NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE CLUB'S MEETING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1479, 18 June 1879, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE CLUB'S MEETING.

[By Telkgbaph.] Oahabu, May 25. President, Andrew Turnbull ; Vice-Presi-dent, H. J. McLean ; Stewards, tbe Hon. R. Camtbell, and Messrs J. Braggon, G. Lee, S. H. Bristol, T. Teschemaker, J. Marshall, F. Kimbel, J. T. Ford, E. Elworthy, O. A. Sutton, J. O'Meagher, A. McLran, W. F. Neilson, G. P. Williams, A. Cox, E. Menlove, W. Gardirjer, R. Turnbull, J. Gamack. E. Griffith, J. H. Raine, J. Maclean, C. Turnbull, 1 0. W. Smith, and J. Stephenson ; Judge, M.

•"tmii olme ; Starter, C. Orbell ; Clerk of the Cur-e, A. }-'t. G. llair.ers'ey ; Clerk of the S,a es, M. Mitton ; Unnclieappcr, H. P. Lance; Hon. Tieasurer, Frank Egan. 'I he weatberyesterdoy morning was any thing but like tbe proverbial Queen's weather, and rumors were current lhat tl-e meeting would he po.-tpined. It wns, however, soon notified that the prognmme would becirried out, and notwithstanding the wet, tho first tiain to the emu.' took a large number ol visitors, and the attendance increased during tbe day to 2500. Sereral booths n ereon the ground and appeared to do a good business, a reward which caunot be laid to apply to the noble army of bookmakers, who were rather out of employment. The course was a splendi 1 one, though somewhat slippery after tbe rain, and the jumps were admirably arranged, only one, the water leap, being of a difficult character. Shortly ufter the appointed hour, twi-lre out of the thirteen acceptors weighed out for the Grand National, Silverßtream being scrotcbed. There en-ued one of the grandest steeplechases ever witnessed m the colony, ten horses giiug round the distance, Te Whetu not showing up at the winning post. Other races" were not so full of interest, their attractions being greatly lessened by the dense fog which enveloped the country during the greater part uf the day. The following is a detailed account, of the various events : — ' New Zealand Gband National Handicap of 2008OV8, with a sweepstake of sbovs each for acceptors, to go to the second horse ; nominations of 2sovs each to go to the fund; distance 4 miles. Mr P. Butler's eh g The Agent, syrs, 12st 71b (Hankins) 1 Mr F. Brittain's b g Royalty, aged, lOst 81b 2 Mr H. Prince's eh g Eversley, aged, lOst 101 b 3 Betting — 2 to 1 against The Agent, 3to 1 Grey Momus, 2 to 1 Tewhetu snd Fakir, 2 to 1 Moose and Ivanhoe, and 7 to 1 against the rest. .Silverßtream was scratched. The horses were despatched to a good start about twenty minutes Ipast one o'clock. Lone Havd and The Moose leading up to and jumping the fir*t fence m the order named, the others straggling over with the exception of Te Whetu, who came down and threw O'Neill, and by the time he could get remounted the others were leading him by a good distance. From this point Te Whetu never showed prominently m the race, and m foci did not complete tba distance. At the third fence Lone Hand came to grief. The Moose and Erin-go-Bragh raced to the waterjump together, all the intervening jumps having been taken' in fino style. None of the horses cleared the water-jump, the mest ot tlieni merely plunging through it, and several rolled m it, the jot-keys getting a good ducking. The first horse to show on the other side of the water-jump was Royalty, and he had attained a good lead before Eversley got through. The latter was closely f. llowed by The Agent and Erin-go-Bragh, after whom came Loyalty, Grey Momus, end the Lad, oil m Indian file. Alter getting over the waler jump, The Agent, Kversley, end Erin-go-Bragh drew up to Royalty, and these four horaes, with Lny Ity, kept well together the second time round, all the fences being well taken. Eversley led lo the water this time, closely followed hy Royalty, The Agent, and Erin-go-Bragh. Of this lot Royalty was the firßt to get through, aud be obtained a long lead before Tbe Agent and Eversley had negotiated the dreaded water. Eversley now begin to show signs of great distress, and fell back beaten, Hankins, who had up to tbis time reined m The Agent well, and ridden with great judgmert, nuw sat down to ride m chase of Royalty. At lhe last fence before entering tbe bi night —a sod wall— Royalty was leading about six lengthß, but the game chestnut answered every call on him, and, coming with a rush, collared and passed Royalty a hundred yards from tbe winning post, eventually winning by about a length and a half. ** Maiden Platb, of £100 soys, with a sweepstake of 5 soys each for acceptors, to go to tbe eecond horse ; nominations, of 2 eovs each, to go to the fund ; weight for age ; dißtance, 2 miles. Mr P. Murtagh's blk g Black Prince, 6yrs, 12st 131 b (Murtagh) 1 Mr T. Ljford's g g Silverstream, aged, 12st3lb (Lunn) 2 Mr J. Culling' a b g Noumea, 4yrs, list (Armstrong) 8 Belting : Level money on Silverstream ; 2 to 1 against Loch Lomond ; 4 to 1 against all the rest. Harkaway was scratched. A very good start was effected. Loch Lomond and Silverstream raced to the first lence together, but both fell. Silverstream's rider was quickly remounted, but Loch Lomond got a• ay from his jock, and was uot caught until the rae 3 was almost finished. Black Prince then assumed command, wi b iVoumea second, and Marksman third. AU lhe horses named baulked at the second fence, and Silverstream came up and cleared it m fine style. Tbe otber hor es got over when put at tbe fence again, Black Prioee following closely behind Silverstream. On clearing the next two fences (gorae), thn fog was so thick lhat spectators at the winning post were unable to see anything more nntil Block Princo come leading up the straight by twenty lengths, Siiver 't ream and Noumea runniDg neck and neck second until a few lengths from the winning post. Here Silverstream drew away from his companion, and passed the post second, ab iut twenty lengths beh.nd the Prince, and a length m advance of Noumea. Hunt Club Cup, of 160«ovs, with a sweepstake of ssovs each for acceptors to go to second horse ; nominations of 2sovs to go to tbe fund; weight for age; gentlemen riders allowed 7lbs ; distanco 3 miles. Mr P. Butler's The Agent, list 12lb (Hankins) 1 Mr R. Mclvor's Loch Lomond, list (Owner) 2 Mr H. Muir's Lone Hand, Hat 31b (F. Hedge) 3 Te Who'u, Tbe Lad and Alma aho started. Eversley was scratched. Betting— 6 to 4 on The Agent; 2 to 1 again-t Lone Band and Te Whetu ; 3to 5 and 6 'o 1 against tbe rest. This race was run while the fog was still hanging about, and consequently the principal jumps could not be seen from the Grand Stand. What was seen of the race, The Agent, Lo h Lomond and Lone Hand were aleraately leading until getting over the stone wall, and tbe second jump from home, when ths two first horses visible were Looh Lomond and the favorite, the former having a lead of about three lengtbs at the approach to the last jump. After clearing the last (bstacle, The Agent was making the gap intervening between him and Loch Lomond decreue rapidly, and on coming to the rise into the straight he was lying on the brown horse's quarters. Then ensued an exciting race between tbe two named ; but tbe chestnut proved to have moat foot, as when Hankins shook bim np again he slowly bat surely forged ahead, and was finally landed the winner by balf a length. We think that bai Mclvor, on Loch Lomond, commenced to ride his borse sooner, the position of the h' rses at the finish would have been reversed. Consolation Handicap, of 60 soys, added to a Bweepstake of 2 soys eacb for acceptors ; nominations of 1 soy each to go to tbo fund ; distance, 2 miles. Mr R. Mclvor's Loch Lomond, 12st 91bs (Owner) 1 Mr Dempsy's Erin-Go-Bragh, list 121bs (Cotton) 2 Mr H. Muir's Lone Hand, 12at 61b (Hedge) 8 Mr C. Goodman's Ivanhoe (list 101 b) and Mr T. Lyford's Silverstream (12at) also ran. Royalty (12st 7lb) did not accept. Betting : 3to 1 against Loch Lomond, 6to 1 Ivanhoe, 2 to 1 Silverjtream, aod 3 to 1 Lone Hand and Knn go Brsgh. The fog waa still hanging about wben this race was being run, and of course interrupted the view, it being impossible to distinguish the horses for more than balf of the course, the best of the jumps being invisible from the Stand. The horses jnmped well while 5 view of them could be obtained, and were pretty well m a cluster until getting ont of sight. Wben next seen Erin-go-Bragh was leading, followed by the favorite abont six lengths away, noDe of tbe rest being Tiaile. At this time the favorite drew npon Erin-go-Bragh, and a good race took place between tho-e namee*. for the last 220 yards, but des- ' pite the efforts of Cotton to prevent Lock Lomond from winning, the later won a goodi nos on tbe pott by neck.