Sporting Revieww. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1894. RACING REVIEWED.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 219, 4 October 1894, Page 4

Sporting Revieww. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1894. RACING REVIEWED.

[By

Borderer.]

Fairly favourable weather was vouchsafed for the opening of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Spring meeting which took place on Monday last. The attendance was good, the fields were large, and excellent racing appears to have resulted. The favourites had a fairish innings, but the two big events of the meeting saw the popular picks go down badly before a pair of despised outsiders. Judging by the times recorded the was anything but first class, all the events taking a considerably longer time to negotiate than was the case at last year’s meeting. The totalisator returns for the two days, showed a falling off compared with the 1893 Spring figures which were £ 10,145. The curtain was rung up with the October Handicap, for which the New Zealand Cup horse Westmere was considered the best bower, the Aucklander, St. Kilda, being next in demand. In the run over the mile and a quarter the St. Leger gelding reversed the order by showing that he was right bower, while

the Cup candidate was the next best card St. Kilda won easily in 2.13 —11 seconds behind Dreamland’s 1893 time. Later in the day the subject of our recent lawsuit annexed the six-furlong Flying Handicap in 1.26, Purepo and Westmere being behind him. The example re a double-event win set by St. Kilda was followed by Roscius who proved an easy victor in both the First and Second Hurdle Races, a fairish field, including Melinite, being behind him on both occasions. The wins were well anticipated by backers, although Melinite was on the opening day deemed worthy to share the honors of favouritism with the winner. On the second day however she was left pretty well in the cold. Unluckily I have not received any official intelligence from the scene of action. If I had I might be able to understand the apparently hopeless display made by Melinite but in the absence of reliable information I can only become enveloped in mystery when endeavouring to account for the chestnut mare’s running. Unplaced and pretty well unsighted —to use a coursing term —in the events won by Roscius shows her in a different light to that in which she appeared at our Great Northern gathering. The race of the meeting, the Guineas, was a very different affair to last year’s event when Pegasus went out a hot favourite and beat Stanmoor by a length and a half in 1.47 1-5. On Monday last an outsider, Forme, won with ease in 1.58 —that is if the telegraph can be trusted. The favourites, Blarney and Nixie, could only give their supporters the barren return attaching to second and third places. Judging by the accounts received of Forme’s run her condition must have been decidedly good and it reflects credit upon the present inmate of Van Dieman Lodge. The Papakura filly proved a disappointment in this race but later in the meeting she showed fair galloping by putting down the Guineas victor in the Final Handicap, the six furlongs of which were left behind in 1.22 —fair going in view of the other tmes recorded at the meeting. The Forerunner —Plover gelding Golden Plover upset the favourite, Prince Charlie in the mile and a quarter Maiden Plate, the other places being filled by the outsider Princess May and Goosander. The time for the run was 2.27 4-5 —rather different that to Miss Letty’s 2.16 4-5 of last year. Woodlander, the Le Loup—Dryad gelding, got home by a bare half length from Mr Paul’s filly, Caribou,Jin the Welcome Stakes, and the Corinthian favourites, Sylvanus, Poinsettia and Spinfeldt, where nowhere, while a pair of outsiders, Waterlily and The Barbarian, fought out a fine finish. The pair dashed past the post locked togethe afterr as fine a struggle as one would wish to see, their time for the mile and a quarter being clocked at 2.35 1 -sth. .Last year the Mute gelding Chris won this event in 2.21. In Monday’s race Poinsettia followed the dead heaters past the post. The first day’s racing was closed by the six furlong flash of 100 sovs, for which St. Kilda was summed up by the public as a “ moral.” He carried his backers through although a rank outsider, Purepo, got within half a length of him at the finish, carrying the fairish dividend of £53 odd. But then St. Kilda has a knack of just winning so that for all we know he may have held Purepo at considerably more than a half-length disadvantage. Westmere filled the remaining position. The time —1.26—was 8 seconds behind Dingo’s 1893 time. On the second day of the meeting the Torpedo—Fame mare Princess May annexed the once round Trial Handicap beating Meteoro and the favourite, Golden Plover, easily in 2.34-5 and as stated above Roscius scored a further success, the Second Hurdles of about a mile and three-quarters falling to him. The big race was reckoned that most devoutly to be desired consummation “amoral” for St. Kilda ; but a surprise was in store the speedy but uncertain North Atlantic getting home “all out” by a length from Westmere who led Yattenfeldt—who was well backed by Aucklanders —by a similar distance. The time, 2.53 2-5, does not compare very favourably with Rangiatea’s easy 1893 win in 2.44 2-5. That the winner was a big surprise to all concerned may be imagined by the odd dividend declared. The Castor—Bangle colt, Orion’s Belt, won the four and a half furlong Nursery Handicap in 1 3 1 -sth beating the favorite, Caribou, by a clear length, Wikitoria being held at a similar disadvantage by the second horse. A favorite got home in the Post Stakes the Albany gelding P/airie Grass winning comfortably from Rayfeldt and Jewel and in the Welter Handicap Golden Plover beat Poinsettia, Barbelle and a

good field in very easy fashion. In the closing act of the gathering, the Final Handicap of six furlongs, Forme, Doris and Nixie formed a well-backed trio, the hope of Papakura being almost a level leader in the betting with the Guineas winner. The St. Leger filly led from start to finish and despite a strong effort on the part of Allan-a-dale got home comfortably in 1.22. Forme was given an indifferent start and could secure no better than third place.

The opening of the above Club’s season took place at Potter’s Paddock on Saturday last under most auspicious circumstances, as far as the weather was concerned. The attendance was beyond expectations, and when the totalisator bell stopped ringing the machine figures showed that the public had speculated some odd more than was the case at the Club’s Spring Meeting of 1893. Then the machine agents handled ios ; on Saturday the figures were £ 1624 ios. The starting of Mr Caulton was, on the whole, satisfactory and though there was a fault in connection with the Flying Handicap I feel sure Mr Caulton’s work will prove of increasing value to the Club. Mr Harris was as usual in the judge’s box. Messrs Hunter, Adams and Caulton judged the trotting, and Mr C. F. Mark carried out the secretarial duties with credit. The time and scaling were in the capable hands of Mr F. W. Marks ; and while on the weighing subject I might point out that the overweights allowed on Saturday were unfair to both the public and the handicapper. In the Flying Stakes Nimbus and Florrie carried 171 b and 1 gib overweight respectively; while in the Tramway Handicap Eunice had 121 b, Helena 151 b, and Florrie 2olb overweight! It may be said that it is the business of the investing *pub)ic to ascertain what the overweighting is, but race goers are justified in believing their cards to contain something like accurate information respecting the handicaps. A few pounds over can be understood, but when it comes’to a stone and a stone and a half overweight, one can be excused if he wonders what is the use of handicapping. If the club refused to allow such extra burdens to be carried the present excuse —scarcity of suitable riders—would very quickly disappear. In the Flying Stakes of 30 sovs, five furlongs, nine of the ten nominations faced Mr Caulton, The Dove and- Gillie carrythe bulk of the money. In the matter of condition the bottom-weight Little Hero stood head and shoulders above his competitors, as the result of the race proved. Mr Caulton let them off in rather uneven fashion, The Dove, Florrie and Bees being earliest on the move. Little Hero was away back, but vhen the home bend was neared he let out in a fashion that quickly brought the leaders back to him. Another who was observed stretching out in a business-like fashion was Zephyr—a pony worth watching when well—and the turn into the straight saw her on terms with the best. The leading three at the head of the straight were Florrie, Zephyr and Little Hero, The Dove having dropped back beaten, and when the whips were brought into play a hard finish looked on the boards. The light-weight’s condition was, however, steps above the others, and lasting in the gamest fashion he beat Zephyr, who came well at the finish, by half a length, Florrie being third. The time for the journey was 1.10, which represented very fair going considering the state of the track. The low estimate placed by the public on Little Hero enabled him to return the fairish dividend of £6 8s for half a sovereign.

A full card was given in the Tramway Handicap, and here again The Dove was held to be the best. The different value and distance of this race as compared with the Flying was held to be sufficient justification for sizing Mr Moore’s mare up as the probable winner and she accordingly went out a good favourite. The fine display made by the winner of the Flying placed him in second favour, but when it came to racing he quickly reversed the order of favouritism in which he and The Dove had been placed by speculators. After a little trouble Mr Caulton sent the field away in capital style. Robin dashed off slightly in advance of the others, but before the back of the course was reached he was beaten The Dove and Eunice settling his pretensions opposite the stand. At the bottom of the course Little Hero rattled after the leaders in bulldog fashion, and by the time the home turn was reached he was leading with The Dove and Helena in attendance. The run up the straight showed him up in very bright

colours, his rider having no difficulty in gaining the post two clear lengths ahead of The Dove, Helena third. Time, 1.34. Dividend, £z 7s. In the Hurdle Race Helena and Butterfly were favourites. Both looked well, but Effie and Little Raven were not in the best of condition. This event proved an easy thing for that good mare Butterfly who romped away from her opponents, although it must be said that Helena’s display was far from bad. Effie’s condition beat her, and the first jump settled Maxim who came a a cropper but quickly recovered himself and showed by his riderless race that he possesses both pace and fencing power. Jumping in capital style last year’s winner passed the post half-a-dozen lengths in front of Helena, who was in advance of Effie. Time, 2.40. Dividend, £1 12s.

My colleague, “ Nancy Hanks,” delivers himself re the trotting events as under : — In the Maiden Trot of 30 sovs, a mile and a half, the state of the track was anything but pleasant. Mr Caulton made a good start. Duke C., the limit horse (18s), kept his lead for a furlong or so when Pioke (10s) cut down everything and took charge of affairs, a position he maintained right through the race. The winner was ridden by Sandall in that rider’s usual careful manner, but the other contestants floundered al mg tl anyhow,” Ida, a much fancied mare ridden by W. Greenwood, loosing her feet repeatedly in the mud. Sandall’s mount won in a jog, Fibre second, Otara third. The official time was 5.2, but many made it 5.3!, which is equal to 3.22 per mile. After this race was over I am-informed the stewards held a meeting, the result of which was that the riders of the five horses who did not win where fined £1 each. The stewards, although requested to formulate a charge declined to do so, nor would they hear evidence for the defence of any of the riders. The latter, with the owners, were naturally sore over the matter and it certainly would not have weakened the dignity of . the Club if the owners had been given a chance of hearing the charge laid against their representatives. On previous occasions the A.T.C. have pursued similar tactics, and a certain section of the owners have inveighed strongly against what they call the ’‘autocratic bearing” of the governing party, In the Spring Trot of 75 sovs, 2 miles, seven toed the mark. Three Cheers (38s), ridden by M. Edwards, was a warm favourite, his fame having preceded him from the South. He proved to be a “ dead snip,” and from the word “go ” the issue was never in doubt. The mud bothered him less than any .of the others, and at no part of the journey could he be described as fully extended. Three Cheers is a powerful bay gelding by Victor, rather coarse in the legs, with an ability to trot like a piece of machinery. His gait, although far from pretty, enables him to get at top almost at once. His time, 5.48 = 2.54 per mile, was good enough, considering the state of the track and the ease of his win. Judy was second and Nellie third.

The Harness Trot of 40 sovs, 2 miles, was looked upon as such a certainty for Three Cheers, even with his 10 seconds penalty, that only moderate betting took place upon any of the others. Just before the machine closed, a bit of a rush took place on Charlie, many thinking no doubt that “ the boot was on the other leg.” Dinah was scratched, leaving five to go to the post. Bit o’ Blue, 40 sec, went off with her head in the air, and Sparrowhawk quickly passing her led until half a mile from home, where Charlie, who was trotting brilliantly, came up on Mr Mcßride’s trotter’s wheel. Three Cheers was close on Charlie, and Mr James Martin who was driving the latter put in his claim, but the chestnut got “ rattled” and made a bad break, Three Cheers following suit. Charlie was quickly pulled to his feet again, and was off in chase. of Sparrowhawk who was now ejght or ten lengths ahead and going \yelj. Coming into the straight the excitement was intense, Charlie, although on Sparrowhawk’s wheel, being unable to gain the lead. Passing the. grand stand Three Cheers opened out with a dash of pace rarely seen here, Charlie made an effort, but the Southerner passed the post a length ahead of him and four lengths ahead of Sparrowhawk. The time, 5.54, (== 2.51), was a meritorious performance in the mud. The Electric Trot, 1 mile, 35 sovs, the last event of the day, brought out six contestants, Mr M. ; . Edwards riding the scratch mare Yum | Yum, while Charlie (16 secs) was ridden ? by his owner, Mr James Martin. At the word “go ” it was seen that Mr Martin -

meant business, Charlie cutting down his field in the most brilliant manner, and gaining the lead at the quarter mile post. Yum Yum also went through them in a way that was a credit to her rider, and passing the grand stand the mare was gaining on Charlie 'at every stride. However, it would have required a Maxim flying machine to catch Charlie in the short distance he had to travel, and the best the mare could do was to get within a couple of lengths of his wheel. Judy was third and the others nowhere. Time, 2.44. This in my opinion was the best performance of the day considering the state of the track. Mr Knight’s handicapping was received in the most favourable manner by owners and onlookers, and though the Southerner scored heavily one can hardly blame the handicapper for doubting the ability of the Victor gelding to do all that was recently whispered about him.