OAMARU RACES.

Timaru Herald, Volume IV, Issue 94, 2 March 1866, Page 2

OAMARU RACES.

[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]

The races fame off here on Thursday and Friday, the 22nd and 23rd ulfc. ; and as I Bee that you have had a list of the racing for the first day, I will not trouble your readers with again repeating it I should wish, however, if you can find me the space m your columns, to send you a few particulars of the horses, tho ground, &c. , and the racing on the second day. The race course is about three miles distant from Oamaru on the northern road, and will, I think, when properly ploughed and hjid down m English grass, prove a very good one ; but at the present time races might as well be held across country; Certainly the tussocks have been chopped down ; but the holes m the course, which on this occasion were filled with water from the late heavy rain, were anything but pleasant ; and after one or two races became a perfect slough. Horses and jockeys alike were covered with mud. This might have been remedied to a certain extent, had the Stewards ordered the holes to be filled m and beaten down a few days previously. The exertions of the Stewards, however, m every other matter to successfully carry out the meeting were very great, and I was sorry to see that the inhabitants of the district did not respond to those exertions more fully, by being present on the occasion. There was a very respectable sum of money to be run for and tolerably good racing, bat the attendance was extremely limited. With such a very small attendance you know how difficult it is to get up any great excitement or interest m the various events. Only on two occasions did I hear the least attempt at a cheer, and those were when Antoinette won the Ladies' Purse, and when School Boy took the Oamaru Cup, A grand stand had been erected by Messrs. Armstrong and Payne, of the Star and Garter Hotel, and good refreshments were provided by them at moderate charges. Amusements on the course were limited to Aunt Sally, which disappeared early, from a lack of patrons. Mr. Gleeson officiated as judge ; Mr. Herbert Julius as clerk of he course, and Mr. Dansey as starter.

The attendance from your district was very small, but there were four horses from the north of the Waitaki, three of which contested the racing with Oamaru horses. Mr. Harris sent down Idle Boy and Dolphin ; Mr. Macphereon sent Zohrab ; and the owner also sent Shepherdess. None of these horses greatly distinguished themselves. Idle Boy was all amiss and did not run at aIL Zohrab and Shepherdess, on the second day, lx>th went to the post for the £100 Handicap and also the Oamaru Cup ; but, as you will find by a reference to the list of racing below, they were defeated.

Betting was not indulged m to any serious extent ; but those backing the field certainly made their money, as the favourite m each race was backed freely at even, and invariably lost. Zohrab was backed freely for the £100 Handicap ; and Dolphin for the Ladies' Purse. But lam inclined to think that Dolphin would have won the Ladies' Purse if he had kept his temper. He was ridden by Mr. Guiness who had to hold him the whole way round until he came to the straight run home. He was then leading by several lengths, but as soon as he was given his head, he quietly " shut up" and allowed Antoinette to come m an easy winner, m fact so slowly did he come home that Tommy, who was about a distance behind at the corner, came up alongside of him at the winning post. Any old hack m the country could have beaten him down the straight run home. It was thought at first by .the spectators that he was completely winded, but on coming into the saddling paddock it was found that he had scarcely turned a hair and was not blowing m the least. This, I think, is not the first time Dolphin has displayed his temper m a similar manner.

On Friday evening, the Stewards' dinner was given at the Star and Garter Hotel, when about forty gentlemen sat down to a first class dinner. I shall not attempt to describe the scene which followed, neither do I propose to give yon any of the speeches.' Mrs. Payne presented the cup to the rider of the winner, m a few appropriate remarks. The chairman then made a speech, m which he indulged m remarks which caused considerable confusion. The health of a member of a Dunedin mercantile firm, who has a branch m Oamaru, was proposed ; and then another gentleman wished to couple the name of another Oamaru merchant with th;

toast A third gentleman (a squatter, I believe) jumped up and said they were not there for the purpose of "drinking the health of a lot of d commission agenta." This caused a general talk, when about a dozen gentlemen left the room, and shortly afterwards the meeting broke up. Had it not been for the great tact of the vice-chairman I am inclined to think that more than angry woids would hare been indulged m. I must not conclude without noticing an accident which occurred to a party returning from the racea Mr. Jackson was driving a fourwheeled trap containing several visitors and one or two ladies, which was upset on the way home, but luckily none of the occupants were injured beyond receiving a few bruises. I give you a list of the second day's racing :— Handicap, 100 soys. Nomination, 2 soys. Acceptance, 5 soys. One mile and a half. Mr J. Thomas's eh g Regnum 1 Mr D. Kellas' g f Shepherdess 2 Mr G. Mac])hersou's b g Zohrab 0 Mr A. Dansey'a g g Maori Boy 0 Betting : Even on Zohrab ; 2to 1 against Maori Boy ; and 3 to 1 against Regmun and Shepherdess. Mr. Beal's mare Lady Bird was also entered for this race but did not come to the post. At the start Shepherdess took the lead, followed by Zohrab and Kegnum. The three kept well together until the corner of the straight run home, when Begnum showed m front and came m first Shepherdess a good second. Ladies' Perse, £23 ; Whip, value £7 7s. presented by Mr. Hugh Fraser, to be presented to the rider of the winner. Welter weights. Gentlemen riders. Entrance, £3. Two miles. Mr N. McKay's b m Antoinette 1 Mr Harris's b g Dolphin 0 Mr W. K. M'Cnlloch's b g Tommy 0 Betting : Even on Dolphin, taken freely ; 2to 1 against Antoinette ; and 3 to 1 against Tommy. Mr. Harris's Idle Boy was also entered for this race but did not start. The horses got away well together, Dolphin soon showing the front and pulling very hard. He was soon leading by several lengths ; which position he held until reaching the corner to come to the winning post, when he dropped off almost to a canter, and A ntoinette name m an easy winner. Oamaru Cup, value 100 soys. Open to all comers. Entrance, 5 soys. Distance, two miles and a-lialf. M.P.W. MrT. Snell's b g School Boy 1 Mr A. Dansey'a g g Maori Boy 2 Mr G. Macpherson'B b g Zohrab 0 Mr D. Kellas' g f Shepherdess dis. Betting : Even on School Boy ; 2to 1 against Maori Boy ; and 3 to 1 against Zohrab and Shepherdess. Idle Boy and Dolphin were both entered but were scratched. This race was won easily by School Boy. Shepherdess was pulled up when having gone about half the distance. Selling Stakes, of 25 eovs. Entrance, 2 soys. O.J.C. weights. Winner to be sold for 100 soys. If entered to be sold for 90 soys, allowed 7lbs ; if for 80 soys, allowed 141bs; if for 60 soys, allowed 281bs; if for 50 soys, allowed 351bs. The winner to be sold by auction immediately after the race, and the surplus, if any, to go to the fund. Mr J. Thomrs's Miss Foote 1 Mr J. Thomas's Begnum 0 Mr G. Newey's eh m Spider 0 There was no betting on this race as the owner declared to win with Miss Foote. Shepherdess, Maori Boy, Lady Bird, and Antoinette were all scratched. Consolation Handicap, of £20. For all beaten horses m the previous races. J.G. weights. Once round. Entrance, 2 soys. Mares and geldings allowed 41b. Mr A. Dansey's g g Maori Boy 1 A Handicap was then got up which wad won by Mr. J. Thomas's Regnum. On the following day, Saturday, another Handicap race was held which was won by Zohrab.