RACING IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 57

RACING IN NEW ZEALAND

TAHUNA PAF.K TROTTING CLUB'S SPRING MEETING. The weather- was beautifully fine for the concluding day of the Tahuna Park Trottins; Club's spring meeting, held an Wedi.esday .it Tahuna Park, and the attendance was much larger than, usual. The track was a very fine order. Six bookmakers vrere licensed by the club, and the money pub ■through the totalisator amounted to £+612, which is £121 10s less than last year. The total for the two days was £9031 10s, and the total for the two days last year £9310, the difference being £278 10s. Murad, with Pringle in the saddle, vrae made a strong favourite in the pony race, and won from Neglected, with Day Shift close up third. Bright, the winner of tho first day, gave a poor display. Lizzie G. went to the front early in the Advance Handicap, and stalled off Swift, who was tho only one to seriously menace her chance of success. Firat Pet kept clear of her field in the James Memorial, and nothing else in the race came near enough to seriously challenge her. General Babington got to -the front after going a little over a mile in the Second Amateur Handicap, and won his race, with a.^>it to spare. In the preliminary Lord Robins's sulky was overturned, and though he went to the po3t he was withdrawn, from tiie race. The driver, F. Smith, was stunned from the fall he received, but escaped without any serious injury. At the conclusion of this pace Wilkie came out to attack the track record for a mile. Ke was driven by E. M'Kewen, and had the assistance of a pacemaker. He did the first half-mile in Imin 6seo, and- although he put in a skip going down the back, he g<A home in one-fifth of a, second under the record by the official time. The previous record was 2m in 16 2-ssec, held by MyosotiaA good race was witnessed in the Publicans' Handicap, and after a good battle down the straight between Tiraoty and lina D., the former won by a short head. Motorist ytfs nutde a strong favourite for the Electrio Handicap, but he put himself out of court by breaking hie hobbies, and .•Wilkie, catching Vitella when she was a quarter of i furlong from home, won by a pood length. Although Little George was out in front all -the way in the Waverley Handicap, it was, notwithstanding, an interesting race. Pipiatrella dwelt badly at the start of the Recovery Handicap, and lost her chance. Captain Tracey was prominent til through, and won easing up by eight <«ngths. Following are the resulfs:-^