THE PAST RACING SEASON.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2020, 14 August 1880, Page 4

THE PAST RACING SEASON.

By Bin3Ad. Concluded.} Tho big meeting at Wanganui was in every respect a very pleasant one, the arrangements being perfect and the sport good. After a Derby and Sapling Stakes, in which the competitors were confined to local horses, little Vampire won the Wanganui Stakes and Flying Handicap, while Hornby was credited with the Town Plate. The 1000 sovs. Oup on the second day was, of course, the prinoipal event of the meeting. Here the old opponents, .Betrayer and Hornby, met again, the Derby winner conceding Betrayer two pounds. It was a grand race between the two, Mr Eraser's oolt just landing the stake by a head, while Soukar was a capital third. As was the oaae last year, both the Hawko's Bay Olubs issued liberal programmes. At the meeting of the Bacing Club, the principal handicap proved a very easy viotory for Vampire, while the other events call for little comment. There were better fields at the meeting of the older established olub, a few days subsequently. Little Vampire succumbed to Soukar in the big handicap, and Mr Keith's horse was again successful on the second day in the Tradesmen's Handicap. Mr Walters as usual picked up a couple of the short races, and Mr Parmer's two victories with Paramena were Tery popular. The next important fixture was the Autumn meeting in Ohristchurch, where Oamballo astonished a great many by appropriating the Autumn Handicap from eight others, amongst whom were Mata, Betrayer, Foul Play, and Titania. The performance of the Dunedin Oup winner is worthy of special comment, for with the steadying impost of 9st 81b he ran a most game and determined race, finishing a capital second in 2min. 41sec. As was expected, Sir Modred carried off the Champagne Btakes, but Lure, who got away very badly, was a close second, and the winner being equally unfortunate in his start in the Nursery Handicap on the second day, Lurline's sister landed that stake for Mr "Fraser," after a capital race with The Governor. Camballo was again lucky in the Faster Handicap, where he seemed to have little trouble in lowering the colours of his only opponents, Betrayer and Foul Play. Le Loup, who had won the Free Handicap on the first day, was very pluckily pulled out by his owner to meet Mata, to whom he was conceding 31bs in the Flying Stakes. This was without exception the best race of the meeting, and after a clinking finish Mata just won it by a head. The Taranaki meeting went off quite as well as that of last year, which is saying a good deal. Resolution and King Quail were credited with the two principal handicaps, and Hailstorm, who, in certain company, appears to be a useful horse, won a couple of races. Laertes competed in several of tho events, for some of which he was a strong favorite. Meetings at Timaru and Auckland brought what may be called the flat racing season proper to a termination in both islands. At the former fixture Mata appropriated three races, in one of which (the 8.0.J.0. Handicap) he carried the steadying impost of lOat to victory. The Timaru Oup fell to Betrayer, who, after a good race, beat Titania by a length. In Auckland, the'Auatralian bred ones appear to have had all the best of it. The highly-bred Maid of Honor scored no less than three wins, Hilarious two, and King Quail one. As far as the success of the various fixtures is concerned, the meetings in connection with the "illegitimate" sport have passed off well, but it must be confessed that the past season, like the previous one, has not shown us any new performers of a very high stßmp. In the North Island, with the exception of perhaps The Baron, Grey Momus and Loch Lomond, especially the Grey, appear to have it pretty well all their own way, while nearer home the constant Agent carries heavier weights than ever, and still, as was the case last season, wins two races on the same day. The same shaky old crocks, whose performances one is weary, almost from motives of humanity, of witnessing, turn up ' year after year; and though their owners would doubtless eay age cannot wither them, it would be impossible to deny that custom does " stale their infinite variety." In Auckland, where at one time they did have Bome fair cross country animals, all tho recent steeplechases have been fiascos. The fact is there is no encouragement to either breeder or trainer to bring out this class of animal. The events to be run for are so few and the stakeß to be oompeted for, as a rule, so meagre that, to put it plainly, it doesn't pay. The efforts of the Grand National Steeplechase Olub to enoourage this popular sport are worthy of all praise, but one swallow doesn't make a summer, and, until

better stakes for these events are offered, we must, I am afraid, rest content with small fields and very indifferent performers. I cannot conclude this necessarily short resume without a word of lament over the loss of Traducer aad Tompleton. The one at the stud and the other on the turf were bad to beat, and it will be long before we look upon their like again.