SOUTH CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB'S SPRING MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2426, 12 September 1900, Page 42

SOUTH CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB'S SPRING MEETING.

By Eaely Bird.

The South Canterbury Jockey Club's Spring meeting, held on "Wednesday and Thursday of last week, passed off successfully as far as racing was concerned. The club was very iortunote to have fine weather. The night previous to the first day's races heavy rain fell, and it was thought that the club was in for a bad time, but the following morning the sun came out, and the day was an ideal one. The investments .showed a decrease from those of last year, being £380 10s shoit. The amount put through the machine last year was jB-1258 10s, sb against £3878 last week. The secretary, Mr Goidon P. Wool, had everything in apple-pie orrU;, and he was veryobliging, whiie Mr Geoigo Dowse and Mr I-I. Piper got through their tasks creditably. The racing, on the whole, was interesting, and the handicapper gave the public great trouble to pick the winners. The first day opened with the Fust Hunters' Huidle Hace, in which five faced the st.-.iter. Mr H. Bcathe's Crash, who is by Fculshot — Squib, was made a hot l.tvoti .-ltc, Huntingdon next la demand. Hualiuqo'on, after the start, was content i.O remain behind the leader (Mainstay) until the straight was reached, when he was brought along, and a dmg-dout, set-to was witnessed between the pair, the son of JFhnto.:k— Jessie beating Mainstay by a neck. Crash, the favourite, fenced badly, and lost all chaiioe. Three horses saddled up *o/ the Spring Huidk Race, in which Ilex was most fancied, but the Oamaru geldmg was badly beaten by tho outsider Skipper, with Pipi second. Mr Geffrey's candidate made the running for a mile, with Ilex second, and Skippe± la&t, but when a- furlong from heme the Perkin Yfarbeck gelding shot out and won with ridiculous ease by two lengths. The time, 2.59, was good, considering the state of the giound. Ciytie, vith 33. ifewitt in the saddle, had no trouble in disposing of the weak field in the Maiden Plate. The daughter of Phaeton — Neroli .lumped off with the lead, with Sara next, and when near the distance post Sara cried enough, leaving Ciytie to go on and win- by tvo length i. Time, 3.20. For the Tiniaru Cu-.i uL'ic wd'-ji-ed ones faced tho starter. Conqueror, who was iv good form, was most in deuiaiiu, .binder next fancied. Tho Dunedin ho^e 2\iliilist was looking better Than I have lately seen him, while the same may be said of Strathn-urn. Conqueror - and Nihilist got the best of the start, but after traversing two furlongs Conqueror fell back into second place, leaving Nihilist at the head of affairs. When entei^ ing the straight the son of Stepniak had two lengths' lead from Conqueror, the rest of the field being bunched together a similar distance away. A furlong from home the iield was closing up on the Dunedin horse, when Conqueror, who was running second, broke down, and swerved across the course, spoiling the chances of those behind him, and thus allowing Nihilist to win. Stiathnairn, who finished second, came voiy uxsi towards the end of the race, and [ jre^unic. hod he not been mterfeied with by the :.-vcrviiig of Conqueror, Mr Harris's gelding must Have nearly won. Tho time registered was 2.1G, while the dividend was &1 15s. Goldspur, owing^ k> the heavy nature of the course, had to be kept going in the Shorts Handicap to defeat Lady Medallist, who was only a length away at the .finish. Tli.-^ FOii of Rubezahl — Rosespnr cut out the four furlongs in 53sec, priva'-e. watches lurking it oOsqc. 'xm next race was the trot, in which 11 saddled up. Dora, who was ridden by the veteran, C. Harold, was a pronounced favourite, but the winner turned up in Jackoo, who paid £7 17s, and trotted 4min l^see, winrmg by 10 lengths fiorn Lexington, who trotted well, considering the field he had to get thiough. The Spinner hod no trouble in disposing of those opposed to him in the Welter Handicap. Mr Cresswell's gelding obtaining the lead, went on and won by half a length from Camoo, who was also a similar distance in front of First Blood. The last race of the day brought out lour starters, in which St. Denis was made favourite. The race is easily doscribpd, Mr Crossan's geldmg jumped ofi" with a two leugth-/ lead, and, keeping m jVont all the way, he won 1:1 a canter from Dunda&, who was three lengths oil.

Th second day of the meeting was again a beautiful day, while the attendance was larger than that of the preceding afternoon, principally owing to the business places having a half holiday. The programme opened with the Second Hunters' Hurdle Race, in which five horses sported silk. Huntingdon, on his win the first day, was most fancied, with The Whip in next demand. When Mr Piper despatched his field, Te Kooti and Huntingdon made the running to the straight, when Te Kooti cried "go," leaving the son of Flintlock to go on and win by a length. Mr liarley piloted Huntingdon m boi.ii his laces. For the Handicap Hurdles Pipi and Eex II were bCt-atched, which left Ilex, Skipper, Zither, and "Ely to try conclusions. Ilex and Zither were equal favouiites, while the winner of the first day'& liiudles was well patronised. Mr Harris's gelding had no trouble in disposing of his field, for he came away and beat the Oamaru horse veiy easily, paying a dividend of £5 ]2s, and running it in 2sec faster than he did the fivsi day. Sara proved too many for Tengawai and Sunrose m the Gladstone Handicap, winning by eight lengths. Seven horse<= faced the starter for the Rhodes Memorial Slakes, m which Duntias was mostly fancied. A T ihilist, who agam went to the front, cut out the limning beyond the distance post, when Jupiter put in his claim, and easily beating Mr M'Kewen's horse, landed the stake by a length from Nihilist, with The Spinner close up third. Slrathnairn, who was well backed, ran very disappointingly. Dividend, £7 15s. The Seadown Handicap brought out six starters, Romanoff being the most fancied. Warrington, who was piloted by Derrett, got first away, with Romanoff next, and Paladin the last to move. Warrington kept the lead until 20yds of tEe post, when Paladin, who had the inside running, came on and beat the son of Gorton — Mountain Lily by the shortest of heads. The favourite finished out oi a place. Dusk, who was served up a, hot favourite for the trot, trotted unkindly and with repeated bieaks, and allowed Young Berlin to win by five lengths, paying the largest dividend of the meeting, it being ,£2O 14s. Lexington, who was placed third, again trotted fa&t. St. Denis, Vandyke, and Corusa were scratched for the Stewards', leaving six horses to try conclusions. The favourite (Phyrne) got the best of the start, but after going a. quarter, the field were bunched together, oncl it was not until a furlong from home that Abercrombic ■allowed in front. He then went on and won by two lengths fiom Derrett's mount. pivi.d.en.d^

£8 4s. The last race of the meeting was the Farewell Handicap, in which Nihilist 8.10, Seabrook S.O, First Blood 7.10, Ciytie 7.5, and Proposal 7.0 were the staiters. After running so well the two previous races, Nihilist was made a red-hot favourite, but was beaten by half a length by Proposal, who paid the substantial dividend of £9 18s. The stewards, after the l mining of Jupiter in the Rhodes Memorial Stakes, held an inquiry re the horse's form on the first day, but after hearing evidence, the matter was dismissed. The owner of Dusk also entered a protest against Young Berlin, the winner of the trot, which was likewise dismissed.