FIRST DAY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7541, 23 January 1896, Page 3

FIRST DAY.

' Excellent) weather prevailed yesterday for the first day's racing of the above Club's summer meeting, and the attendance of ' the public was very good, especially when we come to consider than no public holiday had been "proclaimed in town. The gathering 'start to finish proved thoroughly enjoy--jMßble, <and nothing whatever occurred to mar w the • pleasure, of' those present. All the officials of tho Club worked with a will, and the success o! yeatorday's racing was in no email, degree due' to the excellent arrangements.^ Mr Nasmith, at tho head of affairs, performed his arduous duties in a manner which pleased everyone, and no person, seemed better pleased ab the success achieved | than the genial secretary. The sum of £2726 was passed through .the totalisator, against £2218 the same day last year, representing £508 more. On the first day of the Poverty Bay meeting last week the sum of (£2^63 was invested. The first public trial of the 'starting machine was looked forward to ' with a great amount of interest, and all eyes eagerly scanned the barrier as the competitors lined up at the starting post. On the firßb attempt) the horses were sent away splendidly, and when the second, third, fourth, and fifth races were each despatched to .starts [seldom seen in this district, the future isuoceßS of the machine was ensured. There. is. no donbt, after yesterday's performance that the machine has come to stay, and we heartily congratulate Mr Harries on his invention. The racing was of an interesting nature, and the times recorded were' of a high order, clearly proving that the track was Very fast. The following are the details of the concluding events decided after we went to press yesterday :— Shorts Handicap, of 30 soys ; 5 furlongs. 108 Mr'Kenealy's b g Paki Paki, by Patriarch, 8-13 (Slater) 1 37 Mr Joyce's b m Nightingale, byKalo —Myth, 7.8 (Benson) 2 21 Mr J, Maynard's b g Creeper, by Crawford Priory, 77 (Buchanan) ... 3 —Orizaba (21) 713, Brian Born (8) 77 Magoozler (89) 7^, and Coolgardie (5) 6.9 and 141 b overweight, also ran. All the horseo moved off well together, with the exception of Creeper, who seemed frightened of the machine, and consequently the latter had a couple of lengths disadvantage when the field was set going. Nightingale's colors were the moat prominent after travelling a couple of farloDgs, with Magoozler close up, and the favorite lying fourth. As the field neared the straight Mr Joyce's mare jatill held the pride of place, with the others all in a cluster. Paki Paki, on the outside, now made his effort, bub Nightingale held a half-length advantage as they entered the Jjend for. home. As the leader was seen to be holding his own, cries went up " Nightingale wins," but Slater, riding all he knew the last conple of hundred yards, slowly but surely creeped up, and won a great race on the post by a short head. £289 on machine, div. £2 Bs. , Time, lmin 4sec. The winner, on. being pnt up to auction, was bought in by the owner for £19. Pab£ Stakes, of SO soys, second horse to receive 5 soys from stake ; one mile and a distance. 39 Mr D. Hepburn's eh h Lord Raven, by Leolinus — Lady Ravensworth, 6-12 (MoPherson) ... .„ ... 1 125 Mr C. Joyce's b h Sequah, by Somnus —Louie, 7-12 (Wright) 2 113 Mr Smith's eh m Cocbeco, by Daniel O'Rourke— -Frivolity, 79 (Slater) ... 3 —Zillah (43) 72 and Dangar(7) 6-7 also ran. Retribution (9-6, including 71b penalty) was the . only scratching. Zillah secured an advantage at the starb, and getting set going fimartly led past the stand with a couple of lengths to the good, Cocheco, Lord Raven, and Dangar next in a bnnch, and the favorite last. . Zillah still went farther away as they : swept oat at the bend, and the public began to thiak she would never be caught, as she held ah advantage of a number of lengths at the back of the course. Sequah, who looked hopelessly out of it at this stage, now moved op, and catching Cocheco, the pair went in pursuit of the leader. Zillah was fast tiring, ' and three furlongs from home the three were . pretty.'. even, with; Lord Raven, on whom MoPherson was working all he knew to keep jn position, next. As they approaohed the • bend Lord Raven made a big effort, and the fface resolved itself into a duel between the sob of Leolinus and the favorite. Mr Hepburn's horse got ahead half-way up the straight) find although Wright rode Sequah all he knew, the son of Somnus was done, Lord Raven winning a fine race by a long • " neck." '-£327 on totalisator,. dividend £7 10s, Time, 2min3 l£secs.