen had joined in the final effort. Oakleigh, however, was not caught, and he passed the winning post a length and a-half ahead of Remus, who was a length in advance of the third horse, Duulop ; Lord Allen, about a length and a-half off, was fourth, he being at the head of a number of horses who were nearly on even terms with each other, Silvermine was next to Lord Allen, and then came Recall, Newmaster, Emerald, Menotti, King of the West, Pocahontas, Escutcheon, Lara, and Gasburner, while the hindmost division consisted of Pasha, Spade Guinea, Lord William, Phaou, and Volcano, the favourite being the absolute last to pass the post. Time, 2min 41f sec.