AUSTRALIA MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 59

AUSTRALIA MEETING.

The Austral • meeting of the Melbourne Bicycte Club, which 'had hitherto been held oa the grass tra6k of the • Melbourne Cricket Ground, was opened on Saturday afternoon, 3rd inst., on the Exhibition Oval banked track, which has been so greatly improved within the .ast few months that it is now described by visiting cyclists as standing comparison for speed " an<3 safety with.' the best tracks in

fiurope or America. The weather was deSgiitiul, and there were "between 8000 and 9000 persons present. The meeting was continued "it night, when the attendance was slightly larger. The lighting arrangements left nothing to be desired. A brilliant light, free Erom shadow or flicker, bathed every inch of the track. The racing was almost entirely free from mishap. There was but one fall, when Vincent struck tne pedai.s of a fellow rider and turned a complete somersault. He escaped with a fractured collarbone and severe •hock. _ The heats of the Austral Wheel Eace which were contested were those of the outmarkers, End the racing for the heats was generally uninteresting. Eutt, the German champion, who strips the ideal'of a clean-cut, well-trained athlete, made his fiist appearance in the tVictoria Mile, and surprised everybody by his splendid showing. Ha-if a la,p from home the German made his run, and left the rest standing. In the final heat of this event Eutt had to undertake the heartbreaking task of coverIng a gap of 75yd8 without pacing assistance. \After thiee laps he saw the hopelessness of it, and retired. One of the most brilliant finishes ever seen on the track was that fought out among Eutt, Walker, and Sheehan in the third heat of the Bagofc Mile, ridden at night. The actual struggle began from their entering the turn, and the positions never shifted a foot Either way during the rest- of the race. Walker appeared to win, but the judges gave their de- - vision to the German, much to the dissatisfaction of the spectators. Ellegaard, of Denmark, made his first agpearanc* In the sixth heat of the Victoria Mile, Caving pitted against' him such sterling re.presentatives of Australia as Walker, Farley, and Walise; but, as the race -was T«n, rone of these riders hadacfiane'e. TMe out-markers paced one anothter so consisterily that they had 'a, lead of over 50ya"s when the bell sounded, and-simply -battled- "out- the fisish among themeeves. Ellegaard' s second appearance Was in ,*he second Eeat of- the ,Ci^r Stakes, *- halftafie scratch race. The- actual race began at the bell, when Ellegaard went out with Brook, Farley, and <xee folowing. At the back the "men we're bunched again, and though Elle-gaaid-made a- -great effort kt the last turn, Paadey dashed out and beat him by. threequarters of a- length. There -v?as no chance about the victory, and Farley -won his race on itß merits. Later in the afternoon, Ellegaard succeeded in storing the . moderate honour of finishing first in the final Jap of the TaLbot Plate, a three-mile event, run on the progressive lap system. Nearly all" the leading riders competed in this race. -iVwson's fine- win. jn the final of the City, Stakes was marrect £y th« fact -that -his qualification for starting in .that event- was loudly disputed. In the first heat Lawson was se"cond to Morgan -at the bell, with Sclieps "close •. on his back 'wheel. At the last -.turn -Lawson made a 'great effort, and gained f or the first 30yds of the straight, but Morgan seemingly held his own; and passed/the linef-a full foot ahead. Evidently Morgan imagined.- het^had ■won, for he sat up while tihe .American - was Btill pedalling.. The judges, however, piaced r •JLawson first, and there -was ioud dissent from the spectators. In the final c-of this race ■Lawson beat Farley by. a. "Wheel, after * splendid, lace u^-fSie straight." ~ Parley way first off the bank, with Lajvsofl .close. Up, and Eutt only a fcot away. The;ifiree njen had an exciting headdtb-lread : tas&!e, r and ia.wisdn coif; trived to squeeze home' in liiie last few 1 fejsti c In 'the -evening- Lawson again .showed'splendid form, 1 " -and'- won the final "heat of thY" "Bagot Mile "from T Eutt "and "Parley. Eutt, 'however, iiwas disqualified owing to the "nonftflfilißfini of * one 'of' the conditions' " of the race, tmd Farley was placed "second and Pye third". ; - : - Xhe" mo3fc exciting saene of th» day was "when Farley defeated- Ellegaard in' his heat "oi the -Bagofc • Mile. -"-Ellegaard, Fflsell,'and''Far^ ley entered the last <lap together. " .. hen Fil- " Bell moved out as .'.they came to the turn," the Dane fo]owed'-.a4'ionoe* and' Farley, sweeping Ground on -the- outside, challenged J Ellegaard. ■As they reached the straight Filsell~"was left Jbehjnd-. - The-anen- fought head! to head dur- ' ingathe.-whole ofVthe last 50yds, and the" St. K3da man gradually increased his' lead By -inches, until he-crosseo- the line a foot to the good. was. cheered enthusiastically lor about five minutes, and three special cheers were given for him ac he left the track.

VICTOJIIA MILS. N Final. W- Houston (105) .. .» .. .. 1 , _ A. J. Clark (100) 2 H. Thomas (85) 3 Won by half a leng+h. Time, 2inin 5 3-ssec. city stakes. Halt-mile Scratch. Final. I. Lawson .. .. ,-jj „ .. .. 1 G-. J. Farley .. .. , r 2 W. Butt .. -. " 3 "Won by a foot.. Time, lmin 8 2-osec. AUSTKAL WHEEL BACE. Two miles. .First heat :, G. M*Lean (200 yds), 1 ; H. Woolford (290 yds), 2; A. E. Browne (230 yds), 3; E. Bestel (210 yds), 4. Won by two- length*, lime, 4min 24 3-ssec"Tr " -Second heat: W.J. T. Leai (240 yds), 1; G. E. Menere (200 yds), 2 ; L. B. Scharp (270 yds'), 3: J. Brooker (250 yds), 4. Won by a length and a-haif. Tijne, 4min 27. 3-ssec. Third heat: W. E. Jiingwdod (210 yds), 1; !E 'Lereberg (250yds)r 2; W. G. Symonds (240 yds), S ;>, E. W. Morgan (170 yds), 4. Won by two lengths. Tim.c, 4min 26 2-ssec. Fourth Tieat: H. Thomas (130 yds), 1; C. I)avi3son (210 yds), 2; A. E. Tame (150 yds), 3; A G. Flack (190 yds), 4. Time, 4min 37 3-6 sec. . Fifth heat: P. O'Brien (260 yds), 1; ~E. J. 'Ashton (240 yds), 2; E. Thorn (260 yds), 3; E. Houlihan (300 yds), 4. Time, 4min 26 3-ssec. Sixtii heat: H. Gordon (250 yds), 1; C. A. Best (200 yds), 2; O. Meyer (260 yds), 3; J. O'Connor (300 yds), 4. Time, 4min 28sec. BAGOTMILE SCEATCH. Final. Ivor Lawson .. .. t^ 1 "G. J. Farley ... -4 „ 2 E. A. Pye .. .» .. in .... 3 Time, 2min 21 sec. SPEING STAKES. Half-mile. Final. C. A. Best (40yds) .. ... re ..• „ 1 E. Payne (15yds) ... \ 2 R. F. Souter (50yds) .. ..T St.» 3 lime, lmin 0 2-ssec. TALBOT PLATE. ' Three miles scratch. T. Ellegaard .. vt .. 1 G. -E. Morgan „. ••• .. 2 . L Lawson .. ... tt .. •- •• 3 Time, 6min 51sec. • . COMMONWEALTH STAKES. ' Four miles scratch. Progressive mile prizes — Firs 4 mile, £3, T. -Elkgaard; second mile, ££, B. Eolfe; third TBiT«v^eS, G. J. Farley; fourth mile, £&, G. E. Morgan. J . . The meeting was continued on the Exhibition Oval track en Wednesday evening, 7th inst.. in Cia" presence of a large attendance. The visiting champions, Ellegaard, Butt, and Lawson, failed to score, but G. J. Farley again distinguished himself by winning the final heat of the Flying Stakes (half-mile handicap) in flpleadid style. Great interest was attached to the appear-

aree of T. Ellegaard in the seventh heat of th? AustraL and the ptiblic had a surprise sprung upon them in rather an unwelcome fcim when F. H. Scheps, on the 20yds mark, withdrew. It was seen that Ellegaard had 50yds to pick up before he reached the man next him (C. E Bun -'?). The race started, and soon Burton, R. VL 'Walne (60yds), and A E. Gudgeon (80yds) were bunched together, and they mede the race a fairly fast one. Elleg»ard in the rear gamely lessened the gap. The riders on the front marks — F. A. Murphy (100 yds), D. Sheehan (120ydsV E. Payne (140 yds), and B. Goodson il6oyds) — were grouped together, and cut out the pace merrily about 40yds ahead. Ellegaard, cheered on by the crowd, had by the end of the third lap made good the deficiency between hini and the trio next to him, when they suddenly appeared to slow down, to the obvious disadvantage of Ellegaard. The latter then had the task in front of hiir of catching the leaders without any advantage of. pacing. The tactics appeared unfair to the referee, who immediately blew his whistle, and ordered the race to be lecontested — a decision which was received v.ith mingled feelings by the crowd. The race was re-run, but his previous effort seemed to have tired Ellegaard, who gave up in the fcurth lap, shortly after Walne had retired. A little later Burton al=o dropped out, and Gudgeon was left to go in pursuit of the leaders. The heat was won by D. Sheehan. C. E. Burton was held to be primarily responsible for the "slowing down" incident, and lie -vras suspended by the officials for a month. Details: — . WHEELERS* FLAT- MILE (AMATEURS). Final Heat. E. €; Henley (55yds) 1 J. M. Cross (llGyda) 2 J. B. Absoiom (105 yds) 3 j Time 2nun 6 2-ssec. FLYING STAKES (HALF-MILE HANDICAP). Final Heat. G. J. Farley (15yds) .. .. ». ♦• 1 W^R Hingwcod (70yds) 2 H. Thcmas (45yds) 3 Time, 57 2-ssec.' AUSTRAL WHEEL RACE. Seventh heat: D. Sheehan (120 yds), 1; F. A. Murphy (100 yds), 2; 13. Payne (140 yds), 3; B. Goodson (160 yds), 4. Ellegaard started from scratch in this heat, but failed to get a place. Tune, 4min 20sec. "Eighth heat: G. C Mac Gibbon (270 yds), 1; C E. Glencross (240 yds), 2; C. J. Godard (28Oydfl); 3 ; J. H. Taylor (340 yds), 4. Time, 4min 15sec. - NOETKCOTE PLATE. C. AT JMtiiphy ..-. 1 S- E. Gordon. '• 2 T- Ges .. ... * •• 3 Time, Grain 30sec. MELBOURNE, December 18. The Austral. Wheel. Race resulted as follows:— Clark .1, Thomas 2, Tame 3. Won by three lengths. Time, 4min 16sec.