C.J.C. AUTUMN MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 32

C.J.C. AUTUMN MEETING.

By M Quatj.

Beautiful weather favoured the O. J.C. for the Opening day at their Autumn meeting. The at" > tendance was fairly good, and the investments well up to the average of past years. The long spell of di-y weather gave the enclosures a parched up appearance, and the course was terribly hard. £8726 was invested through the totalisator. The jracing was interesting. j

The opening event provided a really pretty race. Napoleon, lookiDg bright and well, was made a slightly better favourite than Ned Kelly. A good Btart was effected, Napoleon crossing the first and second obstacles just in front of Ned Kelly, Nicholas, and Quiltiri. Passing Cutts's and all flown the back Ned Kelly and Napoleon alternately led, but at the top turn Napoleon fell away, leaving Ned Kelly just in front of Quiltiri and Nicholas. Racing to the last fence, which Ned Kelly was first over, the order was but slightly changed, and although the Maori-owned gelding hit the last fence hard, he ran home a comfortable winner from Nicholas, with Powder Monkey soms lengths away heading the beaten division. Time, Bmin 2i|seo. Dividend, £.i 2s. Nihilist was withdrawn from the Champagne Stakes, Co> queror being selected aa a. good thing. Djin-Djin was slightly in front of Conqueror and Altair after a furlong had bsen traversed, and the iSame order existed when the field landed in the straight. Whips were out on all but Djin-Pjin a furlong from home, but here Altair went up to the Apveniont colt, and gradually forging ahead, won by three-part 3of a length, with Conqueror third, and Lady Harriett a bad fourth. Altair covered the distance in Imin 17& sec, and paid £8 12s 6d. Conqueror pulled up very lame, his near „, foreleg seemingly being badly jarred. Surely it" Is time the C.J.C. instituted the coupling of hoises , bhe property of one owner This opinion was , freely voiced by those present. ! A nice start was effected in the Autumn Maiden Plate. Fulmen, on the inside, momentarily showed in front, but before a hundred yards had been traversed Female Franchise shot to the front, with Vulcan's colours prominent, Fulmen just behind, apparently jammed in. Female Franchise entered the straight with a lead of two clear lengths, Fulmen coming fast on the outside, Paladin, Rancefinder, and Vulcan just beading Golden Legend. Whips were busy on sill but the leader down the straight ; but despite Fulmen's effort he could not reach Female Franshise, who ran home the easiest of winners, Ful- ' men just heading Paladin, close to whom came Rangefinder, Vulcan, and Golden Legend. The daughter of Ahua covered the distance in lmin 31sec, paying £5 14s 6d. Gold Medallist was the only absentee from the Great .Easter field, thus leaving 17 starters. Arline was made favouiite, but several were well supported. A really good start saw Belle Clair quickest away, Tirant d'Eau hanging Blightly. The Dunedin filly led Mauser and a fairly compact field, headed by Goldleaf, until entering the Btraight, but the clouds of aust raised by the horses rendered it almost impossible to distinguish how those behind the leaders were I Faring. When well in the straight the colours of £)ori3 were seen well up on the outside, with Firefly, The .Spinner, Vanilla, and Culveriu close together, Belle Clair falling away. At the distance whips were out ou all, Doris on the ( outside appearing to have slightly the better of Cannonshot, who was between the northern mare and Firefly, but- a splendid finish resulted in Cannonshot winning by a neck from Doris, with Firefly, another neck away, third, Remorse fom tb, and Culverin fifth. Doris cariied 2lb overweight. The winner was not much fancied by the betting i portion of the public, and his victory has released I pencillers of almost all liability in connection with doubles. Ampbion ran badly, and Ailine Beemed quite unable to get through Cannonshot registered the fine time of lmin 29 4-ssec, and paid the substantial dividend of £37 3s. The following were the investments on each horae :—75: — 75 Mauser. Eiy Arline, 112 Red Lancer. £8 Cannonshok-lfti

Vanilla, 72 Belle Clair, 172 Goldleaf, 114 Strathbraan, 88 Bracelet, 339 Doiis, 200 Amphioa, S6 Culverin, 50 Tirant d'Sau, 223 Firefly, 157 The Spinner, 97 Remorse, 83 St. Ouida ;— total, £2395.

Six started for the Epsom Welter Handicap, Starshot, St. Clements, Caunonshot, Black and Red, and Golden Legend being the absentees. Immediately the tapes went up R-einorse II drew out, and after a furlong had been travelled he was in company with Bloomer, the remainder in straggling order. Remorse II was challenged by Social Pest, but soon shook the ex-hurdler off, and ran home the easiest of winners by three lengths from Social Pest ; Marino, who Blade a good run under the whip, third ; Vandyke fourth. Time, lmin 44t;ec. Dividend, £5 Is.

j Proposal got all the best of a straggling start in : the Russley Plate, and was two lengths in front of I Ben Farley at the four-furlong post, but coming into the straight Nihilist, on the outside, made a forward move, and catching Proposal at the dis- ; tance post he succeeded in winning by a length ! and a-half, Proposal being a similar distance in front of Ben Farley, First Venture fouilh, Motto fifth, Peerage sixth, and Eridanus last. Time, lmin 3§sec. i'ividend, £3 0s 6d. A good start was effected in the Sockburn Handicap, Pitch-and-Toss going out a warm favoiuite. Double Event, Alcestis and Pit'-h-and-Toss were together right round to the top turn, Raugefmder and Ilex bringing up the lear. When fairly in a line for home Ilex ranged up alongside Double Event, Pitch-and-Toss dropping back beaten. Rangefinder made a good run after Ilex a furlong from home, but the Oamaru horse stuck to his task, and eventually won by two lengths from Sangefiuder, Double Event, a neck away, thiid. Pitch-and-Toss finished fourth. Time, 2min 10 3-Ssec. A protest was entered against Ilex on the ground that he had won more than the stipulated amount— £loo— in one stake. This was upheld, and all investments on him were returned in full. A protest was also entered against Raugefinder on the ground of inconsistency, and this was dismissed. Ilex won a. hurdle race at Riccarton worth £110 net. Rangefinder paid £7 0d 6d. - Ilex would have paid £i 15^ 6d. The Gimcrack Race was avou by Miss Charm, paying £2 lss 6d, Cherrystone tecoad, and Medai third. Time, lmin 17 3 ssec. Tho winner was bought in for £100. Medal's downfall was a severe blow to some people. April 12. If the weather on the first day of the C.J.C. Autumn meeting was hot, that on the second was almost too warm for comfort. The attendance was scarcely so good as on Monday, but the investments were fairly good. Ilex was selected as favourite for the Peerswick Hurdle Racs, Nicholas being next in favour. Napoleon was first over the initial obstacle, Stanley following, Ilex laet. Stanley ran to the front at the hurdle at Cutts's, Nicholas on his quarters. Napoleon came down at this fence, giving Free Holmes a nasty fall. Nicholas took up the running going down the back, with Stanley and Jacko next, Ilex seven lengths away. Nicholas landed in the straight with a three lengths' lead, and though Jacko slightly reduced this when crossing the last hurdle he could not reach Nicholas, who won all out by a length and a half ; Stanley a bad third. The winner registered 3min 6Jsec, and paid a dividend of £4 ss. A beautiful start was effected in the Autumn Nursery Handicap, though Motto was fractious and a little slow in moving away. Djin-Djin was just in front of Nihilist and Proposal when entering the straight. AH were under the whip, pxcept the leader, a furlong from home ; but Matthews, sitting still, rode Djin-Djin home the easiest of winners from Nihilist. Motto, who finished fast, was third, Circlet fourth, Proposal fifth, and Eridauus last. Time, lmin s§sec. Dividend, £3 3s. Fulmen was withdrawn from the Yaldhurst Welter Handicap, leaving seven to face the barrier. Paladin's colours were the first to show out, Female Franchise getting away badly. Female Franchise ran through going 'round the top, and entering the straight she was leading Doris, Vandyke, and Paladin by a- length. Female Franchise retained her advantage until within a furlong from home, but here Doris and Vandyke challenged her, and quickly getting her measure the pair drew away. Doris had no trouble in disposing of. Vandyke, and the St. Leger mare finally won comfortably by two lengths, Vandyke two lengths in advance of Female Franchise. Thr> Imin 30dec. Dividend, £2 12a.

Starshot was ma<ic a warm favourite for the Great Autumn Hacd.cap. A splendid start was effected, Starshot shooting out from the middle of the field and Strathbraan next, followed by Goldleaf, Waiuku, and Ked Lancer. Rounding by Cutts'a Starahot was just leading Goldleaf, Waiuku, and Strathbraan, the remainder bunched closs behind the leading division. Almost the same order was maintained so far as the leaders were concerned on traversing the back stretch, Tirant D'Eau last. Running round the top Starshot slightly increased her lead, but when heads were fairly turned for home a sheet would almost have covered the field. Starshot was challenged by Culverin on the outside and Goldleaf on the rails two furlongs from, home, and a little further on Waiuku made a gallant effort to get up, and he, Goldleaf, and Starshot were almost in line a hundred yards from home. Starshot was a head in front of Goldleaf 50 yards from the judge, and while a great battle for supremacy was being fought out between these two Tirant d'Bau came with a great rush on the outside, fighting out a bitterly contested finish. Goldleaf just defeated Staishot by a loiik neck, with Tirant d'JSau a splendid third ; Waiuku fourth, Culverin fifth, Antares sixth, Black and Red seventh. The time registered, 2min 36 4-ssec, was remarkably fast. Goldleaf's victory w-as well received, Sir Geo. Clifford, her owner, being heartily cheered, as was her trainer, E. Cutts. There was j£322 on the totalisator on Waiuku, 154 Strathbraan, 617 Starshot, 65 Antares, 81 Red Lancer, 41 Culverin, 162 Tirant d'E-iu, 138 Goldleaf, 118 Black and Red, 51 Social Peat. Goldleaf paid £\1 8* 6d. Only two owners were represented in the Six'.h Challenge Stakes — Mr Stead with Multiform and Gold Medallist and Mr Hobbs with Bloomer and Duudas. After a short delay at the post the quartet were sent away to an even stait, Dundas showing the way to Gold Medallist, with Multiform and Bloomer a length away. At the fourfurlong post Gold Medallist and Dundas were side by side, a length in advance of Multiform, Bloomer, a similar distance away fourth. Turning into the straight Multiform ran up alongside the leadeis, and the three were sweeping along side by side for two furlongs, when the two-year-old shortened hia stride, leaving Multiform and Gold Medallist together. At the distance post Multiform asserted his superiority, his stable companion being unable to retain his place, and the Hotchkiss colt ran home a winner by two lengths, Gold Medallist a similar distance ahead of Dundas. The seven furlongs were covered in lmifi 28£ sec, a dividend of £2 12h being paid out on the winner.

Arline and St. Ouida were withdrawn from the Templeton Handicap, Blazer being selected as favourite. A poor start saw the top weight jump away in front, Bracelet being within a length of the southern horse running around the top. Blazer was first into the straight, with Remorse II and Bracelet as his nearest attendants. Gallopiug along easily Blazer had no trouble in resisting Bracelet's challenge, and he finished up an easy winner from Bracelet ; Amphion, who came very fast at the finish, a good third. Blazer covered the six furlongs in lmin 15 4-ssec, which, considering the weight he carried, must be looked upon as remarkably fast. Dividend, £3 11s 6d.

Nine only out of the 19 coloured on the card went out for the Addingtou Plate, the contest nrovidiiif; one of the best finishes of the meeting. Until the last few strides it was an open question as to what would win. Falka, Proposal, St. Ouida (who had occupied a prominent position all through), and Skirmisher were all lighting for the lead, with the reault that Ski'-raisher, lasting longest, won all out by a neck from Falka ; Proposal a good third, St. Ouida fourth. The five furlongs was carved out in lmin V^.sec, the winner paying a dividend of £5 9s Cd. Skirmisher was bought in for £105. During the race the auctioneer made some disparaging remarks as to the conduct of those who were bidding against the owner. This was resented by a well-known Wellington would-be buyer. The Fai ewell Handicap was won by Firefly from Pitch-and-Tsss and Fulmen ; Arliae, the favourite, after running well foe five furlongs, finishing lass. firefly paid £7 3s,