THE KUROW MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2691, 11 October 1905, Page 51

THE KUROW MEETING.

The Kurow Jockey Club was favoured with beautifully fine weather .for its annual meeting, which took place on Thursday last, and a large contingent of pleasure-seekers were collected by the excursion train which left Oama.ni. and increased the number of its passengers at each -of the stations, en route to Kurow. After arriving at the track an inspection of the course revealed it to be on the rough aide; sliH the roughness was discounted by the yielding nature of the going. Since last year the -club has made fijijtßer improvements to the appointments oeT its course by erecting a building containing accommodation for tke secretary, jockeys, and a weighing room. A parade paddock and a members' enclosure havo also been fnarked by suitable fescmg, and by next year it is expected that the club will have erected a grand stand and one or two other conveniences deemiedi necessary. A small range of stalls has also been put up. and there are ample signs that- the moving spirits of the club are not lacking in ambition — in fact, it is very probable that if the club has a couple of successful meetings it wilt make its course a vt^y attractive spot for one to participate in a day's racing. It is understood that the cost of the expenses incurred in making the new course has been guaranteed by three or four of the leading members or tie club, and they are desirous of making their track as attractive as possible. It is a pity that when the track was being laid out there was not more advantage taken of the natural stand formed by the hills at the back of the course, but still an excellent view of a race can be obtained fiom 3ny part ol what will in future be termed the lawn. The writer, however, on one occasion took up a position on the inside of the track with the intention of watching a race, but whilst the field was rounding the top turn it was only possible to see little more than the riders' beads. It is intended to cut out the hill which has to be surmounted I*efor9 reaching the home turn, but as the grade is by no means severe, it wt uM probably prove a better idea to leave the track as it is, and level' off it® surface at once by harrowing and rolling in order to give it a chance to have a bit of turf en it hy next year. The- club has made fairly good progress since, it has taken possession of its new course, but it should not he overlooked that it is essentially necessary for a club to provide horse-owners with good going if it is desirous of providing good racing. Tho first race was timed to start at 12.30, but it was fully half an hour later before the first race on tb©- card was decided. Rosebloom, a shapely-looking filly, by Obligado, was made favourite for the Maiden Plate, and her subsequent win was nob devoid of the element of luck, as her winning margin wa-s principally due. to M'Comb's smartness in getting her off tie mark. Rosebloom looks susceptible of further improvement, and, beyond the fact that she turns in a bit in front, there is a good deal to like about her. The Padlock colt, Hemlock, who followed her home, is a likely-looking sore, and although he yes making his first appearance in public, he finished straight whilst under punishment, and made up a lot of ground after being slow on his legs at the start. Confident was well backed, but his fractiousness at^the post placed him out of court. Gysobel "was made a strong order for the District Hack, five- furlongs, but she was comfortably beaten by Cake-walk — a five-year-old, by Mount Royal. The Gipsy Grand filly, however, made amends by gaining the official Tcrtlict in the four-furlong hack race, but it appeared to the writer, who was standing directly under the judge's box, that the man in the box made an error, as Cakewalk appeared to cross the hue a shoit head in front of Crysobcl. The Prince of Wales Trot was won easily by Bamboo, who started from the limit mark, and. after putting in a big gap, won pulling up b}- over 50 yards. Intrinsically the- prize attached to the Hunt Club Cup was tho smallest on the card, but there is no doubt that sportsmen like to ornament their sideboards with trophies of the chase, and that is no doubt the reason why a field of 14- coloured on the card for the race. The spectators evidently, took ■(mice as much interest in the Hunt Cup as they did in any other race on the CEP-d. and they could be s-eon taking up coign* of vantage in order to obtain a good view

of the battle. i*he pen was put through the names ol three ot tnose in the book, and 11 ranged in line at the t-caiting post. Dugald, a bay gelding by Cajolery, at once streaked away from the othci-, who were quickly tailing oft" over about a furlong of ground. The first obstacle \va- a hurdle; this was followed by a water jump and a post-and-rail fence. After crossing the last-named obstacle, Dugald bad a commonding lead from Miss Moa and a thick-bet roan named. Slow Pat. A brush fence and a couple or gorse hedges came next, and in the run home Miss Moa boat Dugald by two lengths, whilst Hector deprived Slow Pat of third honours. The ancient llpx was amongst the field, and. after he had -carefully jumped the first hurdle, he slid through the water, and after hie rider's strenuous efforts had pushed the Le Loup gelding over the next couple of fences after refusals he "was pulled up an d allowed to look on at the rest of the race, 'ihe winner, who was ridden by his owner. Mr J. W. Sutherland, received an ovation on returning to the weighing enclosure. and. after the cup was charged with a bottle of the best, ib was presented to the successful owner byMrs R. O. Campbell. The cup, which was presented by Mr R. O. Campbell, the club's president, was an attractive piece of work fashioned by the silversmith's art, and a silver-mounted flask, presented by the same gentleman,, went to Mr D. Beechams, the owner and rider of the second horse. A hunting crop, ■presented' by Dr Stevens (vice-president of the club), was gained! by Mr Drysdalc, the owner and rider of the third horse. The event provided a good; sporting contest, and it is noteworthy that each of-the placed horses was riddsn by its owner. The distance oi the race was set down as two miles, but, judging by the pize of the course laid and the time taken to cover it, the journey was about 12 furlongs in extent. An official time was v not recorded, but the writer made the race occupy 3min. Of the six which next coloured on the card only three faced the starfcer, and of these Beau Seaton was made favourite. Patuna lost some ground by refusing to jump away at the start, but after Regiment had shown the way over the first three furlongs she came through, and the whip had to be drawn od the favourite before he could' shake her off. Regiment stopped badly, and could not pace it home with the others. The Castor gelding was well backed, but he looked a couple of stone below the appearance he presented at the back end of last year, and his preparation has evidently been a too hurried one. Beau Seaton followed up his win hy annexing the concluding event on the card, but Patuna, who left the mark more kindly after being sent away to a flag start, again kept the. Tres Belle coif; very busy, and" it appeared to ',be solely duo to his superior condition that he was returned a winner for the second time during the day. The Mile Trot, which comprised the other event on the card, was won by True Card, whose nearest attendant at the finish^ was the ancient gelding Commodore, a one-time well-known performer in the south. Speculation during the day was fairly brisk, and totalled £2078,. as against last year's figures of £897. This year's figures would have been improved upon but for the fact that a lot of money was shut; out of the machine owing to allowing the previous events to get behind time and then making t'je lost time up on the last -aceMr T. A. Munro. the honorary secretary to the club, lent valuable assistance to make the meeting a success, and Mr R. 0. Campbell and the other stewards were busy dur? ing the day endeavouring to make matters run smoothly.