THE AUSTRAL RACE MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2650, 28 December 1904, Page 55

THE AUSTRAL RACE MEETING.

Following upon the racing of Wednesday evening, 7th inst., came the double programme of the third day — Saturday. The attendance during the afternoon was barely up to tho average, but there was a good gate in the evening, when some very excitir.g spoit was provided. The race of the day was tfor the club's blue riband and silver badge, in which Lawson, Farley, Rutt, and Ellegaard qualified for the final, and which practically was the world's championship over again. It has been said even by .some of the principals in that race that Lawson's win was a surprise victory, and had: it been re-run the vosailt would have been different. Lawson, however, left no room ior doubt on the Saturday night; he iully established liis claim to the title of "world' i champion'," i'nd was -accorded an ovation after his trh.mph.al ride. A description of the race will, doubtless, bo interesting. Each man, according to instructions, paced a> lap or portion of a lap, and at the completion of tho third round Rutt "ied from 'Ellegaard, with Farley and L"awso-n following m that order. There was no change until three-parts of the circviit ha-dl been covered (although it -was fully expected that Rutt would jump away, or at, least quicken the pace on entering the back straight), but at the centre - of the cairve, a quarter of a lap before the' bell, Farley and Lawson sprang into a spririt srnM.iL-ta-neously, and wer© clean past their opponents in the straight, with. Fa,rley in the leaid. 1 Away they pedalled at record speed round the top curve, and down the back stretch, with Rutt and Ellegaard pressing them closely, an-d reaching the bend these two latter came abreast of Lawson, who responded at once, although he seemed to be very -nearly jammed "in. Lawson did not get past Farley until half-way up \he straight, winning, after a prodigious effort, by ' half a length, ,with Kutt third and EKegaarct fourth, amid the greatest It waa conceded to be th i finest race witnessed on that track. The time for the last lap was 20 4-sseo — a pace of lmin 44sec to the mile— which is'^V. record The results are "as follows: —

EXHIBITION MILE (Scratch). Ini the final heat Eilegard won after a splendid' struggle, beating Walker .by half a length, but tho race was awarded to Walker by tho stewards, who disqualified Ellegaard for interference with the Victorian He explained thai; he had to put his hand on Walker to avoid an accident^

SUMMER HANDICAP— I 1 mile. £10, £4, £L Final Heat. . 3. Leseberg (N.S.W.), 10yds . Brcoker, 10yds ". Jackson, 20yds 1 2 3