Notes by Crackshot.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 139, 16 May 1891, Page 3

Notes by Crackshot.

The first steeplechase meeting of the season on this coast came off at Egmonfc on- Wednesday, 'but as far assteepkc .asing was concerned it was a miserable failure. ■_he : ' Hack s-competing in the big steeplechase ah" fell, which clearly demonstrates that because a horse shows good form ■over hurdles it .'must not be concluded he can get over big country. The card was pricked by the Handicap Surdles, for which Jupiter (9-3), Waterbury, Worth and Christmas faced the starter. Waterbury (who was off color, having had to walk in mnd, with others, about ten miles on Monday night owing to a slip on the railway line) came down after a few nurd es had bean negotiated. This left Jupiter with a few chains lead, arid J. Cameron steadied him till Christinas' collared him at the bend for home, when Jupiter was set going, but the grey had too much foot for what Jupiter's party considered the "dead bird." Worth made his debut over sticks on this occasion, with G. Powell up, and fenced very well, but the distance was too far, and the going heavy, the latter ac«oxmting for the wretched times taken during the day. Old Marksman, with J. Cameron in the pigskin, proved him Belf far and away superior to his opponents— Kare.wa and Corsair— but I Have ■seen Pell ride a better race than he did on Corsair on this ocoas'on. The Maiden was loosed upon as a good thing for Sir Maurice, but had not "Johnston lost his bead while riding Whalebone^ the sort thing would have gone down. As it was Sir Maurice only got home by a nose after Whalebone, while taking the double, jumped over the rails into the training track, and instead of being taken through the gap which he made, Johnston stood and jumped the horse over the rails a few yards further down, landing just this side of the hurdle. Whaleboue had then to be taken back a bit to negotiate the jump. In the meantime Sir Maurice was 100 .yards ahead, but Whalebone had passed him before the last jump was taken. He was, however, beaten by Sir Maurice in the run-home, after a well-timed run on Pell's part. Durus and Hiamoe had the 1£ mile Hack Flat to themselves at the finish, the Sonmus gelding gaining the judges verdict by a nose by Lindsay's 'good horsemanship. The Egmont Si eeplechase, with nine starters, had «very promise of being worth while witnessing, but the fates decided otherwise, the race resulting in a chapter of accidents. The first obstacle saw Waterbury (Pel!) down, and two fences further Ivy fell, bringing . Matchless (G. Powell) down aiso. Jupiter (Johnson) fell opposite the stand, Sir Maurice (Miller) coming a cropper at the next fence, and before they could get up Christmas (Collelo) came over on them, which is considered to have done the damage to Sir Maurice and Miller. The horse was hurt across the loins, but was able to walk to the stable at 6 o'clock. He was not destroyed on Thursday morning last, but later advices contain that intelligence. Miller was considerably hurt,, and a subscription list of about ±30 was raised for him. The next fence saw Ingorangi on the ground, -and the two old stickers — Takapu and Dangerous — henceforth had the race to themselves, and the former having the best condition wo-i by two lengths, both the horses only being able to' canter home under severe punishment. Takapu's party wou a good stake over the horse's victory, and took a good deal of money from both the machine and the bookies. The riders of the horses that fell were all more or less injured. Durus (Collelo) made amends for her defeat in the first hack race by appropriating the mile race by a short head, Chance almost getting ahead at the post. If this had come off Chance's backers would have xeceived the acceptable divi. of _15. Waihi and Hiamoe (carrying 7lbs penalty) finished well up, so did Merman and Ledger, who are two good outsiders worth watching. Whalebone (10.2) easily defeated Ingorangi (10-4) and Ridge (9-8) in the Farewell Steeplechase, and the former horse must have a splendid chance in the Wanganui Steeplechase- Mr S. Powell's starting was highly commended.