CROMWELL RACES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1120, 19 October 1883, Page 3

CROMWELL RACES.

These races came off on Friday last, the e 12th inst., and of those present none could i have cauoe id complaint. The weather was 1 exceedingly favorable, though the morning d looked, and in fact was, anything but propitious for out door amusement. The racing was good ; indee , closer contests it i would have been difficult to obtain, the handicaps being very c!os-, and as one of the stewa ds said “ bully for you handicapper, you brought them together this time.” There was the usual amount of speculating on the various ev.- lts, the totalisator hand- r ling over I.GOO, but the dividen Is in no case e were large. The customary racecourse \ sitellites were present in full force, and by e their loud-mouthed brayings made everyone c In ly aware of their presence. Mr Cowan t s cured the Mai ten Plate prize with Ouida, t though it was generally admitted that if Co- ) Operative had been better handled, she 1 must have tint caniht the judge’s eye. Mr t Rivers created a surprise by collaring the ’ two handicaps.also theConsolati n. in spite i of the effort of the game old horse Haricot, 1 who was only beiten in either of the i handicaps just on the post. The Hack Sell- ■ ing race, though the throe heats were run, was a perfect fiasco, as Tom King was un- I doubtly the king of the others who went to the post with him. The management of the meeting by the stewards was everything that could he desired, and the conrt-sy extended by them to many of the visitors in inviting them to lunch, was most favorably commented on. Mr James D.uv kins and Mr James Smith took upon themselves the responsibility of starters, Mr D. MackelUr acted as judge, Mr J illy as clerk of the scab s, and Mr J. Marshall, secretary. Mr C. McKenna, though he did not secure a win in any of the races, we assume, as holder of the grand stand, he did well enough aod somewhat made up. The appended dehCiiption of the various events we take from out Cromwell contemporary. Maiden Plate of 15 sovs. Open to all horses that have never won public money. Weight for age. One mile. Mr J. Cowan’s b'k m Ouida, 4 yrs (Allan) 1 Mr J. Smith’s b m Co-Operative 4yrs (Webb) 2 Mr T. Muir’s hg WiMt-I-Can, 6yrs ... 3 Mr J. Druinmy’s b g Troubador, gyrs ... 0 Mr R. M ‘Gregor’s hlk m Lady Joselyu, 4yrs .. ... ... ... 0 After one false start, in which Ouida took a preliminary, the field w.is even y dispatched, Co-Operative at once showed to the front, the others i t line. The Kiwsran mare was let out at the back of the course and took command of affairs by two or three lengths until the turn into the straight, wlrre Co Op. challenged Onida, and pushed, the favourite hard down the straight. Coming with a grand spurt at the finish, the bay mare made a desperate effort to first catch the judge’s eye, hut could not manage it by a short head. It looked as though another couple of lengths would have reversed the order of things. Time, 1.58 On the totalisator there were 111 investors, with 5!) on the winner The dividend was LI 13a. Cromwell Handicap of 33 sovs. Distance one mile anti a half. Mr J. Rivets’ Spectator, Gyrs, Sst 41b (Ward) J Mr C. M'Kcnna’s gg Haricot, aged, Sst 41b ... (Webb) 2 Mr J. Cowan’s b hj Rangatira, aged list (Allan) 3 Yaldlmrst (Tat 71b), Tui (fist 3di), and Stockfl iwer (Sst 21b), were scratched, For ■ this event, Mr Cowan’s horse was mpst • fancied, notwithstanding that, on stripping, ■ I he looked a good deal too fleshy to carry ’ | the weight. Haricot, ton had plenty of - friends, while the southern stable was by , | no means despised. Mr Dawkins got the r | t ie as-ay very nicely, when Rangitara went a I off with a rush and le i his field a merry ■ ! dance for about ha f a mile. At the hick of > j the course the three closed up, and a neckl j and-neck race ensued till opposite the lies- , : pital. Here Rangi. began to flag, and t ' gradually Ml behind, being out of it from f this point. The two others came into the a straight together, when whips were called , into (requisition. A most i xciting struggle home resulted in a victory for the Aiexan-

lira horse by a head and neck. Time, 2.54. The machine showed 183 subscribers—on Rang,!., 85 ; Spec., 52 ; Haricot, -Id. Dividend, L 3 3s. . Hack Selling Race of 10 sovs. Distance three-quarter mile heats. Winner to be soul for LlO ; surplus to go to the race fuud. No weight under 9st. Mr T. M‘Kay’s Tom King, aged, Lawrence Oil Mr G. Partridge’s Bungaree, aged ..120 Campbell’s Fenian and Drummy’s Troobador also started. The winner was evidently held in reserve for the last two heats, and won them without distressing himself. He was sold for Ll2, a iding L2 to the Cub funds. A protest was entered by the rider of Bungaree against the stakes going to Tom King on the ground that he previously ran under a different name The dividends paid were—first heat, L2 5s ; second, LI lls ; third, LI 4s. The total investments amounted to LI 43. Spring Handicap, of 25 sovs. Distance, one mile and a-quarter. Mr J. Rivers’s blk mTui, 6 yra, 9st lllb (Ward) 1 Mr C. M'Kenna’s g g Haricot, aged, Sst lllb (Webb) Mr J. Cowan’s b m Stoekflower, 4 yrs, fist .. (Allan) 3 Mr J. Rivers’s b g Resartua, 5 yrs, Sst.. 0 Mr J. Johnson’s blk hj Valdhurst, aged 0 For this event three out of eight on the card declined, namely Canary, Sst, Ranga-* tira, 10st 21b, and Sir Audley, 9it lllb. After some delay the others got to the post, and were sent off to a somewhat, straggling start, Stoekflower getting quickest away. The Held, however, soon closed up,' Haricot acting as whipper-in. Tui gradually drew away in rounding to the hospital, and led a clear couple of lengths, going strong. The did grey was shaken up, and came through his horses in gallant style, getting on terms with the favourite turning into the straight. Again ensued a hard contest for supremacy, and as the pair dashed past the stand loud cried went up, “Haricot wins” The result was so close that not till Mr Mackellar gave foith his verdict was it certainly known which was first. A win by the veteran Haricot would have met with the popular sympathy, as in both handicaps he brought the issue within very narrow limits, Stoekflower was an indifferent third, the others not persevered with. Time, 2min. 21£ sec. The totalisator bad L 205 registered, of which 94 was on the winner, paying a dividend of LI 19s. M" M ‘Kenna, ownei of Haricot, lodged a protest against the winner on the ground that his horse had been unduly interfered with in tho straight by Ward, the rider of Tui. For the Hospital Race a sum of Ll4 3s 61 was collected on the course, hut as the sun had »et, the race was not run, in order that the Consolation might be got off. Consolation Handicap, of 15 sovs. Fo r all beaten hoises. Distance, three** quarters of a mile. Mr J. Rivers’s b g Resartus, 5 yrs, 9st lllb (Smith) 1 MrJ. Thompson’s blk Yaldhnrst, aged 7st 21b (Thompson) 2 It was too dark to see the start for this event at the back of the course, hut the lacewasrnn in fast time, and the stake landed by Resartus by a length or two. A dividend of LI 7s was paid on the result.