DUNSTAN DISTRICT ANNUAL RACE MEETING, 1874.

Dunstan Times, Issue 616, 6 February 1874, Page 2

DUNSTAN DISTRICT ANNUAL RACE MEETING, 1874.

First Day; ' whs the. opening day of this oltlestab'lished meeting, but we regret our inability to record it’s bedngf«Buccaus(iil ns .tip iiuj previous occasion, attendance of visitrs 'rtot id great,, and the field of horses was most meagre to this la ,te£ cjicimstancc is doubtless to b« traced the failu e of the lueetiiig, so far as visitor* are concerned, but to irrive attbecmse why the fields wer* so small we.fail, and to those who are better acquainted with the sulject we shall leave the unravelling of tin knotty point. We only hope those ho had horses fit to c unpete for tin liberal stakes off red « i I not regie: their absence. On p evions occ .sions we have hinted at, (he possibility" o there being too many m o meetings, ir.d the desirability of ;i combination, ifter this season's expeiie- ce, we are more! than ever convinced of tli soundness our suggestions; and w< would urge upon the jtalrons ol tin turf and the public general!}’, utiles hey desire that the o'd English pas time should be a thing of the past with us, to drop all local jealousies, and see if what we shadow forth cannot be forged into a reality ’ e <b not believe incroakiiig; but it is useless shutting our eyes and pretending not to see what is so apparent, find mu»t be to every ore who will take the trouble to give the matter a thought. We will ask if the late meetings a Mount Ida, St. Ihithau’s, Dry-bread. Wa-aka, and even Or mweli or th Lakes, were the successes as in forme; years'! The answer, if honestly given, must be in the negative. We cite tin ne various meetings not for the pnrposi of drawing the conclusion that W> rre no worse off than our neighbors, hut in strength of our argument that. there are ■’oo many Race Meetings, and that a combination is necessary, if we desire to offer inducements for the breeding of blood stock, or to. keep alive the good old sjiort. ■

In so far as th« weather wna concerned, it was even tiling that could have been <h sired, it being nelth *r to.> hot or too cold. The booth was under the superintendence of Mr. Hawthorne, and considering the attendance was well patronised. The meeting opened with the Maiden Plate, which was won hy Captain Hutchison’s Karl of Lynne, the only comp titor Hgau.st him eing Port Phillip Buck, who mad 'but a very sorry attempt 'i hj Grand Stand Handicap tollowi d, and was won by Brunette. a< ter a hard run. as at the start she was left a long way behind ; condition however told and carried hcv thioUgh victorious at no mean rate. The Hack Selling Itueft was won by a, Lv'ebu".k filly. Little Nell, and was afterwards soi l for> If' The Members’ Handiest i> was a walkover for Brunette. The Handicap Trot, which brought the day’s meeting to a close, was the most exciti-tg race of the day, and the liuLh caused some long faces, as the favorites, Dick and Stumpy were not to the fore, Stumpy, however, spoilt her chance by contimiaVy breaking, an I as the rule was break and turn, she lost considerable ground. Tapioca, who was first, trotted well and merited tire stakes, more especially, as he carried three stone ovc- weight. Jessie was a good second, and Mary Anne, aby no means bal third Subjoined is a detailed account of the races:

Maiden Plate of 30 sovereigns, final! horses that have never won an advertised prize of 25 1. Distance, one mile and a half. "Weight lot age. Entrance, 21. Capt. Hutchison’* b g Earl of Lynn-e, 3yrs., 7st Bd>. . 1 Mr. K. Kidd’s c g Port Phillip Buck, syrs, Ost 101 > ... 2 Captain Hutchison’s Puke was scratched. Only two started Earl of Lynne took the lead, and maintained his position to the finish, without an elfo r t. Grand Ss'and Handicap of “0 sovereigns. Nomination, two guineas ; acceptance twoguinens Distance, one mile and a half. Mr. Hazlett’s b m Brunette, aged, Bst ... ... 1 Mr. Cox’s b g Fenian, aged, 7st 21b 2 Captain Hutchison’s l> tu Butterfly, aged, Bst . 3 This was a bad start. Brunette swerved, and fail-d to get into the ruck until her competitors were fully fifty yards a-hcad 1 Butterfly and Fenian went away well together, and kept at it for about three-quarters of a mile, when the marc show, d tmmistakeable signs of distress, and give way to Fenian. Brunette all the time was running her best: and, after passing Butterfly, and at the turn into the straight, ch dlenged Fenian, who, though running gam lv, had to make way, and take second p'ac.e. From here to home Brunette kept her own pace snd won easily.

Hack Selling Race of 15 sovereigns, open to all untrained horses. No vreight under 10't. Winner to be ; ’sold bjr auction for 15/., and any to go to the race fund.

Three quarters oi a mile heats. Post entry, 21s. - Little ifell .. ... 1 1 St Patrick ... .22 PI y ..; 3 3 .. tie ell won noth heats ois.ly, an I was -do v.vards sold, realising the sum of 177. lbs* f I MEMBERS’ H AMiICAPof 40 sdvs.. No munitions one guinea ; acceptances two guineas. Distance, one mile. <■ .This wa, a walk-over for .Mr. Haz’ett’s Brunette. Earl of Lynne, Butterfly and Fenian being scratched. Havucap Trott'SO Race of 20 sovs. No weights under lOst 'Ostauce, two -miles Post entry, twentyone shillings. Mr. Thomson’s Dick, scratli... ■Stew wai t’s .Stum, y 150 yds Low’s Tapioca, 175yd5... 1 S.ott’ Jessie, 75y*is ... 2 Spratt’s Bold y, 235yd5... M>u tin's Mary \nne. 50yds 3 Hall's Tommy, 275 yds ... Rowland’s Lizzie. 500 *ls... M’alk- r’s Kate, 300 yds ... Crindle's Ufr<d, bTo.ds... . The above is a list of the horses n’eied Urn handicap, and the first, s-iotid and third horses at the ■'hash.