SPORTING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14267, 5 August 1910, Page 7

SPORTING.

G'EIULDINE HUNT MEETING. President, Mr 0. Soott Thomson; Vice-President, Mr H. B. Williams; Judge, Air H. M. Spencer; Starter, ALII. 11. Alacdonald; Clerks of Scales, Messrs W. T. Turner and D. Lewis; Clerk of Course, Mr R. Orton; Committee, Messrs E. G. Temple, J. Keid, D. Lewis, M. C. Harper, and A. G. Alacdonald; Handicappers, Messrs B. Alacdonald and li. Orton; Secretary au<i Treasurer, Air A. P. Barklie, assistant secretary, Air E. H. Tompler. Delightfully free from formal restraints, w:ell managed and sociable to a, degree, was the steeplechase meeting hold at Geraldine yesterday, by the (jeraldino Hunt Racing Club to n.ark the wind-up of the 1910 hunting season in that district. In addition to excellent arrangements and a well laid off course, the meeting • was graced by beautiful weather and it was no matter for wonder that half the country side .assembled at the rendezvous where the trials of the hunters were decided. The attendance was unusually large and included many ladies, as well 2s a number of sportsmen from Tiniarn. It was a free and easy meeting, and all the more pleasant on that account, a further contributing factor to the enjoyment being the knowledge that i'very horseman who faced the starter, did so with the honest intention of winning if lie could. The field in which all the events finished, was lent by Mr Colin Mackenzie junr. and was situated at the junction of the five cross roads, about a couple of miles st uth £ ■ m &c 7 l,dlno township. It was adorably adapt*for the occasion being as level as a billiard table, .and possessed of a mi,„! ot of ''grandstandsm the form of half ns «l stacks, a. seat point"? 11 Prov, , d - K ? an excellc »t vantoS o7a\™ m V f vio«- the whole made, m that the horses had to h m» " .tul out 0 f the finishing ™k } si in'? K 3ndK ° + ' S b l ,x twic ° bafoVo t- n I f; +i ,nt "est was thus sus- ;' 'ti i* 1 '? r 2!- eS f,om sta ''t to finthe Jt J. : I? y {*""** of. members of nrovulr ' '' generosity, P>ov ded and dispensed afternoon tea MrT •N Ul T all ' , withol,t On Mi E. H Temple,- fell the secretarial work, and with the tail of a rprim cart for a table, he discharged Tis onerous duties very satisfactorily The same may be said of the various other

J here wore half a dozen races on tie programme, and tliocard was prick«'fl punctually at half-past one. when the contestants in the Point-to-Point bteeplecha.se of about two miles were Bent out to tho starting post. This parted in .a, field belonging to Mr K. l.idiards, tho first fence being wire and the sesond gorse; then a left-hand turn was taken, over another gorse ience then more wire, and into plough: after covering the ploughed nolct there was another road double and the next fence led into tlio home paddock; but tho chasers had to pass the stand, jump out of the borne paddock, back into it again lower down, then cross' and out of it again on the opposite end, round a straw stack and back home the way they hsiil first come in. Tt was ».' course which provided a good test of jumping ability and staying power, and included loiirteen jumps in all. The result was as follows:

Mr J. Alacdonald's Rainbow (Owner up) 1 Mr B. G. Temple's Matai (Owner up; a Mi it. Patrick's Bell Buoy (Owner uiO Mr J. Itolleston's Bill Bailey, Mr ;H. Crowe's JJaivn, and Mi- G. Payne's All Black, iiisu stiirLad. lvu'h m therace Bill Bailey broke a blood vessel Land had to be pulled up. Dawn fell at tlie second obstacle, and .Rainbow, taking tko lead, was never caught, winning comfortably m>m Matai. All Black eame in fourth. The next f'.-(nc was. a walk, trot and gallop of .I.'. miles, and resulted: — Mr G. A'laedonald'a Long Tom, (Owner) 1 Mi- \V. 1. Ashby's Exchange (Owner; - 2 No third place. Otiier starters were—Mr P. Bropliy's Lively Kit, Mr ,j Martin's Grobo, Mi- P. Wilson's Gipsv Girl, Air J. Alarkham's Nellie, and 'Mr McMahon's Paddy. This was a vcvv amusing rare, with a highly excitim"' iinish, Lony Tom and the .stallion Exchange (who had been taken out of harness to compete) racing neck and neck all the way up the straight, and Long Tom's victory was only gained by a no.se. In the Farmers' Hack Waco the horses had to cover a mile and there were six starters, the result) being:—■ Mr J. Markham's Crossard (Coulter) 1 Air A. B. Temple's Scallawag (.Robertson) 2 Mr M. Charles' Mountaineer (Carter) 3

Others to face the musx were —Air J. Bart's Gipsv Jean, Mr A. Robertson's Hector, and Air -I. Alacdonald's Rainbow. Soon after starling, Hector and Crossard went to the front. After covering three quarters of a mile, Hector fell back beaten, and Crossard, going on gamely, won by three lengths from Scallawag, Alotintaiiieer a good third.

Tlio Handicap Steeplechase was a very interesting event. There were four starters, but only two finished, the result being— Air J. McDonald's Rainbow (Owner) l l Air A. Reid's Nelson (Beattie) 2 Tho other starters wera Gamester and Dawn. A great many obstacles had to be negotiated. Gamester fell and lost his chance, and Dawn got astride one of the timber jumps, losing so much time that it was not worth her while starting again. Nelson looked a likely winner for some tune, but in the last round Rainbow got the lead, though not by very much, and a finish which promised some excitement was spoiled through Beattie coming out of the saddle at the last jump, leaving Rainbow to win as he liked.

Tko Ladies' Bracelet, oi : li mile, was also a good raco. This resulted:— Mr J. Carter's Gamester (owner) ... 1 Air A. Robertson's Tariki (owner) ... 2 Mr H. Crowe's Dawn (G. Maedonald) 3 Other star tors were —Mr li Harris' Cantinere, Mr A. B. Temple's Sealkiwag, and Mr A. P. Bavklio's Banshee. Dawn led nearly all the way. In the iinal round Tariki caught- the leader and would have won easily had ho not run off the course. When ho did this Gamester went in pursuit of Dawn and caught and passed her. By this timo Tariki had_ made a- fresh "start, and still lull of running also caught and passed Dawn, and was very nearlv iip to Gamester when tho winning post was reached.

Hie final race of the, d;iv was the I'areweJl Handicap Steeplechase (if about two miles, for all beaten horses at the meeting, and it resultedJ }' r -;\- £.'. Temple's Matai (Beattie) I -Mr G. Pain's All Black (owner) ... -J -Mr M. Charles' Mountaineer and Mr A. Keid'* A'el.son also started, lint both made mistakes which put them out of the running, and Matai won verv eomlortablv.

There were only two bookmakers at the meeting, being licensed at a fee of £1 Is each. Special prizes were given by the N.M. and A. Co., Mr E. H. Logan, Guinness and LeCren. Mr c! Borrell, Dalgcty and Co, C.F.C.A., and Morrison Bros.