SPORTING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7542, 24 January 1896, Page 3

SPORTING.

GISBORNE RACING CLUB'S SUMMER MEETING. The " annuals " nre now a thing of the past, g the Gisborne Racing Club bringing their if meeting to a close yesterday. When we it come to look back on the recent gatherings i- of both the Turf Club and the Gisborne c Racing Club, nothing buC success is notice- ' able on every quarter. The weather during 0 the four days of the carnival was all that t could be wished for, the attendance at both gatherings was good, the racing of a sterling description, and last, but nob least, the j totalisator receipts were greatly in excess of the previous gatherings last season. It is j thereforo no wonder that the officials of both j clubs are in high glee at the satisfactory results, aud it is now confidently hoped that j the tide of prosperity which has set in will } continue. Aa mentioned before, the totali- . Bator receipts show a big increase, the grand 1 total for the four days being £10,017, against t, £8647 last year, an increase of £1370. The 3 Gisborne Club were again the most for- , tunate, putting through yesterday a . sum of £2885, against £2524 the f corresponding day last year, an increase j of £361. Their grand total for the two days , was £5611, against £4742 last season, show- ; ing an increase of £869. The exact sums [ invested at the two meetings were :— Turf . Club, £4406 ; Gisborne Racing Club, £5611 ; [ a total of £10,017 for four days racing. The [ Gisborne Racing Club are to be commended , for giving Mr Harries' patent starting machine a practical trial at their meeting. Everything that the inventor claimed for it was proved, and not once during the two , days was a bad send-off recorded. Mr Harries deserves every credit for his ingenuity, and now that the machine has been pronounced a genuine success, we hope to soon hear of other clubs throughout the colony giving it a practical trial. There is no doubt about the Gisborne Club permanently adopting the machine at their future gatherings, as everyone concerned was highly pleased with it. To Captain Winter a word of praise is also due, as a great deal of the success achieved was owing to his promptness in letting the barrier down when the horses were fairly in a line. A more enjoyable gathering has hardly ever been experienced, and nothing whatever occurred to mar the proceedings. The officers of the Club, with no exception, did their utmost to further success, and Mr Nasmith performed his many duties in a style which calls forth the highest commendation. The racing on both days proved highly interesting, and in many instances the winners were well concealed by the handicapper. The hero of the meeting was Retribution, who carried 'Bst 101 bto victory on the first day, and on the second, with 41b more in the saddle, only suffered defeat on the post by a noao by Free Lance, who is, perhaps, one of the fastest horse 3in the bay when he takes it into his head to gallop. To carry 9at in a mile and a distance " go," and only be beaten by a nose, in 2min Isec, is a performance which bears the closest scrutiny. In fact, many people were of opinion that Retribution won, but the judge, who, it must be admitted, is in the best position, decided otherwise. Huna, in the same stable as Retribution, did everything that was asked of her, and carrying 9at lib to victory in the Hack Race and winning easily, in lmin 46sec, was a great performance. Mr Hamon should pick up a good race with this filly before long. Hopgarden, who won the First Handicap Hurdles, is evidently a cut above the ordinary run of hurdle horses in this district, and his time for the mile and a-half was a big performance for his maiden attempt in public over the little sticks. The manner in which he dressed his opponents down on the flat, in the County Stakes, was also a fine exhibition, cuttingoutthesevenfurlongsinlmiu 32sec, and winning easily. He is a most useful horse, and should win still further laurels. Disturbance made no mistake in the Hurdles on the second day, for going to the front at the start and making the pace, fairly galloped Donald McKinnon off his leea. The latter ran two seconds, but the handicaps he had to concede proved too much altogether. Sequah and Moonraker, the Napier representatives, had very little luck. The former won the Flying on the first day and also secured a couple of seconds, whilst Moonraker was only able to secure second money in the Flying. Both went wrong at the meeting, and the latter did not start at all on the second day. Butterworth was the most successful jockey at the meeting, winning three events. Slater and McPherson followed with two each, whilst Wright, Williams, Benson, Power, Sceatß, Maher, Asbdown, Cudd, and Sharp are credited with one each, i The following ia a continuation of yesterday's racing : — ' Disposal Stakes, of 30 soys ; 7 furlongs. 151 Mr Martin's eh g Glenrose, by Daniel O'Rourke, 8-10 (Slater) 1 35 Mr C. Lewis' br m Magoozler, by Kalo— Luna, 7'o and 31b over (Cudd) 2 26 Mr J. MaynardVb g Creeper, by Crawford Priory, 7 "7 (Buchanan) ... 3 —Nightingale (27) 7-11, Orizaba (00)7-3, and Campaspe (30) 6"10 and 41b over also ran. Wool Queen, who pulled up lame after the County Stakes, was scratched. An excellent Btart was effected, but Creeper, repeating his performance of the day previous, hung at the post, and logt a couple of lengths. Campaspe went to the front, followed by Nightingale and Orizaba, with the favorite whipping in. Creeper Boon made up his lost ground, and two and a half furlonga from home had supplanted the leaders. The favorite now closed up, and at the bend into the straight had everything beaten, ultimately winning very easily by a length from Magoojjler. £329 on totalisator, dividend £1 19 a. Time, lmin 32sec. The winner was put up to auction, and sold to Mr Ready for £26, Forced Handicap, of 20 soys ; one mile. 34 Mr Ready's eh g Glenrose, by Daniel O'Rourko, 6 7 (Sharp) 1 87 Mr R. Harper's b g Forella, by King of Forest— Cinderella, 7 4 (Sceats)... 2 50 Mr C. Stiffs br g Avis, by Emir Bey —Mavis, 612 (McPherson) „. ... 3 — Cooheco (152) 76 and Booby (40) 612, abo ran. Retribution 97, Sequah 8-10, Free Lance 87, Huna 8-2, Lord Raven 712, and Hopmarket 7 8 were ■ scratched. The race was considered by many to be a " snip" for Cocheco, and the daughter of Daniel O'Rourke had no less than 152 supporters on the totaliaator out of a total of 363. Glenrose, who hud just won the conteßt preceding this, was very leniently treated, but the fact of his having a good raoe out of him, kept the public from supporting him to any great extent, and he started the bast backed of the lot. Again success rewarded Capt. Winter, who let the barrier drop to a beautiful start. Forella, nearest the rails, was the first to show out, and going away at a great pace soon had a couple of lengths the better of Booby, with Cooheco in tho near. At thn back, however, Booby had gone up to the leader, and soon held a slight advantage, only to give away again to Forella a little further on. When the field were about three furlongs from home, Glenrose, Avib and CochecD moved up, whilst Booby began to fall back a little. As the straight wca approached Glenroße wua seen to be in front, and from this out the raco was never in doubt, the Disposal Stakes winner romping home tho easiest of winners by a couple of lengths from Forella, the favorite not even getting a place. £363 on totalisator, dividend £9 12s. Time, lmin 4(isco.