SPORTING.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1551, 7 February 1879, Page 3

SPORTING.

WELLINGTON RACES. [Press Special Wire.] Fibsx Day—Tnr/BSDAY, 6th Fctbt/aey. President, Sir Win. Fitzherbert, K.C.M.G., M.H.R ; vice president, Mr Geo. Hunter, M.H R.: judge, J. Rees ; ground stewards, Mr G. Crawford. Mr Diver, J P., Mr W. R. George, Mr W. V. Jackson, Mr P. Jobherna, Hon. J. Martin, M.L.C., Mr J. M. S. Thorn pott: starter. Mr A. Young ; lion treas ror, Mr ,T. Stewart Keid ; clerk of the scales, Mr W. Hromley. The attractive programme prepented by the Club, ani the judicious arrangement of the order of races was duly appreciated by the public, who mustered in greater forco than has hitherto boon the ease at Wellington. The Cup being fixed for the first day improved this day's races, as hitherto the best, horses have been kept for the Cup to the detriment of the second day ; now, however, the great event is over, and a good race may be looked for in tho Racing Club Handicap. From an early hour this morning the holiday makers were astir, and the population was swelled by numerous arrivals from Wanganui and not a fow from other provinces. The great fault of the proceedings was the want, of punctuality observed towards the afternoon. For the Maiden Plate there was only one absentee, and the favorite won with something in hand. Undine did not justify the expectation of her backers, while King Quail must have rejoiced his owner's heart by coming within a length of winning. The Hurdle race was divested of much interest by the scratching of Eversley, who is crooked, and of Grey Momus, who will probably show more prominently in the Hurdle Handicap to-day. Te Whetu was the favorite with the public, while Agent's running in Auckland showed him worthy of considerable support. The result wbb an easier victory than should have been to Agent, as Te Whetu struck the last hurdle and nearly unseated his rider. The Hack Hurdle race was a chapter of accidents, four riderless horses being at one time on the course. The finish was a good one, and exciting. The Wellington Grold Cup was of course the race of the day, and never has a more open race been run in New Zealand, in fact for the last few weeks the knights of the pencil have been complaining of the absence of any certainty in the thing at all. Laertes, the wonderful southern horse, did not show prominently in the race at all. Vallance's brace, Danebury and Muiti, were early scratched. Rata, notwithstanding his bad passage from Blenheim, had a large following. Lara was generally looked upon as likely to repeat his coup cf last year. Long lands has been up and down in the betting for the last week, but was well backed, while the supporters of Maritana were quietly hopeful. The improvement in this mare since she first appeared on the Christciiurch course is marvellous, and while her inherent merits are great, her victory yesterday must, be ascribed to tho jockeying of Bob Ray, which quite counterbalances her penalties. Tho mare's weight in the Dunedin Cup is now Bst. 121b5., which is not too much for her to carry to victory if the stable make her their choice. The Wellington representative, Sailor, is not deserving of much notice. He went off with a lead, but bolted off the course ; and his subsequent performance in the Flying Handicap shows him to be out of place among racehorses. The Hutt Park Stakes was a gift to Bribery, a fact which was fully appreciated by other owners, who prudently withdrew their horses, except Saunterer, who was permitted to make the semblance of a race. After the winning-post was passed, Saunterer took a stroll through the swamp, where he deposited his jockey. The boy escaped with a ducking. After the race was over, there was a pretty general exodus from the course, the rain coming down pretty seriously, with a driving northerly wind. After the Hack race, with twelve starters, who spread over half a mile, the bell rang for the last race of the day—the Flying Stakes Handicap. This was looked upon as a moral for Bribery, but she behaved badly at the post, and at the Gird start was leit twenty lengths behind, a distance which she failed to recover, Ratcatcher winning by about half a length from Otawa, Expectation third, Bribery fourth, and Sailor fifth. Results are appended : Maiden Plate, of 75 sovs, weight for age; 1\ miles. Mr R. Vallance's b c Merlin (Blue BoyMalice), 3 yrs, 7st 131 b ... (Nolan) 1 Mr S. Horsfall's b c King Quail, 3 yrs ... 2 Mr W. C. Webb's br m Undine, 4 yrs, Sst I 121 b 3 Mr Knight's Roebuck, Mr Murtsgh's Black Prince, and Mr Stevensou's Lady Grey also ran. Blaek Prince went off with the lead, but retired about half way round in favour of King Quail, Merlin following till within the rails, when he cleverly won the race by a short neck. Time—2min. 50sec.

Betting—Even money Merlin, 6 to 4 agst Undine, 3 to 1 agst King Quail. Hurdle Race, of 50 sovs, weight for age; 2 miles; over sevon hurdles.

Mr P. Butter's ch g Agent, 5 yrs (by Day and Martin), 9st 71b ... (Hawkins) 1 Mr P. J. Murtagh's ch g Harkaway, 6 yrs,

9stlolb 2 Mr W. J. Neilson's ch gTe Whetu, aged, 9st 101 b (carried 121 b overweight) 0 Eversley and Grey Momus were scratched. Betting 6 to 4 on Agent, level money on Te Whetu, 5 to 1 against Harkaway. Harkaway went off with the lead, and lead over the first hurdle, Agent next, and Te Whetu last. Agent's jumps were far more cleanly taken than Harkaway's. Over the second hurdle there was a slight hesitation on the part of Harkaway, who eventually negotiated it successfully At the third hurdle, opposite the stand, Te Whetu and .Agent went over together, Harkaway following about six lengths off. This order was maintained till tho last hurdle, when Te Whetu caught the top rail, and nearly threw his rider. This contretemps, coupled with the extra weight he was carrying, cost Te Whetu the race, and from that period the result was beyond doubt, Agent winning, hard held, by about fifteen lengths from Harkaway, Te Whetu about the same distance behind him. Time—4min. 21sec. The Hack Hurdles of 20 sovs, 1 mile and a distance, catch weight, was won by Kate, Black Warrior second. Wellington Gold Cur of 500 sovs, and a cup value .£IOO, second horse to receive 50 sovs from the sttkes. R. Ray's b ni Maritana (Traducer-Hypa-tia) aged, 9»t 41b (including lOlbs penalty), Owner 1 D. Knight's b h Lara, aged, Bst 21b 2 G. Fraser's ch g Longlands, 4 yrs, 7st 121 b... 3 P. Butler's b b Laertes, Bst 0 C. Redwood's b h Rata, 7st 0

T. Ray's Diver, 6st 121 b Stevenson's Lady Grey, Gst 41b Horsfall's King Quail, Gst 21b

A. Young's teailor, sst 71b 0 Betting—loo to 35 agst Laertes, 100 to 30 ajfst Longlands and Lara, 100 to 20 ogst Maritana, 100 to 12 agst Rata and Diver, 100 to 4 agst Lady Grey, 100 to 2 agst King Quail and Sailor.

After a false start, in which Rata bolted for half a mile, the horses were got away to a good start, Sailor leading as far as the diatance-post, where he bolted off the course. King Quail remained at the starting post. Passing the stand the first time the order was Lara, Diver, Longlands, Maritana, Laertes, Rata, and Lady Grey. At the distance post Diver was disposed of, and Maritana came through her horses, and from there to the finish was an exciting one. Maritana won by a clenr length from Lava, who was five lengths in front of Lorgland.- 1 , Diver fourth, Rata,fifth, Laertes sixth. L'ira received quite an ovation on weighing in. Time—3niiu 47sec, boing throe seconds longer than last year. B.TJTT Pai;k Stakes 50 sovs; weight ior age. U.ie mile. Mr Hay's b m Bribery, Traducer—Ethered, syrs, 9st 51b (Owner) 1 Mr D. Knight's ch o Saunterer, 2 jrs, sst 31b ... _ 2 There were noininath ns, but everything else wis bciatt'hcd. Brtiing—3 to 1 on Bribery. The Baby led I'.r ;. quarter of a mile o;i sufferance, when Buy went to the front cud won the rt»co hands down. The Hack Race, of 10 sova. was won by Grey Tom.

Flying STAKES (Handicap) of ."0 sot- ; throe quarters of a mile Mr Hon fall's br c Ratcatcher, 4 yrs, 7st 51b (Cnrrington) 1 Mr Gibson's Otawa, aged, 7st 91b 2 Mr Belcher's r m Expectation, 5 yrs, 7st 61b 2 Bribery, Sailor, and Doncaster also ran. Betting—6 to 8 on Bribery, 2 to 1 against Sailor and Rotcutoher, :i to 1 against Otawa. Bribery was very fractious at the post, and after making a fake start showed a disinclination to again face the Hag ; she threw her rider rearing,and when the Hag ultimately fell got all tho worst of the start. Ratcatcher took the lead and kept it throughout, Otawa being apparently his only dangerous rival till wiit,in the rails, when Bribery came with a tremendous iu-h, but. failed to pass Expectation. Time—lmin. 19-ee. The following ia the Hurdle Handicap to be run for to-murrow : St lb stlb To -heai ... 12 7 Otawa 9 12 ,•,.,.; i2 4 Black Prince ... 9 V Grey Mourns ... 10 12 Roebuck 1) 7 Eversley ... 10 10 DllNtfDlN KACJ S. Dtjnedin, February 6. The following handicaps wi re declared for the D.G.G. races : Hurdle Handicap of 80 sovs. st lb st lb Tc Whctumara- Kildaro '.' 4 ma 12 7 D»ndy 8 10 The Agent ... 12 3 Dalesman ... 8 7 Eversley ... 10 0 Larrikin 8 0 Loyalty ... 9 7| STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP of 100 SOVS. The Ageut ... 12 10 Loyalty 10 0 Te Whetumara. Kildare 9 10 ma 12 10 To Kooti ... 9 7 Eversley ... 11 0 Dalesman ... 9 0