Onslow Trotting Club’s Meeting.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 117, 20 October 1892, Page 6

Onslow Trotting Club’s Meeting.

The attendance at the Onslow Trotting Club’s Spring Meeting last Saturday was not encouraging to the executive, and the sport was rather tame throughout. /T 421 went through the totalisators. A commencement was made with the Handicap Maiden Trot in which the Taranaki mare, Peggy, had things all her own way, and won as she liked. Minnie Grey—rather an experienced Maiden by the way —had the best of a good field in the Handicap Maiden Pony Race, La Grippe and Gladys being in the other places. The Onslow Trot, the principal item of the day’s card, was robbed of a good deal of its interest by the elimination of Rarus. In his absence Nellie was made a slightly better favourite than Midnight, and backers were not far astray for the pair named had most of the race to themselves, Midnight winning with a bit to spare, Martha splitting him and Nellie. The consistant Pica again bobbed up serenely with a shade of odds laid on him in the Ons’r&W Stakes Handicap, in which he had but three opponents. Neither Rarus nor Nellie-was stripped for the Wheel Race, which resulted in a somewhat unexpected and very easy win for the limit nag, Sparrowhawk, Scotchman being second best and Charlie third. Sparrowhawk is. I believe, the gelding of that name that has run down Southland he was for some time the property of Mr. W. Proffitt, the Napier metallician. Minnie Grey and Pica, the old rivals, had a good set to for the honours of the Hurdle Handicap, victory resting with Minnie Grey, who was receiving J7lbs. from Pica. Rodney was handled in a very peculiar manner, and after his owner and rider had been requested to interview “the stewards, and had done their best to exculpate themselves, tie stewards found the jockey, Hogah,

guilty of suspicious riding, and fined him £5 — rather a lame and impotent conclusion. The best finish of the day was decidedly that for the Huia Handi” cap Trot, for which Midnight and Ladybird had a great set-to in the straight, and with the race as good as won Midnight just broke on the post, and amid some excitement and “ boo-hooing” the judge declared Ladybird the winner. This was a great blow to the connections of Midnight. Time had been so cut to waste that the stewards decided to postpone the Benefit Sweepstake till this afternoon at 4.30. The Club propose holding their next meeting on March 11.