LEITHFIELD RACES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 192, 23 December 1868, Page 3

LEITHFIELD RACES.

Those who yesterday betook themselves to the Mount Grey Downs in the hope of seeing a good day's sport, combined with the enjoyment of a pleasant ride, were not disappointed in either respect. The attendance was decidedly good, the spectators arriving in vehicles of various descriptions, on horseback, or on foot. The orthodox grand stand wns, in this instance) dispensed with, visitors being content with drays, traps, &c, from any of which, or from the ground, a full view could be obtained, owing to the levelness of the course. On the ground were two publicans' booths, presided over respectively by Mr C. E. Paget, of Leithfield, and C. Turner of Saltwater Creek. Mr Mason, of Lsithfield, appeared to be doing equally well with Ms confectionery booth. r The course was the same as on previous "occasions, situated on" the Railway Reserve, on an unoccupied section fronting Mr Fendall's farm on the banks of the North Kowai, aud about tuVee miles from Leithfield. The course, rather more than a mile in length, wns very hard in consequence of the dry weather. The saddling paddock and committee tents were pitched close to the. booths, fronting the course and the sea, lofty hills and mountains rising in the rear, the Downs at the foot of these being pleasantly relieved by smiling farms and homesteads it} all their summer verdure. A card contained six events, the first on the list being a hurdle race, open to all comers ; this race was the worst of the day owing to various causes. We would suggest to the committee on future occasions the desirability of bushing and winging the hurdles. In the present instance, the course being short, the light colour of the hurdles, made as they were of split wood, when viewed against a tussock backizrouml were almost invisible, taking t lie j horses by surprise, and in all probability ] causing more baulking than otherwise would have , been the case. The second hurdle race, confiued to district horses, was another exemplification of the *' Hare and Tortoise " fable, the slow but sure jumper Peter winning easily, owing to the other two much faster horses baulking. For the Leithfield Plate four contended. This was a good race, as was also the Kowaj Cup, for which six entered and four started, those competing being all horses of repute. The Trotting Race and Hack Stakes do not call for special mention) but they were smartly contested, Messrs F. and E. D. Hepworth officiated as starters, Mr St George Kyder aa judge, and Mr W. Benn as clerk of the scale?, in their respective capacities giving every satisfaction. Noticeable among the arrangements yesterday was the punctuality with which the various events were started according to the card ; the last race was run shortly before, 6, and concluded the best day'a sport ever witnessed in the Kowai district. Hurdle Race, of 20 soys. 1J miles over eight flights of hurdles. 3 yrs, 9st lOlbs; 4 yrs, lOst 6lbs; 5 yrs, list;- 6 yrs and aged,llst7lbs. The winner of any hurdle race or steeplechase of the value of £50 and upwards, to carry 101 b extra ; of any stake under £50, rib extra. Three entries, or no race. Second horse to save his stakes. Entrance, 2 sots. Mr L. C. Williams' br g Dred', aged, (F. Gay) ... ... l Mr G. Osborne'a b g Trump, 6 yrs, (S. Moon) " ... ... 2 Mr J Spinks' Merrimae, aged (owner) , 3 Mr W. Burnip's Maori Boy (Campbell) '4 Time — 1 minutes 5 seconds. Betting — 2 to I against Tramp and Merrimae; 5 to I against Dred ; Maori Boy received no support, being left off the card owing to non-receipt of letter of entry. After two vain attempts at a start, owing to the impetuosity of Trump, who was altogether in too much of a hurry, the horses, got well away, Merrimac leading, Trump lying second. At the firat hurdle Merrimac set a bad example by baulking and running inside the course, -the 1 whole field following his example as 'far as baulking was concerned. At the next -attempt Dred was first over, ' the rest following ;> at the next hurdle, Dred and Trump refused again, i«ut Maori Hoy was accommodating enough to remove the obstacles to theip progress by smashing It and falling in consequence; Drod was first through, ■ and obtaifledt & -lead'? ; of several chains' on Mac, Trump- 'beiifg t about 30 lengths belli nd him. Trump- closed bn^ ise old ho r«e{4irWd r a smart contest ensued between the two for a short distance, the pair ift the

meantime materially closing the gap between them and the leading horse. Mac went to the front, but in coming to the sth hurdle, bolted again, and thus lost a good chance of obtaining the place of honour. Trump then closed with Dred, and succeeded in obtaining first place, leading by two or three lengths at the last hurdle where he jumped short, and came over with his rider, Dred dashing past and winning easily. Trump picked himself up, an i his Jock remounting, managed in spite of !:is mishap to save his stakes, Merrimac being third, Maori Boy out of the race, having bolted off the course at the sth hurdle. Hack Hurdle Race, of £5, added to a sweepstakes of £1 each. One mile. Post entries. Over 5 flights of hurdles ; confined to untrained horses, bona fide the property of residents in the district. Catch weights. '3 entries, or no race. Mr M'Naughi's Peter Simple (Aahby) ... 1 Mr Dun ford's Lunatic (J. Main) ... 2 Mr Milner's Tomboy (P. Butler) ... 3 Time— 2 mm. 39 sec. Betting principally in favour of Peter Simple, generally known as a safe jumper. Capital start, Tomboy leading, waited on closely by Lunatic, Peter following close up, all jumping well, and in much better style thau the trained horses in the first race, (n this order they ran the distance intervening between the third and fifth hurdles, when Tomboy baulked, Lunatic following suit j Peter, slow but sure, cleared the hurdle like a bird, and came in an easy winuer, Lunatic second, and Tomboy close up. The Leithfield Plate, of 20 soys. 1 J miles, for horses which shall have been the bona fide property of residents in the district before the Ist Oct., 1868. (Such district to comprise the Kowai district, as defined by the Kowai Road Board map.) Maiden plate weights. Entrance, 2 aovs. Second horse to save his stakes. Three entries, or no race. Mr H. McLean's c g Trojan, aged (S. Moon) 1 Mr S. Ashby'a b f North Star, 3 years (Ashby) 2 Mr S. C. Pavitt'sb f Minnie (J. McGregor).. 0 Mr W. A. Benn'a Spectre, b m, 6 years (owner) . ... 0 Bettiug. — Minnie, Trojan and Spectre, 2to 1 each having their supporters. Spectre, 6 to 1. Time — 3 mm. 5 sees. Another good start was effected. Minnie showed a-head, Trojan, number two, a position he soon exchanged for firat place, passing the post for the first time round with a lead of a length. The field maintained the flame relative position till the first mile, when Minnie lost ground, and North Star took second place, Trojan running as gamely as ever at the distance. North Star's rider took to his whip, but could not beat Trojan, who passed the po«t by three lengths, winning hands down. Tkotting Race, for a sweepstakes of £1 each. 3 miles. Catch weights. Post entries. Mr Milner's Mab (Owner) 1 Mr McKay's Orlando (J. Main) 2 Mr Webb's Bobbie, and a horse of Mr Wilson's also ran. Time 11 mm. 30 sees. Mr Milner's Mab made a good start and won with ease. Bobbie played up at first and made several breaks, contriving by this means to get half-a-mile aßtern ; when be did get away he shaped to perfection, and had he made a good start would doubtless have been first. Orlando closed up considerably on the winner at the finish. Kowai Cup, of 30 soys. Two miles. Maiden plate weights. Three entries, or no race. Second horse to save his stakes. Entrance, 3 soys. Mr J. W. Mallock's b g Backbiter, 5 yrs (J. Wood) ... ... 1 Mr G. Osborne's b m Beeswing, 6 yrs (S. Moon) 2 Mr W. C. Webb's b m Miss King, 4 yrs, (Reay) ... ... 3 Mr A. W. Moneys b g Lawyer, 6 yrs, (F. Main) ... ... ... ... 4 Flying Scud and Minnie did not start. Time — 4 mm. 10 sees. Betting— 2 to 1 against Backbiter and Miss King ; 4to 1 against Beeswing ; cto 1 against the rest. This was the great event of the day, Miss King being, if anything, the favourite, though Backbiter had almost as many supporters. The start was. as in all previous cases, successful ; pace jmoderate—Backbifcer leading, Beeswing second, Miss King third, Lawyer fourth. They continued so for a short time, when Miss King took second place, and held it to the distance, when Beeswing came up and passed her witli a rush, but in spite of her jockey's liberal use of his persuader, failed to pasß Backbiter, who finished a winner by two lengths, without being at all pressed. Hack Race, of 5 soys. } mile, for untrained horses, bona fide property of residents in the district. All horses excluded which have won public money. Post entries. Catch weights. Entrance, 10s. Mr Pagtt's Barber ... ... ... i Mr Jackson's tipider ... 2 Mr Pavitt's O'Rafferty ... ...... 3 Four others ran. The race, as hack races usually are, was very exciting. Barber was decidedly the best of the lot, and won easily ; every place in the race was, however, hotly contested; -After the raca a protest was lodged on behalf <}f Spider, on the ground that the ' Barber had previously won public moneys namely, >tne hack Btakes at Leeston. ;jJi.Ji : . ir-l- j A scurry concluded the day ?» sport, but we failed to get the name of the winner.