SPORTING.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1342, 3 June 1878, Page 3

SPORTING.

WAIMATE STEEPLECHASES.

[by oue special eepoeteb.J Stewards—Hon. Eobt. Campbell, A. Turnbull, F. Tescheinaker, F. J. Kimbell, Donald M'Lcau, M. Studbolme, Geo. Lovegrove, Robert M'Owen, Akx. Patterson, Neil Fleming, Esqs. Judge—M. Studholme, Esq. ; Starter— G. Loyegrove Esq.; Handicappers—it. Studbolme and T. Teschemaker, Esqs. ; Clerk of the Scales—M. Mytton, Esq.; Clerk of Course-A. Potts, Esq. This pleasant meeting came off at Willow bridge on Saturday last. The weather was perfection and the attendance very good. Well-filled trains brought numerous visitors from Oamaru and Timaru, the Christchurch contingent was unusually large, and locals turned out to a man. The arrangements were excellent, and the various events started with commendable punctuality. The fields for the several events on the card were above what had been expected, and if the races were not very closely contested it was owing rather to chapters of accidents which occurred, not for the first time in the history of steeplechasing. The absence of Eversley, The Moose, and Fakir made a great deal of differthe day's sport. Mr Keith inadvertently forgot to accept with the slow, though certain Stockman. The Don had "a leg" which precluded his putting in an appearance. Had these five been present the result would have been different and the sport better. As it was, the best horses were either unfortunate or not in a jumping frame of mind ; falls were frequent; in nearly every case the events were won by outsiders, and the proverbial pot simmered steadily over throughout the day. Business commenced with the Waimate Cup, for which Mr Lovegrove marshalled four to the post. Te Whetu was served up very warm at even money, while the followers of the Agent were not backward at accepting the 5 to 2 offered about him. The favorite had the hardest of luck. He fell badly at the fence under the stand, giving O'Brien a bad ghaking, and after being remounted, catching {.is field, and leading them over the water he slipped up at the last fence but one and fell again. Had it not been for this mishap he would have won with the greatest ease. He has plenty of foot, and will, with more schooling, which his presont tutor is well qualified to give him, make a grand crosscountry horse. Agent in this race did not come up to the expectations that had been formed of his jumping abilities, but with more education and condition he too will take some beating next season. The winner turned up in the useful Brunette, who jumped pretty steadily, while Mickey Free, the other candidate, was out of the hunt early in the journey. Another quartette saddled up for the Maiden Plate, which, in the company he had to meet, was thought a good thing for the Shark, but in this event, as in the others in which he was engaged, that useful horse did not seem ravenous about jumping, and Jack won easily from Tim Whifiler. Eight saddled up for the Waimate Handicap, for which Te Whetu was again a pretty warm favorite, ' Shillelagh, who stripped very fairly, being supported to some extent, though in this, as in the other events of the day, speculation was not brisk, and layers were more plentiful than backers. The race requires but little said of it. The favorite came to trouble early in the race, and before a u;ilo had been covered it was clear that the issue lay between Siiveratream and the Agent. The former, who made bis first appearance, did not create an over favourable impression in his preliminary performance, but he ran well in the race, as did also Agent, who in this event retrieved his laurels. Albeit Lyford who roie the latter very wisely waited behind the grey, who is apparently a pretty sure jumper, until past the water jump the last time round, and then outpacing him home won easily. Five went to the pssb lor the Consolation, and when the weights appeared, some surprise was expressed at Tun WhUiler's impost, but the result proved that the handicapper was correct in his judgment, as he won easily. I had almost forgotten to Bi-v that Mr. C-. Pratt oatered for the stand with muc'i satisfaction to his uutiUi'Ous clients. '' I append results of the various events : - Waimate SteeeLechise Cup, ofJJ75i entrance, M ; weight for age; second ticrse to siivo his stake \ distance, "i\ Bails*. Mr Hoskiug's br in Brunette, aged, l2>t 31b (U. Joyce) 1 Mr S. Powoll's ch g The Agent, 4 yrs, list (A. Lyford; 4

Mr Fisher's ch g Mickey Free, aged, 12st 31b (Hawkins 0 Mr W. F. Neilson's ch g To Whetumnraina, aged, 12st 31b (D. O'Brien) 0 Shillelagh, Turk, Eversley, and Fakir were scratched. Batting—Even money Te Whetu, 5 to 2 agst The Agent. The lot got away to rather a stragghn start, Te Whetu being the first to show in front, closely followed by Brunette, Agent and Micky Freo lying back. In this order they jumped the first fence. Te Whetu was shortly after pulled back, leaving Brunette in charge. Coming to the water jump Te Whetu camo with a rush and led over it, followed closely by Brunette and Agent. Mickey Freo refused, and was never afterwards in the hunt. All three balked at the next fence but one, Te Whetu being the first over, and leading to the post and rail under the stand where he fell. O'Brien, however, caught him again after some delay, and started in pursuit of the leaders. Agent now had a strong lead, but his refusal, followed by Brunette, at the back of the course enabled Te Whetu materially to improve his position. Agent, however, was first over, and led to the water jump, which both he and Brunette declined. Te Whetu now came up, and getting over it cleverly the race now seemed almost a certainty for him, but at the next fence he again came to grief, and Brunette who was next over the water came on, and jumping the two remaining fences in good style, won easily, Agent second. Maiden Plate, of <£so ; entrance, M ; weight for age; second horse to save his stake; distance, 2 miles. Mr Hoskingss b g Jack, aged, 12st 31b (C. Joyce) 1 Mr Thomson's br g Tim Whifllcr, aged, 12st31b (W. McKay) 2 Mr Dolman's br g Shark, aged, 12st 31b (Sheenan) 0 Mr Eavenhill's ch g Pakeha, aged, 12st 31b (Simpson) 0

The Don, Agent, and Turk were scratched. Betting—s to 4on Shark, 2to 1 agst Jack. Shark, who was quickest away, came to grief at the first jump, and Jack following his example, Tim, who got well over, led Pakeha over the post and rails under the stand, where Pakeha refused, and though he got over at the second attempt, was never after able to catch the leading division. Tim WhiUler was first to clear the jump out of the grand stand paddock, cleverly followed by Jack, who took the command at the next fence. Here Tim persistently refused, and Jack arrived at the water jump nearly half a mile ahead of him. This obstacle he did not get over till the third time of asking, and at one time it looked rather as if Tim, who was very gradually making up his lost ground, would catch him, but his continual refusals gave time to Joyce to force Jack over the water and win eventually in a canter. Shark and Pakeha were not persevered with. Waimate Steeplechase Handicap, of <£100; nomination, £2 ; acceptance, £2; second horse to get £\.o out of the stakes; distance, 3 miles. Mr S. Powell's ch g Agent, by Oliver Cromwell, 4 yrs, list lib (A. Lyford) 1 Mr Lunn's gr g Silverstream, aged, lOst 51b (S. Osborne) 2 Mr Fisher's ch g Mickey Free, aged, lOst 111 b (Hankins) 0 Mr Neilson's ch g Te Whetumarama, aged, 12st 71b (P. McCoy) 0 Mr Fraser's bg Shillelagh, aged, list 31b (W. McKay) 0 Mr Hoskings' br m Brunette, aged, list 61b (including 51b over) (Joyce) 0 Mr Hoskings' b g Jack, aged, lOst 31b (Smith) 0 Mr Dolman's br g Shark, aged, list 81b (Simpson) 0

Betting—6 to 4 agst Te Whe<u; 2 to 1 agst Shillelagh; 4 to 1 agst Agent and Brunette.

Te Whetu and Silverstream led over the first jump, the rest following in a cluster to the gorse hedge which came next. Here the favorite fell, and the running was taken up by Jack, followed by Silverstream and tho Agent. To these succeeded Brunette, Shillelagh, and Mickey Free in the order named, Shark bringing up the rear. They ran thus to the water jump, which Jack refusing, was supplanted by Silverstream, closely followed by the Agent. These two held" a strong lead over the stand post and rails, and over the jump out of the Grand Stand paddock, where Shillelagh and Mickey Free fell. From this out the race lay between Silverstream and the Agent. The former made the running to the water, where both refused, and, after having to go back for jumping on tho wing, the grey was first over, but the Agent catching him in tho next paddock, outpaced him in the run home, came away, and won comfortably. Mickey Free and Shillelagh were the only two others who got round. Consolation Handicap, of MO ; nomination, £[ ; acceptance. £2; distance, 2 miles. Mr Thomson's br g Tim Whiffler, aged, 12st 7113 (Hankins) 1 Mr Lunn's a g Silverstream, aped, 12st 31b (W, McKay) 2 Mr Eavenlull's ch g Pakeha, as,'ed, lOst 101 b (Fraser) 3 Mr Fraser's b g Shillelagh, aged, 12st (Simpson) 0 Mr Dolman's br g Shark, aged, 12st (P. McCoy) 0 Betting—2 to 1 agst Silverstream ; 3to 1 agst Shark ; 4 to 1 agst Tim Whiffler. Shark and Shillelagh coming to grief shortly after the start, Silverstream cut out the work, followed at some distance by Tim Whiffler and Pakeha. The grey led past the stand, but fell at the post and rail in tho next field, getting away from McKay, who appeared to be stunned from the fall. Tim Whiffler meantime had assumed such a strong lead that in spite of more than one refusal he got round the course and cantered in by himself. Silverstream, who had been re-mounted, caught Pakeha before the water jump, and getting over first, b,er,t tho ohesnut home by four lengths for second place. Shark, who refused most persistently at tho stand post and rails, finished fourth. This brought tho day's sport to a conclusion. I must express my thanks to the stewards for the courtesy which was shown to your representative.