SPORTING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 80, 8 January 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

SPORTING.

HORSES FOR CHAMPION RACE. No. 3.—Revoke. The subject of our present sketch is a mahogany bay mare, with black points, now five years old, and is by Sir Hercules, out of Finesse ; she is, at, present, the properly Mr. H. P, Lance, of Canterbury, being purchased by him from her former owner and breeder, Mr. Morse. The appearance of Revoke in no way belies her performances, for she looks all over what she has already proved herself to be, a racehorse of no mean ord;r. Her head, neck, and forequarters are excellent, good straight back, with strong muscular quarters, goose rumped; her undertakings are undeniably good, and, notwithstanding her previous running, without a blemish ; hocks are strong and muscular, but peculiar—she being wbat is aptly termed by sporting men as sicklehocked ; in height she stands about 15-H, bein'*

a lengthy maye, with good tractable temper, easily ridden, and trains remarkably well. The firat appearance of our heroine as a candidate for public honours, was as a three-year-old at the Nelson Annual Race Meeting of 1861, when she started for the Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each with 40 sovs. added, one and a half llilltlj wiiii /si, luiuS. Oil {jrf back, suu Redwood for a pilot; she defeated, after an exc 1lent race, very cleverly by a neck, Otto, same age and weight, Ultima, 9st. lOibs. being third and last. The time occupied iu running this race was 2 min. 57 sec. The following day again saw her at the starting post, when she once more j roved victorious by winning, after a splendid race throughout with her only other competitor, Wetsail, by a short half-length, the Town Plate of 50 sovs., added to a sweep of 5 sovs. each, three miles. Time, 6 min. 2£ sec. Not satisfied with these two victories, Revoke was a third time saddled for the last race of the meeting, the Forced Handicap, once round and a distance, when, with Bst. 3ibs. on her back, she proved herself to be an undeniably good mare, bv snatching the stake from Otto, same age and weight, by about a neck, Wetsail, 10st., being third, LToe, 9st. 121b5., and Brush, 7st. lllbs., coming in iu the order named. The Nelson Annual Race Meeting of December iu the same year (1861), was her next field of contest, and the Turf Club Plate of 40 sovs, each, two miles, again saw her first past the winning post, to the discomfiture of her only other opponent. Otto : this race being easily won by the mare by 7 a full half length. Time 4 rain. 7 sec. I ully believing, trom the ease with which she won the previous race, that she had only to start again to enable her to score a second victory, she was again brought to the scratch to try conclusions with Ultima in the following race—the Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each with 50 sovs. one and a half mile, but her running in the former race too truly told its tale, and with 9st. -libs, on her back the old mare proved too much for her by defeating her by about half a length after a good race throughout, Shadow being third and last. Time 2 min. 56 sec. The Town Plate of 52 sovs. with a sweep of 5 sovs. each, on the third day of the meeting, three miles, proved one of the finest contests that had ever been witnessed on the Nelson race course; for after a magnificent race, there being only two starters, Revoke and Ultima, they were adjudged to have run a dead heat, very much to the disgust and discomfiture of the backers of our heroine, who to this day persist that their favourite was the victor. As the judges’ fiat could in no way be questioned, the owners very wisely and mercifully to their quadrupeds, divided the stakes. The lime occupied iu running tins race was not very good, viz., 6 min. 7 sec. ; but this can in no way be taken as a criterion of the time of either of the competitors lor three miles, as the first mile and a half was done only at a moderate pace, each rider being determined to wait on the other. The Forced Handicap, once round and a distance, terminated the running of our heroine at this meeting, when with 9st. 71bs. on her back, she could only manage to secure the third and last place ; Ultima, Ust. llllbs. proving the winner, Olto, Sst. 121bs. occupying second place at the finish. Time, 2 min. 19 sec.; distance, one mile, 386 yari s. The Canterbury Annual Race Meeting in February of the present year, will conclude the list of Revoke’s performances hitherto, her first attempt being for the Canterbury Cup of 50 sovs. added to a sweep of 5 sovs. each, cncand a quarter mile, and for which event she could only manage f o secure second place, her previous victor. Ultima proving the winner, whilst our heroine in her turn defeated without much difficulty Rob, Prince Charlie, Barbara, Lady Bird, and Peter Flat. For this event, which elicited a splendid contest, Revoke was only defeated at the finish by a short half neck. The Ladies’ Purse of 100 sovs. added to a sweep of 10 sovs. each, two and a half miles, however, enabled her to turn the tables on Ultima, for she appropriated this stake by about half a length after a good race, in 5 min. 1 sec., Deception and Sultan being among the defeated candidates. The Queen’s Plate of 100 sovs., three miles, is the last event which Revoke has as yet, contested, and here again she had to be satisfied with playing second fiddle to Ultima, who, with lOst. lifts, on her buck, won pretty easily by three lengths in 6 min. 2 sec., Revoke, 9st. lOfts. being second, Moss Rose, Bst. 6fts., and Emmeline, same weight, beaten off As will be seen bv the above list of Revoke’s performances, she has proved herself to be almost, if not quite, as good as anything tiiat we know of in New Zealand at the present day, so that if she is only brought to the post sound in health, limb, and condition, it would take a clever man to spot the winner among the three mares, Ultima, Waimea, and Revoke. The last accounts that have come to hand respecting our heroine describe her as having been never so fit as she is at the present moment, and therefore the only at all safe line that one will be able to get at the condition and running of these three public performers will be, should they meet together as they most probably will do, in order to contest one or more of the good things to be picked up at the forthcoming Canterbury meeting.— Nelson Colonist.