Dunedin Jockey Club.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4577, 23 February 1893, Page 3

Dunedin Jockey Club.

First Day. [from our special correspondent/! DUNEDIN, Feb. 22. Handicapper, Mr O. Dowse ; starter, Mr S. Powells During the earlier portion oE the after-, noon the weather was lovely for the first day's racing of the Dunedin Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting, but laier on the sky became ovarcaßt. and rain threatened. The attendance was large, and the racing was moßt interesting. . Speculation was. not quite so brisk as on the corresponding day of the Autumn Meeting last year, bat those who were fortunate enough .to select the winners had no cause to complain of the dividends. Hardly ever has one single day's racing produced so many, surprises. The arrangements were, if possible, better than ever, and it is needless to say that Mr Dowse was on the best of terms with himself. Certainly the genial handicapper has every cause for self-com-plaisance, and Mr Powell's efforts with the flag were remarkably successful. As already Btated, speculation was not particularly brisk, and the £9359 Messrs Mason and Roberts passed through the totalisators is .£1599 less than the amount invested on the corresponding day of the Autumn Meeting last year. Proceedings commenced with the First Handicap Hurdle Bace, for which Magpie was made a strong favourite. .Mr Enssell'a horee appeared well enough, but after Rebel had taken his measure at the top- of the straight, Clarence came with a particularly strong run, and won very easily from the Otago representative, while Justice just defeated the favourite for third place. A nice-looking field of five went to the post for the Dunedin Champagne Stakes, for which Beßponse and Lakeshell received most support. Mr O'Brien's filly has come on since she performed so well in the Middle Park Plate, and there was no question of the improvement in Lakeshell, Outpost, however, although grown a good deal since the spring, hardly appeared at his beßt, and besides that was rather slow in getting on his legs. Spinaway is a nicelooking daughter of Nordenfeldt and Spinaker, but she failed to stay the full distance, and Persuasion, who appeared rather lighter than when she ran at Biccarfcon earlier in the month, performed badly. Gitano, a fine, slashing full brother to Gipsy King, is still not nearlyjready, and he will probably next season defeat some of those who finished in front of him to-day. Lakeshell made the running right up to the distance, where Response joined him, and Mr Cutts' colt tiring in the last hundred yards, the Australian won rather comfortably. When the field went out for the Cup, backers preferred to forget Prime Warden's past failures on the Forbury, and once again entrusted the son of Apremont with their complete confidence. Clanranald was next in demand, but Mr Lunn's horse, whose muscles were hardly strongly enough defined to please many of hia admirers, did not give the impartial critic the idea of being a horse capable of staying two miles and a distance. Thame, thongh still on the light side, has improved immensely since she performed at Biccarton in the spring. Scot Free is evidently not the clasß of animal fora race of this description, and Captive is not by many pounds as good a horse as his 'brother Freedom. Awarua Bose appears to have come on a good deal since he finished tmrd in the Midsummer Handicap, and

Wyvern had just made that improvement, since he finished second in the same race, which was expected of him. Tempest waa passed over with the remark that she had : never looked so well, but was out of her distance. However, Mr Stephenson's mare conclusively proved that she can stay, and that well. To describe the race in a few words, Tempest jumped away in front, and remained there to the finish. At different stages Captive and Awarua Rose ran up to her, but the daughter of Tornado shook them off in turn and won a victory which, outside the stake itself, has not been of much benefit to her owner. Thames rider loßt a stirrup leather at a critical moment, and but; for this Mr Ormond's mare must have finished even closer to the winner than she did. Prime Warden, after occupying a by no means excellent position throughout the race, finished an indifferent thiid just in front of Clanranald, who persevered in the gamest manner possible long after he was in hopeless difficulties. Wyvern ran really well, and Awarua Eose was prominent for a mile and a half, but Captive dropped right out' of the struggle at the end of a mile and a quarter. The Selling Bace produced a capital struggle between Derby and Stonehenge, and after the latter had won by a head he was bought in at J832. Hippomenes, Cruchfield, Morpheus and Pique were withdrawn from the Publican's Handicap. In their absence Huguenot was made favourite, but the daughter of Martyr got badly, away, and was never able to make the slightest impression on Heather Bell, who jumped off in front, and keeping her position right through, won very easily by a couple of lengthß from Conjurer, who outstayed Kulnine in the struggle for second place. After Mr 8. Alexander's pair. Frivolity and Eosehill, appeared to be going to fight out the finish for the Maiden Plate, the Lumper caught them at the distance, and won with perhaps a trifle to spare. Viscount won the Selling Two-year-old Plate Eace rather, easily from Mount Eoyal, bat had to submit to a protest on the ground that T. Buddicombe, who rode the son of Sir Garnet, could not draw the weight without placing his whip in the scale. After hearing a large amonnt of evidence, the stewards decided to postpone the enquiry until the evening. An Eevoir made all the running in the Stewards' Purse Welter Handicap, and won rather easily from Warrington, and the Queensland Relicf 1 Fund Stakes went to Emperor.

At a meeting of Stewards to-night, after a lot of evidence and much discussion, the protest against Viscount, winner of the Selling Two-year-old Eace was dismissed.

OPbb Pbbsb Association.] DTTNEDIN, Pbb. S2. The protest on the ground of Magpie's | dark running yesterday was dismissed. SECOND DAT. The weather is beautiful and the attendance fair. TALLY-HO HANDICAP, of 80 ovs. Two miles. Mr W; Bussell's blk « Magpie, by Betrayer, list 121 b ... .... ... ... (Holmes) 1 Betel, list 71b ... (Poole) 2 Moonlight, 9st 51b ... ... (M'Kenzie) 3 ; Rebel and Magpie were about equal favourites. Magpie - and Moonlight led for the first half mile, but, entering the straight the first time, the latter was in front. At. the - windmill Justice assumed the lead, and for a. time the trio were well abreast. At the last hurdle . but one Justice dropped back beaten; Eebel cleared the last hurdle a length in front of ' Magpie, but struck it rather 'heavily. A splendid tusßle up the straight resulted m Magpie winning by half a length, Moonlight a length away,. Of three hundred and seventy-five investors ninety-nine were on the winner. Time— 4min 12£ sec. Dividends, £3 5s and J63125. CITY STAKES HANDICAP, of 120 sots, for two-year-olds. Five furlongs. Mr S. J. Mercer's b c Beadonwell, by St Clair— Dione, 7st 111 b (T. Buddicombe) 1 Mr B. Cutts' blk c Lakeshell, by Locbiel—Nautilus, Bst 71b ... ... (Brown) 2 Mr D; O'Brien's br c Taranna, by Tasjnan— Waterwitch,7st9lb ... (King) 3 Lakeshell had the advantage of the start, which Brown made the most of, and entered the straight with a length lead. All the whips were then out, except on Beadonwell, who challenged the leader opposite the lawn, and, wearing him down, won by a length and a half. Of 871 investors, 96 were on the winner. Time— lmin 4^sec. Dividends— J69 and £6 Is. DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLTTB HANDICAP, of 350 sots. One mile and a half . Mr H. Lunn's eh t Clanranald, 4yrs, Bst 111 b » . (Clarice) T 57 Mr J. Sfcephenson's b m Tempest (M'Hrpy) 2 110 Mr T. W. Hungerford's br c Wyvern, 3yrs, estlllb ... — ... .... (Connop) 3 Captive was' the only, non-acceptor. Clanranald showed unmistakable signs of lameness in the paddock, but this did not prevent the public backing him merrily. From an even start Tempest got the lead, but Wyvern and Awarua Rose soon snpplanted her, Clanranald and Prime Warden lying last. Passing the stand Wyvern,. Awarua Rose, Tempest and Scot Free were at the head of affairs. At the windmill, Prime Warden made a forward move, followed by Clanranald, Free Lance dropping in the rear. Nearing the straight for home, Awarua Eose had half a length advantage of Wy vern, after whom came Scot Free, Tempest and Prime Warden. Clam anal d came on the outside with a great run, and opposite the Btand there were five horses abreast. Amid great' excitement Clanranald slowly, forged ahead, winning by three-parts of a length. From the Press stand it seemed that Wyvern was second, but the three behind the winner finished so close that it was impossible to tell. Prime Warden fourth, a neck behind Wyvern. Time— 2min 42sec. Dividends, £3 7s and £2 12a. NOVEL BACE. Bothamsted 1 Langley ... • 2 Stonehenge ■ 3 Dividends, £8 4s and £5 193.