WELLINGTON RACES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5621, 16 November 1889, Page 3

WELLINGTON RACES.

Wellington to-d;iy. At the first day of the Racing Club's Spring Meeting the attendance w;vs limited. The weather was cold. The Hurdles was won by Clarice.

The sporting writer of the Star says :— It is agreed on all hands that Mr Dowse has handicapped the Auckland horses entered for the Exhibition Cup in such a manner that there is no cause for complaint, but it remains to be seen during the next few days whether owners will undertake the journey.

The following represents amounts on the favorites for the New Zealand Cup at the start i— L 1387 Tirailleur, L 776 Dudu, L 656 Scots Grey. The total on this race was L 3556. Forester carrying lOst lOlbs ran a dead heat with Retina Bst in the Riccarton Welter Stakes, cutting out the 6 furlongs in lmin. 16£secs, a great performance.

THE MELBOURNE STAKES. Then came a race that •will never be forgotten while racing holds its sway in Australia— the Melbourne Stakes — for it brought about a meeting of the champions, and as the emperors cantered down the straight to take their places, faces paled, and excitement grew to fever heat, for everyone knew that the great battle pending would foreshadow the Cup. The .King of racehorses, Abercorn, had a coat like satin : his muscles stood out in bold relief, and as he carried the honor of New South Wales, pulses quickened, and a burst of applause come forth as Hales caught him by the head and rattled him up the straight. Great horse an/( "grand horseman," both fit and ready to battle for a kingdom, and as he swept past in his glorious even style, the hoarts of New South Welshmen went out ';o him, for they knew that Chester's son was ready to do or die. Carbine stripped in beautiful condition, and went to the post more quietly than usual, and he, too 1 , received an ovation, for Donald Wallace, like his great horse, is one of Victoria's great idols. Melos never looked so well, and was one mass of strength and power. When taking his preliminary canter his hoof-strokes made the turf ring, again, and MrGannon musthave been proud of the reception accorded to the wiry son of the mighty Goldsbrough. Norton looked confident, but eyed Hales and O'Brien with the full knowledge that a terrible task had been set him. Ellis, on Cardigan, appeared unconcerned, and the big chestnut was as eager as a two-year-old,but retired from the contest when half a mile from home, and will bo heard of to advantage in the Cup. The beautiful Antaeus was one mass of condition, and had a strong following ; but Abercorn held his own in the betting, and was strongly supported at evens. Antwua made the pace a cracker, attended by Sinecure, who gave him no peace in the interest of Abercorn ; but when the home corner wns turned the terrible severity of the pace told upon them, and as Abercorn and Carbine eutered the straight together and settled down to fight out the struggle for supremacy, the crowd raised an excited cry that must have been heard in the city. On they came, stride for stride, like one horse ; all the efforts of Hales and O'Brien failed to separate them, and tens of thousands of voices yelled, "Dead heat," "Dead heat." For one moment Carbine got his head in front, but Chester's brave son at once resented it, and at the half distance the chestnut's nose could be seen in advance ; the champion came again, but Abercorn, lengthening his stride, held his own, and his victory seemed certain. They had still 30 lengths to go,- when suddenly, like a meteor, Melos dashed up on the inside, and finishing like a locomotive, called upon the leaders. He gained at every stride, and while Carbine faltered, Abercorn made one mighty and gallant effort, and won for New South Wales by the shortest of half heads, with Melos and Carbine with half a neck between them, amidst a scene of excitement which was absolutely painful. As each of the placed horses returned to scale they were received with cheer after cheer, and it was admitted on all sides that the title of champion belongs to Abercorn. The pedigree and performances of the Hon J. White's favorite are too well known to need repeating. The time is the fastest on record, and will astonish the world.