SPORTING.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1387, 26 July 1878, Page 3

SPORTING.

NORTH OTAGO STEEPLECHASE MEETING. [By Telkgbath.] [pbom the cobbbspondent of the pbesß.] Oamabtt, July 25. The annual meeting of the North Otago Steeplechase Club took place to-day. The weather was raw and cold, the ground heavy, and the attendance moderate. Maiden Plate of 40 sovs, with a sweepstake of one guinea to go to the second horse; weight for age ; 2 <> ilea. Mr Osborne's g g Silver stream, aged 1 Mr Bankins' g g Billy Button, aged ... 2 Pakeha, aged, Cronie, 6 yrs, Nelly, 4 yrs, Tommy, aged, Baron, aged, also started. Betting—2 to 1 against Silverstream and Pakeha, 3 to 1 against Tommy and Baron, 4 to 1 Cronie, Billy Button, and Nelly. A good start was made. The two first jumps were safely negotiated by all the horses, Pakeha leading going up to the water jump, where all baulked but Silverstream, who flew it in splendid style. He then took the next gorse, but at the second water jump baulked. On a second attempt he got |over, from thence he did not make a mistake, and cantered in winner. The other horses all stuck at the first water jump, but after several attempts, Pakeha and Buttons managed to get over. Pakeha baulked at the second water jump, but Buttons managed to get over, took all the other jumps and came in about a mile behind Silverstream. Pakeha got no further than the second water jump, while Tommy, Nelly, Cronie, and Baron never got over the first water jump. The race thus proved very tame. The jockeys complained that owing to the awkward appearance of the water jump the horses were afraid tci jump. Waitaki County Cup Handicap, of 80 sovs; three miles ; sweep, 30 sovs, second horse. Mr Powell's eh g The Agent, aged, 12st 41b 1 Mr Keith's br g Stocknian,'aged, lOst 121 b 2 Ivanhoe, aged, 12st 71b ; Shillelagh, aged, 12sfc 71b ; Jack, aged, lOst 41b, also started. Betting—s to 4 agst The Agent; sto 2 agst Shillelagh ; 3 to 1 agst Ivanhoe ; 5 to 1 agst Stockman and Jack. Jack took the lead when the flag fell, but baulked at the first fence. All the others got safely over, Jack ako succeeded in his Becond attempt. The Agent then assumed the lead, Ivanhoe lying second, Jack third, Shillelagh fourth. The two next fences were taken in this order. The next fence all got well over, but Shillelagh, who fell, but soon got under weigh again. Passing the stand the Agent led by eight lengths, Jack Becond, Ivanhoe third. This order was maintained to the first water jump, where all refused several times. Ultimately the Agent led over, the other horses following at intervals. The second water jump all refused. The Agent, however, got over at the second time of asking, cantered leisurely on, took all the jumps, and won the race. Time after time the other horses were rushed at the second water jump, whip and spur being plied in no measured way, but in vain. This continued for twenty minutes. The stewards agreed to allow the horses half-an-hour to get in for second money. After five and twenty minutes Stockman at last managed to get over, although some timber on the top of the jump was first removed. Jack followed a minute after. These two safely negotiated the other jumps, Stockman passing the judge's box thirty-five minutes and a half after the Agent; Jack a good third ; Ivanhoe five minutes behind him. Shillelagh returned to the saddling paddock. Oamaeu Handicap, of 50 sovs, added to sweep of 3 sovs each to go to the second horse. Two and a half miles. Mr Powell's ch g The Agent, 12st 121 b ... 1 Mr McKay's b g Shillelagh, list 61b ... 2 Mr Hoskins's b m Brunette, list ... ... 3 Theodore, 12st 61b, and Silverstream, 11 st, also started, but the latter threw his rider at the third fence after starting, and was then out of the race. Betting—Even money on the Agent; two to one against Silverstream ; three to one against Shillelagh and Theodore ; four to one against Brunette. In order to make the water-jumps easier, the blue-gum rails which topped them were removed by the stewards. The flag fell to an indifferent start, Agent leading, Shillelagh second, the rest together, three lengths away. This order was maintained over all the fences to the first water jump, where all baulked. The Agent got over at the second attempt, Shillelagh second, Brunette third. Theodore stuck at the water jump, and was never after in the race. Agent, Shillelagh, and Brunette all baulked at the second water jump, but ultimately got over in the order named, Agent leading by ten lengths. Half a mile from home, Shillelagh drew up to the Agent, both horses jumping splendidly, but at the second hurdle from the winning-post, the Agent got ahead again, and won comfortably by three lengths ; Brunette a bid third. Consolation Handicap of 40 sovs. Acceptance, 1 sov each, to go to the seeond horse. 2 miles. Mr Keith's br g Stockman, aged, lOst 71b.... 1 Mr Black's br g Ivanhoe, aged, 12st 71b. ... 2 Mr Fra«er's b g Tommy, aged, lOst 71b. ... 3 Brunette, list; Karon, lOst 71b ; Billy Button. lOst 71b ; Shillelagh, list 71b, also started. Betting 2 to 1 on the field. Baron led as soon as the flag fell, Shillelagh second, the others two lengths away together. All cleared the jumps for the first mile, but Shillelagh and Billy Button refused at the second water jump, Baron continued to lead until the third last fence from home, when Stockman collared him. The former struck the fence and unseated his rider. Stockman cleared in fine style, and won easily from Ivanhoe, Tommy a good third, the others far behind.