WANGANUI MILITARY RACES.

Evening Post, Issue 167, 21 August 1865, Page 2

WANGANUI MILITARY RACES.

These races commenced on Wednesday, on the racecourse, and passed off well, notwith" standing that, owing to the cold weather, the attendance was comparatively small. The first race was for the Trial Stakes^ for which three horses started, and came in as follows : — Mr. Palmer's Melrose (Walker) 1 Mr. Dawson's Conrad .(Winfield) 2 Major Kocke's Ranger v (Gordon) 3 There was some dispute about this race, owing to some foul riding. At starting Conrad rushed forward, and his rider (a youth from Otago) endeavoured to pass in front of Metrose and get the inside pZaceF.iilin^ to got a sudicieut lead he pressed Mtlross off the course, and John Walker, who rode Melrose, shouted to him to keep his place, but he bore the harder to the left, till at one time both the horses were some twenty yards off the course on the inside. As they parsed the stand on the first round this occurred again, and Melrose was forepd over the ropes, which so irritated Walker that he plied his whip smartly over the stranger's shoulders and forced him to ease off. Melrose soon after took the lead, and won easily, For the Wanganui Handicap three horses also started, and came in as toaows :— Dr. Mussen's Rob Ray (Walker") 1 Mr. Day's Garotter (Owner) 2 Capt. Casement's Rainbow (Potto) 3 Garotter made tho running for the first two miles, when Rob Roy passed him and won easily. The Hurdle Race was one of the best ever run here, the whole of the leaps being well taken by all the horses, of which eight started, coming in thus — Mr. Ddwaon's Conrad (Day) 1 Captain Leach's Billy (Owner) 2 Captain Clement's Highflyer (Owner) 3 The rest were not placed. Billy made the running till within a quarter of a mile of home, when Conrad passed him and won by a length. For the Ladies' Purse three horses started, and came in in the following order :—: — Mr. Palmer's Melrose (Walker) 1 Mr. Carre's Shamrock 'Gordon) 2 Air. Green's Wellington (Waldron) 3 Rob Roy was withdrawn. Shamrock made the running to the distance, when Melrose came up and made a pretty finish. This concluded the day's programme, but other races followed. The first was a halfmile match between Sir Robert Douglas's Tiuy and Captain Carre's Shamrock. The horses god well off ; Tiuy made the running and won easily, the hard struggle which Shamrock had had with Melrose just before having no doubt been agaiust him. Tiny was ridden by Geo. Walker, while Shamrock had to carry his father. A scratch hurdle race followed for 5s each. Sixteen horses started, aud three heats were run. In the third heat a sad accident occurred. At the first hurdle the leading horse fell, and before its rider could get up, another horse, which also fell, either jumped or rolled on the top of him, breaking his thigh, and it is feared otherwise injuring him as well. This put an end to the racing, for though the three heats were all won by different horses, an arrangement was come to, aud, as we understood, the stakes were divided.— Wanganui Chronicle.