Sporting Review. THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1893.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 157, 27 July 1893, Page 3

Sporting Review. THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1893.

When reviewing two or three weeks back the doings of the leading flat-racers of the season that closes on Monday next, we stated that we would take a future opportunity to deal with the jumping brigade of the season. A review of these we have purposely deferred till the present, so as to allow for the conclusion of the various chasing programmes. These having now been decided, we will take a brief survey of the hurdle racing and steeplechasing throughout New Zealand during the season of 1892-93. And right here let us say that the ‘ class ’ of the season in both departments of the ‘ illegitimate ’ game has been anything but good, with exceptions that can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and we long for a return of the old days when Clarence, The Agent, Canard and such like were giants in the land. We have often had occasion during the season to lament this falling off in quality, and so have some of our contemporaries, who agreed with us that it is mainly due to the fact of there being hurdle-racing and steeplechasing all the year round. Perhaps there is not so much objection to this as regards hurdle-racing, but we are certainly sticklers for a close season for ’chasing.

The season opened as usual with the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Meeting, at which H. Lunn’s stable gave an exhibition of the form that was to receive further exemplification during the season. Cajolery was equal to the task of winning the Maiden Hurdle Handicap of 100 sovs, if miles, and another of Lunn’s charges, Ahua, ran what promises to be his last race in the Grand National Steeplechase. His stable companion Norton, who was re-

ceiving sib from him, was second, and from all accounts could have won easily with the son of The Painter out of the way. That such a thing would have eventuated, Norton showed by his form later in the season. Norton had only an easy task to accomplish in winning the Maiden Steeplechase at the same meeting from two such moderates like Regalia and Iroquois. The Grand National Hurdle Race at this meeting went to Ahua’s stable-mate Kulnine, who was a red-hot favourite, and with Ahua somewhat injudiciously pulled out for the Beaufort Steeplechase Handicap, over a two-mile-and-a-half course, with the ‘thumper’ of .12.11, Whalebone, receiving 61b from him, easily beat him. This performance, we fancy, led to Whalebone being handicapped a bit more hardly than might have been the case otherwise later on in the season, and he was not seen out very often. Clarence, who subsequently developed into a real good hurdler, putting up some wins in company of a decent class, and who is regarded in many quarters as one of the best-treated horses in this year’s Grand National, made his debut in the Tally-ho Steeplechase, but did not get a ‘ shop,’ but he scored a win a fortnight later at that pleasant little fixture the North Canterbury Steeplechases, held over a natural course on Mr F. Courage’s Seadown estate, when he annexed the Seadown Steeplechase, 2 miles, and he also ran third to Glen and Post Boy in the Farmers’ Steeplechase Handicap, 2 miles.

The month of September opened with the Rangitikei Hunt Steeplechases, at which we saw that good horse Empire come out for the Hurdle Handicap. He and Glenelg were top weights at 11.2, and Empire acted as runner-up to Raven, to whom he was conceding nib. Haramai, a Napier horse of whom we heard little later on in the season, started favourite and got third. Raven and Empire occupied similar positions in the Handicap Steeplechase to those they had figured in in the Hurdles, the pair meeting this time on level terms. There was nothing particularly worthy of note to record at the Feilding Hunt Club’s Meeting on September 7, at which only a quartette mustered for the Open Steeplechase, which was won by Matchless, though had Sir Garnet stood up he would have, without a doubt, been returned the winner. Two days afterwards the annual Otago Hunt Club Steeplechases were brought off under, as usual, the auspices of the Dunedin Jockey Club. Here Trimolite won the Tally-ho Steeplechase, with Iroquois second and Smuggler third, and the latter, who subsequently showed decent form over the little sticks, annexed the Hurdle Race on the second day, on which day Rebel, another horse that showed improved form later in the season, won the Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase from Kangaroo, Trimolite aud two others. Iroquois, who was destined afterwards to come up to Auckland, where he has been little else but a disappointment to his owner, won the Consolation Steeplechase. The Auckland Racing Club’s First Spring Meeting a week later exhibited the Marquis of Tewkesbury in the new role of a hurdler, for with 9.4 up he won the Hurdles, one mile and three quarters, from Ika Vuka, 9.4, Stepper, 10.0. and a field of half a dozen. Of these Stepper and Ika Vuka figured as winners later on, and so did the Marquis, who improved rapidly under Rae’s tuition, and it is to be regretted that an accident led to his retirement from the campaign before Autumn came round. Stepper rewarded his party with a dividend at the rate of 10 to 1 when he annexed the Handicap Steeplechase under 10.8 an hour or two after the Marquis had won the Hurdles, and the latter was one of his seven opponents but ran off. Ingarangi, who during the season made a fruitless trip to Sydney and back, was second best on this occasion. .

The next big meeting was that of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club at the beginning of October, when Tiritea carried 9.7 to the front in the Hurdles, Aorere being second, running him at level weights, and Viola 11. third, while the other runners were Gondolier, Kaimanawa and Worth. Three at least of these showed very much improved form before the season had winged its flight. In the Second Hurdles Tiritea couldn’t get a ‘ shop,’ victory resting with Aorere. At Napier Park Worth won the Trial Handicap Hurdles, and Chester, who was destined for better things later, was runnerup to him. Aorere and Tiritea again fought out the finish in the First Hurdles, Gondolier being among the unplaced trio.

Gondolier figured among the five runners for the Second Trial Hurdles, in which Worth was again victorious, and this horse and Aorere were second and third respectively to Kaimanawa in the Second Hurdle Handicap. At Wanganui a few days later Flukem (who was then in ‘Jay’ Russell’s hands) and Kaimanawa divided favouritism for the First Hurdles, but Paradox won somewhat unexpectedly from Aorere and Kaimanawa. Paradox was a mare of whom great deeds were predicted after this victory, but she went all to pieces later in the season. The two favourites for the Second Hurdles, Kaimanawa and Aorere, fought it out in that race, Kaimanawa gaining the verdict.

As one of the few legitimate hunt clubs in the colony that provide race meetings for their patrons and give good stakes, the Pakuranga Hunt Club deserve a word of notice anent their Spring Meeting in October, more especially as their Open Hurdle Handicap was another win for_ Marquis of Tewkesbury, whose backers were only able to get a little more than level money. Hopeful Kate and Fishmonger —both winners later on —were second and third. Nero, a steady plodder later in the season, won the Members’ Hurdles and Tally-ho Steeplechase, and Carronade, after being second to Nero in the first-named event, won the Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase.

This brings us to two most important meetings of Metropolitan Clubs — the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Spring and Auckland Racing Club’s Spring. At the former hurdle racing commenced with Norton showing what a great horse he is by winning the Hurdles under 12.9 from Magpie, Marquis of Tewkesbury, Erin-go-Bragh, Gillie and Justice, conceding weight ranging from 251 b to 441 b. The Marquis of Tewkesbury, specially sent down from Auckland, was a very strong order, but he could only get third, though he paid a portion of his ‘ exes ’ next day when he took the Middleton Hurdles. For the first time the C.J.C. introducedsteeplechasing into their programme, but the innovation was not a success, only a trio contesting the Curragh Steeplechase, and Norton made a very easy win of it. The Auckland Second Spring Meeting saw the useful little Fishmonger score his first win of the season in the Hurdles on the opening day of the gathering, Belmont running second to him; Hurricane who is, we should say the oldest chaser now running in New Zealand, took the Selling Steeplechase, and found a new owner in Mr T. D. Halstead ; and Mangere gave us a taste of far better quality to be shown hereafter, when he won the Second Hurdles under 10.3, beating Megoulet, Tupara, Fishmonger, Hopeful Kate, and Ika Vuka. But we have exceeded our limits of space, and must defer consideration of the later form of the season till our next issue.