THE CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 352, 22 April 1897, Page 6

THE CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

[By Our Canterbury Correspondent..] First Day—Monday, April 19th The C.J.C. Autumn Race Meeting was commenced on Monday under very favourable climatic conditions, the weather being fine all day. There was as usual a large attendance, Dunedin being strongly represented. Speculation was brisk, the sum of £9,170 being passed through the totalisator —£1,927 more than that handled on the first day of the Autumn Meeting last year. The racing commenced with the Kildare Hurdle Race, for which the top weight, Social Pest, was installed favourite with Highlander next in demand. The race was a very pretty one right up to the last fence, each one of the starters except Regret seeming to have a chance of winning. Social Pest failed to respond to Highlander’s final challenge in the last fifty yards and the latter finished first, half a length in front of the son of Ahua. Old Clarence ran very well and was third three lengths behind Social Pest. Tally-Ho was fourth only a neck behind Clarence. The Champagne Stakes resolved itself into a match between Multiform and Miniature, Mr Stead’s colt winning very easily by nearly three lengths. Mr Stead has now won the Champagne Stakes five years in succession. Gold Medallist was withdrawn. Salvo Shot, who has been showing good form lately, was most in demand for the Autumn Maiden Plate and beat Female Franchise by half a length for first honors, Miss Orwell being two lengths away third. Dunedin visitors backed Plotter heavily, but the son of Catesby could not get nearer than fourth. This colt made a bold bid for victory in the Canterbury Derby in November last, but he is evidently not the colt he was cracked up to be. There were fifteen starters in the Great Easter Handicap, for which the public installed Telemeter as favourite; Waiuku was supported more than the others. The race needs very little description. Gold Spur made the running from the start and was never headed, winning very easily by two lengths from Barshot, who was a length and a half in front of Waiuku, who was followed by Belle Clair, Mannlicher, Firefly, Telemeter, and Skirmisher in the order named. Lord Roslyn was last. Telemeter was never promi-

■nent. Vanilla, Skirmisher, Lord Roslyn, Maremma, Belligerent, Firefly, Tire, and Manawanui all ran disappointingly. Gold Spur was bred in the Oamara district, and is a brown gelding by Rubezahl —Rosp Spur ; he is four years old, and was bought by his present owner (Mr J. Loughlan) for £l4. Barshot, who finished second, pulled up very sore. Jewel, who is a remarkably fine mare, carried 9st to victory in the Epsom Welter, defeating Black and Red, Arquebus, and five others. Mr Ormond’s colt, Daunt, had very little diffi culty in winning the Russley Plate. Bracelet, who was a hot favourite, whipped round when the tapes went up and took no part in the race. Vandyke annexed the Sockburn Handicap in " le style from Salvo Shot, but the latter would robably have won had he not lost a length or , .vo at the top turn. Vandyke won the same race last year. The Gimcrack Race furnished a good set-to between Molly Darling, Alcestis, and Stockfish, who finished in the order named. The winner was bought in at 30 guineas. Second Day—Tuesday, April 20th. The weather was fine though cold for to-day’s racing. The Peerswick Hurdle Race, the first event on the programme, brought out a field of five. Clarence, the outsider of the party, had more pace than the others in the last 100 yards, and won by a length and a quarter from Highlander, who was half a length in front, of Ilex. Tally-Ho was fourth, and Social Pest last. Six fillies faced the starter in the Autumn Nursery. After a pretty race Gold Leaf beat Bracelet by half-a-length for. first honours. Miniature being three lengths away third, Beauty Sleep was fourth, and Bloomer last. Manawanui created a surprise by winning the Yaldhurst Welter Handicap. The race produced the best finish of the meeting, Manawanui just beating Telemeter by a head for first place. St. Elmo was third four lengths behind Telemeter, Plotter fourth, Lord Zetland fifth, Salvo Shot sixth. The dividend, £2O 9s 6d, was the largest at the meeting. Waiuku 8.12, Lord Roslyn 8.1, Leda 7.9, Chaos 7.7, Belligerent 7.0, Firefly 7.0, Tire 6.12, were starters in the Great Autumn Handicap., The: first-named, who had been well backed by his connections for the double, was the public fancy. Belligerent made most of the running, Tire, Lord Roslyn, and Chaos following. The field was close together entering the straight, but ,'tWaiuku soon had his opponents in difficulties, and taking the lead just below the distance went on and won by a length and a half from Leda, who came fast in the last 100 yards. Tire was a neck behind Leda, then followed Belligerent, Firefly, Chaos, Lord Roslyn, in the order _nam_§d~—Th&'fralf-mile was done in 57sec., the 6 furlongs 1 min. 24sec., and the mile and a-half in 2min. 40 l-ssec. The Fifth Challenge Stakes was robbed of a good deal of interest owing to Seashell being left at the post and Mannlicher dislodging his rider as the barrier was raised. Neither took any part in the race, and Gold Medallist did not start. Multiform won very easily by a length from Daunt, Gold Leaf being third and Argon last. Gold Spur showed what a fine horse he is by carrying 9.5 to victory in the Templeton Handicap, cutting out the six furlongs in Imin 16 l-ssec. Molly Darling (6.13) was second and Belle Clair (8.4) third. Gold Spur, who won hard held by a length and a half, was giving weight to such smart sprinters as Vanilla (8.6), Jewel (8.8), and Marino (8.5). Weary won the Addington Plate by half a length from Alcestis, but no bid was offered for the daughter of St. George. Barmby, whose best days as a racehorse are evidently over, was third. He was entered at £IOO. The son of Vanguard, who, at his best, was one of the fastest sprinters in New Zealaland, should make a good stud horse. Mauser, Vogengang, and Bold were among the starters. The Final Handicap saw Barshot, who was made favourite, at his best, beating Boreas (second), Skirmisher (third), Black and Red, Leda, Marlin, and Belligerent. Barshot won very easily b y a length. > Mr J. "E. Henry (handicapper), was not able to be present at the meeting owing to sickness in his family at Wellington.