AUCKLAND RACES.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1285, 18 January 1870, Page 3

AUCKLAND RACES.

These races took place on December 31st, January 3rd and 4th. In the following condensed report taken from the Southern Gross, it will be seen that Nebula, from the stable of Mr. H. Stafford, of JNelson, has distinguished herself. FIRST DAY—Decembee 31. There was only about 500 persons present, owing no doubt to the weather being wet. There was not; an instant cessation of the rain. The horses feet cflming down upon the grassy ground with a squash or a plash, and left it with a slushy sound; and, for a long stretch in front of the Btand, the grass disappeared under the tread of men and horses, and was replaced by sheer mud. Between the fence and the front of the stand, where there was constant passing to and fro from the booth, the whole space became a sea of mud, in places more than 6 in. deep; and, while all the sightseekers took the drenching and discomfort somewhat jollily, we only saw one truly happy human being on the course. He was an urchin some ten years old, with very little clothing anywhere, and with his legs and feet bare. He stood in the very soft mud, admiring tho circles that spread round him, as he slowly moved his feet; and altogether he was an unsavory subject for a new sketch of " Happy as a king." The following were the events i of the day :— Maiden Plate of 100 soys.; 1£ mile: weight for age. Entrance, 10 soys.; half forfeit; second horse to receive 25 soys. out of the stake. Mr. O. McGee'a blk g. Maori Weed (T. Hutchinson) 1 Mr. H. Stafford's br f Lady Florence, 4 yrs (Fiven) 2 Mr. W. Walter's b c by Dainty Ariel, 3 yrs (J. Con way) 3 Maketu, Satanella, and Marsella also ran. The two first finished within a length of each other, and Dainty Ariel was a good third. Mr. Eogers's Wizard was scratched.

Epsom Plate of 60 soys.; 1 mile; weight for age. Mr. W. A. Hunt's g h Kaiser, 4 yra ... (Taylor) 1 Mr. R. Farmer's blk m XXX, 6 yrs ... (Sandie) 2 Mr. N.S. Walker's bm Slander, 6 yrs (Alten) 3

The following were scratched: —Mr. Walter's Orlando, Captain H. Hamilton's Princess Royal, and M. H. Stafford's Nebula.

Kaiser aud XXX made a very spirited and close finish.

Innkeepers' Puhse (Handicap), of 50 soy.; 1£ mile;

2 soys. on nomination, 3 soys. on acceptance. Mr. H. Stafford's c m Nebula, aged ... (Fiven) 1 Mr. N. S. Walker's Slander (Smaile) 2 Mr. R. Farmer's c m Moonbeam, 5 yrs (Munn) 3 Mr. Walter's Yatterina and Mr. M'Gee's Bell Bird also ran. There was a very good run home, but Nebula got to the front and kept there. She was very closely pushed by Slander, and Moonbeam was an excellent third. Yatterina was fourth and Bell Bird was far in the rear. Metropolitan Handicap of 200 soys; two miles. Entrance, 10 soys. Second horse to receive 50 soys. Mr. Hunt's Kaiser (Taylor) 1 Mr. Farmer's c m Abbess, 5 yrs ... (Munn) 2 Mr. H. Haines's b g Warwick, 6 yrs (Hill) 3 Mr. Stafford's Lacenfeed and. Mr. Walter's Orlando also ran. Kaiser and Abbess ended well together, with Warwick third, Orlando fourth, and Lacenfeed last. We heard it stated that the time of the race was 4 mm. 19 sees.; and, if so, it was exceedingly good, under the adverse circumstances, the race being ran during the heaviest shower of the day. Garrison Plate, 60 soys.; If miles; welter weights for age; gentlemen riders. Entrance 5 soys. Mr. Stafford's Nebula (Mr. Atkins) 1 Mr. Walter's b g Numa, aged ... (Mr. Spillor) 2 Slander and XXX were scratched. After the two had gone nearly a mile together in close company, and at a steady pace, the mare went to the front and won easily by several lengths. This was the last race of the day. There were several fights on the course during the afternoon, evidently resulting from a rowdyish desire to attack the officials.

Owing to the state of the weather, and bad condition of the course, the races were postponed from Saturday till Monday.

SECOND DAY—January 3. The weather was fine, and 3000 persons were present, including Governor and Lady Bowen. The events were :— Maiden Produce, for horses bred in Auckland Province ; 60 soys. ,• 1 mile ; weight for age; winner of Maiden Plate, 7 lb. extra. Entrance, 5 soys. Mr. Paton's blk f Marsella, 3 yrs ... (Hooker) 1 Mr. Walter's Dainty Ariel (Smaile) 2 Mr. McGree's Maori Weed ... (A. Sutherland) 3 Mr. Foley's g h Maketu, and Captain Hamilton's b f Princess Koyal, ran. Satanella and The Wizard were scratched. In the run home Marsella collared the colt, passed him when nearly up to the stand, and won cleverly; the Weed ending as not a good third. Princess Eoyal was fourth, and Maketu last. Town Plate, 100 soys.; 3 miles; weight for age. Entrance, 6 soys. Second horse to receive 20 soys. out of the stake. Mr. Stafford's Nebula (Fiven) 1 Mr. McGee's Maori Weed ... (Sutherland) 2 Mr. Farmer's XXX (Barron) 3 Nebula won easily over a dozen lengths ahead. Mr. Walter's Orlando, and Mr. Farmer's Abbess, were scratched. Time, 6 mm. 30 sees. Thames Plate Handicap, 70 soys.; 1£ mile. Entrance, 1 soy. entry, 4 soys. on acceptance. Mr. Farmer's Moonbeam ... (G-oodman) 1 Mr. Walter's m h Orlando, aged ... (Smaile) 2 Mr. Stafford's Laoenfeed (Mason) 3 Mr. Walker's Slander, Mr. Walter's Numa, and Mr. Haines's Warwick ran. Yatterina, XXX, Abbess, and Nebula were scratched. There was a fine bit of racing home; Moonbeam winning by two or three lengths, with Orlando second, and Lacenfeed coming close behind. The race was an excellent and exciting one. Quartz-crushees' Purse, 60 soys.; 1| mile; welter weight for age •, gentlemen riders. Entrance, 4 soys. • ■ ; Mr. Hunt's Kaiser, (Mr. Atkins) 1 Mr. Walters's Numa ... (Mr. Woolfield) 2 Mr. Walker's Slander, and Mr. Farmer's XXX, were scratched. Kaiser got his nose in advance, and so escaped a dead heat or a beat. There was great excitement amongst the spectators, many declaring their conviction that Nuna was the winner. The race was undoubtedly a 9 close a thing as possible; bufc we believe that none of those who were on the stand in line with the Judge's box, or near that line, had a doubt as to the coreefcness of the Judge's decision. Kaiser had a lead—and that was all. Farmers' Plate Handicap, 50 soys.; 1£ mile; 2 soys. on entry, 3 soys. on acceptance. Mr. Hunt's Kaiser (Taylor) 1 Mr. Farmer's Abbess (Munn) 2 Mr. Walker's Slander ... (Allen) 3 Nebula and Yatterina also ran. Nebula seemed to make a bad start, and she was really never " in the race." When a mile had been run, Abbess came up with Kaiser, but the fine sturdy grey again jumped to the front, and won easily by several lengths. Slander was a moderate third, and Yatterina fourth. The pace was fast throughout, and the race was a capital one ho far as the placed horses were concerned. Pony Eace, 10 so vs.; once round the course; for ponies 14 hds. 2 in. Catch weights. Entrance, 1 soy. Hon. H. Vivian's Monitor... ... 1 Eight others ran. There was a dead heat between Mr. Campion's Jessie and Monitor, but it turned out that the rider of Jes9ie admitted having passed inside posts, the Stewards declared Monitor to be the winner. This finished (ho programme for the day.

THIRD DAY—January 4. The weather was all that could be desired, but the attendance was not so numerous as on the second day. The Governor and his Lady arrived on the ground at 1.30 p.m. The first raoe was the Hurdle Eace Handicap, 40 soys. Entrance, 4 soys.; 2 miles and a distance, over eight flights of hurdles. Mr. Haines's b g Warwick, 6 yrs, 11 st 7 lb. p. Taylor) 1 Mr. Spiller's er s Harkaway s aged, 11 stone . * (Sandy) 2 Hon. H. Vivian's g g Moonstone and Mr Thorp's gr g Echo. The latter threw his rider, but he soon remounted. Auckland Handicap, 50 soys.; 1J mile. Entry, 1 soy., 4 soys. on acceptance. Mr. Stafford's Nebula, aged (Fiven) 1 Mr Walters's Orlando, aged (Small) 2 Mr. Farmer's Moonbeam, 5 yrs. 3 Mr. Walters's Numa fourth. Nine were scratched, viz., Slander, Yatterina, Dainty Ariel's colt, Kaiser, Satanella, XXX, Abbess, Lacenfeed, and Lady Florence. Nebula kept the lead, and cuine in an easy winner by nearly four lengths, Orlando being second, and Moonbeam a good third, Numa coming up a length behind Moonbeam. Selling Eace, 35 soys. Entry, 3 soys.; one mile and distance ; weight for age. Winner to be sold for 60 soys. j if for 50 soys., allowed 7 lb.; if for 04 soys., allowed 14 lb.; if for 30 soys., 21 lb.; if for 20 soys., 28 lb.; if for 10 so vs., 35 lb. Mr. Farmer's XXX, 6 yrs, £60 ... (Sandy) 1 Mr. Walters's Numa, aged, £60 . (D. Taylor) 2 Captain Hamilton's Princess Royal, 3 yrs., £30 (Sutherland) 3 Mr. McGee's Bell Bird and Mr. W. A. Clarke's Deception were soratched. XXX came in nearly three lengths ahead of Numa, Princess being well behind.

Handicap Steeple Chase of 60 i3ovs.; second horse to receive 10 soys. ; over about three miles of fair hunting country. Entrance, 5 soys. Mr. McGee's eh g New Zealandor, aged, 11 st. (Huntley) 1 Mr. E. Griffith's b h Highflyer, aged, 11 st. 71b ... (Owner) 2 Mr. Spiller's Harkaway, 11 st. 7 lb. .. (Spiller) 0 Hon. H. Vivian's Moonstone, 12 sit 0 During this ride there were several spills, but no serious accident. The Stewards' Cup, a piece of plate of the value of 50 soys., the gift of the Stewards; a welter handicap. One mile. Entrance, 5 soys., half forfeit. Gentlemen riders. Mr. Walter's Orlando, 10 st. 10 lb. (Woolfield) 1 Mr. Walker's Slander, 10 st. 4 lb. (Atkyns) 2 Mr. Farmer's Abbess, 9 st. 3 lb. ... (Brown) 3 Mr. Hunt's Kaiser was scratched for this race. This was a good race, Orlando winning cleverly by nearly three lengths. Consolation Handicap, 20 sove., with two soys. each added. Three-quarters of a mile. Mr. Walter's Yatterina (Conwj»y) 1 Mr. Walker's Slander (Smale) 2 Mr. Slafford's Lacenfeed 3 Mr. Foley's Maketu 0 Slander took the lead at the start, but was soon caught up and overtaken by the brown mare, who came in a good first. This was a very pretty race.

A hack nice, won by Mr. Griffiths' Mudlark finished Auckland race meeting for 1870.