AUCKLAND R. C. MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 32

AUCKLAND R. C. MEETING.

By Tuhoe.

Auckland, April 20. 1 The second day of the A. It C. meeting was favoured with glorious weather and a good ' attendance. In the first race — the Stewards' Handicap, one mile— Lady Mariou, an odds-on favourite, wou easily from Castashore and St. Gordon in lmin 44sec ; dividend, £1 19s. For tho Elleralie Handicap, six furlougs, St. Conon was a hot favourite, but was never in it. St. Crispin cut out all the running until the straight , was entered, when Picklock came along ; but inside the dKtauce Defiant, ridden BtroDgly by Davis, cut everything down easily, and I wan as he liked in lmin 19-ec, Pirklock and St. Orispiu in the places. T> viriend, XI I 7s. For the Autumn Handicap S . Paul and D »y Star were very easily backed, l'oiangi I'otae cut out the ruuninfc, but as si on as th;-y commenced in earnest St Paul went to the front and stayed 1 there, despite frantic efforts on the part of Day Star, who fininhed second three! lengths away, and then came Markinch. Time, 2inin il}sec. i Dividend, £2 19s. In the Steeplechase Ditto baulked, aud a very even race saw King<wood and Mias Nehon fight out a capital flnis.li, which resulted in. a dead heat, with iiozel close up. Dividends, £.1 143 and £2 12s. It was decided to ruu it off. Ten started for the Flying Handicap, six furlougs, for which Armilla and Rex w u-e favourites. Aruillla never had a say in it, and Rex could not muster sufficient ppeed ro get closer, tivau wan second foot to Lillic, who won in lmin 75>ec. after a hard drive ; '1 hrec Star third. Dividend, £10 17s In the Pony Race Fair Nell was a hot {avourite. The uncertain Napoleon took it into hK head to gallop for once, and won fairly comfoi talilv in lmin 19<ec. Fair Nell was scc.ind aud Tartau Jeannie third. Dividends, .£ls 63 and (10s) £15 6s. The last race on the programme, the shorts Haudicap. five furlongs, was held to be .it the mercy of Rex, the clipper of all our five-furlong sprinters ; and bo it proved, as he won easily, the ouly one able to get near him being the stallion Rt'gel. who, though fat as a bullo>-k, ran sec uid, with Ponngi Potae third. If Hegel trains on be will -shake up all our horse-. Time, lmin ssec. Dividend, £3 53 The run between Miss Nelson and Kingswood for the Steeplechase was a most exciting battle. They rau within a length of each other until the last mile and a -half, and then took the fences neck and neck. Tim light was bad for ateeplechasing, and Kingwood's rider only made one mistake. The la-~t time over the double he took a big hold, aud nearly brought the horae d >wn, but barring that he rode perfectly They flew the last hnrdle together, and then Kingswood wont away and won by two lengths. The race was run 6sec slower than the first one. Dividend, £1 6s.