ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 138, 10 November 1874, Page 3

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

The foot races which took place yesterday on the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's grounds, were not a very good thing. The principal event, which attracted some four hundred people, did not come off, as Mr Lewin, the amateur who was going to run Harris, failed to put in an appearance, and the other races were most hollow. The committee of the association no doubt know their own business best, but it would inspire more public confidence if it was known that the use of the grounds would not be permitted for events of this kind which were not got up under the auspices of a committee, whose names would at least be some guarantee for their genuineness. One feature was the number of under and over tables and a new kind of rouge et noir game, presided over by new chums in appearance, though evidently well up to the business, an introduction, it is needless to say, the province cnnnot congratulate itself upon. Mr Hall, of the Oxford Hotel, had a booth on ground, and good service was done by Mr Inspector Buckley and staff of police. Mr E. C. Maxwell acted as judge, and Mr S. P. Andrews as starter. The time is givm for each event as stated on the ground, but its corectness is not vouched for. The following are the events in the order in which they were run : 150 Yards Handicap Race. Prize, £5. FIRST HEAT. Brunsden, 19 yards 1 Scott, 22 yards 2 Gougb, 19 yards 3 Walters, 25 yards 0 Wilson, 16 yards 0 Drake 0 A very bad start was made, Drake and Walters being left at the post, and after running a few yards they gave in. Brunsden ran very well, leading all the way, but slackened his pace when about twenty yards from the tape, winning, however, by about four yards, with Scott about three yards in advance of the third man. Time \k\ sees. SECOND HEAT. J. G. Harris, scratch Hewitt, 27 yards 1 Gibbens, 19 yards 2 Harris, scratch 3 The men started well, but before they had gone far it was at once seen that Harris, in his present form, was handicapped out of the race. He was running very wide, nothing like his old form, and when on neaiing home he tried a spurt, it was more like a "wobble" than those spurts in which he used to excel. Hewitt ran well all through, but about thirty yards from home Gibbens made a plucky spurt, gaining on his leader, and had the race been ten yards longer the chances were he would have won. Though a long way behind before this, he was only three yards at the finish, Harris following about seven yards behind. Time, 15£secs. PINAL HEAT. Scott, 22 yards 1 Brunsden,l9 yards 2 Hewitt, 27 yards 0 Gibbens 0 At the start Scott jumped away with the the lead, Brunsden being rather slack in starting. Scott soon collared and passed Hewitt, when the latter seemed to at once establish a funk, and was in a short time also passed by Brunsden. Scott and Brunsden then paced it in together, the former winning by about a yard. Time 14£secs. 440 Yards Race, for a trophy value £2O. Lewin did not come to the scratch, and Harris went over the ground as a matter of form, doing the distance in lmin. lOsecs. 880 Yards Handicap. Prize £3. Hewitt, 22 yards 1 Donoghue, 35 yards ... ... 0 Pentecost, scratch 0 This was a very poor race. Pentecost made the running, and was leading at the first lap, when he shot his bolt and gave up. Hewitt, who had been running with good judgment, now increased his pace and came up with Donoghue, who then followed Pentecost's example. Hewitt continued to put it on, and came home with a good spurt. Time —First lap, 1 min. ssecs.; second lap, lmin. 13secs.: total, 2min. 18secs. 300 Yards Hurdle Race. Prize £3. (Over 8 flights of hurdles, 3ft 6iu each.) Wilson, 40 yards 1 Gough, 45 yards ... 2 Pentecost, 20 yards Harris, who was to run in this race, did not start. The three men jumped away together, Wilson coming up to Gough at the third hurdle, passing him at the fourth. Pentecost, who was the neatest jumper of the three, seemed to lose ground at each hurdle, and never reached the others. After clearing the last hurdle Wilson slsckened the pace, when Gough came up with a rush, and it took the former all he could do to beat him on the tape. Time, 40secs. A private match for £2 aside was then run off between G. Butler and Buchanan, distance 100, 150, and 200 yards. The first race was won by Butler, who crossed his opponent, when a little jostling took place. The second by Buchanan, and the third again by Butler, who started about five yards ahead of the other, finding it an advantage to do so before the pistol was well off. The whole affair appropriately wound up with a scrimmage in the dressing room, in which Mr Inspector Buckley and his assistants had to take an active part for a little time.