WESTLAND RACING CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1303, 15 April 1915, Page 16

WESTLAND RACING CLUB.

AUTUMN MEETING. ROYAL DRAGOON AVINS THE HANDICAP. (From Our Greymouth Correspondent.) The autumn meeting- of the Westland Racing Club was held on the racecourse, Hokitika, on Wednesday under very favourable conditions. The weather was fine and the track in good order The totalisator investments were £5886 (seven races), as against £2682 (seven races) in 1914, and £4940 in Proceedings opened with the Trial Handicap of six furlongs, in which seven of the nine acceptors saddled up. Gasoline and Wild Bird carried the same amount of money, while Clanmena was a few pounds less in the betting. Stargazer was quickest from the barrier, but at the end of four furlongs she was done with. Clanmena and Federal were now going great guns, and. pasing Stargazers, went on in that order util the pest was reached. Wild Bird was in third position, and Gasoline was a length behind the second last to finish. Separator -was not backed by anyone on the machine. Tn the Railway Handicap, six furlongs and a-half, the scratching pen was freely used, Gasoline, Divorce, Glenongly Invader Impulsive and Miss Masterful not going to the post. The North Island-owned Kina was installed favourite with Totaranui and Waikehua next' in demand. Totaranui caused some delay at the post, but when the tapes were released he got a flier. He kept his Jilace until he passed the post a length ahead of Waikehua, with Moneymaker next, and Curator fourth. The Express Trot (one mile) was responsible for 23 trotters facing the clock. Of these the bracketed pair. Soprano and Counsel, were much more fancied than Zeppa and Wattlewood (bracketed) and Roosevelt. After half the distance was covered the field was well strung out, with Soprano at the head of affairs. Red Prince was in second berth, while Kopora Dick, coming through the field very fast, was soon on terms with the leaders. In a brilliant finish the latter was just landed a winner by a head from the favourite, with Red Prince third. Merton and The Nut were withdrawn from the Autumn Handicap, leaving five moderates to face the starter. Of these Glenongly, on the strength of his Kumara win. was the public fancy, with Royal Dragoon next in order of favouritism. As usual the latter jumped out from the barrier quickly, and with Trilby assumed control. The latter was showing the way to Royal Dragoon pass ng the stand, but seven furlongs ’■iw her tire. Royal Dragoon was now well in front, and landed home an easy winner from Curator, with the favourite third. Nine saddled up for the President’s Handicap, a five furlong sprint. Parewanui was quickly sorted out as the best of the bunch, and when the machine closed he was much better backed than King Star. The winner turned up in the very consistent Divorce, who. although carrying 81b over weight and looking very rough in condition, caught and passed Golden Morn, who had secured a three lengths’ advantage at the barrier rise. Golden Morn was second, followed by the favourite. Nine pacers and six trotters went out to contest the mile and a-half trot, and the scratch horse, Voter (4.51 for two miles), was selected by the public as the likely winner.’ Malabar quickly went to the front and stayed there until he passed the winning post from Romany Rye. who came through very fast in the straight Voter was third and Sergeant Havelock fourth. The High Weight Handicap was contested by a field of ten. Mollymawk, who was making her first appearance at the Easter meetings, was warmly supported on the machine, but her subsequent running did not warrant her being first favourite The second choice of backers, Wild Bird, got the best of a fairly good start, and, galloping in good style, .was never headed. Kina was lying in second place for about half a mile, but then died away. AVaikehua and Totaranui made a bid for supremacy in the straight, but neither could pass the leader. The curtain was rung down on the meeting with the Farewell Handicap, for which six horses saddled up. Merton was made an odds-on favourite, and although only a pony and carrying 10.12, just earned his pride of place Royal Dragoon made the early running and only in the straight was he passed by Merton with Federal in third place. Merton was the only favourite to win at the meeting. The results were:— TRIAL HANDICAP. Six furlongs. 3— Clanmena, 9.3 (Holmes) 1 s—Federal.5 —Federal. 7.9 (Christenson) 2 1— Wild Bird 712 (Williams) 3 Also started: 1 Gasoline 9.12, 6 Royal Marine 8.8, 4 Stargazer 8.6, 7 Separator 7.0. Time. Imin 21sec. RAILWAY HANDICAP of GOsovs. Six furlongs and a-half. 2— Totoranui, 8 8 (Langstone) 1 4 — Waikehua, 9 1 (Mcßandall) .... 2 5 — Moneymaker, 7.0 (Christenson) . . 3 Also started: 3 Curator 9.9. 1 Kina 8.3 5 The Nut 7.3. 7 Uproar. Time, Imin 28sec. EXPRESS TROT (Saddle) of 50sovs. One mile. s—Kopara5—Kopara Dick. 9sec (Murfitt) .... 1 1— Soprano, 15sec (McCarthy) 2 7 —Red Prince, llsec (Rhodes) .... 3 Twenty others started. Time, 2min 30 4-ssec. AUTUMN HANDICAP One mile and a-quarter. 2— Royal Dragoon, 8.10 (Crearer) . . 1 4—Curator. 8.12 (Langstone) 2 I—Glenongly, 812 (Mcßandall) .... 3 Also started: 3 Invader 8.3, 5 Trilby 7.0. Time, 2min 18 3-ssec.

PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP of 60sovs. Five furlongs. 4—Divorce. 9.13 (T. McDonald) .... 1 3 —Golden Morn, 8.9 (Crearer) 2 1— Parewanui, 8.10 (Mcßandall) ..... 3 Also started: 2 King Star 9.7, 5 Irish Gift 8.4, 8 Lady Grafton 7.10, 6 Master Me 7.5. 9 Miss Masterful 7.0, 7 Nancyform 7.0. Time, Imin 5 l-ssec. ELECTRIC HANDICAP TROT (Saddle). One mile and a-half. 2— Malabar, 15sec (T. McDonald) .. 1 B—Romany8—Romany Rye, 6sec (Staines) .... 2 1 — Voter, scratch (Ratnoone) 3 Twelve others started. Time, 3min 55sec. HIGH WEIGHT HANDICAP. Seven furlongs. 2— wild Bird. 8.13 (Crearer) 1 3 — Waikehua, 10.2 (Mcßandall) .... 2 4 — Totaranui, 9.5 (Phillips) 3 Also started: 9 Glenongly 9.9, 5 Kina 9.4. 7 Trilby 8.0, 1 Mollymawk 8 10, 8 The Nut 8.0, 6 Moneymaker SO, 10 Separator 8.0. Time, lmin 35 l-ssec. FAREWELL HANDICAP of 60sovs. Five furlongs and a-half. I—Merton,1 —Merton, 10.12 (Mcßandall) 1 3 — Royal Dragoon 8.10 (Crearer) . . 2 4 — Federal, 7.9 (Christenson) 3 Also started: 5 Clanmena 9.10, 2 Pare wanui 8.0, 6 Irish Gift. Time, lmin llsec.