WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 33

WEST COAST NEWS.

i By Totara. ; April 21. ; The Kurnara Racing Club in the past few years | ha 3 been most unfortunate in having wet weather : to contend against, but this Easter Monday and Tuesday the weather was all that could be i desired. The attendance was excellent— iv fact, I 1 understand it was a record attendance for the Kuniara Racing Club. The course was iv better order than it has been since the inception of the I club. The racing taken as a whole was good. ! The ball opened with the Trial Stakes, dis--j tance one mile. Nine figured on the card, but i five were withdrawn, leaving fcur to faco the larrier. Johnny Faa was chosen as the good ! tiling, Epilogue being the next best supported. \ To a flying start Johnny Faa got nearly | two lengths advantage. Pa'sintf the stand the order was Johnny Faa, Epilogue, and Bloomsbury. At the back of the course Johnny Paa was alill at the head of affairs, Epilogue pulling hard I second, Bloonisbury third, Frenchy whipping in. A quarter of a mile from home Bloorosbury moved np and soou got on terms with Johuny ; Faa. Entering the straight Bloonisbury took command The whips were now going, but ! Bloomshury lastei longest, winning by a length from Johnny Faa, Epilogue third, Fiencby beaten off last. Time, Imin 48sec. Totalisator, £301. i Dividend, £6" 18s. Three were scratched for the Hack Race, distancs levea furlong?, leaving five to go to the post. Fish Oh was less than a level-money favourite To a fair start National went to the I front at a great pace, Taipari second, Ahaura third, the favourite last. At the half-mile post National had a four lengths advantage of Taipari and Ahaura, Fish Oh still last. A quarter of a mile from home Taipari lessened the gap between himself and National. At the turn into the straight Ahaura came with a wet sail, and soon had everything in trouble, winning easily from laipan, Review third, National, who died away to nothing, a bad last. Time, Imin 34sec Totalisator, £:!Bi. Dividend, £13 163. The Kumara Handicap, distance one mile and a-half, next claimed attention. Voltigeur and Frenchy were withdrawn. Three went to the past. Banner was made an odds-on favourite. A. splendid start, all three moving away together. After going lOOyda Geraint took the lead, Banner second, Slaiden lying handy. Passing the j stand the same order was maintained. At the back of the course Slaiden went to the front, and led to the quarter-mile po3t. Banner, ridden hard, gradually got on terms with the leader, Geraint beaten off. At the turn into the straight Banner got his nose iv front, and from this out the issue was never in doubt, Banner winniug j easily by a length from Slaiden, Geraint several lengths away last. Time, 2min 47sec. Totali- , sator, £357. Dividend, £1 11s. j Th*ee was the main for the Hurdle Race, one mile and a-half, Gouranto being scratched. Cyrus ' was entrusted with most money on the machine. To a fair start Mayboy went to the front, Cyrus close at hand, Minerva a long way oft" last. Passing the stand Mayboy was several lengths in advance of Cyrus, Minerva still in the rear. At , the back of the course Cyrus moved up a little, j but struck the next hurdle and lost a little j ground, A quarter of a mile from home Cyrus

had Mayboy safe. Entering tbc ftr*!gbt Oyros was still going well within himself, and getting over the last hurdle safoly he yon ensily by ono length and a-half from Mavboy, Minerva lengths and lengths away last. Time, Sniin 37 3-Ssec. Totalisator, £318. Dividend, £2 2s. The T-rodiica Handicap, one mile, brought out a field of only three. Silver Kose was made a2to 1 on favourite. To a flying start Silver llos« got decidedly the best of it, and passing the stand she • led, Ahaura "and Benmore together. At the six- , furlongs po3t Ahaura moved up a little, and at the back of the course he got on terms with Silver Hose, but at the turn into the straight she had the son of Bundoora at her mercy, and going on comfortably won easily by half a length from Ahaura, Benmore some lengths away third. Time, Imin 49 4-53ec. Totaliaator, £413. Dividend, £1 10s. For the Hying Handicnp, of six furlongs, 16 figured on the card, but ouly four faced the startiDg rnachiue. Blooms-bury had most support on the totalisator. This race was run almost in the dark. Silver Rose got the best of the start, hwz after eoing a few hundied yards the hor.se? wore lost sight of, and it was not until h»lf way down the straight that the leii'ler could be recognised. , Silver Rose won fairly easy, Kloomsbury second, lteyeille third. Time, lniiu 27aec. Tocalisator, £20ti. Dividend. £2 12s. The sum of £2C09 p »ssed through the machine during the da3 r . Glorious weather prevailed for the second day, and considering it, was not a public holiday on the Wesb Coast the attendaece was very good indeed. For the first Handicap Hack Race, of six furlong-!, four facjd the startur. Epilogue was made nn odds-on favourite. l'Vnin a flyit-g start Beumore rushed to the front, typ'logue next, Ereuchy Ust. At the half-mile post Kpilogue got on terms with Beamore, and from this to the finish the issue was never in doubt for although Ueview made an attempt to catch rlio nUter of Royal Rose it was of no avail, as Epilogue won as she liked, Review second, Frenohy third. Time, liriin SOst-0 Totalihator, £2i)S. dividend, £1 13<. Tiis ]) iucipal event of tho day was the next itum on the card, the Minors' Puive, of one mile and a-quarter. Geraint was ccuitcbcd, leaving four to contest the race. Banner was again nude au odds-on favourite. A long delay occurred in starting this event, Silver Rose giving great trouble. To a fair start Silver Rose jumped away to the front, i'assiug the stand the order was Silver Rose, Slaiden, Banner, aud Huomsbury close up. At the six-furlong.-t post Blooimbuiy moved up to the leadeis, and at the lulf-mila post a sheet would have covered t'lp qiur.ecte. A quaiter of a miie f om homo Silver Rose was still in front, Bloonisbury second, and Banner third. The latter was now being ridden hard. Entering the straight the game little sou of Escutcheon was inuk ng up his lee way, and half way down the straight he gradually wore Silver Rose down, and eventually won easily at the • finish. Silver Rose, who tired to nothing, was i second, Bloonisbury a head in front of. SUid^n third. Time, 2min 16sec. Totalisator, £453. ■ Dividend, £1 11s. ] The second Hack Race, of six furlongs, brought out the best field of the meeting, seven going to the post. Epilogue was ir&tnlled h less than evenmoney favourite. Consideiablo delay occuired in starting this event, and when the barrier was eventually ielesued the i-tart was sim ply wn;tc'ied, Epilogue getting a most decided advantage, robbing the race of all interest. National was left absolutely standing at the pohl. At the half -mile post Epilogue was lengths in advancs of nor fu'bi, Taioan second, and I'lsh Oh third. AAiaura was ! making ur- Ilia lost ground Tory rapidly, and at , the turn into the straight he got into second : • position, but could not get near Epilogue, who ■ won easily froni Ahaura, Fi*h Oil third, the rest i beaten oft". National being only balf way up the i straight whsn the lace was, finished. Time, Imin ■ 201-s.ee. Totalisator, £502. Dividend, £1 18 a. , For tbe Hurdle 'iace, one mile and a-half, all the acceptors (four) went to the bairier. Cyrus , was most in demaud. To a, poor start Cyrus j jumped away with the lead, Minerva next, ; , Couranto (going very dotty) last. Pa&bing thu , , stand the same order "was maintained. At the . hurdle past the stand Mavboy moved up, and at , . tin; six-fnrlongs post had taken second position, ! but could not get near Cyrus, who was going well. '• A quarter of a mile from home Mayboy tnado , ] another effort, but it was useless, as Cyrus had j matteis his own way, winning easily from Mayboy, Couranto third. The jumping in this race was really gpoa. not onis of ibe four making the slightest mistake. Time, tfmin 4 3-siec. Totali ator. £339. Dividend, £1 ]8-. I For the President's Handicap, of six furlongs, ' ; 12 figured on the card, but only three fared the 1 machine. Silver Rose was niacie a nearly 3to 1 < ion favourite. To a fair start Silver Rose was ; : quickest on her legs. Slaiden next, Geraint close up. At the balf-mile post the same positions were kept. Entering the straight Silver Rose j I had the race well in hand, eventually winning as she liked ; Geraint in hard t-triig«>le defeated ; Slaiden by a neck for second plac*. Tune, Imin 121 :i-53ec. Totalisator, £102 Dividend, £1 7s. Seven entered for the Final Handicap, one . i mile, but on the appearance of the weights j | Epilogue and Slaiden were withdrawn, leaving ; five in. Frenchy wai slightly a better favourite '■ than Johnny F.ia. This race was run in semi- . darkness. Frenchy led past the stand, Bloomsbury and Johnny Faa being toiether, while | Review was last. The horses were tlieu lost sight , of. One hundred yards froru tho winning post j Johnny Faa was seen to be in tlie_ lead, and he | eventually finished half a length in advance of t Taipari, Frenchy third Time, Imin 49 4-ssec. ' Totalisator, £127. Dividend. £2 7s. . ' The sum of £1811 went through tha machine ] duiine the day, making a total for the secoud \ day of £3820. { t 1 regret to say that the starting wa3 not up to . the mark. The starting machine is not to my ! mind adapted for flying starts. When it was [ first introduced into this colony many were loud \ in their prai-e for the machine on account of it •, practically doing away with flying startj. Gene- ! rally speakiup, with flying starts one horse usually j gets a decide.! advantage over the rest. I might ; point out to the Kutnara. starter that the sooDer ' he recogai«es this fact the easier it will be for ! him. to get his fields away cm even term?. I trust ! that the next time Mr Ritchie uses the startiug j machine I will hare the pleasing duty of congratulating him on his successful despatches. ! The stewards worked well and enueavoured to ( make the meeting successful, but at the same i time they made a great mistake in allowing the \ races to drag out so long. The delay between each race was certainly unnecessary, and further- • more was annoying to the public— in fact, if the > stewards only look at the totalisator investments ; on the last race the first day and the last t'.vo racea the second day they will notice a drop in the total from the previous laces, and will speedily recognise the fact, that they are standing in their own light in not getting the races finished earlier. When it comes to racing in the cavk the | public are generally on tbe move for home ; con- ; eequently the totalizator receipts suffer lam l pointing this out for the benefit of the club, and j I trust it will be accepted iv the same apirit in j which it is written. I understand the Kumara Racing Club started this meeting with a clean sh»et on which. I am pleased to congratulate them, and as the attendance and tbe totalisator receipts werj very good indeed, it will mean that the ciub will have a substantial balance to its credit in the bank. It is certainly most pleasing to the sporting public to see a club come out on top after having so ' many difficulties to contend against in the past. j