FIRST Day.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 155, 26 January 1871, Page 5

First Day.

Maiden Plate, of 35 soys. ; entrance, 2

guineas ; weight for age ; distance, one and a-half miles ; for horses that never won an advertised prize exceeding £10. Mr. R. Cotton's Gentle Annie, 5 years,

9st. 91b. (carried 71b. over) (Owner) 1 Mr. G. Langley's Sir Charles, 6 years, lOst. lib. - - - (Joe Smith) 2 Mr. T. Bradley's Banker, aged, lOst. lib. - - - - (D. O'Brien) 3 The following also ran : — Young Lady of the Lake, Tomboy, and Saladin.

Betting — Sir Charles and Saladin against the field.

After three breaks, Mr. Sheath despatched them on very even terms. Banker was the first to show in front, with Sir Charles and Tomboy in close attendance, the first time passing the Judge, Gentle Annie last. On rounding the coal pit, Sir Charles passed Banker and took the lead. Cotton roused up Grentle Anrie, who soon rushed past her horses, and took second honours ; and, on ascending the hill, deprived Sir Charles of the lead, and kept it throughout, defeating him by a length — Banker three lengths behind Sir Charles. Saladin ran off the course near the fiuish, and, owing to the saddle not being properly girthed, his rider, Pearson, fell off, breaking his collar bone. A protest was entered against Grentle Annie, on the ground that she was entered as a five year old and was six. The Stewards

met and considered the protest, and gave the stakes to Sir Charles. Time, 3min. Bsec. District Handicap, of 80 soys., with a

sweepstake of 2 guineas each ; the second horse to receive amount accruing from sweep ; distance, 2 miles. Prince's Backbiter, aged, 9st. 101 b. (Goodger) 1 Pritcliard's Foretop, 5 years, 9st. (Goodman,) 2 G. Williams' Duchess, 5 years, Sat. (Cotton) 3 The following also ran : — Catapult? Banjo, Wild Boy, Tiger, and Bedouin. Betting — Backbiter first favourite ; Catapult, on account of his light weight, was also fancied. The race — At the start post Tiger and Catapult were restive, and caused two breaks. At the off, Tiger rushed away with tlie load, closely followed by Backbiter and Foretop — Banjo was whipper-in. On rounding the coal pit, Backbiter passed Tiger, and rising the hill Foretop took second honours, and lessened the distance between him and the leader. On entering the straight the first time, Foretop got on even terms with Backbiter, passing the stand neck and neck, and ran in that position until reaching the hill. Backbiter was here let out, and soon bid Foretop good-bye. DucheßS, who had been leading the rear division, rushed through and took the third place. On crossing the recreation ground, Groodger eased Backbiter, which allowed Foretop and Duchess to come closer up. Entering the straight, Backbiter held a lead of four lengths of Foretop, who, under very hard punishment, managed to come within two lengths of Backbiter, who won the race in a canter, hands down. Duchess, who ran game, was only three lengths behind Foretop. Tlie others came home in straggling order. Time, 3min. 42sec. Handicap Trotting Race, of 30 soys. ; distance, 3 miles ; entrance, 2 soys. ; no weight under lOst. lllbs. Pollock's Ranger, list., 225 yards (Pollock, 'jun.) 1 J. Smith's Rattler, list. 121 b. 350 yds. j (T. Hewitt) 2 Lefevre's Tigress, lOst., 111 b., 350 yds

(Mackay) 3

The following also started : — King, Joe Cope, Magic, Struggler, Dick, and Tapioca. Flora Temple was scratched.

The Eace — A capital start was effected, but they soon showed they were fractious, the whole of them broke before passing the Judge the first time. Tapioca was driven in a buggy by Mr. Geo. Langley, and, on account of the long start he got, was first past the post, Rattler second, Tigress third, and Dick, who was driven in a sulky, fourth. On the far side of the course, Rattler took the lead, and on the rise of the hill Straggler, who had passed tlie several horses in succession, got close to Rattler, and, on passing the Judge the second time, was only half a length behind, Tigress still third. The third time passing the stand, Struggler had the lead galloping past, and before he could get into a trot again, was collared by Rattler. Ranger, who had been going well, and being the last round, was roused by Pollock, jun., and passed the lot except Rattler before reaching the coal pit, when he made the pace hot for Rattler, whom he reached and deprived of the lead descending the hill, and kept it,' winning by. a dozen lengths, Tigress being about sit lengths behind "Rattler, who, if she had settled down to work, would have made fc'se pace hot. Several of them pulled up after being passed, knowing the chance of winning was hopeless. Magic never stepped out until it was too late. Hack Sellidg Race, of 20 soys. ; entrance, £1 10s ; one mile heats ; no

weight under lOst. ; the winner to be Bold by public auction for £20 ;

[ the Burplus (if any) to go to the Race Fund . 11 . Prince's Flora, .igeil, (D. O'Hrien) 2 1 1 M'Lean's Wild Harry, a^od, ' (Peters) 12 2 Mr. Bradley's Banker was scratched. The Eace — Flora bounded away with the lead, passed the stand half a. length ahead of "Wild Harry, and on rounding the coal pit, bolted off the course, allowing Wild Harry to win easily by 300 yards. No one being at the distance post, they had to run again, which resulted in the second and third heats being won by Flora easily.