OUR NAPIER LETTER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 87, 24 March 1892, Page 4

OUR NAPIER LETTER.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s meeting, which commenced on St. Patrick’s Day, was a most pleasurable gathering, and proved a great success. Notwithstanding that the first day was showery, there was a very large attendance, and a surprising amount was put through the totalisator. The racing was splendid throughout, and a meed of praise is due to Mr. Evitt, the handicapper, who brought the fields so well together in the majority of the events. All the arrangements were of the most complete character, thanks to the business capabilities of the genial secretary,Mr. F. D. Luckie,who is without doubt the right man in the right place. A very large number of wellknown racing men were present, representing all parts of the Colony, and the gathering, on the whole, was enjoyable in the extreme. Proceedings opened on the first day with the Autumn Handicap, in which there were ten starters. The majority were well backed, and the race was regarded as very open. At the fall of the flag Merganser and Ranee Nuna (the Autumn and Flying Handicap winner at Wanganui) collided, and it was some time before either got going. When they did the leader was a hundred yards away. The red cap on Cretonne’s rider was seen to the front when the line broke; Dreamland, Kupenga, and Scot Free being next in motion. At the back of the course Dreamland had the lead, Cretonne, Scot Free, Queen of Trumps, Ranee Nuna, and Kupenga being close up ; Merganser last. In the home turn Scot Free went up to the half-sister to Day Dream, and a good race all the way up the straight saw the Auckland horse (who is owned by Mr. D. McKinnon), made a dead heat of it with Dreamland; Kupenga being close up third, Merganser fourth, Cretonne fifth, Hakimana sixth. Tnen

followed Ranee Nuna, Bay Bell and Queen of Trumps. The last named, who ran second in the Wanganui Cup, was absolutely last, running very unkindly. Scot Free paid /6 Bs., and Dreamland The owners agreed to divide. Ranee Nuna carried five pounds overweight, and Kupenga ten pounds. In the Hurdle Race Couranto was the favourite, notwithstanding his bad jumping in Wanganui; General Gordon, the Wairarapa horse (by Tattler out of Dolly Varden) being next in demand ; Hiamoe and Waterbury being equally backed. The other starters were Viola 11. and Caloola, a grey horse who is trained at Waipawa, by Griffiths. Viola was the first to the first hurdle, but baulked and lost his rider. Couranto then made the pace a very merry one, and it took Redmond all his time to steady the son of Patriarch. After a mile had been traversed General Gordon ran off at the hurdle in the turn. Caloola was beaten before this spot was reached in the last round, and Couranto came on looking all over a winner ; but Waterbury was brought up by Hickey, and after a most punishing race just got home. After every obstacle was negotiated Couranto used to go off like a steam engine, and his rider was tired at the finish. Hiamoe was an indifferent third. Whisper and La Petite Fille were non-starters for the Cup, leaving fifteen in, and a great race it was. A beautiful start was effected, Torpedo (by The Australian) leading to the turn, the field being practically in a bunch, except Thame, who was last. At the railway bend Retina took command, and led the field a merry dance. In front of the stand she still led; Seraph, Maid of Lome, Crackshot and Torpedo being in a cluster; Thame somewhere about the middle. Just here there was an unfortunate occurrence. “ Torpedo’s down,” shouted the crowd. “No; it’s Thame” (the pair wore similar colours) —and so it proved to be. How she fell I don’t know ; but she was dragged along by the field for some distance. Why a great many others did’nt fall also, is to many a mystety. Connop was picked up, and strange to say was only severely shaken. Thame was badly knocked about. The race continued, Retina still bowling along in rare style, the jockey hoping to kill the field with pace and condition. At the back Seraph was in a good position ; and The Dreamer ran up into third place, but his jockey was riding him. Then another accident occurred—a grey horse fell, and it was thought it was Kotuku, but it was soon seen that the unfortunate was the Poverty Bay horse Pani. Just at that moment Kotuku made a forward move, and her backers thought she was coming to the front, but she died away Crackshot here made his effort also, but it was of no avail. The Dreamer could not gain on the leader, and a great many were looking for Cynisca and Morion. The former did not appear to be in it, and the latter was in the rear, apparently hopelessly out of it. Torpedo, too, the hope of the West Coast division, had fallen back. Retina must win. But no ! “ Here comes Loch Ness,” cried the crowd —and he did come 1 Just as they rounded into the straight he dashed at Retina, and his victory was proclaimed; but it was only momentary. * Retina shook him off nicely, and up the straight she came racing like a lady. “ Retina ! Retina wins !” and it seemed all over when, within a short distance from the post, a light blue jacket, crossed with a white sash, suddenly shot into view. The bearer was galloping well—gaining on the leader. What was it? “ Crown Jewel wins,” yelled the crowd in frenzied accents ; and sure enough it was the Wanganui Cup winner. “ Crown Jewel beats her for a tenner,” cried a voice from the stand. A tight race was promised, whips were called into requisition. Only a few yards Retina, and then luxury. But no ; Crown Jewel was well nursed by Kingan, and came up at the right moment, winning a splendid race by about half a length. Loch Ness was third, The Dreamer fourth, Cynisca fifth; the rest in a straggling order. Great surprise was evinced when it was found that the Wanganui Cup winner paid dividend ; but had the money gone on the machine that was invested with the books, the dividend would have been much smaller. Crown Jewel was purchased for in a Calcutta sweep at Hastings the night before the race. North Atlantic, by Nordenfeldt—Atlantis, did not have much difficulty in disposing of his antagonists in the Nursery Handicap. Variety running second. He did not have to meet Whakawatea, who was reserved for the six furlong flutter later on in the day. St. Katherine who has had a lot of racing lately, did not run into a place. Eight started for the High Weight, which Link, by Mute—Swiveline, won comfortably from Musketeer, the Maori horse, who generally runs most consistently. The winner is a good little mare, and has now won a good many races. Kapua, owned by the breeder of Link, Mr. Douglas, could only get third place. Prairie Grass ran awfully badly, but he apparently could not get along on the wet ground. There are always surprises at every meeting, and the Trial Handicap furnished one at this meeting, when the light-weighted Namoralis, by Gladiator—Toi, flopped up and paid £2O odd dividend. This mare runs well one day on the training track and the next goes along like a snail out of work. Consequently Bob Gooseman, her trainer, didn’t have a penny on her. The stake was Worth/30, less/5 for the second horse, and Bob was rather riled at not having a few tickets on his charge, which was only natural. Little Silvermine ran second, and the top weight Como, who seemed to run unkindly, third. Six others started, including Kulnine’s full sister Whimisical. Marked Card was last the whole way, and a very bad last at that. The Railway flutter looked a moral for Whakawatea, the flying two-year-old, with only 7st 21b in the saddle', and so it proved, for he won comfortably from Scot Free, who ran a good race. The top weight, Whisper, ran splendidly with her gst 51b in the saddle, getting third position. There were six other starters. Torpedo shone conspiciously during the first portion of the race, but was not about at the finish, while Ranee Nuna seemed to be all to pieces Heather Bell, Whakawatea’s stable companion, was scratched, as also was Cynisca, La Petite Fille, Merganser, Pani, and Krina. The weather was extremely hot for the second day,

which saw Mr. Rathbone’s Nordenfeldt—Albatross filly, Merganser, winning the March Handicap, beating eight others. In connection with this race there was great surprise manifested at the action of the stewards in calling Mr. Rathbone and his trainer up and asking them for an explanation of the mare’s running on the first day. There was really no occasion for this, as, if you will read my description of the race for the Autumn Handicap above, you will see that at the start Merganser collided with Ranee Nuna at the start, and the field was over a hundred yards away before she got into her stride. Even then she made up her ground wonderfully and beat more than beat her, for she ran a good fourth. The stewards deemed the explanation as eminently satisfactory, but that does not wipe out the blot, to my mind. Mr. Rathbone has just started racing, and not only racing but breeding on an extensive scale, and is a man above suspicion. He was the recipient of much sympathy, and the public were sorry for the position he was placed in. The stewards did not suspect he or his trainer of anything, but “deemed it their duty.” However, I, think there was no duty in the matter, as the facts didn’t warrant it. Bay Bell ran a splendid second, beating Torpedo on the post. Heather Bell seemed to get blocked on the inside. The Second Handicap Hurdle Race does not need much description, as Whalebone, who had only gst xolb in the saddle, led from start to finish. I thought his mission was the Paik, and kept off him, although he owed me a pound or two which I invested on him in Wanganui. He paid odd, and the stable hadn’t a red cent, on him. There were nine other starters, the top weight, Couranto, running a good second, General Gordon, who ran off the previous day, getting third. Viola 11. ran round a hurdle, but jumped it on the second occasion. She was then out of it. Hiamoe came down. The moral of the meeting was the Juvenile Handicap for Whakawatea, who, though he had gst I2lb on his back, won easily in one sixteen and a tick. He was not troubled until at the finish, when Variety came at him. Montmartre (Huguenot’s full sister) did not show up, but more will be heard of her in the not far distant future. Ua, who has always been backed for two-year-old races, has, so far, not come off. The big race of the day was the Bourke Memorial Stakes, for which nine started. Scot Free, Morion and Heather Bell were scratched. Queen of Trumps was conspicuous in front of the stand, with Pearl Powder, Crown Jewel, Pa' i and The Dreamer almost together Kotuku and Turehu, her stable companion being last. At the back of the course The Dreamer went into third position, and took command at the turn into the bend. Lochness also went up, but did not look dangerous ; Queen of Trumps here made her effort, as also did Whisper. They could not reach The Dreamer however, who was now roused up by his jockey and kept the lead. He came on full of running and looked all over a winner until the light blue jacket on Crown Jewel shot up, and after a fine race, won by a little over half a length, Pearl Powder was third, Queen of Trumps fourth, Lochness fifth, Whisper sixth, and Kotuku last. Time, 2min. 38 4*ssec. —a rather fast go. Derritt rode the winner. Patsy Butler has had a streak of luck lately, two Cups and a Bourke Memorial Stakes, worth/200. Five starters faced the starter in the Pacific Handicap, which was won by Como, by Vasco di Gama—Virginia Water, Prairie Grass, Mr. Gollan’s horse, by Albany— Speargrass being second. Link, who won a race the previous day put down Liquidation, being brought up with a rush by Clifford in the Post Stakes, and then heavy rain fell, everybody seeking shelter. It continued for some time but the Place Handicap was got off; Lochness, The Dreamer, Dreamland, and Retina finishing in that order. They were the only horses that ventured to start. Owing to the rain only /2 was invested on one machine and /g 8 on the other. The following visiting horses won races—Crown Jewel (2), Whakawatea (2), Whalebone, Lochness, and Scott Free. The local horses who won were — Waterbury, Link (2), Dreamland, Merganser, Nemoralis, North Atlantic and Como. The visitors took away the chief prizes. F. Stowe rode three winners during the meeting, and Smith, Derrett, Gall, Vine, Banks, D. Donovan, Fuzard, Price, Kingan, and Hickey one each. It is a strange thing that Patsy Butler generally manages to win a race on St. Patrick’s Day. On the first day, which was wet, was put through the machine, and on the second, /5,900, which would have been considerably increased had not rain fallen before the last race. The sum of was put through more than last year. The Jockey Chib have warned Messrs. Yuile, Nathan, and May off all courses under their jurisdiction. The starting at Hastings by Sam Powell was a feature of the meeting, and he was applauded nearly every race. He only intends to start at one meeting for the C.J.C. because the terms are not satisfactory. They will have to make it worth his while discontinuing starting with a number of small Club’s whose meetings clash with Christchurch. He has proved a really good starter, and should be engaged and given a good salary by all the Metropolitan Clubs in New Zealand.