SPORTING.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 244, 22 March 1875, Page 3

SPORTING.

GREYMOUTH JOCKEY CLUB RACES.

{Grey River Argus.) Fibst Day.

The annual meeting of the Jockey Club commenced at the Racecourse yesterday. The weather for the two or three previous days had been very unfavorable, and there were fears that it would continue and spoil the sport. But the clerk of the weather was in a propitious mood yesterday, and the day broke kindly, and the weather throughout the day was all that could be desired. The attendance on the course was not so large as on former occasions, but considering all things it was not bad. There were probably between twelve and thirteen hundred persons present, the Grand Stand being well filled, and the various refreshment booths appeared to do a tidy business. The ordinary adjuncts of a race meeting in the shape of games were not wanting, and there was one which might with great pro. priety have been put down. We don't know how the game is designated, but it consisted of tricks for turning up " heads or tails," and on the principle, so far as we could see, of the old motto of " heads I win, tails you lose." There was no "betting ring," properly so called, but there were two or three turf speculators, who invited all and suDdry to give or take the odds on the various events. The " knowing ones," however, could not have come very well out of the betting, as all the prognostications of the horsey prophets "went crooked." For the great event—the Jockey Club Handicap, Tamburini was first favorite at 3 to 2, Yatterina and Guy Fawkes, 2to 1; and others speculative rates. Strange to say that Guy Fawkee found little favor, although from his condition, and the light weight he had to carry, he had strong chances of pulling the event off. There was no Hurdle Race, some hitch having occurred with regard to the handicappers. The first race was the Westland Handicap Tbotting Race of 20 sovs ; three miles ; minimum weight, list; second horse to receive 5 sovs. Entrance, 2 sovs. Post entries. Three horses entered for this race—Mr Marshall's Ranger ; Mr Brimble's Express ; and Mr J. Hamilton's Darkie. Ranger gave 450 yards to Express, and 400 yards to Darkie.

Express took the lead, Darkie following at the handicap distance, wbich position each held for the first time round, Ranger making no appreciable gain. The same order was observed at the second time round, and Banger was steadily lessening his distance, but unfortunately he persisted in checking at the corner past the grand Btand, and thereby lost ground. At the th'rd round of the course, Darkie pressed up close to the heels of Express before they came to the straight, and it would probably have been Express's race, but the horse broke, and Darkie passed him and came in an easy winner. This was a good race, so far as regards its bona fides, but as a trotting match, well, we need not say much about it. Banger was heavily handicapped, and trotted much worse than is his usual habit. The result of the race— Darkie, 400 yards (Hamilton) 1 Express, 450 yards (Milner) 2 Banger, scratch (Marshall) 3 The next race was the Gbeymouth Jockey Club Handicap of 200 sovs; with a sweepstake of 7 sovs, acceptances added ; second horse to receive 25 sovs from the stake. Distance, 2 miles. This was in every sense a fine race, and WM evidently run on ita moriti. The ground

in the low lying parts was rather heavy for Tamburini, and the light weights' were quite too many for him, or else probably the issue would have been different. Septimus made splendid running, and was only overhauled for second place just before the finish. The following is the result of this race: Guy Fawkes, 6*t 41b ... (Cheeseman) 1 Yatterina, Bst 61b (French) 2 Septimus, 6st 121 b ... (Barton) 3 Tamburini;9st 101 b ... (O'Brien) 0 Tommy Dodd 7st 71b 0 Five horses entered for this race—Tamburini, Tommy Dodd, Yatterina, Septimus, and Guy Fawkes. Tamburini was first favorite, and Yatterina second, but there was not wanting those who confidently predicted that Guy Fawkes, with his light weight and good condition, would make a good show for the money. Yatterina, by ordinary observers, was considered more likely to take a good place than even the favorite, and Septimus also had a good many friends. Tommy Dodd, somehow, was regarded as a stalking horse to make the running for his mate. A good start was effected, Guy Fawkes taking the lead, and evidently hard held, Septimus was close up, Tommy Dodd third, and Tamburini and Yatterina behind. This order was not much disturbed until the second time round, when all the horses closed up at the corner; but Guy Fawkes still leading, Septimus a length behind, and the others in close order. At the third round Yatterina steadily crept up, and gained third place, and afterwards passed Septimus before the straight, and it became a race between Guy Fawkes and the mare, the former winning by half a length, Septimus third, and the favorite fourth, and Tommy Dodd last. The next event was the Hack Rack of 10 sovs; 1 mile; heats ; second horse in the deciding heat to receive 3 sovs from the stake ; minimum weight, 9st; post entries. The entries were : Mr Carroll's Unknown, Mr Mollison's Stormbird, Mr Lahman's Black Bess, and Mr Woolcock's Charcoal. At the start Black Bess took the lead, Unknown second, Charcoal third, and Stormbird last. Black Bess kept the lead for the greater part of the distance, the Unknown, however, gradually closing up, and when the two came to the straight running, it was a toss of a half-penny which would win. They raced neck and neck, and passed the judge's box in that position, and a dead heat was declared. There are many, however, who think that Unknown won that heat by half a neck. Charcoal was next in order, and the other one nowhere. The second heat was well contested, Black Bess and Unknown racing close together for some time, but Stormbird managed to get an improved position and succeeded in taking second place at the winning post, Unknown being first, and Black Bess third. The third heat was won easily by Unknown.

The result was— Mr Carroll's Unknown 1 Mr Mollison's Stormbird 2 Mr Lahman's Black Bess 3 Charcoal cared at the last heat. District Handicap of 40 sovs; open to all horses the property of bona fide residents in the Nelson South-West or Westland Goldfields prior to the Ist January, 1875, and also owners from same date of horses entered by them; 1£ miles. This was one of the best races that ever took place on the Greymouth racecourse. Only two horses started—Septimus and Sandy. Sandy got the start, and kept the position most of the distance, Septimus close at his heels, and with every appearance of overhauling him—both horses galloping well. At the straight running Septimus got alongside Sandy, and both horses ran close together, and passed the post neck and neck. A dead heat having of course been declared, a second trial had to be made, with nearly as possible the same results, Sandy winning only by half a neck. For a thorough good honest race this has not been surpassed on the Greymouth course. The result was as follows : Mr Cochrane's ch g Sandy, Bst 101 b ... 1 Mr Cameron's gr g Septimus, 9st 81b ... 2 So ended a very good day's sport, and every one who attended the course could not but have been satisfied.