Ngaruawahia Races.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 131, 26 January 1893, Page 7

Ngaruawahia Races.

[from our own correspondent.']

Saturday, Jan 21. The annual race meeting under the auspices of the Ngaruawahia Racing Club came off to-day in Mr. Clows’ paddock. I regret to say it was not the success that it should have been, but this was through no fault of the Club. For several days before it had been rain ing heavily all over the Waikato ; railway communication was partially stopped, and at one time it was feared that the races would have to be postponed. The club, however, determined to go on with the sport, and when the morning broke fine it seemed as if fortune would favour them, but just after the racing commenced rain began to fall, and continued at intervals throughout the afternoon Nevertheless the attendance fell little short of expectations, but the sport was indifferent, and Messrs. Adams and

Andrews, who worked the totalisator, only handled at xos tickets. The various officials worked hard to make the meeting a success, and succeeded as far was possible under the damp surroundings. With the exception of Tupara, 11.0, and Sandy Muir. 10.5, nothing was backed with any spirit for the Handicap Hurdles of 25 sovs, x£ miles. Sandy Muir led for half the journey, when he gave way to Tupara and Fort-a-Bras, but Tupara soon came away and won very easily from Fort-a-Bras with Sandy Muir in third place. The Maiden Plate of 15 sovs, about 1 mile, brought out a field of half a dozen, and Caprice, B.x 1, who is in the same stable as the hurdler Yum Yum, was made a warm favourite, but she could only get third to Duchess, who won easily from Le Roy. After her victory in this race Duchess could hardly be expected to contest the mile and a half of the Ngaruawahia Cup, and with her scratched as well as Ingorina and Transit, four were left to face the starter. Among these, I may mention, was Raglan, the half-brother to Pegasus, who had a good covering season in the Waikato, and was manifestly suffering from the effects thereof. In his old form he would in all probability have donkeylicked the field opposed to him, but he was the outsider of the lot in the “ tote.” Folly, 6.12, the lowest weighted of the lot, assumed command as soon as the flag fell and led all the road, winning in a canter from Orini, 7.12, with Waltzer, 8.7, third. Waltzer and Orini were the favourites. Raglan was done with at the end of three-quarters of a mile, and was then pulled up lame. Folly is by Captivator, out of the Jilt, and is therefore half-sister to Eve. She has before now performed well in the Waikato. Wilfred was the favourite for the Novel Race of zosovs, w.f.a., about one mile, and he nearly squeezed home, Ingare (who was getting 21b from him) beating him a head. Mr T. Wise bought the winner when she was submitted to auction for Seven competed for the Ngaruawahia Plate Handicap of 15SOVS, one mile and a quarter, and the bulk of the money went on to Transit and Folly, each of whom was weighted at 7.4 originally, but Folly had to put up 71b penalty for her Cup win. However, that did not stop her, and she again won in a canter, paying a dividend of 19s. Though there were five starters for the Selling Hurdles of 15 sovs, about miles, only Hopeful Kate, 12.11, and Sandy Muir, 12.4, were really backed, there being 16 investors on the former and 20 on the latter out of a total of 41. These two fought out the best race of the day, Hopeful Kate just getting home by a neck from the Scotchman with Taffy a bad third.

J. B. Williamson’s bad luck at the meeting stuck to him to the finish, for he again ran second with Orini in the Flying Handicap of 15 sovs, about 6 furlongs, which proved another good thing for Folly. She won easily from Orini—who is another daughter of Captivator —and Minnie was third.