WAKATIP JOCKEY CLUB RACES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 197, 18 March 1865, Page 2

WAKATIP JOCKEY CLUB RACES.

These races commenced most successfully, as far as regards fine weather and moderate racing, on Thursday last, the 16th inst. The Frankton racecourse is one of the best, perhaps, in all New Zealand. The turf is very good, and when laid down in prairie grass, as the club intends it shall be, it will prove that beau ideal of a course often in a racing man's eye. On this occasion, the long continued dry weather allowed the turf to be cut, and was some inconvenience both to the horses running and the jockeys. It became too friable, and some dust was in some places raised. The ground was, however, not baked, but was, on the other hand, soft and yielding, which speaks volumes in its favor as a well chosen site for carrying out, in this distant up-country district, the noble and exhilarating sport of horse-racing. It is quite dry, on.a level plain, and the view from it is magnificent. Miles upon miles of splendid farming country open up to the view of the spectator. At present, only a dot here and there represents the farming interest in its present embryo stage. As a wheat growing country Otago will depend very much for the excellency of its grain to the resources of this north-western district, Hence the necessity for planting the Jockey Club firmly in a district that will prove so favorable for its growth. Eveiything is in favor of the establishment of a good annual race meeting. The ground is surveyed by the Government and will be soon fenced in, and the making of roads will rapidly develope the rich mineral and agricultural wealth of the Wakatip district. The fine view of the Lake, the lofty Remarkable mountains, the rivers, and the fresh hills, all helped to lend an attraction to the scene. The attendance was very moderate, and included a large number of ladies and horsemen. Everything passed off most pleasantly—but one single contretemp occurring In the hurdle race, at the second hurdle after starting, the jockey, Prince, who was riding Flaming Tinman, received a fall, by which he was slightly shaken and the horse lamed. Bucaneer, a New South Wales horse, sixteen years old—and really the name is very apropos at the present time —was loudly cheered on winning, and the old horse ran his heats in rare old style, never refusing once, He did his training on a swamp on the other side of the Kawarau. It was stated by his sporting owner, Mr Rees, that he never took a gallop. The success of Mr Rees was well received. On coming in to weigh after the race it was found by the stewards that either the scales had been tampered with or an accident had occurred, as the rider of Bucaneer weighed 15 lb short. The outside test scales were brought in and Dooley weighed and after the platform scales were again adjusted, he also went to those scales and was found correct. This was the only hitch, and if the scales were tampered with it is satisfactory to think the attempt was so soon discovered. Garryowen, who looked in fine condition, had very little chance with the New South Wales horse, though his rider, Ryan, did all he could to reach the chestnut. Harkaway galloped strongly in the District Plate, and the way in which he was brought to post reflected the greatest credit upon his young but able trainer, S. Thomas, The horse was up to his Arthur's Point form, and even, perhaps, better. He won easily, but it was thought that Gaffer Gray never attempted to force the running- The various officers of the club performed their duties satisfactorily. Mr Rees lent the hurdles, and took great pains in seeing them erected. The first race took place at one o'clock precisely as advertised, and was for the usual MAIDEN PLATE-20 Sovs. Open to all maiden horses. One and a-half miles. One event. Entrance 3 sovs. Mr Carter's br g True Bill (Martin) lOstllb 1 Mr Chapman's b g Easy Chair (S. Thomas) lOst lib - - - - 2 Mr Pinkerton's br g Plantagenet (Mona<?han) lOst lib - 3 Mr Reed's g m Nelly Gray (Prince) lOst lib 4 Mr Shepherd's b m Beeswing (Ryan) lOstllb 5 The betting was variable. True Bill had apparently the call. The Beeswing mare was also backed, and Nelly Gray was not without friends. The odds cannot be quoted as they were more on double events, or a horse beating a horse. From the start, which was a very fair one, Easy Chair led by three or four lengths all the way round to the turn just coming into the straight running, when True Bill was let out, collared the Easy Chair, and won easily. The horses were all placed by the judge. DISTRICT PLATE—4O Sovs. Open to all horses. Three miles. Weights for age. Entrance, 51 ss. Three entries or no race. Mr Doyle's b g Harkaway (Monaghan) syrs,9stlllb 1 Mr Scoles' b g Scrubber (Martin) aged, lOst lib 2 Mr Ryan's g g Gaffer Gray (Ryan) aged, lOst lib 3 Betting—even on Gaffer Gray and Harkaway. The owner of Scrubber and the Arrow party backed their horse. Great interest was experienced in weighing, which was very close. The race is soon described. An indifferent start, in which Harkaway got away with a lead of a couple of lengths. The pace for the first mile was very slow, but Gaffer Gray, who never approached Harkaway, kept in

advance of Scrubber by half a length, and forced the ancient horse into the course at the turns. Harkaway won hands down, and Gaffer Gray only cantered for the last mile. It was generally thought that this running was to deceive the Handicap Race of next day. The next race brought on was the Hack Race, as the hurdle stakes were not ready, and for this the following horses entered. : HACK RACE—IO Sovs. With 1 sov entrance added. One-and-a-half miles Open to all untrained horses. Mr Britton's ch g Sunbeam (Ryan) - 1 Mr J. M. Ryan's b g Grasshopper (S.Thomas) 2 Mr Pinkerton's ch g Blind Billy (Monaghan) 3 Mr Gordon's b g Milford (Thompson) - 4 Mr Shepherd's bm No Good (Yewlett) - 5 This race created some local interest. Sunbeam had the call in betting, and Milford divided place in support with Grasshopper nee Flyaway. The race was rather an interesting one for the first mile, and it then settled into a race between the two first placed horses, the winner finding his way to the post by two lengths before Grasshopper. HURDLE RACE—2O Sovs. Handicap. One mile-aud-a-half heats; over eight flights of hurdles. Entrance, 2 sovs Mr Rees' Bucaneer (Dooley) 10st 41b. - 1 Mr Malaghan's Garryowen (Ryan) list 101b 2 Mr Scoles' Firefly (Martin) lOst 41b - 3 Mr Powell's Flaming Tinman 9st 81b - 4 Betting was spirited. The grey was the favorite, and Flaming Tinman and Firefly received good suport likewise. One bet of 25 to 10 was made on the Irish named horse winning, and this was repeated several times. The betting closed at 4 and 5 to 1 on Garryowen, and plenty of layers. After one false start, Tinman got a good lead, which he increased until past the Grand Stand, where he was either pulled or bolted away, and had never any chance afterwards in the race. Bucaneer went forward with a rush, and took a good lead, Ryan, on the grey, intending to make it a waiting*race, and depending upon the first horse refusing his leaps, which Garryowen seldom ever does. The chestnut horse, however, had it all his own wav, and won by several lengths. It was in this heat Prince received his fall, and that the weighing difficulty occurred. Second Heat.—Prince rode Firefly in this heat, and rode the race splendidly and pluckily. Firefly, though well ridden, was unable to beat Bucaneer, and came in second. It was dark when the last heat was run, and we are unable to properly describe it. A large amount of money changed hands on this race.

In the darkness of the evening the steamer Expert got detained in the intricate channel near the Falls, but ultimately reached Queenstown safely.

SECOND DAY—l7th. This being St. Patrick's Day and a general holiday, the attendance was considerably increased as compared with that of the previous day. About 200 persons were present, and the proceedings passed off most amicably. Bucaneer, as the winner in the Steeple Chase under the weight he carried, proved himself a game horse, and supported his reputation of yesterday. Garryowen, for this race, was again slightly the favorite, but was defeated. Thejumpinand out of the police paddock (kindly allowed) proved a very good cross piece of country. For the piece de resistance —the Wakatip Jockey Club Handicap—Mr Rees' Duchess was declared not to win, and for the Selling Stakes Scrubber was scratched at 4.30 p.m. Harkaway justified the confidence placed in him for the Handicap. The first race did not take place till nearly two o'clock. WAKATIP JOCKEY CLUB HANDICAP—--60 sovs. Two miles. Weights to be declared on the night of 16th March. Entrance, 5 sovs. Mr Doyle's b g Harkaway, 9st 111b (Monaghan) 1 Mr Scoles' b g Scrubber, 9st 4lb (Martin) - 2 Mr Ryan's g g Gaffer Grey, 9st 81b (owner) - 3 Mrfßees' dk ch m Duchess, 9st (Prince) - 0 The betting, if anything, was in favor of Gaffer Grey. Some money was placed on the race, and it was generally understood each horse would do his best. It was believed Gaffer Grey was overweighted, but as he ran and had backers this supposition could hardly be accepted. Duchess was started, but declared not to win. The speed was good from the first mile, and Gaffer Grey tried to force the running, but he had to yield to Harkaway about a quarter of a mile from home. Scrubber also made a forced race of it, and at the tuen before coming into the straight running many thought it was his race, but he failed to £ome up to Harkaway. A protest was laid by Monaghan against Prince for crossing him, and the latter was fined £l. STEEPLE CHASE, 30 sovs. Handicap. Distance, about four miles, and over 12 fences. Entrance, 3 sovs. Mr Rees' Bucaneer, lOst 101b (Dooiey) - 1 Mr Malaghan's Garryowen, lOst 101b (Ryan) 2 Mr Scoles' Firefly, lOst lib (Prince) - 0 This race also excited considerable interest. Garryowen was the favorite with many, as some of the jumps were rather heavy and it was known that the grey was staunch. Firefly was boldly ridden, but his career was cut short about a mile from home, at a hurdle over which he fell. Both the other horses took their jumps well, and though Bucaneer's rider made his course longer at times than nocessary the old horse, after Firefly's fall, had nothing to fear. It was evidently his

race almost from the first, and Dooley had his work to do to keep him in check. The hack is a well-bred one, and he proved this by beating crack horses. SELLING STAKES—2O sovs. One-and-a-half miles. Weights for age. If entered to be sold—For £IOO, allowed 121bs; for £75, 18lbs; for £SO, 25lbs; for 425, 321bs. The winner to be sold by auction immediately after the race, and any surplus over the entered price to go to the funds. Entrance, 2 sovs. Mr Ryan's b g Poison, Bst lllb ; (owner) - 1 Shepherd's bm Beeswing, 7st 111b (Colville) 2 Powell's Flaming bgTinman,7st lllb (Prince) 0 No betting of importance. A very close and exciting race. The mare led all round up to the straight running, when she was collared by Poison and defeated easily by two lengths. The winner was bought in at £75. TROTTING MATCH-£lO. Twice round the course; about three miles. Mr Miller's Plantagenet - - - 1 Mr Harris' Old Lassie - - - 2 This was a private match. Betting even. It was a magnificent race. The royal horse made a waiting race of it, and by doing so had hard work to win. However, after great struggling he managed to defeat Old Lassie by a reck. The Consolation Handicap was advertised for the day, but it being dusk, the stewards postponed it until this day. The weather was magnificent all the day. The Grand Stand was under the able management of Mr Powell, and afforded ample accommodation.

The panacea the «Otago Mail' offers at the close of a well sustained article will be found below; but it is strange to observe, as with other articles from the same pen, the writer will persist in treating the miners as a class, and trusts to maintaining a body of miners solely and purely as gold finders, without reference to placing them on the soil. Gold, gold, gold, is evidently all the legislators of Otago look to. "As we intimated at the commencement, it would be as absurd to stay the rush as it would be to keep back the ocean waves that dash against the beach; and if it is considered a desirable thing to establish a settled mining population in Otago, it must be accomplished by inducing a large emigration from the mining districts of Great Britain, rather than by flattering the caprices of the fickle Victorian miners, who, having been spoiled by a residence in that genial clime, are always dissatisfied with their lot, and always ready to leave it in disgust when the gold ceases to turn up in fabulous quantities, suited to their delirious notions/

By warrant issued by his Excellency under the provisions of Elections Act, 1858, the following polling places for goldfields districts are abolished, viz., the Police-station, Clyde, and the Policestation, Queenstown—and the following places appointed:—The Court-house—Clyde, Lawrence, Queenstown, Waitahuna, Waipori, Mount Benger, Arrow, Alexandra, Hamilton, Mount Ida, Maori Point, Hindon, Cromwell. The Camp—Dunstan Creek, Nokomai, Cardrona, Nevis, Hyde, Blackstone Hill. At a meeting of the Executive Council, held at Wellingtnn during Sir George Grey's stay there, it was resolved that the tax imposing a penny on all newspapers posted in New Zealand should cease to be levied on the 20th inst, after which newspapers will continue to be carried " post free" as before. The following proclamation appeared in the ' New Zealand Gazette' of of the 9th inst:— u In pursuance of the power and authority in me vested under section 8 of the New ' Zealand Post Office Act, 1858,' I, Sir George Grey, the Governor of the said Colony, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council in New Zealand, do hereby revoke a proclamation, dated at Government House, at Auckland, the twenty-ninth day of December, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, fixing rate of postage on newspapers, and do hereby proclaim and declare the rate of postage thereby fixed for the transmission of newspapers by post to be and the same is hereby abolished. And I do further declare that this proclamation shall take effect on and after the twentieth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and sixtyfive."

The * Standard' of the 10th says:—" We have been informed by a gentleman of experience on the Victoriau diggings, and who has been for ten days in the neighborhood of the Waitohi Gorge and Weka Pass, that from the information he has been able to obtain from one or two diggers who have come down for necessaries, these diggings are likely to turn out of the richest description and of considerable extent. There is likely, however, to be a scarcity of provisions for some time on account of the rush. At Taylor's station the stores have already run out, and at Lance's they are rapidly decreasing. No doubt this will be remedied in time, but we think it necessary again to warn those going that till supplies can be obtained, they may have to suffer considerable privation." Mr E. H. Carew, officer in charge at Nokomai, writing thence, under date 4th March, says : "Mining operations have progressed satisfactorily during the past week. One of the large tail-races through the flat is completed; another is advancing rapidly, and in a short time will enable nearly one hundred men to work out their claims. In spite of the good prospects for miners here, the reports from the Grey have caused considerable excitement, and several are leaving for that place, in some cases making sacrifices of valuable claims and property to do so."