After the Races.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 478, 21 September 1899, Page 13

After the Races.

THE AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB’S SPRING MEETING.

[By

Atlas,]

Fikst Day—Saturday, September 16.

The Avondale Jcekey Club inaugurated the racing season on Saturday, under very favorable circumstances. The large entry for the various events was almost sufficient to ensure the success of the gathering, and when Saturday turned out a beautifully fine spring day success was certain, and the lively appearance of the Avondale road indicated a record day, and at an early hour the saddling paddock was well filled, a large propor tion of those present being ladies. Although, of course, the Avondale Stakes and the Avondale Cup were the chief items on the day’s programme, it was quite evident by the presence of a large number of the members of the Pakuranga Hunt Club and their lady friends that the jumping events had taken on with them. Those who speculated in the privileges certainly did well, and I am sure that the gentleman who secured the gates did not regret his bargain, as there must have been more than four thousand people within the enclosure during the afternoon ; and then, again, Mr Donovan’s staff was kept so busy in the refreshment booths that towards the finish there became a danger that the liquid revivers would not hold out as long as the public. Mr Stillwell provided a capital luncheon, and an excellent programme of music, played by Mr A. R. Hunter’s brass band, was much appreciated. The improvements in the saddling paddock were very favourably commented on, and it was well that the new and commodious tote house had been erected, as the speculation wag so brisk that £6023 was passed through the machine during the afternoon, and, notwithstanding the great increase of business, backers never experienced either inconvenience or delay. The totalisator staff were under the supervision of Mr J. Cook, and one and all seemed to work with clock-like regularity. Mr Bollard was of course absent attending to his Parliamentary duties, so Mr M. Foley occupied the judge’s box. The genial chairman of the club’s committee has worked hard for the Avondale Club, and the large attendance and good sport must have been particularly gratifying to him, as well as to the secretary (Mr Harry Hayr), who is now ensconced in a new office con nected with the tote house, where he can hear the constant jingling of the coin. Pleasant music this, no doubt. Mr J. O. Evett, the handicapper, was evidently in a happy frame of mind, and he had very good reason, too, because but one favourite got home during the afternoon —and of course a handicapper has a right to feel pleased when he can bide the winners so well as Mr Joseph did on tiffs occasion. Mr Cutts was in good iorm as star; er. He had some big fields to dispatch, but he handled them all with a master’s hand.

The business of the day was started with the Maiden Plate Handicap. A race of this sort is

just one of those races I look upon as a dark event, because the handicapper is presented with the difficult task of putting together a lot of comparatively unknown quantities, and if he succeeds in doing so it is more by good luck than good management. This time Mr Evett did succeed in a measure, because the race was a real good one. It was started probably a little too early for the general public, and it proved the poorest betting race of the day, for, although there were twelve starters, only £371 was invested on the machine. Mr Cutts commenced operations by effecting a good start. The Owl was quickest on his legs, and drew away a length, his nearest attendant being Swiftfoot and St. Aida. When once in the straight a good race was witnessed, and at the distance Swiftfoot, who had headed The Owl, looked like a winner, but at the distance Jim Keane, well handled by Joe Duff, came with a rattle and beat Major George’s gelding home by a long neck. St. Aida was a good third, but she was either badly handled or had a bad run, otherwise she would have been nearer the front. Perhaps she will do better later on.

It must have been pleasant for the handicapper to note the fact that there was not a single scratching in the Handicap Hurdle Race. The popular fancy was Volcano, in Mr Frank Macmanemin’s stable, Dentist, who had the services of the old veteran, Jack Rae, being next in demand. Foudroyant was the first away, but he had not gone far before Voltigeur 11. began to show the way. The son of Lionel was not running in his proper colours, and this led some to confuse him with the other grey (Idris), who was toiling hopelessly in the rear. The race does not require much description, as Voltigeur 11. led throughout. Oyer the first hurdle he was followed by Tip, Dentist, Volcano, and The Needle. There was very little alteration all round, and Voltigeur 11. held command into the straight, with Volcano closing up, and the pair were together 1 at the last jump, which Volcano seemed to funk, and Berry, riding Voltigeur 11. resolutely, got home by three parts of a length. I think Volcano should have won, but nevertheless the race was a good one. Cannongate was third, and the East Coast horse, Rollo, fourth; then came Tip, Dentist, Dingo, The Needle, and Hylas.

The defections in the Avondale Stakes were the Castor —Sunrise colt, the St. Leger —Ladybird colt, Minerve, Zealous, Evert, Yvonne, Captain Jack, Brockland, the Soult —Swiftsure gelding, and Golden Rose. A lot of interest was evinced in the race, and there were all sorts of stories going about, concerning the doings of the youngsters, and some of them were doubtless wide of the mark. Mr Dan McLeod had planked down in favor of his filly, St. Elwyn, while Lady Avon, on the strength of her gallop on Thursday morning, was next in demand, but she is so small in stature that there were few outside of the stable who cared to back her. St. Olga is a handsome filly, and m many respects she is like St. Paul It was reported that she had done the four furlongs, with 8,5 up and shoes on, in 52sec; but there were similar fairy tales in circulation about some of the others. Vai Rosa, for instance, it was rumored had knocked the stuffing out of Miss Delaval, while Kissmary had b?en catching swallows or something equally as fast down at Kohimaramara. fl he Mangere youngster certainly looks smart, but Kissmary, although a fine big filly, presented rather a jaded appearance, and it may he that she has bsen asked to catch too many Kohimaramara swallows. Both Beddington and Aleger looked really well, and I am inclined to think that they will have more to say later on. They were not backed on Saturday in a style to cause one to think that their following had a lot of confidence in them, but for all that their position in the race showed that they knew how to gallop. St. Elwyn’s display was disappointing, and she will need to do something better than she did on Saturday before she will start a first favorite again. There was not much in the appearance of any of the others to call for special mention, save that in the preliminaries nothing seemed to gallop with such vim as the little Soult filly. Her trainer, Mr Jack Booth, was hopeful, but not too confident. The reports of the deeds of others was not calculated to cr< ate unbounded confidence in anything. The youngsters behaved well, and Mr Cutts got them away to a splendid start. Joe Sceates, on Lady Avon, was the first to take the lead, St. Olga and one of Wright’s being next. The little filly, going on with great dash, was soon several lengths to the good, and never once during the race did any of others trouble her, and she won at the finish by about four lengths, t ocf George Wright’s next, with St. Olga fourth, and the favorite among the ruck. The time, although not fast, is a second and a half faster than that of Miss Delaval in the Juvenile Stakes last year. The course, however, was heavier going last year th'.n this. Lady Avon was bred by Mr J. G. Ralph, and is by the English-bred horse Soult out of First Love, a Nordenfeldt mare. The success of this union will probably cause more Musket mares to visit the St. Simon horse The head lines of Lady Avon’s pedigree are:—

LADY AVON. Boult | First Love St Simon | Beauharnais | Nordenfeldt | Fish Gi>l The event of the day was the Avondaie Cup, and when the numbeis went up. it was pleasant to see that there was not a single absentee The New Zealand Cup candidate, Miss Delaval was in great demand, and George A.bsolum had her looking fairly well. One of the most improved

looking horses in the paddock was Bluejacket, and he was brimful of spirit. St. Ursula’s friends had every reason to be pleased with her appearance, and Record Reign, on the course, made a lot of friends Mr Roulston’s gelding had been trained at Pukekohe until a week before the races, when he was taken to Avondale, and Castor’s son certainly looked as if he had done a good preparation, while Auld Reekie and Porangi Potae were in good trim. Mr Cutts again effected a good start, and after Auld Reekie, for a brief period, had been indulged with the lead, Regalia 11. took up the running, attended by Bluejacket, Record Reign, St. Ursula, and Miss Delaval. Going round the back Record Reign improved his position, and Regalia, as the straight was entered, was done with, and Miss Delaval closely attended by Bluejacket was in pursuit of Record Reign, but the latter was going strong, and Taylor throwing no chances away landed Record Reign a tolerably easy winner by a couple of lengths. Both Bluejacket and Auld Reekie passed the favorite in the straight and finished second and third, with Miss Delaval fourth. The defeat of Miss Delaval was a big disappointment to those who had backed her, not only for this race but for the New Zealand Cup. After the races we always hear excuses, and some advanced the story that the mare has been hurried on in her preparation. That may be so, but, all the same, she will have to improve immensely between this and the early part of November, to have a show in the big two mile handicap. I have a fancy that if Lindsay had been severe on her, Miss Delaval could have been second or third, but she even had not “Buckley’s show” to catch Record Reign. Castor, the sire of Record Reign, was at at the head of winning sires last season, and Record Reign has commenced well this season by annexing the first important race of the year. Last year Record Reign started four times and won once. That was in the Spring Handicap at Ellerslie, when he was steered, as on Saturday, by Tommy Taylor, and carried Bst 61b over seven furlongs, in Im in 31sec. St. Paul won the Cup last year, carrying 10st 81b, the time being 2min 18|sec. Record Reign has beaten that time by six seconds, but last year the going was heavy. It will probably be a long time before St Paul’s record in point of merit will be wiped out. The Hack Handicap brought out a field of twenty, and a whisper about Bellbird caused him to be in most demand. The hacks are, however, an unknown quantity to the ordinary run of sportsmen, and most of the punters were plunging in the dark, while the fact that in consequence of the large field a number of the horses had to be bracketed on the machine, robbed the race of a lot of its interest from a punter’s psint of view. Kettledrum commenced with a rattle and was the first to show in front followed by Bellbird. In this way they ran to the bend where Kettledrum began to stop, and Bellbird and Wellington took command with half a dozen others in close pursuit. At the half distance Bellbird appeared to be winning, but here Forty seven, driven along by Tommy Hodson, came with a well timed finish and gained a well earned victory by half a length. The winner, although coupled with Castroline, paid the very nice dividend of £l7 7s. Ten came out for the Hunt Club Steeplechase, and the members of the Pakuranga Hunt Club became as busy as bees, but even they who are supposed to know more than tile gentle public concerning the prowess of the horses engaged seemed to be divided in opinion. The result was a fairly good betting race, Dan McLeod, for the third time during the day, and in the three principal events, supplying the favourite Crusado. The best backed of the others were Tommy and Riot. The first pilot was Villars over the first jump where Mangere baulked. Riot was the nearest attendant of Villars at the double, Glenarm and 1 ommy following. Riot closed up in the run round the back, and was on terms with Villars at the donble the second time round, there being a long gap between this pair and the rest of the field. Villars rapped the second fence of the double hard, but Mr Harding made a good recovery, and followed in Riot’s wake. At the gorse fence, however, Villars struck and came down heavily, Crusado, who was close to him, also falling. The first jump at the double proved fatal to Taffy, who apparently broke his neck, never moving after he fell. flhese accidents considerably diverted attention from the race. Riot went on with a strong lead, Bonovoree and Tommy following, while Mozel, who was a long way behind, broke down. There was but little alteration after this, but Mr Gordon on Tommy made a game effort to decrease the lead of Riot. He could make but little impression, however, on Riot, who won very easily. None of the riders on the horses that fell were injured. Seventeen ponies faced the barrier in the Pony Handicap, and Rangiuru, Edison, and Nora were the most fancied. The running was carried on by Stelhi and Lady until the home turn was reached, and here Pipiwharauroa put in hie challenge, and Satman, riding a vigorous finish, won by two lengths from Miss Lane (who was a rank outsider) and Botfly. The Flying Handicap brought, the day’s i port to a close, and out of the field of fourteen which started St. Peter, by the the force of money, was put in the position of favourite, the next best backed being Red Lancer, and Lillie. The leading division from the start and along the back stretch were Firefly, Lillie, St. Peter, and St. Elmo. Firefly made the pace round the bend, where St. Peter challenged her, but he was soon beaten off. Firefly continued in the lead right up the straight, and won pretty comfortably from Cavalier and Lillie.