THE KUMARA RACES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 9 April 1901, Page 3

THE KUMARA RACES.

Yesterday morning opened “ very doubtful” indeed for racing weather, but towards “ train time ” it cleared up, and hundreds flocked to the Greymouth Railway Station to proceed to the races—the Kumara races—for few were going to Hokitika. A speedy run to the Kumara Station, and there was a great emptying of the carriages, leaving a large party who were going to Hokitika to attend a temperance conference and a number of picturesque spots near Westland’s capital. All the sporting fraternity, all those who attend races, were bound Kumaraward.

And here let us say that in no part of New Zealand could better vehicles be found or more of them than those of Mr. Rugg. His palace vans, his drags, his coaches and his buggies were a credit to any livery stable in Britain, while his horses were magnificent animals, and certainly he is deserving of much credit for his enterprise. In such conveyances it took but little time to reach the racecourse of the town of Kumara.

The course was in good order and the races were got off to time, the contests being keen and well contested, there being no semblance of bad running if we except that of Heiress in the Kumara Handicap, into which an enquiry should be held. The Kumara Catholic Band discoursed some excellent music during the day, the general opinion being that with a little more practice this company could hold its own with anything on the Coast. The Kumara Club is to be heartily congratulated upon the success of their first day’s races. The attendance was about 1,500, while £1,943 going through the totalisator shows that the “ boys who bet ” were at Kumara.

Subjoined are the results TRIAL STAKES, 25 SOVS, 1 mile. 80— Abaydos, 910 1 178 —Will-o'-the-Wisp,lol3 2 68—Seabreeze, 712 ... 3 Abaydos got the lead at the start and keeping it won by a length. Div, £3 13s. dillman’s hack back, 25 sovs. 57 —Eeikura, 7 7 1 81— Artillery Maid, 8 5 ... 2 101—Surrey, 9 2 3 Crusader (36) and Sarah Jennings (31) also ran. Eeikura won rather easily by three lengths. Div, £4 17s. KUJIAEA HANDICAP, 50 SOVS. 198—Haria, 8 0 1 66—Will-o’the-Wisp, 11 4 2 105—Heiress, 8 7 3 There was much comment about the riding of Heiress. Haria beat off a rush by Will and won by a length. Div, £1 13s. HANDICAP HURDLE EACE, 30 SOVS. 129—Huntingdon, 10 10 ... 1 86 —Apremete, 912 ... 2 168—Nayborn, 10 10 ... 3 Won easily. IS ayborn fell at the last hurdle, the jockey and horse escaping uninjured. Div, £2 13s. KUMABA TEOTTING HANDICAP, 25 SOVS. 34—Jennie 11, 25 secs ... 1 73 —Pilot, 9 secs 2 78 —Cable, 16 secs ... ... 3 Daystar (27), Prudence (15), Linda (5), and Minnesota (9) also ran. Jennie ll never broke and won easily. Div, £6 7s. PLYING HANDICAP, 25 SOYS, 80—Artillery Maid, 710 ..- 1 41—Crusader, 7 10 2 48-Sarah Jennings, 7 7 ... 3

Eeikura (158) also ran. Won by half a length. Div, £3 14s.