NORTH TARANAKI HTJNT CLUB'S RACES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13748, 10 September 1908, Page 2

NORTH TARANAKI HTJNT CLUB'S RACES.

The first annual race meeting under the auspices of the North Taranaki Hunt Club was held on the Racecourse, New Plymouth to-day. The weather was very unfavourable, ominous clouds hanging overhead and heavy showers falling at frequent intervals. Taking all these drawbacks into consideration, the attendance was quite as large as could be expected. About fifteen bookmakers carried on business. Mr R. H. Pigott was judge, Mr F. Watson.starter, Mr R. E. Mcßae handicapper, Mr W. O. Weston clerk of scales, Mr G. N. Skelton clerk of course, Mr J. Bennett timekeeper, And Mr E. P. Webster secretary. The Garrison Band was in attendance and rendered an attractive programme of music. HUNTERS' FLAT RACE HANDICAP, of 5 soys., for horses that Have never won a race on the flat — hunters only. Weight list. One mile and a distance. Mr H. George's br. g. Starfish (H. George) 1 Mr W. Boulton's b. g. Glen (W. Boulton) ... 2 Mr Gus Sole's br. g. Tokomaru (P. Sole) , *. 3 Also started: Toto, Gaiety Girl, Pewter. Scratched: Kura, Tess, Mungaraka, Ngatara, Brownie, Rui, Bramble, Ruta, Lassie. Time, 2min. 13sec. Starfish, Pewter, and Glen got the best of the start and raced past the stand first time in that order. Tokomaru was three lengths behind with Toto and Gaiety Girl together in the rear. For the next two furlongs this order was maintained, and then Tokomaru was sent to the front challenging the leaders. Nearingj' the straight Pewter was Beaten, taking fourth place. A good finish was fought out between Starfish and Glen, the former winning by a length, Tokomaru /being four lengths behind, and Pewter a similar distance behind Tokomaru. LICENSED VICTUALLERS' STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP, for trophy value 10 soys., for winner and 5 soys. for second horse (subscribed by Licensed Victuallers' Association), for qualified hunters the bona fide property of members of a recognised Hunt Club. Minimum weight list. About two miles and a distance. Mr J. Blair's br. g. Rapanui (B. Gordon), 12st. lOlb. ... 1 Mr A. Cliff's eh. g. Kura (A. Cliff), 11.9 2 Mr J. B. Mabin's b. g. Brenda (Jillet), list. ..'. : 3 Also started: Tuna. Scratched: Ronganui, Grey Star, Paddy, Pewter, Sammy Oliver, Red Hazard, and Barney. Time, Smin. SOsec. A good start was effected. Brenda came out to the front, but lost a- lot of time before negotiating the first hedge". Rapanui, being held back, was next over, Kura and Tuna jumping together.' At the first fence Tuna hl\ f throwing her rider (W. Fitzroy) who had to be carried off the course. At the next fence Brenda unseated her rider and Kura baulked the hedge. He, however, went over in the"second attempt and Brenda was caught and continued the race, which was now somewhat of a fiasco, Rapanui being two furlongs in the lead ot Kura and a similar distance dividing Brenda. The positions were unchanged next time past the stand and then Kura began to reduce the intervening distance and was only "Beaten by half a. length, Rapanui's rider being taken unawares. :>PEi\ HACK HANDICAP, of 10 sots. A sweepstake of 10s. each for starters to go to second horse. Five furlongs. Vl r Wommick's b. m. Supplement (R. Barlow), lOst. 71b 1 Mr W. Boulton's b. g. Glen (Hurle), 8.7 2 tfr L. George's eh. g. Gold Bit (P. Sole), Bst. 101 b 3 Also .started : Little Mac, Kairoa, Aaietu, Billy the Bear, Haupuke, ,nrve, Black Douglas. Scratched: Sylan Park, Roselake, Gil Rook. Time, mm. 6 2-sseo. Supplement had the best of the start, pveral horses jumping back as the barier was liberated. Gold Bit lay next, rith Glen third, the other runners betig scattered. Approaching the straight rlen displaced Gold Bit. but his effort r as too late &> trouble Supplement, ■ADIES' BRACELET STEEPLECHASE, 10 soys., hunters only. 'A handicap for all horses that hare never won a steeplechase at time of meeting. Minimum weight list. About two miles. Irs F. Boulton's br. g. Alpine (W. Boulton), 11/2 1

Mrs J. Harle's b. m. Valima (B. Gordon), 12.5 2 Also started: Ronganul, Grey Star,. Bienda, Kiri. Scratched: Tess, Pewter,. Sammy Oliver, Bramble. Time, 4min. 42sec, From a good start Alpine was the first to show out, followed by Grey Star and Valima. The others were bunched. At the back Grey Star took the lead. Alpine taking third place. Valima fell at three-furlong peg on the second round and Ronganui followed suit at the same fence. This left Alpine in* the lead, with Grey Star next. Kiri fell at the second fence in the double opposite the grand stand and Grey Star at the next rail and fence. Alpine had a big lead from Valima, who had been remounted, and won on his own, H. George was rather badly hurtj and had to be taken to the Hospital. A protest against Alpine on the ground that his rider had dismounted before entering the enclosure was dismissed.