After the Races.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 678, 5 March 1903, Page 14

After the Races.

FTTWMER' There was a capital attendance at Alexandra Park on Saturday afternoon, when the Otahuhu Trotting Club made a commencement with the Summer re-union. Mr A. R. Harris acted at> judge, and Mr W. Absolum as . starter, and ..-both got through their duties with credit ; while Mr W. H. Lockhart/ thfe secretary, worked hard to make things go smoothly. The' day’s sport was, however, marred by the protests, which seem,, inevitable at the Park. During the .afternoon, the sum of £2150 10s? w&s '.passed; through the total

isator, the two-dividend system being adopted for the first time. Proceedings opened with the Maiden Trot, for which Duchess of Rothschild was most in demand This confidence in the Rothschild mare was speedily vindicated, for she soon went to the front, and never afterwards being caught, won easily by twenty yards from Carbolic, who only just beat Rosalind, the second favourite. For the Hamess Trot, of two miles, only four were sent out. The public fancy settled on Thorndean as likely to do the trick, with Little Bess also well backed. The latter gelding was well treated with a long handicap, and he was never caught, although Bliss Irvington made a great effort to do so in the straight, but was beaten after a gallant fight by a bare three yards. There was some very spirited betting on the Pony Cup, Annoyed and Orange and Blue carrying a heap of public money, while Avalanche and Leona were by no means unbefriended. The start was a i poor one, and before they had travelled far Avalanche was in front, and she kept there all the way. Annoyed made a valiant effort to get up at the distance, but suffered a defeat by a length. A good field turned out for the Trotting Cup, and when betting settled down it was seen that Typewriter wasi the favourite selection, with Occidental in more demand than any of the others. Typewriter and Durbar had the race virtually to themselves, but the favourite breaking badly left Durbar to cross the finishing line fully fifty yards ahead. A protest was lodged against the winner for crossing, but was dismissed. The owner of Typewriter, however, lodged an appeal to the New Zealand Trotting Association, and the totalizator investments were impounded pending the result. For the Pony Trot Victor Hugo was sorted out as the good thing, and was well backed accordingly, Miss Munroe and Queenie being the only others to find many admirers. Mr Douglas 1 ’ mare won with the utmost ease by thirty yards from Bert. There was a really remarkable boil-over in the Electric Trot Handicap, for which fourteen horses competed. La Grande was made favourite, the two unthought of ones being Taihoa and Peri Huon. These two. however, filled first and second places, and returned the big dividends of £52 6s and £ll 12s for each 10s ticket. There was no lack of speculation for the Flying Stakes; and on the strength of her win in the mile race Avalanche was made a piping hot favourite. Orange and Blue was quickest off the mark, and making tlhe pace very willing led the whole way rather easily, Stalling off a strong challenge made by the favourite. A protest against the winner was not sustained. The Class Trot terminated proceedings, and of the nine who went to the post most money was forthcoming for King George, Waitekauri, and Typewriter. Typewriter was in front as they turned into the straight, but King George here colBared her, and despite a break came again md defeated the mare on the post by two ?ards, with Waitekauri a fair third.