THE NAPIER PARK WINTER MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 357, 27 May 1897, Page 5

THE NAPIER PARK WINTER MEETING.

[BY OUR NAPIER CORRESPONDENT.]

For a wonder, the weather was everything that could be desired for the Napier Park Winter Meeting, and despite the terrific weather that was experienced during Easter time, the course was, taking these facts into consideration, in good order. Although the concluding day (Thursday) was not a holiday, and consequently the attendance was much smaller than that of the preceding day, speculation upon the whole was fairly brisk, £7,569 going through the machine for the two days, being an advance of £336 over the Winter Meeting of 1896. Mr Danvers and hi a. staff got through their duties in their usual wellknown manner, and Harry Piper dismissed his fields in his well-known capable style. Two appeals to the stewards took place during the meeting, one as regards the performance of The Shrew in the Stewards’ Stakes on the first day. She started third favourite, £ll2 being invested on her chance on the machines, and getting away as well as anything in the race she was immediately pulled up and walked back to the saddling paddock. The stewards held a meeting, but after sitting a short time adjourned the enquiry to the following morning, when, after hearing a lot of evidence, which showed that her trainer, J. Vincent, gave instructions to F.Kingan, the jockey, to take her to the post and then retire to the paddock, as he would not run the risk of her breaking down in the race. The stewards

decided that Vincent had made a great error of judgment in acting in this manner, and cautioned him that such a course must not again be pursued. The public, who backed the mare, naturally were very wrath at the way in which they had been treated, as practically speaking, they had no chance to win, and therefore they did not expect to lose their money, which had been speculated by them on The Shrew’s chance of success. The stewards would have given greater satisfaction if they had not adjonrned the enquiry, but have come to a decision at once; and if they had ordered the money which had been placed on the machine upon The Shrew to be returned to the various investors they would have only been doing a just act. The second enquiry was held on Thursday afternoon at the instigation of Mr C. Siddell, owner of Maid Marion, who lodged a complaint against F. Kingan, the rider of the Maid in the Winter Oats, for not carrying out instructions to give her a preliminary canter to wear off the stiffness from which she was suffering. After hearing evidence, the stewards censured Kingan, and informed him that his conduct in future would be closely watched. Mr Siddell had this course forced upon him because he had Maid Marian engaged later on in the High-Weight Handicap, and if she had managed to be victorious in that he feared that some ugly remark might be made anent her performance in the Winter Oats.

Hostilities commenced with the Trial Hurdles, Clieve and Slaiden being withdrawn, leaving nine to do battle. Gorse, the dual winner at Waipukurau in the early part of the month, being accorded strong support, Sylvanus, the ultimate winner, coming next in favour, and these two fought it out, The Dauphin’s son, whose first public appearance it was over hurdles, just beating Gorse, Erana a bad third. Dividend, £5 Is. Five was the main for the Electric Handicap, Maid Marion being scratched. Target was pounced upon as a real good thing, and so she proved, as hopping off smartly at the word go, she had her field beat badly all the way, winning easily by haalf a dozen lengths, which she might have increased to twice the distance had she been so disposed. Dividend, £2 4s. Tally-ho, who I wired up on Tuesday night as an unlikely starter, was the only absentee from the lot coloured on the card for the Steeplechase, Dromedary having a slight call over Prince Charlie in the betting, Flirt, who was returned the winner, being the outsider of the quintette. Early in the race Prince Charlie refused, but was ultimately got over, and Morag fell at the gorse fence, bringing Much Ado down with him, which left Dromedary and Flirt in possession, and the jockeys on the two mares were hard at work from half a mile from home, and a most exciting finish ensued, Foul Play’s good-looking daughter reaching the “ man in the box” a bare half-length to the good. Much Ado, who had been remounted again, filled third place. Dividend. £7 13s. All engaged ranged up for the Welter, Pasha’s full-brother, Aphony, having a pull in the betting from Slaiden, who, at 8.10, looked a “ bird ;” but they all had to strike their colours to Nukurau, a good looking son of Trickster, trained by Charlie Joyce, who paid the biggest dividend of the meeting, £ll Bs, Brennan (Torpina’s brother) getting second honours, and Aphony third. Eight lined up for the Stewards’ Stakes, Golden Plover being a £6 better favourite than Lotion, Primula (the winner) coming fourth in public estimation. From one of Mr Piper’s best in the way of starts, Golden Plover and Primula held command, but Forerunner’s chestnut son soon gave way, and Martyrdom came at Torpedo’s daughter, but it was of no use as she easily held the opposition and won comfortably by two lengths, Lotion a poor third. Dividend, £5 17s. Much Ado and Tally-ho were the withdrawals from the Hurdle Race, and the way punters went for Prairie Grass gave one the idea that it was only a matter of waiting to collect, but they had reckoned without their host in the shape of Prince Charlie, who, nicely handled by George Hope, had no difficulty at all in appropriating the stake for his new owner. Had Rollo rode a different race on Prairie Grass he might have made a better fight of it, but he held his opponent too cheap, and when you have a combination like Prince Charlie and Hope to cope with you do not want to throw away any chances. Foulplay’s son paid £4 4s. The Settlers Handicap brought matters to a close for the day, Clieve being the only one who declined the contest, Mr Richardson’s Maxim horse, Popgun, being selected favourite, Brennan, after the bold front he displayed in the Welter, coming next in favour, while Forecast, a Waipukurau winner, was third choice. Torpedo’s son shot to the front at flag-fall, and, although Forecast, Daphne, and Popgun were very attentive to him, he held his own to the finish, getting there half a length to the good from Popgun, with Daphne a good third. Dividend, £5 Bs.