COURSING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 31

COURSING.

THE FIRST MEETING OF THE . SEASON. The first coursing meeting o£ the season in connection with the National Coursing Club was held at Forbut j Park yesterday afternoon in bitterly cold weather. Although the attendance was small and the number of dogs com-

petins few the iporfc was good, and the spec- ' tators seemed to enjoy themselves. Having had to postpone^ the meeting from May to June on account of the hares not coming to hand, the club very injudiciously did not advertise the adjournment sufficiently. The consequence nu th«,b they received a. xuunbca; of. lettera and

telegrams at the last moment from those nominating in the country saying that it waa thought the meeting had been abandoned. This to some extent accounted for the small number of competitors, there being only seven in the Maiden Stakes and three in the Otago Jubilee Stakes. But three hares were killed during the meeting, most of the animals being great goers. Mr A. Cursey acted as judge and Mr W. Henderson as slipper, the decisions of the former seeming to give general satisfaction. During the meeting money was collected on the ground to endow a stake in July. The details of the events are as follow :— Maiden Stakes, of j£l4. Winner, £10 ; runner up, £4.

I. Mr W. Harley's Belleclair beat Mr S. S. Myers's Pinewood.

Messrs Leslie and Black's Troubadour beat Mr J. Boye's Emmeline. Mr J. Boyle's Katinka beat Mr S. S. Myers's Zealandia Lad.

Mr J. Davis's Guitar a bye.

In the first course between Belleclair and Pinewood, the former led up, and had the best of the exchanges all through. Troubadour led up by five lengths in the course with Emmeline, and never let the latter in. Katinka led up by about a* length when she met Zealandia Lad. The latter then got in for a few turns, but the bitch afterwards wiped oat the score and won.

Troubadour beatßelleclair.

Katinka beat Guitar.

Troubadour led up by about four lengths and took several turns ; Beliedair than got xn, but after a few wrenches let Troubadour in again, and the latter after, several turns drove the hare to the dilcb, whete it was killed. K&tinka led by two lengths ; Guitar then get in for a turn, but Katinka subsequently r*ced up, and, after running wide, got in again, and drove, to the escapes.

FINAL BOUND,

Mr J. Boyle's Katinka, by Black Pine-Melody, beat Messrs Leslie and Black's Troubadour, by Minstrel Boy— Observer. Troubador led up by about two lengths. Katinka then scored a point or two, but after two wrenches Troubadour again got in for s turn, when Katinka obtained possession, killed, and won the stake.

Otago Jubilee Stakes, of £9.

Mr S. S. Myers's Wood's Hotel withdrawn. Messrs Leslie and Black's Staysail, by Jack Tar— Silwood, beat Mr W. Harley's Young Sydenham, by Sydenham — Mocking Bird.

Wood's Hotel met Staysail, and the latter just got there first. Then Mr Myers's dog had a look in, and the exchanges were subsequently pretty even, bnt Wood's Hotel drove to cover. The judge gave an undecided course, which seemed to afford general satisfaction. Wood's Hotel was then withdrawn, and Staysail met Young Sydenham in the final course. The former led up by three lengths. Young Sydenham then got in on sufferance, but Staysail raced by, did all the work, and drove the hare to the escapes, winning the stake.