THE MANDEVILLE RACES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1935, 26 March 1891, Page 24

THE MANDEVILLE RACES.

Last week only the baldest particulars were given concerning the races held at Mandevilleon St. Patrick's Day. The weather was gloriously fine, which circumstance, when it is said; the Waimea Plains folk were in the midst of harvest operations, sufficiently accounts for theBmall number of farmers and their people present. The attendance, however, was not at all bad, as the special train from Invercargilt was well patronised, and Gore sent a strong contingent. The course is veiy prettily situated less than a mile from the Mandevilte railway station— some 10 miles from Gore on the Waimea line— and iB on Mr G M Bell's property. Close at band is to be seen the Wantwood homestead nestling in the trees under the shadow of the Hokonuis, and standl? g "2 bol( l r ? llof from the fao * *h»t save the Wantwood plantation no trees are discernlble over the great extent of plains except in the far distance. The lord of the manor: who is among the keeneßt sportsmen fin tha land, is president of the Mandeville CHub and his exeoutive is composed of genuine overg of the noble aninnl-men wErEX httle for the dollars, but relish tha anm* wpwWly if it mnm of S!%S^SSq

business. Besides a large house party, the president and Mrs Ball dispersed hospitality to many friends from far and near, for the purpose having a large marquee erected on the course. The gathering was a thoroughly enjoyable one, marred only by the contretemps over the first race, 'in which the subsequent winner was sent out labelled No. 7, while he ocoupied his correot position, No. 6 (he was sixth in the handicap), on the totalisator. The owner and trainer of Patchwork were both misled by the number on the saddlecloth, and aeoured 12 tickets on No. 7, thinking they were baoking their own horse. They and others who imagined they were supporting Patchwork laid the matter before the stewards, who met and decided that owing to the confusion that had arisen the numbers on No. 6 and No. 7 be added together and dividends paid to the holders of tickets on each. This reduoed a "fat" dividend to a very small one, for of the 162 investors on tbe machine but 10 were on No. 6 (Patohwork). Working the figures out, the dividend would oome to £14 111, but as tbe 44 on No. 7 (Upper Out) participated the amount was reduced to £2 153. Several of those holding tickets on No. 6 refused to take a lesser amount than that to which they considered they were entitled, and talk of taking legal aotion in the matter. Apart from the totalisator trouble tbe win of Patchwork was exceedingly popular on account of his being the property of Mr Gardner, of Birchwood, whose name is a household one among sportsmen in the South. Patchwork is a powerful aad handsome horse, in appearance very like bis sire Golden Butterfly. He is certainly a stayer, and as be is susceptible of further improvement is somewhat out of tbe ordinary of Southern-bred ones. Viotor, who with Nor'wester (a very common hack who fluked a win over hurdles at the Southland Amateur meeting) was at the top of the handicap, could not pace it with those who filled tbe situations ; while Aparima and Volunteer, who made up the field, should not have been started, There were but three started for the Cup, Anonyma being a big favourite, but the genial warmth seemed to have an invigourating effeot on old Victory — it took the stiffening out of hia joints, — who won comfortably from the mare. Jealousy was donkey-licked. Tbe chief event, the Wantwood Steeplechase, run over a course generally taken by the hunt when the hounds visit the district, produced an exciting contest between the two horses that bad been backed with any spirit, tbe winner of the Hurdle Raoe and Viotor. These two were known to be reliable jumpers ; Patohwork carried the huntsman of the Birchwood hounds most of last season ; Mr Bell's grey had distinguished himself both on the hunting field and between the flag many a time and oft. The other starters were voted unsafe when set to negotiate big natural country, and proved that they were so, for they were soon out of the bunt. It was not altogether plain sailing with the picked two either, and places were changed more than once. With heads turned for home, Victor landed in the oourae proper quite 12 lengths ahead of his young rival, who was steadily gaining. Patohwork was almost on terms at the last jump, a hurdle, and all up the straight a great struggle ensued, old Viotor maintaining his advantage to the end, but the verdict was only a neck. AllenJ the rider of the winner, who to make weight was encumbered with a lead belt, was much exhausted at the finish. The victory of the president's horse was warmly received, and it was considered a proper division of honours that the squires of Wantwood and Birohwood Bhould each annex a race. Billy was unequal to the task of giving Anonyma 161b in the Distriot Handicap; nor was Foremost (scratch) quite able to get np on Caber Feigh (60seo), the limit horse, in the Three-mile Trot. Heartburn was chucked into tbe Consolation, and won hard held. The Bum of £890 went through the machine during tbe day, an amount which would have been considerably augmented had not the mistake in the Hurdle Race ocourred. Details follow :— • HUBDLE BAOB. * Of 25iovs. Two miles. Mr James Gardner's oh h Patchwork, syra, 10.1 . [including 31b over] ... (Mr F M'Kay) 1 Mr H M'Lean's br g Upper Cut, syrs, 9 7 (Jaa Cotton) 2 Mr H Telford's b g Aparima, aged, 10.7 (Chapman) 3 Viotor 11.0, Nor'-wester 11.0, and Volunteer 10.0 also ran. Patchwork was the first to show in front, and passing the stand was with Nor'-wester and Upper Cut at the head of affairs, Volunteer last. At the back of the course Patohwork improve^ hia position and was -running clear of Upper Cat, who in tarn was several lengths ahead of Aparima. Nor'-wester had dropped back, and Victor also was seen to be beaten. At tbe far tarn Aparima oommenoed to close on the leaders, but struck the second last jump heavily, which spoiled his ohapoe. Patchwork entered the straight with a slight advantage, and never being pushed won comfortably by a length and a-half ; a good third Time, 4.16. NOVEL HANDICAP, Of 20IOV8. One mile and a-qnarter. Messrs Lawlor and Boult's b m Marie, 9.0 (Chapman) 1 Mr A Brennan's br g Makarora, 8 7 (Brennsn) 2 Makarora led on sufferanoa till the straight was reaohod, when the mare came away and I won easily. Dividend, £2 11s. Oa being submitted to auotion she was bought in at £22 10s. MANDBVILLB CUP. Of 30sovs. One mile and a-half. Mr J Crockett's oh g Victory, aged, 7.8 (Blee) 1 Mr H TeUord's b m Anonyma, syrs, 8 2 (Chapman) 2 Mr T O White's b m Jealousy, aged, 8.0 (Johneton) 3 These were the only starters. Anonyma had Victory at har girths to the top turn, where the old horse forged ahead. In the straight Anonyma, under the whip, drew alongside, but was unable to sustain the effort, and Victory passed the post, with a little in hand, three parts of a length to the good. Jealousy was last all the way and finished an indifferent third. Time, 2.47. Dividend, £3 153. The Hack Sailing Race was won by a grey gelding named Governor Grey, by a head, after a slashing finish with Makarora, A protest was entered on the grounds that tho animal ran at Tapanui under a different name, but on evidence baing heard it was dismissed. WANTWOOD STEEPLECHASE, Ot 40sovs . Over about three miles of natural country. Mr GM Bell's gg Victor, aged, 12 0 ... (Allen) 1 Mr Jam9s Gardner's eh h Patohwork. 5yr5.*9.12 (Mr F M'Kay) 2 Maxwelton (ll.O).Volunfceer (10 0), and Upper Out (9.12) also took part. The horses could not be seen at the starting point from the stand, the first jump being a high gorse hedge, the boundary of the racecourse paddock. Over this Victor was the first to made bis appearance, followed by Maxwolton, Upper Cut (who fell and got away from James Cotton, who had th 9 mount), and Patchwork. Volunteer failed to get ovor the obstacle. At the third fence — that loading out of tha racecourse — Maxwelton baulked and took no further part in the rao3. Landed on the r<~ad, Viotor stoppje; at the feaco on tha opposite ■ ifo

and Patohwork was first over the second of tire double, Victor jumping it at the second time of asking. Mr Gardner's horse led over the following hedge, but Victor was with him as the ditch before ascending the bill was-crossed. Going up the slope, Victor forged ahead and had a considerable advantage when he landed the first woolshed jump. The old horse again showed a disinclination to face the second of a double, and the stoppage allowed Patohwork to get up. Allen was straightening his mount for the jump when the younger horse ranged alongside and somewhat of a collision took plaoe, Patchwork struck Victor on the quarters as be was rising, and himself blundered over the jump unseating his rider. Viotor fared better, for he landed on the right side of the fence, broadside on, and Allen had retained bis place in tbe saddle. There was Btill about a mile to be traversed with' the two fences to negotiate. Making the beat use of hia time Viator obtained a strong lead before Patohwork again gave chase ; the burden on the old horse was, however, commencing to make itself felt, and the light weight rapidly lessened the gap between them. At the first obstacle Patohwork was close on the leader, and answering every call of his rider, was gaining with every stride. Well within the distance Allen sat down on his mount, and under punishment the old horse struggled to the end, winning all oat by a neck. Upper Out finished some time after the other horses. He went the course, but gave his rider several falls ; Cotton took these in good part, and came on smiling. The dividend on Viotor was £2 sj.

I DISTBIOT HANDICAP, Of 2030V5. One mile and a-quarter, Mr H Telford's b m Anonyma, 8.0 ... .«. 1 Mr A Brennan's g g Billy, 9.2 ... ... 2 Mr T O White's oh m Heartburn, 7.12 ... 3 Anonyma led from start to finish, winning easily. Dividend, £1 11s. HANDICAP TIMB TBOT, Of 15sovs. Ihree .'miles. Mr B M'Donald's b g Caber Felgh, 60aeo ... 1 Mr O S Broadbent's cb g Foremost, scratch ... 2 Mr J Bobertion's b m Tut dOr, 40sec ... ... 3 Banshee 20aec, Silver Bell 25aeo, Killarney 4038 C, Minnie 453e0, Milton's Daisy 50aec, lancy 69sbc, and Paddy's Mother 55seo, also Btarted. The winner waß never headed, and won easily. The exhibition of trotting, exoept that of the winner and Foremost, was very poor. Dividend, £4 7s. The Consolation obtained three entriesWhite's Heartburn (7.4), Jealousy (8.7), and Brennan's Billy (9 7). The first-named won easily, paying a £2 19s dividend. — OARDRONA RACES. Tuesday, Maboh 17. maiden plate, Of ISsovt ; second horse 3sovs from the stake. One mile. Weight for age. Mr J Bivers' b m Melissa, 3yrs, 8 3 (G Bivers) 1 Mr John Keith's b g No Name, aged, 8.12 [car 91b over] ... ... ... (Kirk) 2 Mr 0 Diamond's cb. g King Billy, sjra, 8.12 (AM'Kay) 3 . Also ran : Armstrong 94, Risk 8.12, Tridentate 8.12, Grumeta 8.12, and Popular 9.1. Tridentate was the first to give a lead, but, running wide, he let Armstrong get to the front, where he remained till the straight was reached. Here Melissa ( who had been taking matters easy) came with a rush and won comfortably, No Name being her nearest attendant. Dividend, £3 63. DISTBIOT HANDICAP HACK BACK, Of lOtovs. Three-quarters of a mile. Mr W J Anderson's g g Plnfire, syn, 8.0 (W Campbell) 1 Mr B Fraser'i oh m Spray, 8.6 ' ... (Elvers) 2 Mr Stephenson'a b m Sunbeam, 10.0 (B Cotter) 3 Also ran : Nigger 7.9 and Blaok Baas 77« Pinfire kept in the lead to the finish, showiug three lengths to the good on the cost, Spray came very faßt in the straight. Dividend, £4 19a. ST. PATRICK'S HANDICAP, OI 25sova ; second horse 3sovs from stake. One mile and a-half. Mr J Bivers' b g Avis, syrs, 8.5 (G Elvers) 1 Mr M'Kay's Knickerbocker Sam, aged, 9.0 (M'Kay) 2 Mr H M'Nulty's b g Buteherboy, 7.9 (W Campbell) 3 Also ran : Mohawk 7.5 and Plunger 8.3. I Butoherboy was at the head of affairs with a good lead till more than half the distance was covered. Then he fell away, and Avis again got into first place, Rivers increasing bis advantage till he made his position safe and winning as he liked, despite a game attempt on the patt of Knicker to wrest the victory from him. Butoherboy was third, and the others straggled out at the finish, none of them being in it at all. Time, 2.49. Dividend, £2 4s. STBWABDS' HANDICAP, Of 15sovs. One mile. Mr B M'Nulty's b g Butoherboy, aged, 7.5 (Campbell) 1 Mr J Bivers' b g Avis, sy», 8.1 (Bivers) 2 Mr J Scoles' b g Caliph, aged, 9.0 (B Cotter) 3 Butoherboy went to the front, and the other pair never got on terms with him. Dividend, £4 11s. HANDICAP HACK EACH, Of lOsovb. One mile. Mr M'Kay's Pahie, 8.7 (AM'Kay) 1 Mr J Keith* No Name, 7.12 (Beale) 2 Mr J Bivers' Melissa, 8.7 (Rivers) 3 Aho ran: Pinfire 8.0, Fairy Queen 610, Sunbeam 9.2, Barnardo 8.2, Popular 10.9, and King Billy 6 5. King Billy and Pinfire 'went to the front, the others being well together for half a mile Pabie made a forward move, passing one after the other very quietly till at the top of the straight he showed in front and finally won with ease. No Name, who again shaped well at the finish,' beat Melissa by a couple of lengths for second place. Dividend, £1 18s. FLUNG HANDICAP. Of 17sovb ; second horse 2sovs from the.atake. Threequarters of a mile. . Mr J Scolei' b g Caliph, 9 0 [carried 41b over] (X Cotter) l Mr J Bivers' b g Avis, syrs. 8.5 (Hivers) 2 Mr B M'Nulty's b m Gazelle, 4yre, 9.10 (Campbell) 3 Also ran : Bracelet 7.2 and Mohawk 6 10. Avis passed Gazelle about 50 yards from home, and went in hot pursuit of Caliph, who, however, thanks to Cotter'B nursing, just managed to gat home by half a length. Dividend, £7 17?. ETTRICK RACES. Tuesday, March 17. maiden plate. Distance, one mile and a- quarter. Weight for age, First horse, £6 ; second, £1 10s. Mr A M'Pheraon'a Bella, 812 ... (J M'Pheraon) 1 Mr T Wilkin'B Geutle Annie ... ... 2 Mr A White's Barmaid ... ... ... 3 Venus, Jess, Pellmell, Titus, and Wee John nlao started. Bella led from tho fall of the flag, winning easily. A protest waß intartd against Bella on the ground that Bha had previously won pablic money. DOMAIN HANDICAP. Distance, one mile and a half. First horse, £10; second, £2 10s. Mr E Hickey'i Shotover. 10.0 ... (.Miscall) 1 Mr J M'Donnell'B Linden, 10.5 ... ... 2 Mr B Weir's Barrabas, 10.3 ... ... ... 3 Mina and D^an Swift also ran. Mina out

I out the running for tbe first mile, when Bhe was Bupplanted by Shotovar. Linden came gamely towards tbe finish, but was unable to get within a couple of lengths <af Shotover. - MAIDEN TROT. Distance, two miles. list up. First horse, £6 ; second, &i. Mr J M'Donnell's Belfast Maid (Owner) i Mr X Kitto's Battler ... ... ... 2 Mr C Bennet'B Capri ... ... ,„ 3 The other starters were Billy, Lightfoofc, Plain Head, Tommy (No. 2), and Jack M'Laughlin. Won by fully 100 yds." HACK EAOE. Distance, one mile. lOst up For horses that have never won over £6. First hone, £6: second, £1 10s. Mr A M'Pherson's Bella (Jodd) 1 Mr T Wilbin's Gentle Annie ... „. 2 Mr J Miller's Venus ... ... ... 3 Mr J M'lntosh's Tommy (No. 2) ... ... 0 There was nothing in the race bat Bella, who took command after less than half a mile had been covered. DISTRICT HANDICAP. Distance, one mile and a-quarter. First horse, £6 ; second, £3. Mr B Weir's May bell, 9.9 (Miscall) Mr T Whelan's Mina ... ... ... Mr W Gordon's Dean Swift Poathorn also ran. Maybell wonby a clear length. HANDICAP TIME TBOT. Distance, three miles. 11.0 up. Fint horse, £S ; second, £2. Mr W Gordon's Borneo, 25sec ... (Gordon) 1 Mr A M'Pherson's Plain Head, 45seo ... ... 2 Mr B Kitto's Battler, 50ie0... ... ... 3 Lightfoot 60ieo, Jack M'Laughlin 60aec, Capri 60360, Romance 35aeo, Belfast Maid ISsec, and Miss Ellen scratch, were the other starters. Won by a couple of lengths. CONSOLATION HANDICAP, Of £5. Distance, one mile. Mr 3 M'Donnell's Linden, 8.12... (Miscall) 1 Mr T Wilkin's Gentle Annie, 7.3 ... .. 2 Mr T Whelan's Mina ... ... „. 3 Mr A M'Pherson's Posthorn ... ,„ 0 Won by two lengths.