SPORTING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3380, 7 February 1879, Page 2

SPORTING

WELLINGTON RACES,

WELLINGTON, Feb. 6,

[speoial.]

The races to-day were attended by abont 3000 people, 1500 of whom were conveyed by raihvay, the rest going by road. There were no accidents of importance, though, some of the vehicles came to grief on the road. The boy who rode Sauntoror in tho Hutt Park Slakes, was thrown into the river, his horse having bolted. At first it was feared he was badly injured, but on examination it was found he was not hurt. He was picked up in an insensible state, but Dr Diver examined him and found thafc he was all right. He soon recovered, thougli ho narrowly escaped being drowned. There wero no other accidents.

The course, owing to the want of rain, was very hard, and thoso who pretend to know,.' say that if a pood shower of rain had fallen during the night the results would have bee» different.

The day's proceedings commenced with the Maiden Plate, for which Merlin was installed a hot favourite. Undino was next in demand. Castileian was the only absentee, and tho result was an easy win 'for the son of Blue Boy and Malice. King Quail was, to the eurprisc of all his friends, in immediate attendance. Lady Grey, who was fancied by many, wa6 out of it from the start, and the bookmakers, having made a good beginning, thon proceeded to lay odds on tho Agent for fcho Hurdles, fche result of which was hardly ever in doubt. A Hack Hurdle Race, which created great excitement, was the next event, and was cleverly carried off br Porirtia Kate, the favourite coming to grief at the third hurdle. The big event waa neifc, and Laertes was still a favourit*

at 5 to 2. Lara, who stripped in grand form was backed by many, whilst Longlands, who was in groat fettle, started second favourite Tho up-couufcry contingent went like men for Lara and Diver, whilst the Marlborough people supported Rata. After the first mile and a half the result was nover in doubfc, and Ray won very easily at the finish. The Hutfc Park Stakes wa9 such a moral that nothing but Sauntcrer stripped to do combat with Bribery, who had no difficulty in disposing of her opponent. Speculation was almost nil. Tho ouly bets taken being 10 to 1 and 8 to lon Bribery. The succeeding hack race was a wretched affair, the best horses never leaving tho paddock, and those who started did so badly thafc twenty lengths afc least dividod those who wero first, from thoso last away. The Flying Stakes conoluded the day's programme This resulted in a great boil ovor, Ratcatcher getting woll away and winning cleverly. Bribery, who was made a great pot, was, as usual, very fractious at the post, and disposed of her jockey once. Sho then got a wretched start, and although she fast overhauled tho Hold towards the finish she could nover get on terms with tho leaders. Tho Maiden Plate, of 75 soys. ; entrance 3 soys. For all horses that have nover won a sweepstake or plato of the value of 25 soys. previous to entry." Weight, for age. One mile and a-half. R. Vnllauco's Merlin, 3yr3, 7Bt 131 b ( Nolan) ... 1 T. Horsfall'd Kiiif* Quail, 3yrs, 7st 131 b (Carrington) 2 S. Wobb's Undine, lyrs, Bst 121 b (Puller) ... 3 Roebuok fast 81b), Blaok Prince (9sfc 81b), Lady Grey (7sfc 101 b), also ran. Betting— 6 to 4on Morlin, 2 to 1 Undine, 5 to 1 anything else. Tho flag fell to a fair start, Undine having a trifle the besfc of ifc. Murtagh soon rattled his horso into first place, which ho kept until he roachod fcho back of fcho course. Lady Grey was loft at fche post, and was afc least ten lengths behind opposito fche Grand Stand. She was not persovercd wifch any further. At this period Roobttck was Black Prince's attendant, bufc at the three-quarter-mile posfc King Quail ran into second place Undino also camo up, while Merlin ran into fourth place. This order was maintained to the back of tho course, when Black Prince foil back boafcou. Uudino and Morlin thon; closed on Ratcatcher, and a pretty race was run until the entry into fche straight, whon the leaders ran rather wide. Nolan here' mado a fino exhibition of horsemauship, and took tho insido running and a lead of aboufc half a length. The race after this waa' virtually settled, aud the colt won ca3ily. King Quail came pluckily under the whip, and was only beaton by a head. Time, 2min 50sec. Hurdle Race, of 50 soys. Entrance, 3 soys. Two miles, over seven flights of hurdles. Woight for ago. •

Butler's Apent, syrs. 9sfc 71b ... '(Hawkins) 1 Harkaway, Oyrs, 93t 101 b ... (Murtiigh) 2 ■ Te Wlietu, ageu, 9st 101 b... (O'Brien) 3

Nothing else started. Tho betting at first was G to 4 on The Agont, and afterwards tho same on Te Whefcu ; sto 1 Harkaway. Te Whetu doclarod to carry'lllbs over weight. Te Whetu wps first away, Agont and Harkaway, however, were not much behind, and tho first hurdle wos negotiated iv this order. Harkaway came on with tho lead to the second hurdle, which lie rim into, but afterwards got over. Agont. was next. To Whefcu then assumed tho lead,- and he and Agonfc ran a neck and neck race, fche Maori horso leading by half a length over all bufc tho last hurdle, which lie struck honvily. Tho Agent then came on, and won easily by about five lengths from Harkaway, who passed To Whetu when he was eased aftor his mishap. Time, 4miu 25sec. Hack Hurdle Race, of 20 soys. Entrance, 10s. Mile and a distance. Posfc entries. Catch weights. For this event^oven started. Loch Lomond was a great favourite, but tho casualties commenced at the first jump, when one foil; afc the second two more came to griof ; and at tho third the favourite was hit hard, and came down. Porirua Kate then drew away, and won by half a length from Black Warrior. Forest Queen, who ran into a posfc and bruised her rider, was third. This jockey was fche only one really hurt.

Wi'LiiiNGXON G0r,.0 Cup, a gold cup valued 100 soys, presented by tho Club, with 500 soys added ; second horse to receive 50 soys from tho stakes. Two miles.' The winner of any handicap race of the value of 200 soys, after declaration of weights, to carry

71b extra ; of fcwo or movo such races, lOlbs j of any handicap raco of the value of 100 soys to carry 51b extra ; of two or more such racos, 81b extra.

Mr Bay's Maritana, a^od, 9st 41b (including 101 b

ponalty) ... (Kay) 1 D. Kuißbfs Lara, nt?ecl, Bst 21b (Wattio) 2 G. Finser's Longlnnds, iyrs,- 7sfc 121 b (Clifford) 3 Laertes, aged, (Bsfc), Rata, 4yrs (7§t 71b)» Diver, aged (fist; 121 b), Lady Grey, 3yrs (Gsfc lib), King Quail, 3yrs (6sfc 21b), Sailor, aged (osfc 71b),- also ran. Danebury and Mufti were scratched at 12.5. Botting — 5 to 2 agsfc Laertes and Longlands, 3 to 1 Lara and Maritana. 10 to 1 Diver and Rata, 10 to 1 Sailor, Lady Grey, and King Quail, 100 to 2

Tlio flag fell to a poor start, of which Sailor s had niucp fche best. King Quail was stopped a directly after the Hag foil. Sailor led to the v entrance into tho straight, when he bolted, v and was not stopped uutil ho had disposed of £ his rider. Passing tho Stand the order was c Lara, Diver, Longlands, Maritana, Laortes, a Rata, Lady Grey. The leader increased his 1 distanco until tho back of the course, when f Maritana, who had boen gradually running i through her horses, collared him. Laertes 1 mado his offort at the three-quarter milo post, i but soou fell back boaton. Onco Maritana I was alongside all was over, for Ray had i the race in hand half a milo from home, l and fcho leading pair drew away from all *, bufc Longlands, who camo through tho field 1 very fast; Entering tho straight, Ray assumed J fcho lead previously held by Lara on sufferance, 'ji and won easily by a longth, Longlands, about t two lengths behind, second, and fche others I finishing thus —Diver, Rata, Laortes, Lady i Grey. Time —Smin 47sec. Sailor was, after ] being caught, romounted, and sent round the t courso to win tho bots against Fishhook. t Hutt Pake. Stakes, ot 50 soys ; entrance, 3 "* soys ; weight for ago 5 ono mile. 1 Mr E. Ray's Brib ry, syra, Ost 51bs (Ray) ... 1 , jar Knight's Saunterer, 2yrs, ssfc3lbs (Laing) ... 2 j This race was roduced to a-match between the above pair, Expectation being scratched ' at 1.1-6 p.ui, Doucaster at 4.2 p.m., Diver and Merlin afc 4.15 p.m., aud Rata at 4.40 ' p.m. The two-year old had rathor the best ' of the start, and a pretty race ensued. At ' the back of lhe course Ray went up, but the colfc drew away again, and led to tho run ' homo. Hay gained a great advantage, the young one running vory wide, and Bribery won hands down. Tho colfc could not bo stopped, and ran away wifch his rider, and upsofc him into tho Waitaki stream. Tue •boy was more frightened than hurt. HACK Race of 10 soys j cntrauco, 10s. Catch weights. Milo and a distance. Posfc entries. For all horses that have not won public money, hack races excepted. This race was a wretched failure. Twelve entered, bub tliree never loft the paddock, and Grey Tom got all the best of a straggling •start, and wou easily from Tiger. Fjaino Stakes Handicap of 50 soys. Threo quarters of a mile. Mr Horsfall's Ratcatcher, 7at 51b (Carriiigton) 1 Mr Gibson's Otawa, 7Bt. 01b (Walker) 2 Expectation 7st Gib, Bribery Bst 41b, Sailor 7st, and Doncaster 7st, also ran. Bribery was a great favourito, 15 to 10 boing offered, and finding no backers. 4 to 1 about Otawa was accepted in a fow cases. Nothing olso was backed. Bribery was fractious at. the post, and throw her jockey onco. Sailor got x big lead at tho Btarfc, bufc Ratcatcher soon, outpaced him, and was never caught. Otawa ran through all his horso3, but never got on terms with the leader. Bribery came well up after ontoring the straight, bufc finished half a length behind Expectation, with the same distance botween tho socond and third horses. The following weights and acceptances wore issued to-night: — Hurdle Handicap of 75 soys. Two miles, over eight flights of hurdlos. Nomination

DUNEDIN, Feb. 6. The following handicaps have been declared : —

Bt. 11). St. lb. Tc Whotu ... 12 7 Otnwft 9 12 Agent 12 I Black Priuco ... 9 7 Groy Momus ... 10 12 Roubuck 9 7 Evorslay 10 10 WBMisexoN Racing Club Handicap of 200 bovb ; wond borao to receive 25 aovs from tllo stakes ; nomination 3 sovb, on the night of gouera! ontrv. One milo and a half. Mnritana 911 Laorto* 710 Bribery 8 9 Lady Elleu ... Cl 2 Xarft 8 2 Utuwa 7 2 lioiiglanda 7 11 . Fbee Hahdicap of 50 soys. Nomination 1 boy, to be paid to second horse ; five furlongs. ■Winner of Wellington Boeing Club to carry 71bs extra. laertea 8 0 Lady Groy « 8 Batcatoher ... 7 12 Doncaatfir 6 8 Lady Ellen ... «10 S«ilor 5 7 eaaatem... .... BM| „,...

Hurdle Handicap op 80 boys. st.lb. I st.lb. TeWhetunmraiua 12 7 1 Kildaro 9 t The Agont ... 12 8 Dandy 810 Evorsloy 10 0 Dalesman ... 8 7 Loyalty 9 7 Larrikin 8 0 STEEPiECITASB HANDICAP of 100 SOV3. St. lb. I St. lb. The Agent ... 12 10 1 Kildare 9 10 ToWhotuinarauia 13 10 Te Kooti ... 9 7 Evorsley ... 11 0 Dalesman ... 0 0 Loyalty 10 0