SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 3101, 27 January 1873, Page 2

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

LAKE DISTRICT RACES. ('Cromwell Argus.) The race meeting at Frankton FJat last week cannot be truthfully described as a successful one. The time of holding it—the busy harvest season —was ill chosen. While hundreds of acres of ripe grain remained uncut in the field, it was not to be expected that the farmers would risk the consequences of unnecessary delay in securing it, merely for the sake of seeing the races. The agr& cultural section of the population, therefore; furnished but a small quota of the number of spectators who were present during the meet, A cold wind, followed by smart showers of rain, prevailed in the afternoons of Thursday and Friday, and*caused much physical discomfort to those who remained on the course till evening. But towards sundown the wind died away, and the nights were calm and pleasant. The attendance on Friday was nearly double that of the first day. but probably did not exceed 600 or 7io persons. Th# want of a grand stand was a' matter of universal complaint, the undulating nature of the ground on which the course in laid out rendering it impossible to obtain a good view of the races except from a con* siderable elevation. We shall say nothing more about the management of the races than that it might have been worse - but hot much. With the exception of the judge—* whose duties are usually of » passive nature, and were eo Oft tfw wowiw-'-tbe starter wwi

the only officer on the ground who seemed to know his duty, and he certainly dia it exceedingly well. There was not a bad start throughout the meeting; but neither, we regret to add, was there a single well-con-tested race, Thursday, January 16. Grand Stand Handicap, of 60 sovs., and a sweep of 3 sovs. each, to go to the second horse. Open to all horses. Distance, two miles. Mr Hazlett’s b g Atlas, aged, by the Peer —Barbara, 7"t 51b (Holt) 1 Mr Patterson’s br g Burgundy, aged, 10st 31b (Williams) 2 Mr Nosworthy’s br m Malice, 5 yrs, 10st ( Keay) 3 Also ran—Boomerang, 6st 121b; Excelsior, 6st slb. Wak tip Handicap, of 40 sovs. Open to district horses only. Distance, two miles. Mr G. Atkins’s br m Taffrail, by Leotard—Wetsail, 6 yrs, Bst 1 Mr T. Grace’s c m Flora, 6 yrs, 7at 31h... 2 Mr Bordeau’s eg Excelsior, aged, Bst 121b 3 Mr JR. M. Morran’s b m Wild Lose, 7st 0 The lateness of the hour at which the Wakatip Handicap was run off, caused the stewards to postpone the Hurdle Lace until the following day. Friday, January 17. Handicap Hurdle Pace, of 50 sovs. Open to all horses. One and a half mile heals, over five flights of hurdles, four feet high. Mr Nos worthy's b g Nigger, aged, lOst - (Taylor) 1 1 Mr J. Buckham’s c g Sir Tatton, aged, list (Laing) 0 0 Maid of the Mill 9st 71b; Flying Doe, Bst; and Don Juan, 7st 71b, were scratched. Sir Tatton was a strong favorite for this event, but after the start it soon became evident that the height of the hurdles did not please him, for after clearing the first and seemd jumps in the wake of Nigger, who was allowed to lead, Laing had some trouble in getting him over the three remaining fences. The time thus lost was improved by Nigger, who took all the leaps without demur. After clearing the fourth jump, and while travelling some rough ground, Nagger fell, and unseated bis rider. Taylor, though slightly hurt, was in the saddle again in a jiffy, and finished the heat without further mishap. In the second heat, Sir Tatton still objected to the hurdles, and allowed Nigger to complete his victory at his leisure.

Queenstown Handicap of 80 sov?. Open to all horses. Distance, two aud-a half

wiles. Mr Hazlett’s b g Atlas, aged, 7st (Holt) 1 Mr Atkins’s brm Taffrail, G yrs, Ost 71b (T. Cotter) 2 Mr Paterson’s b g Burgundy, aged, lOst 11b (Williams) 0

Mr 'osworthy’s bg Tambourini, 4 via, lOatSlb ... (Keay) 0 Mr Taggart’s br g Boomerang; 4 yrs, Cat

101b G Mr Bordeau’s chg Excelsi »r, 7st .. 0 Mr Powell effected an excellent start. Atlas and Excelsior at once went to the font, followed by Taffrail, who passed the pair near the half-mile post. Excelsior gradually dropped % bebind, while Burgundy and Tambourini came up third and fourth. Passing the stand the first time, Taffrail was leading by half a length ; xAtlas lying second, Burgundy, third, Tambourini, several lengths behind, fourth ; whilst Excelsior and Boomerang were evidently too far behind to have any chance of behind placed. Atlas now went again to the front, and maintained the same position to the finish, "winning easily by nine or ten lengths. Taffrail was second; the others distanced. It should be mentioned tint, on the first attempt to start the horses, Taffrail ran away with her jockey, and her wld gallop was only stopped when she ran against the rope-fence opposite the judge’s platform. The boy was, of course, thrown over the ropes, but fortunately sustained no injury. Publicans’ Pubse, of 30 sovs. Open to all horses. One and a half mile. Mr Patterson s c g Lyndon, aged, by Potentate, Bst 121b (Williams) 1 Mr G. Atkin’s br m Taffrail, 6 yrs, 7st 101b ... (Holt) 2 Mr Nosworthy’s br m Malice, 5 yrs, 9sb 111b (beay) 3 Mr Bordeau’s b g Welcome, aged, Gst ... 0 Mr Grace’s q o4 Flora, 6 yrs, Gst Gib " ... ..(Cotter) dist. On the fall of the starter’s flag, Lyndon went off"with the lead, and was not passed throughout the race, although he was closely pressed by Taffrail. Malice was overweighted, and wouldn’t gallop, but nevertheless cantered in third at the finish, Lyndon won by about two lengths, with Taffrail second. The following are the handicap for the big event at Greymouth in March next:—Burgundy, aged, Ost 51bs ; Yatterina, aged, Ost; Malice, 5 yrs, Bst 121bs ; Misfortune, aged, Bst 71bs; Envy, 5 yrs, Bstsibs; Defamation, 4 yrs, 8»t 31bs ; Harlequin, aged 7st 121bs ; Hatred, 5 yrs, 7at 12ibs; Lacenfeed, aged. 7st 81bs; Dick Turpin, aged Gst lOlbs ; Gossip, 4 yrs, Gst lOlbs; Prima Donna, 4 yrs Gst 21bs.

At a meeting of the Oamaru Jockey Club last Week, a programme was drawn up, representing the sum of 1 320 to be run for, and it was decided that the races should take place on the Bth and 9th April, so as not to clash with other meetings.