SPORTING

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9279, 4 January 1892, Page 2

SPORTING

OPUNAKE R.C. MEETING. (FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) President : Major Take. Vice-Fresidcni : E. Grove, Esq. Judge: A. W. Budge, Esq. Starter: Mr E. R. Morgan. Cleric of the Course : Mr W. Fowlor. Clerk of the Scales : Mr W. D. Scott. JBandicappers : Messrs Secoombe, Scott and Morgan. Stewards : Moosis W. W. MMdleton, H. WagstaiT, J. Mackenzie, R. Munro, W. Good, D. Grant, Rua, J. Lambio, W. McLood, E. Edmunds. Timekeeper : Mr H. M. Woodward. Tho Annual Meeting of the Opunake Racing Club was held on the prettilysituated course at Opua, on Saturday, after being postponed on account of the weather from New Year's Day. There waa a large attendance of the settlers from the districts to the north and south of Opunake. There were several visitors from New Plymouth, but the exceedingly wet weather prevailing on New Year's Day deterred a great many from attending, including the Town Band, which had been engaged to play at the races by the Ciub. The bandsmen assembled sit tho appointed hour to drive down, but as rain was coming down heavily, and showed no signs of abating, they reluctantly decided to relinquish the trip. The Opunake people were much disappointed at the Band not coming, but at the same time they admitted that under the circumstances the Band could not be expected to put in an appearance. Tho attendance on the course numbered over 800, tho natives being present in large numbers. Tho course waa in good racing order, as a j high wind on Friday night thoroughly dried it. Tho publican's booth was run by Mr Connell, of Okaiawa, and tho refreshment booth by Mr Deegan. Both appeared to do well. Tho games were run by Messrs C. White, jun., & Co., and speculation with them during the day seemed to be lively. Mr Adams, of the firm of Adams and Andrews,' of Auckland, worked the totalisator, and put through during the day the total sum ofv £1136. The officers of the Club all worked well, and to their untiring^ efforts the great success of the meeting is due. The appointments about the course were all in good order. The Club deducted the Government tax of 1£ per cent in addition to tho ordinary 10 per cent. Mr G. W. Rogers, the secretary, performed h ; s onerous .duties in a most courteous and obliging manner, and gave satisfaction to all. The following are the results :— Handicap Hobdles, of 20 soys. ti'eoond horse to receive 4 soys from the stakes. 1$ miles. Over s<x flit;bta of hurdlts 3£t. Gin. U\vh. Nomination, 10s ; acceptance, 10s. Mr M. Cunningham's b g Recruit, syrs (by Volunteer), lOst 31bs, including ' 71b penalty (Stevens) 1 Mr H. Calthrop"s b g Rambler, syrs, 9st 121 b (W. Higginson) 2 Mr Wirimi's Waiorongomai, syre, 9at 101 b (W. Browa) 3 Baccarat 10st3lb(inchuling7ibs penalty) and Pikipo lOst 111 b (including Ist 111 b overweight)— C. Francis — also ran. Tho field got away to a good start, with" the exception of Pikipo, who ran off at tho first hurdle. Rambler led for a time; but Baccarat soon took commund, and, passing the Btand, the order was Baccarat, Kecruit and Waiorongomai, and Rambler. At the .next jump Rambler came down. Baccarat and Recruit then sot out to make the pace, locked together, but at the next jump Baccarat cttmo down, and hia chance- was thus extinguished. Ho was pluckily and quickly remounted by his rider, .who finished with him. Recruit sailed away to tho front, pursued by Rambler, who was under tho whip. Recruit maintained his lead to tho finish, winning comfortably i from Rambler ; Waiorongomai a good third. Time, 3min 5 4-sth sec. Totalisator, £171 ; dividend, £2 14s. There were 55 on Recruit, 26 Rambler, 9 Waiorongomai, 80 Baccarat, and 1 Pikipo. Flying Handicap, of 20 so vs. Second horse to ireceiva 3 soys from the stakes. 6 furlongs. Nomination, 10s ; acceptance, 10s. • . Mr D. Mitchell's g g Nimrod (by The Dauphin), 6yrs, 7at 71b, including 2lb over (Cudd) 1 ; Mr J. Dinglo'a g m Rainbow, 4yrs, 7st 7lb (Lister) 2 Mi" D. Knights b g Matarawa (late Jack), 7st 41b (Pullinger) ' ... 3, Ngaruhoo Bst 71b (Stevons), Positive. 7st (Elder), Scotia 7st 31b (including 31b overweight), also started. After several false starts the fio'd were got well away, with tho exception of Scotia. After going a furlong tho field got bunched, Ngaruhoe uti'l Rainbow showing out prominently in the lead. About 200 yards further on tho majority of backers got a severe shock, as Nimrod J (a white-faced son of s The Dauphin^ suddonly ruslicd to tho front and established a lead of about six lengths. Nimrod led into tho straight, and it looked a moral for him: but Rainbow camo very fast, and Cudd had. to put tho whip on Nimrod. After a desperate finish down tho straight Nimrod beat Rainbow by a long neck, both being under tho whip. Matarawa was a j fair third. Time, lmin 21£ sec. Totali- | sator, £148; 6 on winner; div, £21 7s. J Thore were 68 on Ngaruhoo, 47 Rainbow, 16 Matarawa, 6 Positive, 5 Scotia. Mr | Mitchell, tho owner, had three tickets on ' Nimrod. Farmers' Plate, of 10 soys. 1 mile. Whiter weight for nge. For horses that havo not nominated for any other race at the meeting, and ] have nvvor 6larti'd in any race, Farmers' Platrs execpted, and w inmrs j of these barred. Entrance, 10s. Mr R. E. Mcßao's Cardigan, 4yrs, (by Volunteer), lOst 111 b (It. Higgin- j eon) 1 Mr W. Bolton's b g Clinker, 6ys, lOst 131 b (Parsons) 2 Those wero tho only Ptarters. The twain hung together all the way, Cardigan holding hia opponent safe, and winning by a length; Clinkor under tho whip. Time, j lmin 57sec. Totalisator, £7 ou machine; 6 on winner; div, £1. Opunaue Racing Club Handicap, of 50 snvs. Second horso to receive 10 BO7H from the stakes. 1J miles. ! Nomination, 3 acceptance, 203. Mr D. Teed's b in Sirius, syrs (by Australian), Bst 31bs, including 7 lbs penalty (Cudd) 1 Mr T. Quinlivan's b g Freewill, syrs, > 7st lOlbs, including 51bs ovor (Stevens) 2 Mr J. Dinglo's b g Thunderbolt, 7st ! 21bs (Lister) 3 Also started : Javelin, Bat 121bs (includ- i ing 71bs penalty), Matarawa, 7.st Clb^ ] (Pullinger), Positivo, 7nt (Elder), Heal < Life, 7st (Carter). On tho fall of the flag I Thunderbolt sot out to umko the runniug, ! with Sirins, Freewill and tho others close j up, excepting Real Lifo. Passing tho , stand Thunderbolt led with the field at his ] heela. On going round tho back Real Life j was in the rear, and done with, and Positivo, j vrho was a couple of lengths behind tho leaders, ran off. On coming round to the straight SiriuH and Freewill raced away to the front, followed by Thunderbolt and Javelin. Entering tho straight Sirius drew awrty from Freewill, who was under the whip, but despite all tho riding on Stevens' part, Sirius came away and won all the way up to tho post. Thunderbolt ran a splendid third. Time, 2minß hi 3-sths sees. Totalisator, £216 ; dividend, £2 15s. There wero 69 on Sirius, 72 Freewill, 42 Javelin, 10 Matarawa, 12 Thunderbolt, 10 Positive, 1 Keal Life,

Post Stakes, of 10 soys. Four furlongs. Catch weightß. Post entry, 10a. Mr Calthrop's b g Cyrus (by Volunteer) (Pullinger) 1 Mr Teed's The Orphan (Cudd) ... 2 Messrs Wagstaff's Security (Elder) ... 3 Also ran : Wainoa, Ngaruhoe, and Rainbow. The Orphan got away best, and Security the worst. The Orphan led into the straight, but Cyrus came with a rush, and wearing The Orphan down won by three-quarters of a length, Security well up third; the others clcse up, all under the whip. Time, 53£ sec. Totalisator : 134; dividend, £16 19s. There were 7 ou winner, 59 The Orphan, 36 Rainbow, 25 Ngaruhoe, 4 Security, 3 Wainoa. Haeakekis Stakes, of 15 soys. For three year-olds. 1 mile. Weight for agt>. Open to all horses bred botwien tho Oaku*« and Waingongoro Rivers. Entrance, 15s. Mr W. A. Good's g f Aka (by Puriri), Bst lib (Stevens) 1 Mr W. W. Middeton's eh g Nova (by Cocksure), Bst lib (Cudd) ... 2 Mr A. H. Christie's br g Clipper (by Cocksure), Bst 21b (including lib over), (W. Higginson) 3 Bala, Bst 71b (including Gib over), and Nikau, B<t Ilb (Lister), also ran. The flag fell to a good start. Clipper went to the head of affairs at once, closely followed by Aka ; Bala being la6t. At the back Bala commenced to cut down his field and ran up to tho leaders. A furlong further on Nikau had enough of tho game, and the other four were bunched. The quartette ran locked together into the straight, Clipper haviug a slight load. Whips were out on the whole at this stage, and it looked any horse's race. Clipper was collared by Aka about 100 yards from home, who maintained his lead to the post, beating Nova, who camo with a great rush, by a long neck. Clipper half a length away third. Time, lmin 56secs. Totalisator, £157 ; 41 on winner. Dividend, £3 7s. There wore 82 Bala, 13 Clippor, 7 Nikau, and 14 Nova. Opua Stakes Handicap, ol 20 soya. Second horse to receive 3 sove from the stakes, One mile and a distance. Nomination, 10s ; acceptance 10b Mr D. Teed's b m Sirius, syrs (by The Australian), Bst 31b, including 71b penalty (Cudd) 1 Mr T. Quinlivan's Freewill, syrs, 7st 111 b, including 81b over (Stevenß) 2 Mr J. Morton's Javelin, Bst 131 b, including 71b penalty (W. Higginson) 3 Rainbow 7st 71b (Lister), Scotia <7st (Carter), Kiora (Elder), and Booties (Pullinger) also ran. The race is easily described. The field got away in a bunch. Freewill commenced to make the running, with Sirius absolutely last. Around the back Freewill still led, but Sirius went up and cut down her field splendidly, and running to the straight she tackled Freewill. In the straight Sirius drew away, and won by a length. Time, 2min 4sec. Totalisator, £182 ; div, £1 17s. There wore 85 on Sirius, 22 Javelin; 11 Rainbow, 1 Scotia, 16 Kior-, 1 Booties, 46 Freewill. Forged Hand cap, of 10 boys. 1 1 icilo. Post entry : Winners sp, Losers free ; acceptance 1 , 55. Mr J Dingle's Thunderbolt, 7st (Lister) 1 Mr Quinlivan's Freewill, Bst (Stevens) 2 Mr Morton's Ngaruhoe, Bst (Shaw) ... 3 Alßoran: Positivo 7st,' Matarawa 7st 21bs, and Pikipo. Totalisator: 121; dividend £2 9s. There were 43 on Thunderbolt, 42 Freewill, 12 Positive, 11 Matarawa, 0 Pikipo, and 13 Ngaruhoe. The sum of £1130 was put through tho totalisator.