IN THE OLDEN DAYS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 110, 12 May 1931, Page 4

IN THE OLDEN DAYS

STEEPLECHASE DEAD-HEAT RUAHINE AND DHUDEEN • MEMORIES 01’ 50 YEARS AGO. •Six miles over one of the stiffest . steeplechase courses in New Zealand I sounds like a rather stiff task to set even the best of cross-country performers, but it has been done, and at Wanganui, too. The approach of the Wan ganui Jockey Club’s winter meeting, to be held on Thursday and Saturday of this week, reminds the old timers of the memorable day on which the feat was performed, and Mr 11. 11. Jatkson, of “Norton,’’ Brunswick, forwards a most interesting account of lhe incident. “Close on half a century ago,’' writes Mr Jackson, “two great jumpers ran a dead-heat in the Wahganui Handicap Steeplechase, decided over a distance of three miles. Ruahine. a bay gelding owned by the late Mr G. P. Donnelly, of Hawke’s Bay, but racing in his trainer’s name, and Dhudeen, a bay gelding owned Ify the late Dr. Connolly, were the participants in tho historic encounter. Tho grand race over the many obstacles and the splendid finish up the straight will never be forgotten by those fortunate enough to witness the event, which will rank as one of the most exciting ever provided on the Wanganui course. Tho judge, the late Mr W. T. Owen, who once owned two Derby winners, was a true sportsman and his verdict gave general satisfaction. The owners decided to run-off the dead-heat at the end of the day’s racing, it being a one-day meeting in those times. Nowadays rhe stake would be divided according to the Rules of Racing, but those were (he days when owners wanted a definite decision as to the respective merits of the contestants. Away went the pair on their second three-mile journey of the afternoon, and it proved a most interesting duel. Side by side they raved all the way, never putting a foot wrong, and after a good tussle the Hawke's Bay gelding, Ruahine, got the verdict by a length. Tho pair had covered six miles over one of the stiffest courses then in New Zealand. “James Munn had the mount on Ruahine, and as the gelding raced m his name he stands as the owner, trainer and rider of the Wanganui Steeplechase winner of 1883. Dhudeen was ridden by William Edwards. They were both fearless horsemen,” recalls Mr Jackson, “and they never left heir saddles unless their horses were right down on the ground. There were no “monkey seats” in those days. As a matter of fact, owners would not have tolerated the seat for one moment.

“The steeplechase course,” says Mr Jackson, “then went through the football ground which is now known as Spriggens Park, and it was without a doubt, one of the finest steeplechase courses in New Zealand, as it had a variety of fences which is fur and away more interesting than the monotonous bush fences and hencoops or to-day. The £ld obstacles consisted of post and rail, stonewall, brick wall, blue-gum spars, water jumps, furze, ditch and bank, and flight of ironbark hurdles 3ft. 9in. high. They were flagged red at one end and white at the other and consequently each jump could be seen at on co by the spectators. The slope on the modern fences is a great improvement provided it is not overdone. The blue-gum spars provided an obstacle as solid as a rock, measuring 4ft. 4jin. It was the first and also the last fence to be negotiated and was especially trying to a beaten horse. If he did not measure his distance correctly he fell almost for a certainty. That jump was the cause of several bad falls and among them I remember on one other occasion the late Mr C. Ender by’s b.g. Mount fell and broke a leg. This fence was eventually done away with and the hencoop substituted, which was also rather solid for a tired horse. There arc, no doubt, a fair number of horsemen alive to-day, who have ridden over the olu Course when the hencoop was substituted. “The following horses also started in the steeplechase in which Ruahine and Dhudeen raced:— Mr A. J. Keith’s Reform (Wm. Keith, rider). Mr A. J. Keith’s Lady Bab (A. J. Keith). Dr. Connolly’s Ngata (R. Frewin). Mr If. H. Jackson’s Calamity (E. McElwaine). Mr J. Stevens’ Diomedes (Mr A. Campion). Col. Fraser 's Woodpecker (Taylor). Mr Wm. Douglas’ Pastime (Jones). Mr W. G. Nicholson’s Parnell (A. Lyford). “I recollect that Reform fell at 'the blue-gum spars, which obstacle was jumped three times. Reform at that stage was going very well and he ana hi s rider, the late Mr William Keith, were known in Wanganui and up and down the coast. Lady Bab fell at the water jump but her plucky rider was soon in the saddle again and up among his field. Calamity Jed for two and ahalf miles and was pulling hard and jumping well when she fell. The Ngata who ran in the event, was. of course, not the old ’chaser which Mr James Bull raced ten years ago. This Ngata was by Day Dawn and was bred by that genuine sportsman, the late Dr. R. C. Earle. Later in the afternoon Ngata won the Maiden Steeplechase, run over two and a-half miles, beating a field of good jumpers. It was a great performance for a young ’chaser as that afternoon he ran five and a-half miles. The next.

I day I saw him in his loose-box and he looked none the worse for his severe gruelling. Ruahine was trained by the ; late Jas. Munn (Hawke’s Bay). Dhuj deen was trained by the late George j Friend, who hailed from the Emerald. The old loose-box, where he was trained I is still in existence and is situated on i a section behind a shop of Dustin’s I which was destroyed by fire in Ridg- ( way Street. It was 4S years ago when ' L walked over to that, very same box I with Edwards two days before the steeplechase to have a look at D.iudeeu , and Edwards remarked at the time i what great fettle. the horse was in, j which was proved two days later. “Following are some of the horsemen, as far as L can remember, who are still in the land of living, who have ridden over the old steeplechase course i when the bine gum spars were in existence: William Kruft, E. J. Rae, Koss - Henton, T. Lyford, George Walker, George Chamberlain, William Higgins, George Lang, A. Shearsby, Frank Lind, ’ and I‘eivy Johnston, and also the amateurs, Messrs Jas. Bull, (’. H. Chavnnncs and myself. The old •course was done away with, in the year J9Ol- The > previous year a promising ’chaser ■ named Cuckoo was killed when turning off the course proper to negotiate the walls and water jump. He collided with the railed fence which penetrated his chest. It was an awkwaro place to turn, especially if one was riding a very hard puller. Cuckoo was ridden by that well-known capable amateur rider, Mr A. Mitchell. "Those old days bring back many happy memories,’’ concludes Mr Jackson, “and when the Wanganui Steeplechase is being run next Saturday 1 hope to bo present if only for the sake of refreshing my memory on the scene , of that stirring finish between Ruahine and Dhudcen.” OTAKLMAORI RACING CLUB WINTER NOMINATIONS The following nominations have been received for the winter meeting of the Otaki Maori Racing Club, to bo licit/ on June 3 and 4: — First Day. Tararua Hack Hurdles, of £130; one mile and a-half.— Kaiti, Courageous, Moerangi, Freehold, Bennance, Goldlike, Warzone, Staghunter, Dalma, Gold Cure, Tunbridge, Tenacro, Madestrian. Mount Shannon. Full Mark, Panther. Kuku Maiden, of £100; six furlongs.— Hinewehi, Fairwind, Foghorn, Lady Noel, Shootist, Acis, Granado, Interlocutor, Bisogne filly, Warplane-Out-ward filly, Fiji, Tavora, Qucxfram. Parkland, Prime Moutoa, Hinepuni, Crown Grant, Swiftray, Soviet, Rangimahoe, Little Trush, Chief Ruler—Scakist filly. Top Flier. Waitohu Hack Handicap, of £120; six furlongs.—Henry of Navarre, Eminent, Tobaccoland, Rasouli, Hinewai, Master of Arts, Zarene, Dick Whittington, Trojan Melody, Navaho, Leisure, Thrasher. Ruakawa Cup, of £300; one mile and a-quarter. —Malayan, Blimp, Spear Lad. Black Mint, Royal Gaine, Shrewd, Cashier, Playground, Grand Jury, Pahu, Moutoa Treasury, Briar Root, Charmaline, Paitonu, Richfield, Mahora, Ephialtes, Arikira, Spearform, Merry’ Damon. Chopin, Mount Shannon, Panther, Rational 11. Otaki Hack Handicap, of £120;. one mile and 55 yards.—Lucretia, Adventus, Lady’ Rene, Spear Lad, Zephyrus, Goldlike. Green Patch, Knollmere, Kissless, The Sun, Ephialtes, Spearform, Recreant, Warfille, Merry Melody, Royal Black. Spearful. Huia Handicap, of £175; six furlongs —Tea Queen. Coon Song, Blimp. Juggle Freehold. Cuticle, Ara jean. Fitzquex. Aston, Sight Draft, Keddar, Ridgemount, Staghunter, Royal Finance, Green Linnet, Richfield, Maui, Portray. Kilmoyler, Acora. To Horo Hack Handicap, of £.130; seven furlongs.— Lucretia, Adventus, • Chief Savage, Zephyrus. Joi de Vai, Ar rowzone, I’m Alone, Ex Dono, Glen Rossie, Pompadour, Martian Chief, Crown Grant, King Hal. Wallaruh, Seneschal Nightmare, Braggart. ■ Second Day. ' Pukehou Hack Hurdles, of £120; one mile and a half.— Kaiti, Hymgreat, Maerangi, Freehold. Bennanee, Gold- < like, Ex Dono, Warzone, Staghunter. ' Dalma, Gold Cure, Tunbridge, Tenacre, j Modestrian, Warfille, Mount Shannon, < Full Mark, Braggart, Panther. Waikanae Hack Seur-y of £100; five ] furlongs.—Hinewehi, Fairwind, Foghorn, Actaeon, Lady Noel, Acis. Gran- i ado, Lyrical. Interlocutor. Fiji, Tavora, Qucxfram, Parkland, Hinepuni, To He kenga, Weather Step, Brown Abbey. ] Soviet, King Thomond, Dick Whitting- ] ton. Rangimahoe, Little Thrush, Chief j Ruler, Seakist filly, Top Flier, The Mir 1 ror, Merry Hunter, Abasan, Lack a 5 Day, Bisogne filly. Warplane—Outward filly, Tea Tray—Black Ada filly. Ta Timi Kara Memorial Handicap, of £200; one mile and one furlong.—Ma 1 layan, Blimp. Black Mint, Royal Gaine. Shrewd, Cashier Playground Grand < Jury, Pahu, Keddar, Moutoa Treasury, ] Briar Root. Charmaline. Knollmere 1 Paitonu. Green Linnet, Richfield, Ma- 1 hora, Ephialtes, Arikira. Mani. Spear form, Tonacre, Rich Harvest, Merry Damon, Chopin. Mount Shannon, Pau ther, Rational 11. Rangiuru Hark Handicap, of £100; ) one mile and 55 yards.—Lucretia. Ad- ( ventns, Lady Rene, Miss Hastings, 1 Shootist, Zephyrus. I rx Alone, Green , Patch. Knollmere. Martian Chief, Kiss t less, The Sun, Ephialtes, Spearform, Rn creant. King Hal, M. rry Melody, Na vnho. Royal Black, Spearful. Tai pun Handicap, of £150; six furlongs.—Tea Queer., Coon Song. Blimp. Juggle, Freehold. Cuticle. Ara jean. Fitzquex, Tobaccoland, Aston, Sight Draft, Keddar, Ridgemonnt, Royal Finance, Green Linnet Maui, Portray. I Kilmoyler. Acora. Ohan Hack Handicap, of £100; seven furlongs.—Lucretia, Adventus, Chief Savage. Zephyrus. Joi de Vai. Arrow- 11 zone. I’m Alone, Rasouli, Glen Rossir, ' Prime Moutoa. Pompadour. Martial’ ' Chief. Crown Grant. King Hal, Swift. ray. Wallaruh, Seneschal, Nightmare. ? Tainui Hack Handicap, of £100; sir !’ furlqngs.—Henry of Navarre, Eminent. 11 Tobaccoland, Rasouli, Hinewai. Master r< of Arts. Zarene, The Budget, Rangiina " hoe, Pateroa, Trojan Melody, Navaho. Leisure. Thrashc*