ASHBURTON RACING CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 407, 12 May 1898, Page 10

ASHBURTON RACING CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

[By our Canterbury Correspondent.] The Ashburton Racing Club’s Autumn Meet- ' ing was carried to a successful issue on Thursday and Friday last. There was some good racing, but one serious accident, which ended in the death of H. McNiel. the jockey, marred the pleasure of the sport. • Racing on the first, day commenced with the Netherby High-Weight Handicap, seven furlongs. - ■ Merino . (9.9) was at once installed, favorite, but ; although he shaped well he could not catch Alcestis (8.3), who jumped off the mark very smartly, and holding her own to the finish won by a,neck from Marino, who was two lengths in front of Crescent (8.12). Dividend, £6 9s. There were only four starters in the principal race, the Autumn Handicap, one mile and a quarter. The winner turned up in Bi-metallist (6.12), she outsider of the field, who, in company with Rangefinder (7.5), made the running from the start and just beat the latter by a nose after a splendid struggle. Epaulet (9.5) was close up third, while Skirmisher, who ran badly, finished several lengths behind Epaulet. Dividend, £9 Is. Rangefinder was favorite. Topsy (7.10), by Perkin Warbeck 11., won the Melrose Pony Handicap, four furlongs, defeating Dot (8.13), Bot fly (9.7), and two others. Dividend, £5 Ba. TJhe Novel Race, five furlongs, was won by , Cherrystone, The Orphan second, and Miss Lbchiel third. The winner, who was favorite, was bought by Goodman for £25. Afield of. five started in the Grove Handicap, seven furlongs. Seabrook (8 7) led from start to finish, and won easily by three lengths from Marino (8.8(, Belligerent (7.6) being third.

Double Event (9.5) and Mount. Clair (8.12) were the other starters. Dividend, £4l6s. A protest was entered against Seabrook on the ground that his running at North Canterbury was still under consideration. The stewards decided that as they had not received any official information on the subject the dividend on Seabrook should be paid, but in the meantime they would withhold the stakes.

Shooting Star won the Hurry Scurry, paying a dividend of £5; and [the Flying Handicap was won easily by Bracelet (9.3), First Venture (7.5) being second, and Paladin (7.13) third. Dividend, £1 16s. Racing on the second day commenced with the Wakanui Handicap, six furlongs. Crescent (8.12), despite his poor running on the first day, was made favorite, and won in the end by a length and a half from Belligerent (8.2), who was two lengths in front of Liberty (7 7). Dividend, £2 3s. After the race the stewards met and considered the running of Crescent on the first day, but no decision was arrived at. Further meetings were held in the evening and also on Saturday, but the stewards were unable to come to any decision. Another meeting will be held to-morrow night. The Ashburton Handicap, one mile, brought out five starters; Seabrook was most in demand. Bi-metalliet (7.3) and Double Event (8.3) made the running for half a mile, when the othei’s drew level, and just below the distance Rangefinder (7.3) came away and won by two tengths from Seabrook (8.8), who was just in front of Quiltiri (7.2). When weighing in, T. Buddicombe, who declared 21b over-weight, had drawn the scale at 7.7, now drew,7.B. The stewards held a meeting to consider whether this invalidated Rangefinder’s claim to the stake, and it was resolved to refer the matter to the Canterbury Jockey Club. Dot, who got second in the Pony Race on the first day, won the similar event on the second day, defeating Bot-fly by a neck, and paying a dividend of £4 2s. The winner was protested against on the ground that she was over the standard height, but the protest was dismissed. At the South Canterbury meeting Dot was not allowed to start. She is a five-year-old mare by Apremont. The Disposal Stakes, five furlongs, was won by The Orphan, who defeated Rudstone, Quiltiri, and three others, and paid a dividend of £2 18s. Speculator (9.4), who ha’s just returned from the West Coast, won the Winchmore Welter, seven furlongs, beating Marino (9.13), Epaulet (10.12), and Mount Clair (8.0), who finished in the order named. Dividend, £4 15s. The Allanton Handicap, five furlongs, was won by Liberty (7.8), a five-year-old horse by Artil-lery-Fanny Purnell. Belligerent (7.9) was second and Alcestis (8.3) third. Dividend, £9 Bs. Rudstone (by Stonyhurst — Manza) won the Hurry Scurry, paying a dividend of £2 17s. $