HAWKE’S BAY TROTTING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 348, 25 March 1897, Page 9

HAWKE’S BAY TROTTING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING.

Friday, March 19th.

The Hawke’s Bay Trotting Club’s Autumn Meeting was held last Friday on the club’s course at Stortford Lodge, Hastings, and although many racing men affect more or less disdain for trotting events there was a good attendance, and a capital day’s sport was enjoyed. Although the sky was occasionally overcast during the morning, the weather remained fine, and as the course was in a first-rate condition the day’s pleasure was comparatively unalloyed. The entries compared favourably with those of last year, the arrangements were suoh as to reflect the greatest credit on the various officials, and, generally speaking, the races created considerable interest. In all, there were eight events on the programme, four in saddle and four in harness, the biggest field being for the first event, the Maiden Trot, for which no fewer than sixteen horses were entered. For the last event, the Selling Trot, there were eleven entries, for the City Stakes ten, and for the Electric Stakes nine, but of course the number of starters in every case was not so large as the number of entrants. A novel feature was the use for the first time of Nicol’s patent electric starting-machine, a description of which was published some time ago. The contrivance came through this, its firstlocal trial, most satisfactorily, and doubtless, when the advantages to be gained by the use of the apparatus are understood, and the method of its operation becomes familiar to the public, the machine will be regarded as an indispensable adjunct to those classes of sport for which it is specially intended. The following are the results : — Maiden Trot (in saddle) of 20 sovs; second horse 3 sovs from the stake. Two miles. 69 Mr J. Semple’s Sailor, limit, Day ... 1 48 Mr W. Orange’s Huna, lOsec bhd, owner 2 26 Mr S. McGreevy’s Morning Herald, lOsec bhd, owner ... ... ... 3 Other starters —7 Disgrace, 3 Palliser, 2 Monada, 1 Cruiser, 6 Rosella, 1 Sleet, 74 Sharper, 14 Maud M., 1 Miss Ellie, 6 Red Gown, 0 Miss Otupui, 0 Johnny-Come-Lately. Sailor established a strong lead in the first round, and was never troubled, winning by fifty or sixty yards. Time, 6min Isec. Dividend, £3 7s. Pony Trot (in harness) of 20 sovs ; second pony 5 sovs from the stake. Two miles. 76 Mr J. Campbell’s Fisherman, limit, Leay 1 29 Mr F. Murfitt’s Eric, 27sec bhd, owner 2 4 Mr G. Scotcher’s Trickster,limit, Orange 3 Other starters—3 Zulu, 31 Frisk. From the start the race looked a good thing for Fisherman, although Eric looked dangerous for a time, and finished a good second. Time, smin 57 2-ssec. Dividend, £1 13s. Hawke’s Bay Trotting Club Handicap (in saddle) of 50 sovs ; second horse 7 sovs from the stake. Two miles. 23 Mr J. Gallagher’s Old Jack, limit, West 1 45 Mr R. S. Henry’s Hordern, Bsec bhd, owner... ... ••• ••• 2 38 Mr A. McLean’s Argyle, 24sec bhd, owner... ... ••• ••• 3 Other starters—ls Dick 11., 94 Gazelle, 86 Glengarrv. Old Jack trotted well throughout, and deserved his win. Time, smin 41-2 sec. Dividend, £ll 15s. Pony Trot (saddle) of 20 sovs; second horse 5 sovs from the stake. One mile and a half. 73 Mr J. McPherson’s Floss, ssec bhd, Day 1 22 Mr T. M. Wade’s Frisk, 12sec bhd, owner... ... ••• ••• 2 22 Mr F. Murfitt’s Eric, 28sec bhd, owner 3 Other starters —10 Fred Sutton, 25 Come Again. Won by about six lengths. Time, 4min 44|sec. Dividend, £1 19s. Hastings Cup Handicap Trot (harness) of 50 sovs ; second horse 7 sovs and third horse 3 sovs from the stake. Two miles and a half. 23 Mr A. McLean’s br g Argyle, aged, 16sec. Murfitt ... ... 1 42 Mr S. Heighway’s blk g Glengarry, aged, 24sec, Day ... ... ... 2 123 Mr G. Murfitt’s ch h Jersey, 18sec, Murfitt ... ... ••• ••• 3 Other starters —52 Hordern, limit; 50 Sonny, 18sec. Won by several lengths. Time, 7mm 7sec. Dividend, £ll 6s. Electric Stakes Handicap Trot (in saddle) of 20 sovs ; second horse 5 sovs from the stake. One mile. 37 Mr R. S. Henry’s rn g Hordern, 7sec., Henry ... ... ... ••• 1 21 Mr F. Murfitt’s g g Pakowahi, aged, 7sec, Murfitt... ... ... ... 2 6 Mr A. McLean’s br g Argyle, aged, Mead... ... ... 3 Other starters —5 Minda, limit; 40 Old Jack, ssec; 21 Horangapai, 6sec ; 8 Whisper, Bsec ; 34 Gazelle, 9sec ; 21 Glengarry. Won by three lengths. Time, 2min 53sec. Dividend, £4 13s. City Stakes Handicap Trot (in harness) of 20 sovs ; second horse 3 sovs from the stake. Two miles. 39 Mr S. Heighway’s blk g Glengarry, 6yrs, 35sec, Day ... ... ... ... 1 8 Mr H. J. Woodfield’s ch g Sonny, 30sec,' Woodfield ... ... ... ... 2 40 Mr F. Murfitt’s b g Eric, aged, 20sec, Murfitt ... ... ... ... 3 Other starters —17 Fisherman, lOsec; 6 Stella, 12sec ; 25 Hollywood, 16sec; 62 Jersey, 30sec. Won very easily by a number of lengths. Time, smin 32sec. Dividend, £4 Ils. Selling Trot (either in saddle or harness). Five secs allowed for every 5 sovs off selling price. One mile. 33 Mr J. McPherson’s br m Floss, 4yrs (nil), Day ... ... ... ... 1

10 Mr G. Arnold’s g m Whisper, aged (nil), Orange... ... ... ••• 2 2 Mr J. Tucker’s b g Cruiser, aged (nil), Tucker ... ... ... ... 3 Floss went away from the jump and romped home an easy winner from Whisper and Cruiser. Time, smin 9sec. Totalisator total, 47; 33 on the winner. No dividend was declared, the money being returned to backers on the ground that the race was not run fairly.