RACES POSTPONED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1015, 3 January 1911, Page 7

RACES POSTPONED.

(By Telegraph—l'ress Association.) Groyrnouth, January 2. Owing .to the 'heavy northerly rain prevailing all night, ami still continuing, rncing was postponed till to-morrow, ami the second day of the trotting meeting till "Wednc-^lny.

RANGITIKEI R.C. SUMMER. MERRIVONIA WINS THE CUP. (By XelesrapU.—Press Association.) Marton, January 2. . The weather was fine and there was a largo attendance for the first day of the Rangitikci R.C. meeting, but the fields were small. Tho totalisator receipts were .£7867,. or an increase of .£157 on tho first day of the last , summer meeting. Results:— 13COTT MEMORIAL HANDICAP, of 130 sovs. Six furlongs. 1 Mr. M. M. Ellerton's Sea Queen, •7st. 61b. 1 3, Waiouru, Gst. 91b .'. '. 2 2 Moree, Gst. 71b ••• 3 Tho only starters. AVo'n by half a length. Time, lmin. lGscc. MAIDEN HACK' FLAT RACE, of 70 '. sovs. Five furlongs.' 5 Mr. J. Ames's. Lady Kilcheran, Sst. 31b ."i 1 3 Beacon, Sst. 121b. 2 2 Gaby, Sst. 111b 3 Also started: 4 Waipatere; !) Rapu; 7 Miscal; 6 Royal Patron; 1 Melologuc;and 8 Retreat. Won by two lengths. Time, lmin. 4. 4 ; ssec. OHAKEA HURDLE RACE, of 120 sovs. Ono mile and three-quarters. 1 Mr. A. Attwocd's Reumac, list. 51b. 1 3 Maidi, lOst. '41! i 2 i Gold Bird, list. 3 Also, started: .i? Waterworks;' and 5 The Showman. ■ AVon easily b> three lengths. Time, 3min. 261 sec. •; - CARNARVON HACK RACE, of 100 sovs. Six furlongs. . 1 Mr. T. O'Neill's Gladiole, 7st. 91b 1 3 The Rover, Bst. 2 2 Dervish, 7st. 121b .'. ;'.... 3 Also started: 6 'Charge; 4 Idolatress; and 5 Harrington. Won easily by two lengths. Time, I'niin. 16 4-ssec. RANGITIKEI CUP,' of 400 sovs., second horse 35 sovs., and third 15 sovs. from tho stake. One mile and a quarter. 1 Mr. J. Ames's Merrivonia, by Merri- -■ wee—Livonia, syrs., 7st. 31b 1 3 The Native, 7st.'' 2 4 Lady Menschikoff, 7st. 21b 3 Also started: 2 Waipaku; and 5 Penza. AVon -by two lengths. Time, 2min. 9 4-ssec.. - RAILAVAY HACK HURDLES, of '100 sovs. One mile and a half. 1 Mr. R-.i Karelle's Waikaraka, 9sti . 101b. 1 2 Merry Lawn, lOst. 101b 2 Tho only starters.. AA'on easily by three •lengths. Time, 2min. 53 4-ssec. MAKOAVHAI. WELTER, of 110 sovs. Seven furlongs. 1 Mr. J., Bull; jun.'s Irish Rifle, Sst. . 41b; .. l i Ivilosteri, Bst 2 s'Te Ru, Bst. 121b. 3 Also started: 3 Marton, 2 Toanga. Won by a head.. Time', liniu. 29 l-ssec.; PUKENUi WELTER, of 100 sovs. Seven ' ' ' ■ V furlongs. 1 Mr. J. J. Corey's'Bracken, Sst ,1 5 Attention, Sst. 111b. 2 4'Leolanter, Bst. 91b. 3 Also started: 3 AV'aitoto, 2. Brown Trout, *6 Eva. AA r on easily by two lengths. Time, lmin. 30 Msec. • NOTES ON THE RACING. city Tolcsraph—Spccial Reporter.! Palmerston North, January 2.. . -.- The Rangitikei Club opened their summer meeting at Bulls . to-day. . Matters ■ were . rendered very- unpleasant' by' the high-wind which blew,, but despite this drawback there. was. a very large attendance. The track was veryi hard, and oil this, account several horses- had their engagements cancelled, though actually on the ground. The totalisator returns kept well up'to. the. standard, until tho Hack Hurdles, when owing"to thcit|„'l;eing- "only two runners the machine money fell away considerably. The win of Merrivonia in the Cup was-a ; very easy one, and the Wellington-owned mare put up. better time than was posted.

The proceedings opened With the Scott Memorial, for which there were only three runners, and the, public began well' by making Sea Queen, lavourite, for she won all the way. The Trentham-trained mare is very well just now, and is probably a little better than she is credited with. Melologtie was tho choice of backers'in the > Maiden Hack Race, but Oliver's mount got into all the trouble that was going, and for the first furlong was carried : along on the rails;'then she went back from first to last place, and her chanco was extinguished. Tho ; littlefancied Lady Ivilcheran, who runs in the same colours as Merrivonia, got out early, and was nbt caught. There was,"a fine' finish for second money, and Beacon just headed Gaby. ; i- - ■ -7 Rcumac, who never .looked better, was at a false price in the Ohak'ea Hurdles, and the- opinion wais held that the hard going would bo against him.' Good money came for Waterworks, Maidi, and Gold Bird. For the first half-mile the pace was very,..slow, and then . Eeumac and Maidi qleared: out from the others, who seemed to be unable to hit out on the hard going. Tho favourite was not extended, and won. by several lengths. ■ In tho Carnarvon Hack Jtace, Gladiole made amends'for the defeat of Melologne, and afteribeing-in command for tho greater part of tho raco she won easily from The Rover. Dervish' was a poor third. , Some questions were raised before the race as to whether the winner was .not entitled to carry. a. 101b. penalty foi 1 her Awapuni successcs, instead of 81b., but the stewards, ruled that 81b. was the correct penalty. After hqr good showing at Awapuni it was only to he expected that Merrivonia would be a strong'order in tho Cup, and so it proved. Young took tho mare to .the front with five furlongs to go, and she.'won easily. Penza and The Native made'play up till this point,'but then Penza fell back, and finished tailed off, wliilo tho consistent black son of Worry struggled on and. gained second money. Several private' watches made the time 2mins. Bjsec. , " ' The Hack Hurdles was a two-horse event, and Waikaraka broke his maiden jumping status.. He chanced nearly all his fences, and going across the top stretch he turned his toes in, but Young sat down on him and gave him a severe drubbing, and this caused" him to go on again. It would: only have required a moderate performer to have, beaten him. The Makowhai Welter provided tho most sensational finish of the day. After the scratching of Effort the public seized on Irish Rifle, and Mr. Bull's horse closed up favourite. Oliver, on Kil'osteri, stole a march on tho field, but Murtagh, on tho favourite, joined issue at tho tufn. In a sensational finish tho favourito gained- tho verdict by a head, and only in the last stride. Tho final- event saw the consistent Bracken lead from flag-fall till the winning post was reached. Ho was'very restless at tho barrier, and broko through three times.. Turning into tho straight, Attention looked like making a raco of. it, but Porter shook up the favourite, and he stayed on better than Attention. Leolanter was clear of Brown Trout, who was fourth. ,