After the Races.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 421, 18 August 1898, Page 10

After the Races.

N.Z. GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. [By our Canterbury Correspondent.] Another Grand National Meeting has come and gone, and three months will have to go by before the Canterbury Jockey Club provides more excitement for 1-vers of horse-racing. This year’s National Meeting was conducted in proper winter weather. On the first day a cold sou’-west wind blew across the Riccarton Raeecouree, and a sou’wester does blow cold at Riccarton, while on the second day rain marred the enjoyment of racing and interferred greatly with the attendance. The racing, however, afforded plenty of excitement, and in the two big events and the flat raees the finishes were close enough to please even the most fastidious sportsman. Racing commenced with the First Hunters’ Hurdles, for which Gollan’s Riverdale (R. Harley) was made favorite, Rex 11. being next in demand Riverdale occupied the leading position for a mile, when he fell back, and Glenore and Windermere entered the straight together. The latter drew ahead at the last hurdle and won easily by three lengths from Glenore, who was six lengths in front of Jack the Flat, with Rex 11. fourth, Riverdale fifth, and Crescent last. Jib was outpaced. Next came the Maiden Hurd ! es, which brought out nine starters. Hussar, who has done splendid work since his arrival at Riccarton, at once took the public eye, with* the result that he received more support than any two horses in the race. Castashore and Penrose both looked really well. The field was in close company for half a mile, and no mishap occurred until the fence at Cutts’ was reached, when South Pacific fell Hussar then took the lead, followed by Cast ashore and Penrose, the others being several lengths behind. There was no further alteration until the straight was reached, when Penrose drew level with the leading pair. The three jumped the last hurdle almost in line, but, in the run home, Penrose proved to be the possessor of most pace, and beat Oastashore by a length for first place. Hussar, who tired in the last furlong, was three lengths behind Platt’s horse, then came Slaiden twenty lengths behind Hussar. The Ladies’ Bracelet, i vvb miles on the flat, proved an exercise canter for one of Mr G. G. Stead’s N.Z. Cup horses, St. Cyr, who cantered home a winner by three lengths from Boccaccio, Stoneyhurst. Dudu, and General Wolfe. Boccaccio, who had the assistance of R. Harley, was favori'e, but failed to respond to his rider’s final call. St. Cyr was ridden by Wilfred Stead, and this was both the horse and rider’s first appearance in public. The great race of the day next occupied public attention Immediately alter the race for the Bracelet the saddling-paddock was filled with a crowd eager to get a final look at the horses before investing on the machine. The only withdrawal was Muscatel. Dummy at once caught the eye, so well did he look that it appeared to rest, in his ability to get over the journey to win outright. Two days before the meeting Dummy did not do 1 is work as well as usual, and failed to take the tod wall in anything like pleasing style. How-

ever, as things turned out, he was able to stay and jump as well as any of them, and won after a capital struggle with Rhino. The latter was looking particularly well, and had he jumped his fences better in the first round, and cleared the last fence quicker, he would have pushed Dummy more than he did. Morag, too, was in grand buckle, so were Booties, Claymore, Magpie, Nor’West, and Dromedary, but they macle mistakes and were not fast enough for Dummy, Rhino, and Morag. Dummy was first favorite, Rhino, Dromedary, Morag, and Nor’-West meeting with more support than the others. The field galloped over the first fence in line, Rhino clearing it a little in advance of the others, except Huntingdon, who refused. Rhino jumped the stand double just clear of Dummy, Booties, Magpie, and Dromedary, while Robin swerved off and dislodged his rider. By the ' time Cutts s was reached Morag had run into first place, closely followed by Booties, with Claymore last. Rhino again took pride of position along the back, but, hesitating at the double opposite the kennels, allowed Dummy and Morag to pass him. At this point. Dromedary was crossed by riderless Robin and fell, while Nor’-West refused. Dummy got safely over the sod wall, and was followed by Morag, Rhino, Booties, Magpie, Robin, and Claymore. Passing the stand double Magpie ran into fourth position, and Robin, who was jumping beautifully without his rider, fell back last. At Cutts’s Dummy was two clear lengths in front of Rhino and Morag, and held this lead until the post and rail fence was reached, at the turn into the straight, when Rhino drew level and the pair ran to the final fence together. Here Rhino swerved a little, and, although he came with a fine run on the flat, he failed to reach Dummy, who won by a length, with Morag two lengths behind third, Magpie several lengths away fourth, Claymore fifth, and Booties sixth. Robin stopped in the last mi’e. The first three horses gave a splendid exhibition of jumping, and Dummy and his rider (P. Johnson) came in for an ovation when returning to scale. Ten hunters faced the starter in the Tally-ho Steeplechase. Dundonald, who was ridden by his owner, was a strong favorite, and proved too good for the others, winning by a dozen lengths from Rainbow, who, after leading most of the journey, died away in the straight. Puketoi, Wahu, Purepure, and Jack refused at different fences, whilst Typhoon fell at the second jump. Thirteen horses came out to contest the Enfield Steeplechase, and Platt’s Seabreeze was voted a good thing, but failed to run up to expectations, and was not placed. This race produced some sensational features. At the first fence Guide and Huntingdon refused, Fleetwood came down at the double opposite the stand, while Kuku, when leading at the sod wall, fell, leaving Stanley with a long lead from Powder Monkey, with Dundonald and St. Hiko twenty lengths behind, apparently hopelessly out of the running. Stanley ran up to the last fence just in front of Powder Monkey, but refused, and Powder Monkey doing likewise, left Dundonald in front. The latter’s rider then shook his mount up and cantered home ten lengths in front of Coastguard, who beat St. Hiko by a length for second place. Dundonald, through a gnat slice of luck, was enabled to win two steeplechases in succession within the hour, a performance unique in the annals of New Zealand racing. The large field of twenty three homes lined up for the Winter Handicap, one mile on the flat, and Titoki received most support, Maremma, St. Kilda, Double Event, and Ilex being next in demand. The whole field was sent away in a beautiful line. Female Franchise and Wedlock were the first to draw out and led round the turn. Wedlock took first place in the straight, being closely followed by Alcestis, Moonraker, Titoki, Remorse 11., Female Franchise, and Double Event. In the last furlong Female Franchise came through and, stalling off a determined challenge from Double Event, just gbt her head past the judged box in the nick of time. Remorse 11. was a length away third, Titoki fourth, with Moonraker, Alcestis, Wedlock, and Lapidary at the head of the others. Proverb, an aged Maxim gelding, won the Hunt Club Ladies’ Bracelet, beating Stonechat, Piccolo, and Walrus. The August Handicap, six furlongs, opened the card on the second day, nineteen horses starting. Titoki was again made favorite, but, although he had the services of Derrett, he failed to show his true form and finished in the ruck. In the early part of the race the colors of Penrose, Wedlock, and Mount Royal were prominent, but before two furlongs had been covered Swordfish took command and managed to sustain his run and beat Moonraker (who came very fast in the last hundred yards) by a neck, with Crusader close up third, Castashore, Penrose, and Wedlock following. Kuku had very little difficulty in winning the Hunt Cup, Coastguard being second two lengths behind, and Grigg’s horse, Dugal, third. Purepure and Wry Lad fell, while Fleetwood ran off at the last fence, and Puketoi and Dundonald were fourth and fifth.

I he big race of the day, the Grand National Hurdles, came next. Opae was a strong favorite, Social Pest, Hussar, and Kanaka being next in favor. The race was run in a storm of rain. Hussar, Dundee, and Napoleon were in front at the start, but the last-named fell at the fence near Cults’, where Magazine fell on his knees but was set going again. Dundee, Hussar, and Social Pest, with a length separating them, ran down the back stretch well ahead of the others, of whom Opae and Mis fire were leading. Opae moved up before the straight was re-iched, and jumped the hurdle at the top of the straight alongside Dundee, but the latter was first over the last fence ; then followed Hussar and Kanaka close together. It was anyone’s race a furlong from home, but Social Pest had most pace and won by two lengths from Dundee, who was a length aheed of Kanaka. Then came Nicholas, Opae, Missfire, Ilex, and Magazine. Muscatel was never prominent, and Izal was . outpaced from the start.

With the Hurdle Race over attention was thenpaid to the Beaufort Steeplechase, for which the names of fifteen horses figured on the card. Rhino and Dromedary were withdrawn, the latter through suffering from effects of falling in the Grand National Steeplechase. Morag was at once installed favorite, but did not seem to relish the heavy going, and could only get third to Claymore and Conscript, both of whom jumped remarkably well. At the first obstacle, the double at the kennels, Nor’-West and Guido refused and Coastguard ran off. Before half a mile had been covered Conscript was in front, and at the stard double Magpie and Powder Monkey fell. Conscript went along past Cutts’ a length in front of Claymore, with Stanley and Morag close up. Robin, Booties, i>nd Huntingdon were a long way in the rear. Claymore had assumed the lead at the mile post, where Stanley fell, leaving Conscript Claymore’s nearest attendant and Morag third. These three completed the distance in that order, Claymore having five lengths advantage of Conscript at the finish, Morag being a similar distance behind Conscript. Booties and Huntingdon were the others to complete the course, but they were a long way behind the leaders. Windermere, by annexing the Second Hunters’ Hurdles, scored his second victory at the meeting. He won in a canter from Jib, with Glenor third and Jack fourth. Nine horses saddled up for the final Hurdle Race, and Castashore (10.8) carried most money on the machine, but Penrose (11.2), Dundee (10.12), Kanaka (10.0), and Liberator (10.2) were all well backed. Castashore and Liberator led past the stand, and were joined by Penrose along the back stretch, and these three were together at the top turn, where Dundee fell and Kanaka ran up to the leaders. Kanaka drew away in the straight despite a determined challenge by old Liberator, and won by half a length. Penrose was third a length behind Liberator. Castashore, Magazine, Slaiden, and St. Hiko came next in the order named. St. Kilda and Boreas were among the withdrawals from the Isljngton Handicap, for which Ruby Twist was voted a good thing, but he could only get third placej Whario being first, a length and a half in front of Bi-metallist, Remorse 11. fourth, Moon raker fifth, and Sequin last. The Hunters’ Plate only brought out four starters, but furnished a capital struggle between Santa Barbara and Stonechat, the judge being unable to separate them at the finish. Proverb was third. In the run off Santa Barbara won easily.