RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2303, 21 April 1898, Page 34

RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

HAWKBSBUE.Y. Saturday, April 2. Hawkesbury Autumn Handicap of llOsovs ; second 15iovs. One mile and a-quarter and 100>ds Mr R. J. Blacklock's Ti g Merloolas, by St. Swithin — Kingsborough mare, 6yrs, 8.8 (W. H. Smith) 1 Mr W. Miller's br g First Mate, 4yr.«, 8.7 (S. Callinan) 2 Mr H. Oxenham's b c Syerla, Syra, 7.4, and 71b penalty r (F. Fielder) 3 ' Abo started : Loch Marie 9 5 (Barden), Tramp 8.12 (Tracey). Nor'-east 8.5 (E. deal), Strathroy 7.12 (H. Csok), Crosslake 7.9 (Bennett), The Tola 7.9 (T. Johnston), G zoczav 7.7(Dureton), FJoddeu 7 2 (S. Smith), Blacklock 6 7 (H. Chaafe), Willie 6.7 (P. Fielder). Betting : 7 to 4 agst Syerla, 7 to 2 Merloolas, 12 to 1 First Mate and Nor'-east. Tramp and Gozoczai were the first to break the lini", but leaving the straight Syerla took charze, and at the mile was two lengths ahead of Loch Marie aud The Tola, after whom came Strathroy, 1 Flcdden, Tramp, and Meiloolas. Crosslake then i f ommenced to improve his position, and althesixj furlong post had run into second place, a length and a-half behindSyerla, while the most prominent of the others were Loch Marie, The Tola, Strathroy, and Merloolas. Positions changed but little over the next two furlongs, but at the three furlongs Crosslake had got within half a length of .Syerla, two lengths off being Strathroy, Loch Marie, and Merloolas. At the turn Syerla, Crosslake, and Merloolas were in line, succeeded by First Mate and Slrathroy, but CrosOake then dropped back, Merloolas, Syerla, and First Mate being first into the straight from Crosilake and Stratlu oy At the distance First Mate had Syerla beaten, and drawing away looked like winning, but Merloolas, finishing gamely, gradually overhauled him, and eventually beat him by a neck, while three lengths divided second and third Crosslake was fourth, followed three lengths off by Strathioy, Flodden, Gozoczar, Tramp, and Nor'-eas,t, with Loch Marie last. ' Time, 2min 15f-.ee.