HAWKE'S BAY J.C. SPRING MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 662, 16 October 1902, Page 15

HAWKE'S BAY J.C. SPRING MEETING.

FIRST DAY-WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8. The Metropolitan Club of this district brought a very successful venture to a conclusion on Thursday afternoon. Speculation was brisk, and the volume, of business transacted by the totalisator showed an increase of £lOB4 ovci' the opening gathering last year, when £11,056 passed through the machines. The figures for the .two days’ races on'Wednesday and ThursCIO MO TU i

moe and Muralo filling the places of second anol third favourites respectively. The.public located the winder accurately, for Bombardo came to light in the last bit, and had no trouble in snuffing out Rajah, who had led all the way, till he was collared by Bombardo. Bounce, a good-looking Captain Webb gelding, got third place, and had he been lucky enough to get first would have returned his partisans a good price, as there were only five tickets taken out on him on the 1,2 machines, which showed a total of £633, and in the straight out machine he hacl only one backer who would have got over a century for his sovereign investment. The King 1 Edward Handicap produced fourteen starters. The Shannon headed Porirua by a pound for the first favourite’s place, Convoy coming next. The bettors were out in their calculation sadly in this affair, for Porirua was the only one of the trio who gave them a hope, and he had to be content with third place. He looked like a winner at one time. Just as the field swung round the home bend, but it was only for a moment, as Hinetaura rushed, to the front, and coming in with a great head of steam on got there with ease by quite three lengths. Porirua succumbed to Kelpy in the last few strides, the cerise bearer showing a lot of staying qualities at the right end. Fleka and Mongonui made the pace merry for four or five furlongs, but after that stage had been reached they melted away. When the winner had passed the post Sirius could be seen putting in good work, and his efforts showed that the race was apparently too short tor him. The winner, who is by Robinson Crusoe out of the Vasco-di-Gama marc Hinewhata, was bred by her owner, Mr G. E G. Richardson, who was not present to see his mare win, nor was her trainer," A If. Woods, who was absent at the Otaki Meeting with Robin Adair, Pantomime,-and Gold Seal, some of the other members of Mr Richardson’s team.

Waiwera, who 'was opposed by four others in the Hurdle Race, was made such a warm choice that his number showed within £9 of what was collectively invested on the other contestants. His supporters had a bad! run for their money, for he anly got within hailing distance of Cobra, who sailed home the easiest of winners. Abergele!ie, the full brother to Moifaa, got second berth. Cobra, who is one of the Torpedo clan, was ridden with a big pull on her for a mile and a-quar-ter, when she was let go, and half-a-mile from home looked as if she was beaten, but her subsidence was only momentarily, for when Lawry got at her again she gamely answered to his call, and soon pulled to the front, her opponents not being] able’to get near her', when once she had assumed control. Shell},’ack, the Nelson —Hestia gelding, who was ridden by Harry Moore, fenced none too kindly, and gave his -jockey a rather uncomfortable time of it.. In the Hastings Stakes the Aucklandtrained fillies showed a lot of aptitude in g'ctuirig -away' from thd barrier, while Bandmaster, St. Evangeline, Gladsoine, and Bruce Lowe were slow tp move. Sans Pour was always well up, and in the

headed, and at the finish was going with a good deal of comfort. Laureate ran second, and Windwhistle third. Dingo was a slightly better favourite than Windwhistle, while Laureate was sixth best fancied. The winner never looked to my way of thinking as well as he appeared on Wednesday. Eland, who was one of the mob, s’eems to have fallen away somewhat, and was never very prominent. Up to last week she had been galloping well, and ,her track work up tO' that time led to the belief amongst the touts that she would be hard to beat.' Laureate also showed out in good style, and his was a good performance, more especially when the fact is taken into consideration that he had previously been seen out in the King Edward Handicap.