THE SOUTHLAND MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 54

THE SOUTHLAND MEETING.

Since the last meeting of the Southland Racing Club that progressive body of sportsmen have effected a large number of improvements on their course, and when the I contemplated alterations are completed Invercargill will have a racecourse wlucn should do much to enhance the popularity of race gatherings in th© southern city. The appointment of a permanent caretaker has already borne excellent fruit, as the tracks were in splendid order for racing at last week's meeting, albeit owing to tad weather the going was a trifle on the soft side. The club has enlarged its saddling paddock, and made sach a largo addition to the stabling accommodation that it now rhals Riccarton in that respect. The old members' paddock has been absorbed into the new saddling paddock, and a new members' enclosure, encircled by a high iron fence, ha, tint taken for the purpose of effecting the improvements. Trainers' requirements have also been looiked after, and a grass gallop is being laid out on the inside of the course proper. This, together with an excellent plough gallop, should enable trainers ample facilities to get their charges in good order for their races. The entrance drive to the course has also been put in order, and all the club requires now is a couple of financially successful meetings in order to make its racecourse as up to date as possible. The sport on each day was of a. fairly irrteiesting nature, although after leaving Vladimir out of the question there was not a particularly high-class of Lorso seen out at the meeting. Vladimir's defeat over 10 furlongs in the principal event by Flower o' Clutha wa3 unexpected, and after the Stepniak hor=e's display many were inclined to completely extinguish his Riccarton prospects ; but without being desirous of detracting from the merit of the mare's win there is no doubt that the top-weight was injudiciously handled, and made too much use of throughout the race-. The field was sent j away from a moving st&rt. in which Flower o' Clutha gained a bit of advantage, and before a furlong had been traversed she was over two lengths in front of Vladimir, who was closely attended by Visionary. Passing the stand Flo.ver o' Clutha was striding) along in front of the top-weight, who got blocked in an attempt to get up on the rails at the turn out of the straight, but was immediately taken up on th© outside to the leader. Racing past the seven and six furlong posts Vladimir was disputing the lead with Flower o' Clutha, and Visionary -was tailing away in the rear. Going .along the back Vladimir was showing clear of Flower o' Clutha, and as they were completing a mile his victory was heralded somewhat prematurely, as almost immediately Rao commenced to get uneasy on his mount. A furlong and a-half from home Flower o' Clutha had regained the leadership, and the favourite was in trouble. In the run. homo the whip was drawn and) shaken at Vladimir, but he could not respond, the mare sailing home a winner by a length and three-quarters, and ajipearing to have a trifle, in hand at the finish. Visionary made up a good deal of ground in the last half, and finished about three lengths behind the top-weight. The first quarter was negotiated in a shad© under 27sec ; the last mile- in lmin sOcc ; the last half in s^sco, and the full distance in 2min 16 3-sseo. The track was soft, and this did not tend to lighten the burden of tho _ top-weight, neither did the policy of fmcing the pace with him, and the combination materially contributed to the favourite's defeat. If Vladimir had boon kept handy to Flower o' Clutha, without assisting her to make the pace, there is no doubt lie would have given a much better display than he did. As it was, he was really allowed to run himself out, and this he did at the end of a mile.

On the second clay of the meeting the went •to tho Caskefe filly Redstart, v\ho had also scored a comfortable win in the Tradesmen's Handicap, which was run over a similar distance to that of tho Harvest Handicap. Redstart won both her races in good ?tyle, and was in fronfc in both

(\vpnt-~ from start to fh'i-h. On the t-econd <lay I) >nna Kcsa lan m company v ith h-pr o\or llio first six furlongs, imd nothing 01-^e got near at the fim-h except the top-v» eight i'lonci o" Clutlia, \Oi> via* attempting to lonreJp 211b to the winner. Paparoa wfllfe down in hi^> fii-t race, m tlio early stages of winch bo wa> tra\eliing like a w inner, but ho .slopped in the run homo, and was easily defeated by the North i^land-brect Sou'-wo*ter marc We-tator, who came with a good run over the la-st throe furlong?. On the •second clay Paparoa made- amends for his defeat by winning a double without being called upon to put forth his best energies; but the class of cattle he was competing against wa? not a vciy brilliant one. Lilystone annexed three of the events on the card- 1 , and displayed the best form the writer has seen her exhibit up to date. In. her first rare she scored \\ ithout any difficulty, after she had begun smartly at: the ri«e of the barrier. She was beaten off the mark in the four-furlong race, but gradually overhauled the favourite, and getting up in the last couple of strides managed to win on the post. She was again saddled up in the Winter Oats Handicap, and made hacks of the opposition by winning from end to end. The first day's steeplechase attracted a field of three, and when half? the journey was completed The Agent was the only one standing up. On the second day Cionje was in the field, and ho easily acounted for The Agent, who is a good jumper, but slow between the fences. The. various officials of the club worked hard to make the mee-ting a success, and their efforis were rewarded with a good deal of success which undoubtedly would have bcon greater had the weather boe^n in a more kindly mood. An inquiury was held into the running of Heirloom. Captain Kettle, and Stepenfeklt. and the stewards were evidently quite satisfied with the form displayed, as no further action was taken ia the matter.