Oeo Racing Club’s Hack Meeting.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 192, 29 March 1894, Page 3

Oeo Racing Club’s Hack Meeting.

(FROM OUR TRAVELLING CORESPONDENT.) The Oeo (Taranaki) Racing Club’s annual Hack Meeting was held on March 19, under most favourable circumstances, the weather being fine, the attendance large, and speculation brisk. All the officials worked hard. Mr E. Shove, the hon. secretary, well known in sporting circles as the owner of the jumper Booties, worked hard and extended the, utmost courtesy to all who had business with or desired information from him. Mr A. W. Budge wielded the starter’s flag, and performed the responsible duty to the satisfaction of those most interested, namely, the owners. Mr G. W. Rogers, secretary of the Opunake Club, was clerk of the scales, and was also called in to adjust the weights for the Consolation, in which he brought off a surprise in the shape of Nile, who would have rewarded his backers with the nice dividend of £3l 10s but for the protest about the disqualified rider Eva. Mr F. Hill worked the totalisator, and passed through the machine. The Racing. Proceedings opened with the Flying Handicap, which was contested by Bonovoree, Nugget, Rewa, Pukurakura, Crest, Nile, Wahamoko and Egmont. The public at once seized on Bonovoree as the “ dead bird,” and their confidence was not misplaced, as the son of The Mute won as he liked. Wahamoko was second, and Egmont third. The time was 1 min 24sec, and the dividend £2. The Hurdles, one and a half miles, brought to the front Dick, Nugget, Romeo, Security, and Kiora. The backers seized on Dick and Kiora as the good things, and again the British public came out on lop, Kiora winning by a bare head from his stable mate Dick, Romeo being third. It might be mentioned that P. Johnston, who was on Kiora, broke his whip after negotiating the last jump, and was therefore not able to push his mount along as he would have liked to have done, hence the closeness of the finish. The time was jmin 4 i-ssec, and the dividend £2 15s. The Oeo Handicap, one and a half miles, brought the brilliant field of three to the post, namely, Bonovoree (who carried 8.10, including a ylb penalty), Pakurakura and Queenie. The race was a procession, as the time will indicate, the top weight winning as he liked; Pakurakura second, and Queenie third. Time, jmin lofsec. Dividend, £1 zs. The four furlong flutter, the Electric Stakes, was contested by Starlight, Snowdrop, Rewa, Wahamoko. Chaka, Broncho, Prophet, Tell Tale, and Cloudshot. This event was pulled off by Snowdrop, a daughter of Izaak Walton, who won by a long neck from Campasph, with Wahamoko third. The time was 53 3-5500, and the dividend was £8 Bs. Mr F. McGovern was the owner. For the Welter Handicap, seven furlongs, there came to the front Starlight, Romeo, Dart, Nile, Queenie, Cataract, Disraeli, Egmont and Daylight. Dart was installed favourite, but the winner turned up in the gigantic Egmont, a son of Armourer. Starlight was second, and Dart third. The time was imin and the dividend was £9. The winner should make a good steeplechase horse, and according to what I hear he can jump like a professional at the game. The Consolation, one mile, produced the surprise of the day. Nugget, Crest, Campasph, Nile and Dart went to the post. Nugget was made favourite, with Crest next in demand. The winner turned up in Nile (Nelson —Florence), who was quite neglected on the machine, Crest being second, and Nugget third. The time was imin 53 i-ssec, and the dividend would have been 10s, but the owner of the second horse entered a protest on the ground that Eva, the rider of Nile, was disqualified. The stewards met, and decided to refer the matter to the Taranaki Jockey Club, who imposed the disqualification. I might state that Eva was ordered to stand down for one month by the Taranaki Club, on February 20. on a complaint of J. B. Williamson that the boy had left his employ in Auckland without giving’ proper notice. The term would have expired on March 20, the day following the Oeo meeting. Mr Corrigan, owner of Nile, was interested to the extent of tickets.