DUNEDIN RACES.

Timaru Herald, Volume IV, Issue 96, 16 March 1866, Page 3

DUNEDIN RACES.

Thursday, March 8.

The races commenced on this day, the weather being everything that could be desired. The attendance was not very large. The entries of horses were far short of the anticipations. The first race was advertised to come off at twelve o'clock, but some little delay occurred, and it was a quarter to one before the horses were ready to start. The following are the particulars of the day's sport: — Maiden Plate, of 50 soys. One mile and a half. Weight for age. Mr Driver's br g Vain Hope, aged, (Ttay) 1 Mr Hutchison's blk g Harold, aged (Ryan) 2 Mr N. J. B. M'Gregor's rg Neil Gow, 3 yrs 3 MrW. K. Taggart's eh f Butterfly, 3 yrs 0 Mr J. Sband's b g Sleight of Hand, aged 0 Mr W. Oiighton's br m Grasshopper, 4 yrs 0 Mr T. Pollock's c m Lucy, 3 yrs 0 A good start. The roan took the lead past the grand stand, Grasshopper last, hard held, as some thought, for a spurt, but she kept that position until the finish. At the corn stacks Vain Hope took the lead, closely followed by Harold, and the pair ran well to the post, Vain Hope only winning by a neck. Time, 3 mm. 7 sees. Dcnedin Handicap of 150 soys, with sweepstakes of 10 soys each added. Two miles. Mr J. G. Glassford's b g Kambler, aged (Green) 1 Mr C. J. Hoyt's eh g Rob Boy, aged (Yeend) 2 Mr C. Bird's b g Hatter, aged, (Ryan) 3 For this race Hatter appeared m "stockings," and although Eob Koy looked m good fettle, it was easy to see from the start that the race would fall to Rambler, and such turned out to be the fact, the old horse winning by twenty lengths. Time, 2 mm. 4 sees. The Or ago Cap of 1000 soys. Distance, two miles and a-half. Weight for age. Mr W. IL Taggart's b m Virginia, ased (Ray) 1 Mr R. M'Larcu's b g Schoolboy, 4 yrs (Cunily) 2 Mr C. J. Hoyt's eh g Rob Roy, aged (Yeend) 3 It was generally supposed that for this event only two horses would start ; but Hub came to the post. Schoolboy took the lead for the first round nnd a half ; but at the turn the mare, hard held the whole way, came up to them and won easily by two lengths, the M'Gregor being a bad third. Time, 5m 235. Lottery Plate of 50 soy& ; distance, 1 mile ; weight for age. Mr. 0. W. Hoyt's eh g Young Alma, aged (Yeend) 1 Mr. MTaren's eh g Regnum, aged, (M'Kay) 2 Mr. W. H. Taggart's bl g Black Rodger, (Ray) 3 Mr. Bensnsan's br g Colonel, aged, 0 For this race only four out of the six started, two being scratched. After three attempts a; not over good start was effected. The youthful took the lead, and kept it to the winning post. Regnum struggled hard, but without success, being three lengths behind at the finish ; Black Roger and Colonel nowhere. Time, 1 mm. 55 sec. Tiie Shorts of 50 soys ; distance, £ mile ; weight for age. Mr. W. H. Taggart's b m Virginia, aged, (Ray) 1 Mr. J. Reany's br g Bob Apples, aged, (Ryan) 2 Mr. C. W. Hoyt's eh g Young Alma, aged, (Yeend; 3 Mr. W. H. Taggart'sch f Butterfly 0 Four horses only put m an appearance for this last event of the day. As it was only a short race, much care was required m the start ; but, after some few mistakes, this was effected. Virginia took the lead and won, but not without Bob Apples making a close race of it Time, 55aec Friday, March 9. The races commenced about a quarter to one. Subjoined is a full description of the racing :— Towjf Plate of 100 soys. Distance, 3 miles weight for age. Winner of Duuediu Handicap to carry 51b extra. Mr. R. M'Laren's b g Schoolboy, 4 yrs (Cundy) 1 Mr. C. R Bird's b g Hatter, aged, (Ryan) 2 For this race, the first of the day, only two horses started, Rob Roy being lame. This was the first three-mile race of themeetin". Schoolboy led all the way. At the second turn, Hatter made a good show, and his friends began to think he would pull through. However, on the " cane" being applied, Schoolboy kept the lead he had already taken, and won by two lengths. Time— 6m. 20sec. Handicap Trotting Race of 50 soys. Distance, five times round the course. Mr. J. Russel's b g Ranger, aged (G. Smith) scratch 1 Mr. D. Carson's b g Major, aged (J. Mills) m sulky scratch 2 Mr. C. J. Hoyt's b g Dusky, aged (G. Hoyt), 50 yds 3 Mr. G. Patterson's b m Lady Syntax, 4 yrs i (T. Hastie), 100 yds 0

I This was a very interesting race, not only ! for t!ie goodness of the trotting, but from the • peculiarity of one of the three horses being driven ! m a " sulky," which, perhaps, may account for I hi 3 not winning. The race lay between Major ami Hanger. Both rider and driver did their best, and had not the Major broken, it is doubtful if the race would have terminated as it did, m Ranger's favor George Smith rode the winner admirably, and Mills's driving was considered very good. Time — 16m. losec. District Handicap of 100 soys, with sweepstakes of 7 soys each added ; distance, 2 miles. Mr. W. H. Taggart's b m Virginia, aged, (Ray) 1 Mr. J. G. Glassford's b g Rambler, aged, (Green) 2 Mr. J. Ronnie's g g Gaffer Grey, aged, (Ryan) 3 Virginia had the race m hand the whole way, and won without much effort. Gaffer was outpaced. Hurdle Race of 50 soys ; mile and a-half heats ; weight for age ; over five flights of hurdles. Mr. H. C. Robinson's eh g Sportsman aged (Taggart) 2 11 Mr. A. Pa3'man's eh g Tom, aged, (Coleman) 12 2 Mr. W. A. Low's b g Paddy, aged, (Dwyer) 3 3 0 Mr. H. Driver sbr g Birthday, aged, 0 0 0 Ist Heat — Birthday refused the second hurdle, and Tom and Paddy baulked at it. Sportsman went round far m advance, and was cantering m, when Tom, who had crept up, made a rush and won the heat 2nd and 3rd Heats— Sportsman won easily. Selling Race of 50 soys. Distance, one mile and a-half Mr. W. 11. Taggart's b m Virginia, aged, (Ray) 1 Mr. G. W. Hoyt's c g Young Alma, aged, (Lynch) 2 Mr. J. Reany's br g Bob Apples, aged, 0 Mr. W. H. Taggart's b g Black Rodger, 0 This race lay between Virginia and Young Alma, they ran almost neck and neck to the distance post ; bnt at the finish, the mare won without being distressed. The other couple also kept together, but a long way behind. Saturday, March 10. Handicap Steeplechase of 80 soys ; distance, 4 miles. Mr A. Low's b g Paddy, aged ... (D»vyer) 1 Mr H. C. Robinson's c g Sportsman, aged ... 0 Mr H. Payuuiu'a c g Tom, aged ... ... 0 Publicans' Pu-bsk Handicap of 100 soys, with sweepstakes of 5 soys each added ; distance, 2J miles. Mr R. M'Laren's bg Schoolboy, 4 yrs(Powell) 1 Mr J. G. Glassford's b g Rambler, aged ... 2 Mr 1 1. Reany's g g Gaffer Grey, aged 3 Virginia and Rob Roy were scratched Ladies' Purse of 50 soys, with sweepstakes of 5 soys added. Distance, 2 miles. Welter weights for age. Gentlemen riders. MrJ. G. Glassford's bg Prince, aged, (Mr W. Maitland) 1 Mr M'Lareu's b m Antoinette, aged (Mr Snell) 2 Mr C. E. Bird's b g Hatter, aged (Captain Perkins) distanced. Farmers' Purse of 30 soys. One mile heats. Mr A. Campbell's c g Dandy, (dimming) 1 1 Mr G. Shaud's p ni Quickstep, 5 yra (T.Shand) 0 2 Neil Gow, Sleight-of-Hand, and Grasshopper also ran. Consolation Stakes Handicap of 50 soys. Post entry ; entry 3 soys, Distance 1 mile. Mr M'Laren's c g Regnum, aged ... (Ray) 1 Mr Cundy's br g Bob Apples, aged 2