Otaki Maori Meeting.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 201, 31 May 1894, Page 3

Otaki Maori Meeting.

[ FROM OUR WELLINGTON CORRESPONDENT. J

The Otaki Maori Club were favoured with a good day for their meeting, although it rained the night previously and the sky wore a threatening aspect. However, the rain kept off. There was a large attendance of sports from all parts of the district and from outside centres. The gathering was of an essentially native character, nearly all the officials being Maoris. Mr Eager did his best to make the meeting pass off without a hitch, and Mr -Lyon, secretary to the Wellington Ch. . * S vho was present, lent him valuable ass?C\nce. The programme of the races regular botched-up affair, though. In the Trial Handicap Aotea’s name was left out altogether, and he ran a good second. In the Stewards’ Stakes the name of Huia did not appear in the book either, although accepted for, and this was the subject of a nice old row, because the animal had run second in the big event to Pihanga, and a great many did not know of the later engagement at all. There were 22 names in the book and Huia made the 23rd. This number was hoisted on the board, but the animal was coupled with Unfortunate

(No. 13) on the machine, and the devil’s number got home comfortably. There were two bays in the race — Huia and Silent Friend—and they both bore green jackets and black caps, so that people thought Silent Friend had won, but they were soon disillusionised. The dividend paid was £23 17s. People were very wroth at the name not appearing in the book, but the secretary said it was the fault of the printer and not his. Any how, Mr Buick, owner of Silent Friend (who ran third) entered a protest on the ground that the hoises were started in front of the post. Evidence was taken and the locality examined, with the result that the protest was dismissed. There were other omissions from the programme also in the shape of colours and names from the pedigree list. The Trial Handicap saw a complete boil-over. Comfort, by Somnus, getting home from Aotea, Tuiwhai, Langdale, Princess, Rankawa, Ripo Ripo and Lady Kilburnie. Overseer, Sweet Dream, Vain Glory, Miser, Nihilist and Milford were scratched. After a short delay the field were sent away to a fairly good start. When settled in their strides Riporipo took command and led to the bend, where Comfort came along, followed by Aotea. There was a good race up the straight, where Tuiwahi got up, but could not pass the other two when the pinch came. It was a very close finish, but Comfort got home from Aotea, Tuiwhai a good third. Langdale was out of it. Totalisator, 377; dividend, 19s. The winner is by Somnus. Spreydon was the public fancy for the First Hurdle Handicap, in which there were nine starters. Lord John, Pikihuia and Pembroke were scratched A bad start was effected, Karamea, Austral and Mac being left behind. Chrystal and Rangipai went away, and were together at the hurdle in front of the stand, followed by Result, Tricky Jack and Spreydon. Rangipai had the lead at the back, where Result was going strongly, but fell back, seemingly having struck a hurdle. Tricky Jack went up and passed Rangipai in the bend, and coming on won easily by three lengths from Spreydon, who could not get up. Then followeh Rangipai, the rest pulling up. Totalisator, 558 ; dividend, 17s. Tricky Jack is by Emin Bey. Then followed the Boyle Plate of one mile, in which the starters were Jacobite, Miser, Tuiwhai, Langdale, Aroha, Juanita, Tomboy, Aotea, Blunderbus, Swordfish, Raukawa, Athlene, Comfort, and Lady-Kilburnie. When the flag fell Miser rushed to the front, and led his field at a merry bat right round into the straight, where Jacobite came at him and won comfortably. Tuiwhai was third, and Aotea next. The field tailed off wonderfully for a mile race. On machine 441 ; dividend, £2 10s. The winner is by Escutcheon. There was brisk speculation over the Glasgow Plate Handicap of a mile and a half. The majority were very well backed. The starters comprised—Pihanga, Huia, Kalmea, Swift, Mairua, Tangaroa, Silent Friend, Roll Call, Trickery, Vain Glory, Tamarere, Jacobite, Makomako, Unfortunate, Bouquet and Sweet Dream. The scratched horses were — Waiuku, Bonovoree, Buckler, Tuiwhai, Merryman and Equi. Trickery and Vain Glory were bracketted on the machine, as were Unfortunate and Bognet. There were repeated breaks away, and when the flag fell Jacobite got the worst of the start, but it was afterwards seen that Vain Glory was left standing at the post. She took no part in the race. Silent Friend, Trickery and Swift were prominent coming up the straight. At the back Trickery rushed to the front, Silent Friend being a couple of lengths away next. Jacobite had made up a lot of his lost ground, and was lying in a fair position, but on the outside. Trickery led round the bend, where Kalmea, Pihanga, and Roll Call commenced to move up. Before the straight was reached Pihanga, who was going well, assumed command, and coming on won easily by two lengths and a half from Huia, who came up on the inside under the whip. Kalmea was third and Silent Friend fourth. Unfortunate, who was never in it at any part of race, was last. On the machine, 786 ; dividend, £ll ss. The time was given as 2min 50£sec. The winner’s breeding is Feve—Miss Constance. There were five starters in the Second Hurdles, and Rangipai, by Sou’wester, went off at a great bat and was never caught, winning from who was conceding her 2 61bs over the mile and a half. Rpmeo being third. Tricky Jack and Mac also started, the latter

falling. On machine, 193 ; dividend, 16s.

There was a good field for the Flying Handicap, the starters being Voltaire, Bonovoree, Mairua. Marama, Langdale, Tangaroa, Roll Call, Tamarere, Overseer, Merryman, Besant, Equi, and Vain Glory. Bonovoree was lavourite. The Toad, Delusion, Jacobite, Waiuku and Tramore were scratched. After several breaks away Marama jumped to the front, and led the field at a great bat. In the bend Voltaire had run up second, but the race seemed all over. In the straight, however, Voltaire caught the leader, who died away to nothing, and did not get a place. Bonovoree came well, but had to be content with second place. Mairua was third, Vain Glory and Marama being next. On machine 608 ; dividend, 4s. Voltaire is by Master Agnes out of Polly. Then came the concluding event of the day, the Stewards’ Handicap, in which the following carried colours :— Huia, Tenby, Silent Friend, Bonovoree, Kalmea, Pihanga (who carried rolb penalty), Swift, Makomako, The Toad. Vain Glory, Miser. Unfortunate, Trickery, Sweet Dream, Merryman and Silver. Huia and Unfortunate were bracketed, as were The Toad and Vain Glory, and Miser and Silent Friend. The distance was a mile and a quarter. Aroha, Tomboy, Buckler, Tuiwhai and Mairua were scratched. There were repeated breaks away, and when the field were despatched Makomako had the advantage, Trickery and Tenby being next. Owing to the fading light the colours were not distinguishable at the back, but Trickery seemed to have command, Tenby being second and Makomako pulling back into third place, which he had lost in the bend. There was a great race up the straight, where Silent Friend came up and challenged Tenby, who now had command* Another green jacket appeared on the outside, however, and it proved to be carried by Huia, who eventually got home by a length, under the whip. Some of the others that competed were distanced. There was a great row made over this win, as Huia’s name did not appear in the book as a starter. The secretary said he was an acceptor, but the printer had left the name out. However, his number —23 as the book went, but placed on No. 13 with Unfortunate — was hoisted up on the board. There were only 22 on the pair. Mr Buick entered a protest on the ground that the race was started in front’ of the post. The stewards met, examined the locality, and dismissed the protest. On the machine, 583 ; dividend on Huia and Unfortunate, 17s. During the day the sum of Z 3546 went through the machine, which was worked by Mr J. Ames.