GISBORNE RACING CLUB’S STEEPLECHASE MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 1010, 15 July 1909, Page 5

GISBORNE RACING CLUB’S STEEPLECHASE MEETING.

FIRST DAY. Though most of the horses wore their winter coats, they all looked well, and the events were keenly contested, says a Gisborne writer. Haurangi had an easy task in the Hurdle Race, and won almost from start to finish, and, what was more, returned his supporters a substantial dividend. A good field was saddled up for the Maiden Hack Race, and fancy ran to Sublime, Fort William, ahd Masonic. Sublime had shown good track trials, and Mr. T. W. Hackett was fairly

confident of success. His smart filly stepped from the barrier quickly, and won in good style. The Auckland visitor, Toa Tere, was never prominent. Pearl Reef came to Mr. J. F. Pettie as a gift, and a profitable gift, for his new owner was confident of success, and Pearl Reef made no race of the Flying Handicap. Pluck was a strong favourite, and Dardanus also found support. Both were beaten, Munga Motio being the only one of a field of five that could make Pearl Reef gallop. Mr. Cuthbert Morse wisely reserved Te Arai for the Gisborne Park Steeplechase, and Te Arai had the measure of his only opponent, Mozart, all the way. Porter made a splendid race. He nursed his mount to advantage, and took no risks, the result being that the big Monaco gelding was never seriously troubled. The Hack Flat Handicap provided a good race. The Hawke’s Bay colt, Bravery, cut out the running to the turn, and as the visitor was showing an enormous dividend on the totalisator the backers of Lloyds—a hot favourite—were feeling very despondent. Baldos made a run at the turn, where Broadfield was riding Lloyds rather easily. Deeley moved Baldos at a smart pace, but when Lloyds made his run it was too late, and Mr. Parker’s gelding won comfortably. The Trial Steeplechase ■was a race between Te Kanui and Wairaka, as Te Kohau, though a good jumper, was never near the front, and Atanui and Waiohika, the other two candidates, fell. The weight told on Te Kanui, and Wairaka was victorious

after a well fought out race. Lloyds alone was withdrawn from the Winter Oaks Handicap, and seven good horses were sent to the post. Paisano was the most popular, but there was money for Spate, Continuance, and Gladsmuir. Ballyheigh did not look his best, and Hinetitama was not fancied. Whakaweira, as usual, was left at the post, and Gladsmuir and Continuance showed the way for the first two furlongs. At the back of the course Spate put in a challenge, but Porter kept Gladsmuir going, and Mr. Clark’s mare was shaken off. Spate, however, came again in the straight, and though Lowe rode a good race Gladsmuir was full of running, and won rather easily, with • Paisano close up third. Mr. J. Pettie, of Te Karaka, had his trotter, Sweet Patch, on the course, and.treated the spectators to an exhibition of trotting.

SECOND DAY. The feature of the racing during the two days was the consistent form of the locally trained horses, and the number of successes on the first day that were repeated on the concluding day. Mr. T. W. Hackett’s smart filly, Sublime, won the Maiden Hack race on Thursday, and repeated her form by victories in the Ma’den Hack Handicap and the Second Hack Flat Handicap. Out of a programme of 14 races for the two days, Sublime won three events, Te Arai two, ualdos two,

Mozart two, and Gladsmuir two, while Pearl Reef, the winner of the Flying Handicap on Thursday, ran second to Ba’dos in the Waikanae Handicap. The other winners were Haurangi and Wairaka. F. Porter rode Te Arai and Gladsmuir on each occasion, making four winning mounts; E. Lowe won three times on Sublime, and Mr. Selby rode Mozart in both successes, and Deeley scored on Baldos twice. The other successful jockeys were J. Hall, W. Young, and J. Howard. Te Arai easily defeated Reservoir in the Hurdle Race, and again demonstrated that Mr. J. Clark’s cast-off has proved a good investment for Mr. C. Morse. Sublime showed ner owner, Mr. T. W. Hackett, and the public, that she can gallop, for during the two days she won over distances of four, five, and six furlongs. Gladsmuir made hacks of Spate and Paisano in the Farewell Handicap, and showed that her victory on Thursday was no accident. There was a lot of money for Continuance, and Mr. Hollier’s gelding ran a good race. Young moved his mount up to Gladsmuir twice, but Mr. Nasmith’s mare was gallop'ng freely, and she won rather easily by two lengths.