SPORTING.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1041, 26 October 1877, Page 3

SPORTING.

EAOES. [BY THE SPECIAL BEPOBTER OF THE PIJES3.] President —Mr E. S. Coster. Judge—Sir Cracroft Wilson, C. 8., K.S.I. Hanclicapper —Mr H. P. Lance. Starter —Mr .Neil Maclean. Clerk of course—Mr E. Saunders. Clerk of scales —Mr Friedlander. Hon. treasurer —Mr C. C. Fooks. Stewards —Sir Cracroft Wilson, C. 8., K. 5.1,, Mr J. C. Wason, M.H.R., Mr E. Saunders, Mr Q-. G-. Stead, Mr J. E. Mitchell, Mr J. Stilt,

Mr C. Barker, and Mr J. Lloyd Crawley. The spring meeting of the Ashburton Jockey Club took place yesterday on a most unpleasant day for sightseers. The racing itself was not first class, and the only events which excited any interest were the Hurdle race and the Publicans' Purse. The attendance on the course was good, and a numerous Christchurch contingent went down by the early morning train from the metropolis. In the absence of Sir J. Cracroft Wilson, Mr J. Stitt officiated as judge. All the officials were assiduous in their attention to their duties, and, as usual, Mr N. Maclean wielded the starter's Hag effectively. Mr B. Saunders made a very good clcvk of the course, but the clerk of the scales will excuse me if I hint to him that it is absolutely necessary to weigh the different jockeys | in, as well as out, and that the fact of the I horse first paßt the post drawing his proper weight is not sufficient. The secretary, Mr C. A. Calvert, deserves every praise for the trouble and time he had taken to get the running ground and saddling paddock in order. The state of the weather lately has been against him, and the course was decidedly hard, and in some places stony. The catering on the ground was rough, but evidently appreciated, and the booths drove a merry trade. Proceedings opened a Jiltlo after the advertised time with the Maiden Plate, for which only two were paddled, and what little betting was done was in favor of Mr Delamain's youngster, as his opponent, Winslow, is a remarkably marked piebald pony with not the faintest pretensions to be considered a racehorse. However the race is not always to the swiit, and it was known that Parfchenoposus

had on several occasions showed temper vvhen at exercise, and as it was quite on the cards that he might do so to-day on the occasion of his debut in public the ugly piebald was pulled out to oppose him. The backers of the off chance had their reward, as after a caricature of a race too close to the rails, the young one bolted into the crowd and left 'the circus horse to canter in alone. The principal event of the day, the Ashburton Cup, came next on the list, and it was annoying to find that it was reduced to a walk over for Kay's two, Danebury and Bide-a-wee. He rode the former, who looked very well, himself, and they cantered round in company, the chesnut coming home half a length in front. Better fun was in store, however, in the Hurdle Race, for which six saddled up. They were not a very gay looking lot, Grey Momus, Barry Lyndon, and Ivanhoe appearing the soundest. The former, however, was not in the best of form, Barry lacked anything like condition, and old Ivanhoe has seen his best days. Shillelagh looked well in his coat, but his fore legs betrayed sad signs of knocking about, yet I fancy his party were confident. Lonehand was bandaged on both fore legs, and did not look the good horse he undoubtedly is when fit and well. The other competitor was a chesnut mare called Miss Dawson, who would have been much more at home in a grocer's spring cart than figuring with the colors up over sticks. For some distance the race was a good one, but after Barry Lyndon had cleared off, Lonehand broken down, and Shillelagh retired beaten, G-rey Momus had things all his own way, though Ivanhoe struggled home gamely enough. The Publicans' Purse was now booked as a certainty for Bide-a-Wee, but the uncertainty of racing was never more exemplified, Parthenopceus when meeting a fair class horse, and having to go along, showing very different form to that he had displayed in the Maiden Plate. To the consternation of the spectators, Bide-a-wee never got really on terms with the colt, and the latter coming home as straight as a gun barrel, he won pretty easily at the finish by a length and a half. The Ladies' Purse brought out three of the district gentlemen riders, but in consequence of rumors, most of the betting was as to which would be first past the post. The winner turned up in a nice little mare by Talisman, named Aurora. For the Consolation only two of Mr Saunders' came to the post, and proceedings wound up with the usual hack race. A hasty rush to catch the train for Christchurch followed, and after a long dusty trip I was, though wishing the Ashburton Club all success, glad to find myself back in town. Appended is an account of the different events :— *> Maiden Pirate of 30 sovs.; entrance, 2 sovs ; 1 i miles ; weight for age. Open to all comers. Mr W. Harris's p g Winslow, 0 yrs, 9st 121bs (Sims) 1 Mr Delamain's b c Parthenopceus, 3 yrs, 7stslbs (Webster) 2 No betting. They got away together, and after running two hundred yards in company, the piebald went to the front, keeping the lead for ihe next half mile. Parthenopaius, who had been running "unkindly, then went up and passed liis antagonist, retaining the command into the straight, but refusing to face the crowd, he cleared out and left the piebald to eanter in alono. Ashburton Cup Handicap of 100 sovs., added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs. each for acceptors, second horse to save his stakes; entrance, 5 sovs., 2 sovs. on nomination, and 3 sovs. on acceptance; 2 miles. Mr Pay's Danebury, 4 yrs, 9st 71b (Owner) 1 MrK. Pay's Bide-a-Wee, 6 yrs, Bst 01b (Hope) 2 No betting. They cantered together, Danebury in the lead for a mile and a half, when Bide-a-Wee took closer order, and they came home in company, the chesnut getting the verdict. Hurdle Pace Handicap of 50 sovs., added to a sweepstakes of 3 sovs. each for acceptors ; entrance. 3 sovs., 1 sov. on nomination, and 2 sovs. on acceptance; over ejght flights of hurdles, 3 feet 0 inches high; 3 milea, Mr J. H. Lunn's gr g Grey Momus, (i yvs, list 71b ... ... ' (If. Lunn) 1 Mr Thompson's b g Ivanhoe, aged, 12st (Joyce) 2 Mr H. Muir's b g Lonehand, aged, list 101 b (Hedge) 3 Mr S. Nutt's b g Shillelagh, aged, 12st (Sheenan) 4 Mr Pike's ch m Miss Dawson, aged, lOst 71b, carried list lib (Hay) 5 Mr Saunder's br g Barry Lyndon, aged, lOst (A. Lyford) 0 Betting—6 to 4 agst. Grey Momus, 2to 1 each agst. Shillelagh, Ivanhoe, and Lonehand, 4 to 1 agst. Barry Lyndon, 8 and 10 to 1 agst. Miss Dawson. After one breakaway, they were dismissed on very even terms, and they ran in a cluster, with the exception of the carty chesnut, to the first hurdle, which was negotiated by Lonehand, slightly in front of Barry Lyndon, Shillelagh and Ivanhoe in close attendance. Barry led over the next leap, and was followed closely by the other four, the mare being already out of the race. At the third hurdle Barry was still leading but Lonehand was creeping up and evidently going well within himself. At the fourth hurdle Barry had had enough and he took a short cut on his own account, leaving the four together, but on jumping the fence Lonehand pitched on to some obstacle and was shortly seen to be in trouble. Grey Momus now pulled Lis way to the fore and took the command, though he could not get rid of Ivanho.B and Lonehand, th? latter of whom seemed to be coming again. The grey was never headed from this point home, as though he clouted his hurdles very hard he held all his opponents safe, and eventually won a very good race from Ivanhoe, who was unnecessarily punished, by a length and w. halt', with something in hand. Lonehand was a bad third, Shillelagh fourth. Lonehand was very lame when hercturned to scale, and it is a thousand pities such a really good cross-country horse should have met with such an accident, though it is reported that a month or two's spell will turn him out as sound as ever. Publicans' Purse Handicap of 25 sovs., added to a sweepstakes of 2 sovs. each for acceptors ; entrance, 3sovs., 1 sov. on nomination, and 2 sovs. on acceptance ; winner of the Ashburton Cup to carry 71b. penalty; Us miles. Mr Delamain's Parlhenopoous, 3 yrs.Jfist 871 b (Webster) 1 Mr R. Kay's Bide-a-Wee, U yrs, 7st 121 b (Hope) 2 Betting--! to 1 on Bide-a-Wee. They got away in company, but the colt soon took the lead, and though Bide-a-Wee made several efforts to get alongside him, Mr Delamain's classically named youngster kept his advantage all the way homa, and won a very pretty race by a length and a half.

Ladies' Purse of 25 sovs.; entrance, 2 sovs.; 1? miles; gentlemen riders ; district horses ; welter weight for age. Mr J. Smith's blk m Aurora, 3yrs, Bsfc 91bs, carried 9st 31b9 (Owner) 1 Mr Harris b g Never Mind, aged, 12st 11 lbs (Owner) 2 Mr Saunders's blk g Larry Doolan, 3yrs, Bst (MrHobbs) 3 Betting—Even money on Never Mind. Mr Harris's gelding took the lead at the start, with Aurora second, and Larry Doolan, who never showed prominently in the race, lying off. At the three-quarter mile post Aurora joined the leader, and having him beaten on entering the straight, cantered home an easy winner by six lengths. [By Telegraph.] For the Consolation only two horses competed, Mr E. Saunders's Larry Doolan and Barry Lyndon. The owner declared to win with the former, which task he accomplished. The other beaten horses left by the 4.15 p.m. train for Christchurch. The Hack Pace, for which six entries were made, was won by Mr Flannery's Kaiapoi.