HEAD OF THE BAY RACES AND SPORTS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 360, 30 December 1879, Page 2

HEAD OF THE BAY RACES AND SPORTS.

December 26 and 27, 1879,

Judge, W. Birdling ; starter, S. Johnston ; clerk of the course, J. Wallace ; clerk of scales, R. M'Cloy ; handicapper, J. Duxbury; treasurers, B. Shadbolt and S. Lee ; stewards—Messrs J. Sunckell, H. Piper, E. Hay, W. Birdling. jun., F. Birdling, F. Williams, J. B. Barker, T. S. Johnston,,and J. M'Farlane.

This annual meeting came off on the above dates. Tbe weather was all that' could be desired, being fine and warm, and at the same time tempered .by a pleasant breeze. There was a large attendance of the public, and the fields that entered for the various events were very fair. The chief drawback on the meeting was the state of the tide, which necessitated the horse races being run either early in the forenoon or well on towards evening.. There was the usual assortment of refreshment booths and stalls for the sale of farucy articles on)the ground, but no pub-

lican's booth. All these establishments,, including Mr Brooks' hotel, appeared to be well patronized, despite the bad times that we hear so much about.

The following is a brief account of the various events. In many particulars it is necessarily ■imperfects/owing! to the extreme ;difflculty of obtaining precise in formation. As is ofteti the oasei at these gatherings, tliere appeared to be'no one whose business it was to keep a record of owners, jockeys, weights, &c. • We saw a jockey on. one occasion riding vaguely about among the crowd looking for someone to weigh him in. We believe the secretary did his level best, but it. is impossible for one man, like Sir Boyle Roach's bird, to be in two places at once : First Day.—Friday, Dec. 26. The first race on the programme Avas the Maiden Plate of 10 soys. Entrance, 20s. For horses that have never won an advertised race. Hack race and Hurdle races excepted. Weight for age. Mr Hammond's b g Bismarck, 4yrs 2 11 Mr M'Kay's c g Charley, 4yrs... 12 2 The following also ran :— Butterfly, Lough Ness, Satan, Present, Kaiapoi, and Kitty. The eight horses entered all faced the starter. A false start was elected, and Miss Kitty and Present galloped the whole length of the course before they could be pulled up, which of course spoiled their chance. In spitu of this, however, and of his carrying 3 stone over weight, Mr Giles' horse finished a good third. In the race itself, Bismarck had it all his own way. He was apparently reserved during the first heat, but in the two following ones he simply won as he liked. Wainui Plate Handicap of 20 soys ; Nominations, 20s ; acceptance, 20s. Second horse to save his stakes (to be deducted from the winner.) Mr B. Shadbolt's Blue Ribbon, 7st 71b 1 Mr La Lange's Dick, 9st 2 Mr Olphert's John Stoefel, lOst ... 0 Volunteer was scratched. By the time this race was started the tide had advanced considerably and consequently the whole distance could not be run. Blue Ribbon got away quicker thau the rest, was never collared, and won by about three lengths. The two first heat& were run each with a similar result. Publicans' Purse Handicap of 10 j soys. Nominations, 10s ; acceptance, 20s. Mr B. Shadbolt's Eclac, 9st 21b ... 1 1 Mr W. Lyell's Titokowaru, Bst 71b 2 2 Mr Le Lange's Dick and Mr M'Kay's Charley also ran. Volunteer was scratched.

This was a good race. The Maori Chief made a game struggle to wrest first honors from Shadbolt's horse, but had to be content with a good second place. Hack Race. Post entry, ss. Catch weights. This event brought 15 compotitors to the post, and was won by Mr VV. Shadbolt's Lady Ellen, late Moonlight. Second Day. Handicap Hurdle Race of 15 soys. Nominations, 10s; acceptance, 20s. Second horse to save his stakes (to be deducted from the winner). Mr B. Shadbolt's Eclat 1 1 Mr J. Brown's Kaiapoi 2 2 Mr Olphert's Tout 0 0 This race was a gift to Eclat. Kaiapoi threw his rider at the first hurdle, and got away. Tout ran round every hurdle, leaving Eclat to win as he liked ; he walked over the second heat. Sapling Stakes, a sweepstake of 2 soys., with 5 soys added. For two-year-olds only. Second horse to save his stakes. Mr B. Shadbolt's Sunbeam ... ;.. 1 Mr T. Johnstone's Nelly ... ... 2 Mr J. Castle's Raupo ... ..! ... 3 Won hands down by Sunbeam. Consolation Hanicap of—soys., for horses beaten at this meeting only. Entrance, 10s.

Mr W. Lyell's Titokowaru, Bst 91b ... 1 Mr S. Giles' Present, 7st 91b ... ... 2 Mr J. Brown's Kaiapoi, 7st 61b ... 3

Titokowaru and Present ran a dead heat, and had to go over the ground again, Titokowaru winning by about a length and a half.

Hack Selling Race of — soys. Entrance, 10s, to be made to the Secretary before 6 p.m. on December 26, 1879. Horse entered to be sold for £30 to carry list ; £25, lOst; £20, 9st; £15, Bst : £10, 7st. Mr Green's Jack (£2O), 9st (carried OstlOlbs) ... 1 Mr Beilby Barker's Lone Hand (£25) lOst ... ... .: 2 Mr Shrimpton's Emma (£ls)y.Bst ... 3 There was a fair struggle between the first and second horses. Emma's rider claimed second place, on the ground of Lone Hand having gone inside a post, but we did not hear the resuk of the appeal. Hurry Scurry. For a whip given by Mr Garwood. Mr J. Castle's Malvina 1 Mr W. Shadbolt's Lady Ellen 2 Five others started. Yacht Races. First Race.—For Boats not exceeding sft over all. Ist prize, £4 ; 2nd, £1 ; third boat to save stakes. Entrance, ss. Ten boats to enter, or no race. Mr H. Burkes Quickstep (blue) ... 1 Mr Newton's Undine (red, with crescent) 2 Mr J. Bruce's Hebe (white and purple) 3 Nine boats started. Second Race—For boats 3ft and under. Ist prize. £1; 2nd, 10s; third boat to • save stakes. Entrance, 2s. Five boats to enter, or no race. Mr J. Burkes Wee Ripplfl ... ... 1 Mr Fergusson's Sea shell ... ... 2 There were five entries. Rural Sports. The following events were contested in this portion of the programme. Most of them were got off on the first day : — Boys under 15, 150 yards—lst prize, 15s ; 2nd, ss. Entrance, la S. Curry, 1. Seven started. There was a dispute about the second boy being too old, and the judge decided that there .would be no second prize. • • )'" * \ Boys under 12, 100 wards—lst grize, 10s ; 2nd, 2y Entrance, ffid. R. Pettigrew, 1; J. Coopi, 2 ; Goodwi/n, 3. E. Cossar and f.. GilpJLJilsn^i_____i

Men's Running High Jump—lst prize, 10s ; 2nd, ss. Entrance, le. B. Birdling; sft, 1; P. Berland, 4ft llin 2; J. Barker: . SB? .' * Boys /under 15, Running, Hfgh - Ist Prize, 10s ■* 2nd| ss. Entrance, ,4s. S. Cprry, 4ft 4iri, 1; F x . Malmanche, __t_ifi;* 2. •-Ifecomte, * G-iliiard, Sheppard, and Bflr.wick' also jumped. \ Married, Women's Race, 150 yards—'fat priza, i'ss ; .2nd, sa. Entrance, is. Mrs T. Lecomte, 1 ; Mrs Upton, 2 ; Mrs Pettigrew, 3 ; Mrs Paget, 4.

Single Women's Race, 100 yards—lst prize, 10s; 2nd, 2s 6d. Entrance, Is. Miss Marshall, 1„; Miss Bailey, 2. Four lothers started,. Misses Green, J. M'lntosh, E. M'lntosh, ahd'Miss Malmanche.

Girls under 12, 100 yards--lst prize, 7s 6d ; 2nd, 2s 6d. Fanny Sheard, 1 j Ljrara Shadbolt. 2. There were nine starters for this event, E. Giles, C. Pettigrew, M. JVPlntosh, M. Tosier, A. Malmanche, J. Beggs, and C. NeilsoH.

Men's Hop, Step and Jump—lst prize, 10s ; 2nd, 2s 6d. Entrance, Is. G. Henrici, 34ft 9in, 1; J: Wright, 2. P. Foley, M'Nicol, Daly. Watkins, Powel, and J. Brough also jumped. ..,,..

Men's Race, 200 yards—lst prize, 20b ; 2nd, 2s 6d. Entrance, 2s 6d. M'Clure, 1; Goodwin, 2. Eight started fnr this event, which was won easily.

Putting the Stone—let prize, 10s ; 2nd, ss. "Entrance, Is. R. Kennedy, jun.. 1 ; P. O'Callaghan, 2 ; C...Kennedy, 3. Three others contested for it.

Tilting the Ring on horseback—lst prize, 20s. Entrance, 2s 6d. J. Barker, 1, 4 rings out of six. Nine competed.