DUNSTAN ANNUAL RACES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 222, 10 February 1874, Page 5

DUNSTAN ANNUAL RACES.

The annual meeting of the Dunstan Jockey Club came off on Thursday and Friday last. The advertised programme was a liberal one for an up-country district, but it unfortunately failed to draw the attendance, either as regards the horses which were entered, or the spectators who came to witness the races, which it deserved. This was caused by several circumstances over which the Stewards could not possibly have had any control, amongst which may be mentioned the occurrence of other important meetings about the same time, each of which of course attracted a number of horses which possibly might have attended this meeting. There is one thing, however, which has proved a great drawback to the meeting, which the Jockey Club can exeroise control over, and which, doubtless, they will remedy. That is the time at which the meeting is held. Meetings more or less important take place at or about Christmas time in Cromwell, St. Bathans, and other districts close to Clyde, which are well attended locally, at any rate. Most people get enough of races for one six months about that time. Many people again are looking forward to the Dunedin meeting, and cannot spare time to attend to all the races which come on the board. These reasons, and others which it is needless to mention at the present time, all combined to render the late annual meeting the poorest one which the Dunstan Jockey Club has yet experienced. The Grand Stand and Booth were in the hands of Mr Thomas Hawthorne, but on account of the very small attendance We are afraid they did not prove a source of profit. It is needless, perhaps, to say that the re-: freshments and attendance provided by Mr : Hawthorne were of .a first-class order. We are only giving expression to the general opinion, however, when we disapprove of the. plan adopted of having two booths, at one of which one shilling was charged, and at the other a sixpence for drinks. It made an invidious distinction between the customers who patronise the separate booths, if no other argument could be brought forward against the custom ; besides, a sixpence is quite enough for a drink. The attendance of that doubtful class of gentry, professional betting men, under-and-over men, et hoc genus omne, was unusually large, but they hardly, we think, made a pile by their exertions. The Stewards did the best they could under the unfavorable circumstances in which they were placed, but we can hardly praise them for the manner in which they quite unnecessarily prolonged the time during which the races extended. The first race of each day was not started till half-past two o'clock ; and on the second day they allowed an interval of more than two and a half hours to

elapse before the first and second races. It is all very well to prolong the time in such a way as to help the boothholder through with his speculation, but a first and great consideration should be the convenience and pleasure of the spectators. It would be well to have this matter thoroughly understood in future: —That races will begin at such and such a time, and that an interval of so long will be allowed between each race, no matter who wins or loses by the transaction. It is a contrary course of conduct which has in a great measure brought races and sports of all kinds to be looked upon as mere publicans' arrangements. To conclude these introductory remarks, we should suggest that the question of amalgamating the various up-country Clubs, or at least the Dunstan and Cromwell Jockey Clubs, should be seriously discussed. They might unite Under the name of the Otago Central Jockey Club, or some such name ; and they might hold a Spring Meeting at Clyde at a suitable time of the year, and an Annual Meeting at Cromwell about the Christmas time, as at present, or vice versa as the case might be. It would hardly do for the Dunstan Jockey Club to have another meeting like the one which has just passed over. The races in detail are as follows: FIRST DAY. Matdf.n Plate of 30sovs., for all horses that have never won an advertised prize of £25. Distance, one mile and a half. Weight for age. Capfc. Hutchison's b g Earl of Lynne, 3 yrs, 7stSlb 1 Mr R. Kidd's c g Port Philip Buck, 5 yrs, 9st 101b 2 Two horses only started for this race. The Earl v within the first quarter of a mile, got" nearly a. hundred yardsr ahead of the feuck, and kept something like that till the

finish. The rider of the Earl, in short, could not hold his horse back. Grand Stand Handicap of 70 so vs. Distance, one mile and a half. Mr Hazlott's Brunette, aged, Bst 1 Mr Cox's b g Fenian, aged, 7st 21b 2 Capt. Hutchison's b m Butterfly,, aged, Bst 3 The three horses were started almost in a line, but Brunette at once made a swerve for the saddling paddock, and ere her jockey got her into running again, she had quite lost thirty or forty yards. Fenian and Butterfly made a good race of it for about three-quar-ters of a mile, with Brunette in the position indicated. Butterfly flagged, and allowed Brunette to pass her. Fenian maintained the lead till entering the straight, wtyen he also suddenly flagged, and allowed the mare to pass him with great ease. She then won easily. * ' Haok Selling Race of 15 snvs. Open to all untrained horses. No weight under 10at. Three-quarter rnilo keafca. , - • Little Nell ... ... .; ... .. 1 1 . St. Patrick 22 Polly ... 3 3 Little Nell won both heats easily. She was afterwards put up at auction by Mr Stanbrook, and bought in by the owner for £l7. Members' Handicap of 40 sov3. Distance, one mile. Mr Hazlett's b m Brunette ... w,o Handicap Trotting Race of 20 sovs. No weight under lOst. Distance, two miles. Mr Low's Tapioca, 175 yds ; 1 Mr Scott's Jessie, 175 yds 2 Mr Martin's Mary Anne, 150 yds ... 3 Thomson's Dick, scratch ; Stewart's Stumpy, 150 yards ; Spratt's Bobby, 225 yards ; Hall's Tommy, 275 yards; Rowland's Lizzie, 300 yards; Walker's Kate, 30U yards ; Grindley's Alfred, 3-|6 yards, were also entered.

SECOND DA X, Alexandra Stakes of GOsovs. Winner to be sold (with engagements) immediately after the race, and any surplus to go to the race fund. If to be sold for £SO, weight for age ; for £4O, allowed 71b; for £3O. 141b ; for £2O, 21 lb ; for £lO, allowed 281b. One mile and a distance. Mr Cox's b g Fenian, £lO, aged, Bst lib ... (Malone) 1 Mr Hazlett's bum Taffrail, £lO, aged, Bst lib ... " ... ... ... (M'Mnlty) 2 Mr Kick's eg Port Philip Buck, £4O, 5 yrs, Bst 121b ..; ... (Ballantyne) 3 Captain Hutchison's b c Duke, £4O, fist 51b - ~-■ ... ■ .... (Cotter) 0 An excellent start was effected in this race. After passing the Stand the first time, Feni in tdok the lead, with the Buck and Taffrail together nnd not far behind, and the Duke last; this position being maintained till half the distance was accomplished. Taffrail here

left the Buck, but was not. able to overtake athe,Fenian, who kept his lead to the finish, and won amidst great acclamation. The winner was afterwards put up at auction by Mr Stanbrook,, and knocked down for £37, the owner, Mr Taggart, being the purchaser. Private Trotting Match, for £— a side. Distance, a mile and a half, with lOst up. Mr Low's Tapioca 1 Mr Glassford's Dick 2 This private match was a gift for Mr Low's Tapioca. Dick at first could not be persuaded to trot his best, and whenever he was pushed he broke. Two or three good spurts he made, however, were enough to convince any one that if he had been willing to go he would have won the match. Dunstan Jockey Club Handicap of 100 sovs., with a sweep of three guineas to go to second horse. Distance, two miles. Mr Hazlett's b m Brunette, aged, Bst 51b ... (M'Nulty) 1 Mr Hazlett's b g Atlas, aged, 9st Clb ... (Waddell) 2 Captain Hutchison's c in Butterfly, 5 yrs, 7st 41b ..(Malone) 3 Earl of Lynne, at 7st 21b. and Boomerang, 7st 101b, were scratehe 1 for this race. Atlas went off with the lead, with Butterfly second, Brunette behind. A first-rate race then ensued, and at one time it looked as if Brunette, with which Mr Hazlett had declared to win, could not manage it. She managed, however, in the straight to get to the front, with Atlas and Butterfly close in attendance. Every time the last-named made an effort to get up, Atlas's rider let the old horse out a little, apparently determined

not to give the slightest chance ivway if anything should go wrong with the mare. Butterfly then kept on the girths of Atlas till the post was reached, with Brunette first past it. Hack Race of 15 sovs. Open to all untrained horses. No wuight under 9st. Distance, a mile and a hall Young's Swindle 1 Cowan's Hydrax (late Wild Rose) 2 Mellor's Darkie, Taggart's Preteuce, and Millar's Paddy also ran. Hydrax was allowed to get too far behind before being called upon. . When she was, however, she passed all the horses except Swindle, who won easily. Mellor's Darkie

came in a bad third, and Taggart's Pretence (late Doodlem-buck) a worse fourth. Paddy was nowhere. Consolation Handica? of 25 sovs. Distance, one mile. Mr Hazlett's br m Taffrail 1 Captain Hutchison's c m Butterfly 2 Taffrail had the heaviest weight to carry, but she proved the best horse. There was only one entry, that of Mr Hazlett's Taffrail, for the Selling Race, and out of consideration for the funds of the Club, it is to be supposed, he scratched her. There was consequently no race. The Hospital race was run off on Saturday, but we have not heard who was the winner of this 3take.