After the Races.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 334, 17 December 1896, Page 9

After the Races.

[By

Gipsy King.]

THE FEILDING RACES. ■ . First Day. Mr Edmund Goodbehere, who has long ocouSied the position of secretary to the Feilding ockey Club, was in his customary place, and with the assistance of the stewards (among whom thßre are many good “workers,” much different to some clubs where the secretary has to practically to do all the work), everything went off as happily as the proverbial marriage bell. I have to add my thanks with the other pressmen to Mr Goodbehere for the courtesy extended to us, and hope to spend as pleasant a time next meeting. Mr E. Woods, the starter, was on duty as usual, and was using Say well and James’ starting machine, a simply-constructed affair after the style of Crawford’s. Mr Woods was not seen at his best at the meeting, as he had several troublesome horses, and one or two green ones that were' making their first appearance before a starting machine. No blame can be attached to anyone when these uneducated animals get left. The racing during the meeting was not of a particularly sensational character, the small margin between the top weights and the lowest weights being accountable for this, because what I might term the six-stone division had no chance of defeating the eight stone division. This was very noticeable in the actual racing. The principal race of the first day, the St. Andrew’s Handicap of 200 sovs, one mile and a half (always a wellcontested race), proved a gift to Mahaki (8.8), as he practically had the rest of the field beaten at a mile and a quarter. Kip Van Winkle gave the son of Ingomar his company up to the turn, where Leda, who had been lying rather far out of the race, made her effort, and Rip Van Winkle gamely answered another call from his rider. Mahaki, however, was not to be denied on this occasion, and as Tommy Taylor kept him going in case of a surprise, he won easily by half a length from Leda, Kip Van Winkle three lengths away third, Errand Boy fourth. The latter appears to be getting too much racing just now. The time for the race (on a hard, flat course), 2min 38 3-ssec, is nearly equal to the best, and as it was corroborated by several private watches it may be relied upon. Man-o’-War was last all the way; in fact, he was never with the field, although his jockey plied the whip freely and unneccessarily for the best part of the distance. It was thought by his trainer that something was seriously wrong with the horse, as he was completely exhausted when he reached his loose-box (a short distance from the course), so it was decided not to start him the second day. Hotspur pulled up sore, and was taken home the next day. If Mahaki races as freely in the Auckland Cup as he did at Feilcling Mr Wi Pere will win that which he was deprived of on a previous occasion. The amount of racing Mahaki has done lately gives him a rather light appearance, as if he had been hurried. There does not appear to be any leg trouble, and he pulled up sound each day, on a course that would test any gammy legged ’uns. Blarney won the Kiwitea Stakes, of one mile, like a racehorse, and he is evidently partial to this distance. Had Douglas (by Crawford Priory) left the barrier with the others he must have made a race of it at the finish, judging by the ground he made up and his prominent position at the finish, but it is difficult to say how easy Blarney won, although it was only a half a length victory, as Whittaker had a nice hold of the son of Apremont, on whom I was pleased to see “Andy Bob ” have a fair win. Pompom (8.3) ran in this event, but was never dangerous, and his trainer wisely, 1 think, took him home the next day, as the Wapiti .gelding does not like hard going. Second Day. §-The weather was again beauifully fine, and for many rather too warm, but the attendance was hardly so good as on the first day. There were some very acceptable dividends during the after, noon, and backers had some difficulty in findin„

winners - The racing onJhe second day produced one or two decent finishes, and to backers one or two surprises. The Shorts Handicap was the first race on the card, and Flying Shot was installed first favourite, but the big grey was not quite himself after his Wellington trip, and the finish was left to those two slippery customers, Gold Cup and Sedgebrook, the former winning by a head, while the Hawera-owned colt, Carrick, filled third position.

Although Glenelg paid a dividend of £ll 12s. in the Second Hurdle Race, Mr W. Roberts’ win was very popular, three cheers being accorded him.

The Manchester Handicap, the chief race on the second day, was looked upon as a pretty fair thing for Mahaki, notwithstanding his 9st 61b, and if anything was likely to beat him it would be Leda (Bst 31b) or Rip Van Winkle (7st 61b). The black horse took charge of Taylor shortly after the start, and he let him run along in the front until approaching the turn, where Lorelei and Rip Van Winkle closed up. Then the little mare from Wellington (Leda) put in her claim after rounding the turn, and her challenge was so resolute that Mahaki cried enough, and Lorelei tackled Leda, but the latter was galloping well within herself, and ran home an easy winner by half a length. Tuhiwai ran well in this race for over a mile, as also did Blarney, who appeared as if he were going to take a hand in the finish until Leda ran past him so comfortably. Leda is ouly a handful, but is very useful, and staying, I think, is one of her accomplishments, and j ust at present her owner would appear to have a chance of placing the Wellington Cup on his. side-board. Although Mahaki was beaten in this race, he was not disgraced, and as Joe Griffiths, his trainer, has a few weeks before the Auckland Cup is due for decision, I think he will make good use of the time. There were some long faces in the Lawn when Gold Cup won the Railway Handicap and paid a dividend of £l3 14s, after showing good form earlier in the day. The half-sister to Banner is very well just now. Errand Bov. who was

second, got into a bad position coming up the straight; otherwise he might have had a chance. Sedgebrook also ran a good mile. He is not generally regarded as being a very game horse, but he was the most consistent horse at the meetand I think Belcher can improve him a little by Christmas.