GREYMOUTH ANNUAL RACES.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 824, 18 March 1871, Page 2

GREYMOUTH ANNUAL RACES.

Our annual race meeting commenced yesterday (St. Patrick's Day), and will be continued to-day. The attendance on the course was not nearly so good as at former meetings, the visitors 'from the up-river diggings being very few, in consequence of the long-continued drought, which hindered many hundreds of men from visiting town, who would otherwise have been at the meeting. The entries for all the events on the first day, except the Lottery Plate, were so poor that the programme had to be altered, so as to ! allow of post entries.. This was no fault of the stewards, or anyone connected with the races. If we offer prizes only second to any offered in the Colony, and cannot secure the attendance of a few good horses, the fault lies at the door of those who possess good animals, and for some prejudiced reason, will not send them round here to compete for thoroughly good stakes. It may be, as rumor has it, that the entry of Peeress put a stop to all further transactions, and that, when the new 3 spread, some Canterbury horses, then on their way overland, returned home, their owners knowing that they could not take the money from Peeress. The general opinion appeared to be that the original prizes were made too good ; but we fancy that the paucity of attendance may be attributed more to the occurrence of all the Otago race meetings taking place during this month ; and that, by an unfortnnate and unforseen combination of circumstances, over which no control could possibly be exercised by the Jockey Clvb } the entries were fewer than on any previous occasion. The rain which fell heavily during Thursday night, prevented a number of people from visiting the course, but in the afternoon the sun shone out brightly, and. the ground, although heavy, was no hindrance to the success of the meeting — so far as success could possibly be achieved. It is anticipated that the racing to-day will be far more successful and legitimate than yesterday's, and there is no doubt that, should the weather hold up, there will be a much larger attendance of the general public ; but the Club ought to take the hint and reduce the price of admission to the Grand Stand. Yesterday it was nearly empty, but to-day, by a little manipulation, it can be made the means of adding materially to the funds of the Club. One of the " events "of the day wasthe, reduction of the price of nobblers to sixpence, which wao heralded by the bellman, and generally appreciated. The new course is a wonderful improvement upon the old one ; it is threequarters of a mile round, has been splendidly kept, and is as smooth as a bowling green. The new grand stand is worthy of any metropolitan town in New Zealand or Australia ; is well built, and an immense imbrovemenb upon the old once The stewards were Messrs C. Whitefoord, D. Maclean, W. F. Strike, G. W. Nichol, andD. Carroll; the treasurer was J. S. M. Thompson, the secretary Mr J. Payne, the judge Mr D. Maclean, the clerk of the course Mr D. Carroll, and the clerk of the scales Mr D. Girdwood. At 1 p.m. the meeting opened with the Grey mouth ITbialJ Stakes, of 30 soys. One mile and a half. Post entries, 3 soys. Weight for age. Mr E. Cutts' c m Peeress, 5 yrs, 9st 31b (Jones) 1 Mr Cough's b g Trooper, aged 9st 41b ... 2 Mr Hopwood's Moss Rose, aged, 9st 41b (owner) 3 The horses ran all together once round when Moss Rose dropped out, aud the remaining two continued the race until near the finish, when Peeress came in first easily. Lottery Plate, of 25 soys. Winners of public money, in any race, to the amount, of £50, to carry 71b penalty ; of £100, to carry 101 b j not accumulative. One mile and a quarter. Entrance, 3 soys. Mr Hughes' bl m XXX, aged 9st lllb (M'Glashan) 1 Mr W. Taylor's b g Gamester, aged (owDer) 2 Mr Campbell's br g Robin Hood, aged (Blyth) 3 Betting : XXX against the field, with slight odds. Even on Gamester against Robin Hood. This was the only race of the day, for which legitimate entries were made, and which appeared on the card. Gamester got the lead, closely followed by XXX, both pushing the pace, and running together neck and neck. At the first turn to the straight running Gamester stumbled, and his rider had a narrow escape of going over his head. By this he lost his place in the race, which he never recovered, XXX winning easily, hard held. Borough Handicap, of 50 soys. Second horse to receive 10 soys. from the stakes. Distance, two miles. Mr Cutts' b m Peeress, 5 yrs, 103t (Johnny M'Glashen) 1 Mr Hughes' blk m XXX, aged, Bst 71b ,( Jones,) .'...a < . ... 2 Mr W. Taylor's b m. Gamester, aged.Sst (Morgan) ... ... „ ...,. S4>? ,. i , 3 There was no betting worthy of mention. Peeress got a bad start, and throughout ran a waiting race, the other

two ruuning together neck and neck at a good pace. At the second round they were all close together, until Peeress was called on, when she went to the front, and, after a good finish, she won by a neck. District Plate, of 20*sovs, One mile and a half . Entrance, 2 soya. Open to all horses the property of bonafide residents in the Grey District prior to the Ist of January, 1871, and also owners from same date of the horses entered by them. Weight for age. Mr Campbell's b g Robin Hood, aged (Blyth) 1 Mr Gough's b g Trooper, aged (Taylor)... 2 Mr Hopwood's b m Moss Rose, aged (Owner) ... ••• 3 A very good start was effected, Robin Hood leading, waited on by Trooper, who gradually drew up and went to the front, but could not maintain that position when Robin Hood was called upon. Won easily, vith hands down. HimnLE Race, of 40 aovs, Heats. One mile and a half. Over six flights of hurdles, Entrance, 4 soys. Weight for age in this race only as under, without allowances. 6 yrs, and aged, list 31b ; 5 yrs, lOst 131 b; 4 yrs, lOst 31b ; 3 yrs, 9at. FIRST HEAT. " Seaton's bg Supplejack, 5 yrs (Blyth) ... 1 Taylor's br g Gamester, aged (Taylor) 2 M 'Lean's g m Little May, 5 yrs (Bishop) 3 At the first heat Gamester baulked, and hopelessly lost his ground. SECOND HEAT. Taylor's br g Gamester, aged (Taylor) ... 1 Seaton's b g Supplejack, 5 yrs (Blyth) ... 2 In this heat the grey mare did not start, having no ahow whatever in the first heat. The race was a very pretty one, both horses running together, and taking the flights of hurdles neck and neck. THIRD HEAT. In this deciding heat the two horses ran a beautiful race neck and neck all the way, taking all the hurdleß simultaneously in fine style. At the straight run home Gameater made an effort, and finished a splendid race by half-a-neck ahead, amidst tremendous applause. Hack Race, of 10 soys. One mile. Post entries. Minimum weight, Bst. Entrance, 1 soy. Any horse that has run in one of the foregoing races not allowed to enter for this event. The following horses started : Ino, Saracen, Vixen, Corsair, aud Ellesmere. The race was well contested throughout, and was won by Ino.

It is expected that the racing to-day will be far superior to that of yesterday, and the attendance will, no doubt, be more numerous. We are glad to say that the above proceedings passed off yesterday without the slightest disturbance or accident.