OAMARU STEEPLECHASES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 2101, 26 July 1878, Page 2

OAMARU STEEPLECHASES.

OaMAEIT, July 25. Tho annual meeting of tho North Otago Steeplechase Club took place to-day. The weather waa raw and cold, and the ground heavy. Tho altondance was moderate.

Maiden Plate, 40 soys, with a sweep of 1 guinoa to go to the second hone ; weight for a^o ; distance, 2 miles. Mr Osborne's g g Silverstream, aged ... 1 Mr Hankin3 g g Billy Button, aged ... 2 Pukehi, nj>ed ; Gronie, 6yrs; Kelly, 4yra j Tommy, aged ; Baron, aged ; also started. Betting— 2 to 1 against Silvcrstrenm and Pakcha, 3 to 1 against Tommy and Baron, 4 to 1 against Cronie, Billy Button, and Nelly.

Ihe horses went away with a good start. Tho two first jumps wore safely negotiated by all tho horses, with Pakehu leading going up to tho water jump, where all baulked except Silverstream, who flow over it m splendid stylo. He then took tho next gorso, but at the second water jump baulked. At the second attempt ho got over and from thence did not inako a mistnko (ill ho cantered m a winner. The other horses all stuck at the first water jump, but, after several attempt^, Pakeha, and Billy Button, managed to get over. Pakeha baulked at the second water jump j but Billy Button managed to get over it and took all tho other jumps, a long distance behind Silverstream. Pakeha cot no further than tho second w.iterjump, while Tommy, Nally,Cronie, and Baron never got over tho first w-tter jump, und the racu thus proved very tame. The jockey 3 complained that it was owing to tho awkward appearance of the water-jump that the horses were afraid to jump it. Waitaki County Cup (Handicap), 80 soys , wilh a Bweep of 30 soys., to go to the second horso ; distance 3 miles. Mr Powell's eh g The Agent, aged, 12st 41b ... ... . . °. ... 1 Mr Keith's br g Stockman, aged, lOst 121 b 2

Ivanhop, nged (12st 71b), Shillelngh, aged (list, 7lb), Jack, aged (lOst 41b), also started. Betting : sto 4 against The Agent, sto 2 ag.ihißt Shillelagh, 3 to 1 against Ivanhoe, 5 to 1 aouinst Stockman and Jack.

Jack tnok the lead when the flag fell, bat baulked at tho first fence, while all the othere got safely over. Jack also succeded at the second attempt, and The Agtnt then assumod the lead, -with Ivanhoe second, Jack third, Shillelagh fourth. Tho two next feueos were taken m this order, and m the next all got over except Shillelagh, who fell, but. soon gjt under way again. Passing tho Stand, The Agent led by eight lengths, Jack teeond, Ivanhoe third. This order was maintained to the first water-jump, where all refused fovcr.il times, but ultimately The Agent led over it, the other horses following at intervals. At the second water-jump, all refused, but The Agent, however, got over at tho second attempt, and, cantering leisurely, took all the other jumps, and won the race. Time after time the other horses were rushed at the second water jump, whip and spur being plied m no measured way, but m vain. This continued for twenty minutes, when the stewards agreed to allow the horses half-an-hour to get m for the second money. After five and twenty minutes, Stockman at last managed to get over, some timber on top or the jump being at first removed. Jack followed m a minute after, and these two safely negotiated the other jumps, Stockman passing the Judge's box 35£ minutes after Tha Agent, with Jack a good third, Ivanhoe 5 minutes behind him, and Shillelagh returned to the saddling paddock. Oajiahu Handicap, 50 soys., with a sweepstake of 3 soys. each, to go to the second horse ; distance, 2£ miles. Mr Powell's eh g Tho Agent, 12st 121 b ... 1 Mr McKay's b g Shillelagh, list 61b ... 2 Mr Hoskins' b m Brunette, list 3

Theodore (list 61b) and Silverstrcam (llBt) also started, but the latter threw his rider at the third fence after starting, thus being out of the race.

Betting — Even money againßt The Agent, 2 to 1 against Silver3tream, 3 to 1 against Shillelagh and Theodore, and 4 to 1 against Brunette.

In order to make the water jumps easier, the blue gums rails which topped them were removed by the Stewards. The flag fell to an indifferent start, the Agent leading, Shillelagh second, the rest together three lengths away. This order was maintained OTer all the fences, to the first waler-jump, where all baulked. The Agent got over at the second attempt, with Shillelagh Becond, and Brunette third. Theodore

stuck at the water jump, and wa9 never after m the race. Agent, Shillelagh, nnd Brunette all baulked at the second water-jump, but ultimately got over m the order named. Agent was leading ten lengths at the halfmile from home, when Shillelagh drew up, and both horses jumped splendidly, but at the second hurdle from the winning post the Agent got lhrad again, and won comfortably by three lengths, with Brunette a bad third. Consolation Handicap, 40 soya ; acceptance, 1 eov. each, to go to the second horse ; 2 milea. Mr Keith's br g Stockman, aged, lOst 71b 1 Mr Black's br g Ivauhoe, uged, 12st 71b ... 2 Mr Fraser's b g Tommy, aged, lOst 71b ... 3 Brunette, list; Baron, lOst 71b; Billy Button, 10=t 71o; Shillelagh, list 71b, also started. I Betting— 2 to lon the field. Baron led as soon as the flag fell with Shillelugh second, and the o'hers two lengths awuy together. All cleared the jump for the fir.-t mile, but Shiilelagh and Billy Button ref usid at the second water-jump. Baron continued to lend until the third last fence from home, when Stoekrcan collared him, and the former struck the fence and unseated his rider. Stockman cleared it m Cne stylo and won easily from lvanhoe, with Tommy a good third, and the others far behind.