AUCKLAND RACES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3654, 27 December 1879, Page 3

AUCKLAND RACES.

[By Telegbaph.J ISPHCIAL.'] AUCKLAND, Dec. 26. Notwithstanding tho Unfavourable weather, the Auckland Summer Meeting was very successful. It rained all the previous night up to early in tho forenoon, when the weather held up slightly. At noon a heavy shower came down, which deterred many people from taking the train for Ellerslie at 1 o'clock, but it cleared up for the remainder of the day. Notwithstanding these adverse circumstauces, 3000 persons were present, the Grand Stand being completely crammed with visitors, but there were very few ladies ou tho ground. The improvements at the Grand Stand and saddling paddosk gave great satisfaction. The cour=o was very heavy owing to the rain, but did not cut up. A totalizator was on the ground and fairly patronised. The police did not interfere with the person who managed it. Maiden Plate, of 80 soys, with sweepstakes of 2 eovs each ; amount accruing from sweepstakes to go to second horso. Entrance, 4 soys each ; weight for age ; distance, li milo. For all horses that havo never won an advertised prize (2 year-old races excepted), exceeding 25 soys at the time of entry. Libeller 1 Kenilworth ... „, 3 Maid of Honour 3 ■Betting : 2tol on Libeller, 3to 1 against anything else. Maid of llonour and Kenilworth mado tho running from tho first, tho favourite holding back till entering the straight, when he carao through the lot, and won by a length. Kenilworth was a good second, Maid of Honour a moderate third. Time — 2inins 27secs Daisy, Introduction, and Lady Gertrude alao started. Maid of Athol was scratched. Handicap Hurdle Race, of 50 soys, with a sweepstakes of 2 soys each for acceptors ; the amount accruing from sweepstakes to go to second horse. Entrance, 3sovs. Distance, 2| miles, over nine flights of hurdles. Loch Lomond 1 Loneliand 2 Agent 3 Grey Momus and Whitefoot wero scratched. Betting — 6 to 4 Loch Lomond, 5 to 4 Lonehanu, 2 to 1 Agent. Loch Lomond took the lead from the start, with Lonehand ia close companionship, and changing places occasionally. All cleared the hurdles without fault, and on coining into the straight, Lonehand came in competition, and was only a length behind. In coming to the last hurdle Loch Lomond thiew his rider, M'lvor, who came on his neck, giving Lonehand a chance to come up. Both Hogged to the post, where they finished a dead heat. The rider of Lonehand intimated he would lodge a protest against Loch Lomond, on tho ground of jostling, but tho protest was not presented, and Lonohaud retiring, Locli Lomond was left to walk over for first place. Time— 4min 30secs. The Auckland Cup Handicap of 300 soys, with a sweepstakes of 10 soys each added ; second horsa to receive 20 soys out of the stakes, and third horse to save hii stakes. Distance, 2i miles. Entrance, 2 sors, and acceptance 3 soys, to tho fund 9. Ariel (Matthows) ... 1 Laertes 2 Balmoral ... 3 Hippocampus, Sinking Fund, Lara, Merlin, Rata, Lady Elizabeth,' Mo,lvern,Gillio Callum, Yatapa, and Harold : also ran. Templeton, Maritana, Pinfire, Maid of Honour, Tera, and Loch Lomond were scratched. Betting— s to 1 agst Sinking Fund, 4 to 1 Hippocampus, 5 to l: Lara, 6 to 1 Arid, 10D to 8 Luertes, 100 to 2 Balmoral, 100 to 3 Merlin, 100 to 5 Lady Elizabeth, 100 to 2 Eata, 100 to 9 Yatapa and Harold, 100 to 3 Gillie Callum. Iho heavy course made a material differonco, and probably caused some of the heavily w« ighted ones to decline, but the field was large, and gave atnplo room for speculation. Somo bookmakers and knowing ones were severely bitten, Mr Edgar, ownor of Ariel, and Matthews, the trainer and rider, turning upwards of £1000 on botting alone, for no odds were considered too low against Ariel. Hippocampus had a number of friends and was expected to pot tho money, but ho gave out after a mile and a half. At the start ho sprang to the front, with Malvorn on his quarter, the rest in a clustor, except Lara and Merlin, who hung on tho post. The order changed frequently up to the second round, when Hutu led, with Laertes on his quarter, Balmoral third, Hippocampus fourth and Sinking Fund fifth. Tho two latter were evidently tiring, and Ratd succumbed soon after, giving place to Laerte3 ; but Arid, who was ridden with great judgment and consummate skill, challenged Laertes, and collared him in tho straight. Laertes was thoroughly beaton, and Ariel won by four lengths amidst loud .plaudits. Time — 4min 23isec. Railway Plate of 50 soys. Entrance, 3 soys each. Weight for age. Distance, 3-mile. Bilhngsgito ... 1 Konilwortli 2 Maid of Athol 3 Maritana, Introduction, and Tim Whifller also started. Betting :Gto 4 agst Maritana, 2 t) 1 agst Billingsgate, 4 to 1 agst any other. Templeton, Harold, Omega, and Edward James were scratched. Maritana, the favourite, was not placed, Tim Whifller mado the running for throo part a of tho distance, when ho was collared by Billingsgato, who, running away in tho straight a* he liked, won by three lengths. Maid or Athol wa3 a gojd third. HritßY Scurry of 10 soya. Entrance, 1 boy. Catch weights. Dis-tance, once round. Winner to bo sold by auction immediately after Iho race for 25 soys ; any surplus to go to the funds. Post entry. There wero six entries, and the race was won by M'Oeo's Old Times, which was bought in by tho owner at £27.