SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 4132, 25 May 1876, Page 4

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

The New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Meeting was held yesterday. The weather was very wet and cold, and there Was only a moderate attendance on the course. There was a great want of punctuality in starting the races. Maiden Plate, of 100 boys, added to sweepstakes of 6 boys. each. Weight for age. Distance, two miles. Mr Hive's Moose, aged (E, MTvor) 1 Mr Seabright'B Zetland, 4yrs ... (Shcenan) 2 Williams’s Fakir, 3yrs ... (H. Lunn) 3 Mr Britian s Terror, aged (Matellie) 4 Eclipse, Doodlembuck, Coquette, Septimus, Brunette, The Don, Barmaid, and Dan O’Connell also ran. Gazelle and Brunswick were scratched. Betting s 3 to 1 against 4 to 1 Fakir, 6 to 1 Eclipse, 8 and 10 to 1 against others. A very good start was effected. Zetland was the first to clear the first jump, Fakir followed with Moose third. At the next fence the Fakir went to the front, Zetland second, 'Moose third. The three went over waterjump in same order, and all got over without any contretemps, except Daniel O’Con- • nell, who fell, throwing Mr Campbell, but without serious consequences. The Fakir came to grief at the next jump, at a post and rail fence, and Zetland assumed the lead, Moose being close upon him. The seventh fence, a double one, with ditch and bank, and then posts and rails a chain apart, was safely got over by the field. Moose now went in front, and a neck-and-neck race ensued with Zetland to the ninth fence, which Moose was the first to get over, Zetland close up. The tenth fence was taken in the same order. The race home then commenced. The Fakir having been remounted, came close up to hioose and Zetland. There were two flights of hurdles yet to be crossed. Each of them was first taken by Moose, with Zetland second. Moose won easily by two lengths, Zetland second, Fakir three lengths behind. Doodlembuck declined the next fence after the water jump, and was clean out of the race. At the far side of the course Brunette struck a post and fell. ITsw Zealand Geand National Handicap of 250 BOYS., added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs. eachfour miles. •• Mr P. Britten's Royalty lOat. ... (MarteUi) 1 Mr L. Markey s Monstrap, list.... (T. Lyford) 2 Auckland Kate, Don Juan, Gazelle, and Tommy Dodd also ran. Betting s 5 to 2 against Tommy Dodd and Mousetrap, 3 to 1 Auckland Kate, 8 to 1 the others. Of the eight acceptors six came to the post. Zetland and Butcher Boy were scratched. On the flag being lowered, Mousetrap went to the front and took the first leap in splendid style; Tommy Dodd and Gazelle came second and third, Auckland Kate fourth, Don Juan fifth, Koyalty last. The second fence was taken in the same order. The water-jump was beautifully taken by Mousetrap. Tommy Dodd came »ext, with Gazelle close up. There was no change in the order of running until at the seventh fence. Mousetrap was first over it; Gazelle fell, and Tommy Dodd took second place. Don Juan was now third. Approaching water-jump for second time, Mousetrap had still the lead by several lengths, but Royalty now closed up and took second place, Tommy Dodd having come to grief at the fence previous to the water-jump. Mousetrap was still leading at the fence after the water-jump, but Royalty gradually drew upon him. At the last ditch-and-bank fence Royalty went to the front, and soon took the lead from Mousetrap. Royalty led over the two .flights of hurdles and landed a winner, hard ’ held, by three lengths. Time, 9min. 31seo. Hunt Club Cdp, 150 sovs, added to a sweepstakes of 7 sovs. each. Weight forage. Gentlemen riders. Three miles. Mr P. Campbell’s Tommy Dodd, aged (Owner) 1 Mr O’Brietfs Auckland Kate, aged (Martelli) 2 Nicholson and M'Eae’s Bather Boy, aged ... 3 Gazelle, Dan, O’Connell, Coquette, and Noble scratched, A good start was effected. Tommy Dodd led for the first half-mile, then Auckland Kate went to the fore and led until the last bnt two, when Tommy resumed the and won by two lengths. Owing to a drenching rain, the Auckland races have been postponed till Saturday. The holiday there yesterday was a miserable failure. The < 'anterbury Jockey Club decided to warn a local book-maker, named Murphy, off the course as a defaulter. It also earned the following resolution “ That the C, J. C. Will gladly co-opcratc with other racing clnbis of N»w .Zealand in promoting a meeting fdr adoption of a general scale of weights for the Colony and a uniformity of rates, rfo ht $B may be practicable.”