NOTES ON THE HAWKE’S BAY MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 955, 25 June 1908, Page 5

NOTES ON THE HAWKE’S BAY MEETING.

(By our H.B. Correspondent.)

The first day’s racing in connection with the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s winter meeting was held on Wednesday. The weather was cold and a few showers were ‘ experienced throughout the day. The attendance was not quite up to the usual standard owing no doubt to the unsettled state of the weather, the ladies particularly not being strongly represented. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Plunket were present. All the acceptors in the Ladies’ Bracelet event went to the post, and the race was an extremely interesting one, the winner turning up in Ahei, who was nominated by Mrs. F. Davis. At the conclusion of the race the bracelets were handed to Miss Russell by Lady Plunket owing to the winning nominators being unavoidably absent. Sir Wm. Russell introduced Lady Plunket in a speech in which he dwelt on the high honour that it was to the winner to receive the bracelets through Her Ladyship. The Steeplechase also brought out all the acceptors, and Faro was made favourite. A fast-run race ended in favour of Post Haste, who was the second outsider, and rewarded his supporters with a good dividend. Faro ran off at the manuka fence along

the back stretch the second time round, as did Pierre, while Miss King pulled up at the double in front of the grandstand. Pushful let his supporters down by falling at the sod wall on the way home. Post Haste and his rider were accorded an ovation on returning to scale.

The totalisator figures showed a decrease of £1895, the amount put through the machine totalling £6153 as against £BO4B for the corresponding day last year, when a double machine was run. The amount received from the twelve licensed bookmakers (£ 246) will more than make up for the shortage. The winter meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club was brought to a close of Thursday. Although the weather was cold and the sky gloomy, with only occasional glimpses of sunshine, there was a satisfactorily large* attendance, and the interest of the sport more than atoned for the climatic unpleasantness. Two or three showers fell during the afternoon, the heaviest just as the programme had b en completed. The course was rather heavy, but in very fair condition considering the previous rains.

For the big event of the day, the June Steeplechase, the seven horses whose names appeared on the card faced the starter. Faro was a hot favourite, and up to within a few strides from home looked a winner, but in the end had to succumb to Pierre, a gallant struggle taking place between the two. Aroha destroyed whatever chance he might have had by failing to negotiate the sod wall on the first round. For the Ladies’ Necklace 12 horses started. Chatterer was a strong favourite, but sadly disappointed her backers by finishing sixth. Espartero won rather easily, his nearest attendant (Hinupai) running rather wide just at the nish. The other events were well contested, some of the finishes being close and exciting. It was a noteworthy feature and a fact that redounds to the credit of the handicapper, that in only a couple of races did the favourite get home. The sum of £6387 passed through the totalisator as against £7270 on the second day last year, when a double machine was in operation. The total for the meeting was £12,540 as compared with £15,318 for the winter meeting of 1907. There were 10 licensed bookmakers on the ground on the second day, who each paid £2O 10s for the privilege of betting.