MOUNT IDA ANNUAL RACES.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 314, 5 March 1875, Page 3

MOUNT IDA ANNUAL RACES.

It was "uly decided to hold the animal ir.erling ibis yejr after one or two efforts. A number of the Club's supporters thought I hat, considering the depression so general Throughout the past year, a year's rest would do no harm.. The on" orgy of the Secretary and a fw\v zealous sporting men was, however, too much for the indioVrcnt; and; after one or two fa!.se starts, i lie Committee gotto work in earnest, and drew up a very fair programme. This 3-ear Lhe racing is confined almost solely to district horses, there being only one or two strangers, and those of very moderate pnMfnsions. Jt is often a disputedpoiut h itli district clubs whether racing is better ur worse when the best horse's arc excluded. This year the advocates of each side of the question will have a definite stand-point from the district point of view to compare with the- year when so many good horses—including old Knottingly, Atlas, and Southern Chief—were contesting together for the Grand Stand Handicap. The Club have not this year i-eeured so many entries as u ual, which will be against them financially the Hurdle Eace not even filling. Old Charley aloue was entered, unti the race consequently, according to the conditions, was withdrawn. Wednesday broke very-wet, the rain continuing into the night. This, no doubt, deterred many from being present from a distance. % The race morning itself was sultry and gloomy, but the weather, though not inciting, promised to hold up through the day. Mr. Pinder furnished the booth .with the indispensable eatables and drinkables .in. his usual able manner. Fruit stalls were about the only other attraction as against the boolhs. There were" not so'many visitors present on the course as. has usually been the case. This is accounted for,, however, by the fact that the greater part of the resident population, when ..water is scarce —instead of waiting for rain, as they used to do—more wisely go and earn money harvesting. The first race was the Maiden Plate of 25 sovs., for all horses that have never won ah advertised prize of £2O or over (matches and hack races excepted) Weight for age. Entrance, £2 2s. Distance, 14 mile. Four entries —Packman's Fireaway, feather ; Foster's Invercsk, 9st 61bs'; Gordon's Lady Bird, 9st 61b ; Holden's Miss King, 9st lllb.

A good start was obtained a little after one o'clock. Fireaway and Inveresk got away first, the other two lying behind. In .this way they came past the stand, Inveresk galloping well the chestnut colt pulling a good deal. At.the mile Inveresk was beat —Fireaway .keeping well together crept away without effort, winning by several lengths proving himself a first-class colt. Miss King overlook Inveresk, and secured second place. ' Fireaway {3. Tnder) 1 Miss King ... .. ' 2 Flying Handicap of 30 sovs. Distance,' 1 mile. Four entries Keenan's Wild Alans Boy, 9st ; Cotton's Envy,-Bst 21b; Holden's Maggie, 7st; Laverty 'a Venus (late Alary Ann), 6st 121b. At the first attempt a capital start was effected—Venus inside, Envy and Manx Boy tussling for second position, ail three iiorses well together. Little Magsie was outpaced from the start. The kept this order the first half mile, Venus going very prettily, and Envy held to the chestnut it.»'-e. At the three-quarter distance Manx .Boy threw up, and Envy drew past Venus, winning as she liked—bc'ng ridden with good judgment throughout. £ nv y -V." ■'.'.■ ■■;'.'■' ■■ .:.■ : (Cotton) i \ eniss .. ... .. ;.. - ■ 2 Wild Manx Boy ... .. ... ."3 Maggie . . ... ... .. ... 4 District Hack Race of 20 sovs.~ Open to all horses that have never won an ad vcrtised prize of £2O or over. No weight under 9st. Entrance, £1 Is. Distance, 1 mile. Post entry. Four entries—Maggie, Darkle, Balaklava, Venus. Parkie was brought out too lair, and :hc horses were sent off withutit him. Viijus took ihe lead, and kc-pMI, though Laid prossid by lhat game little bit of whah bone from the Creek, Maggie. Balaklava never was in the race. Venus (Richaidson) 1 M=-ggie 2

Selling Race of 25 sovs. . Horses to be sold for £4O, weight for age ; £30,, allowed ■lOlbs.; £2O, allowed 201b5.; £lO, allowed 301bs. Post Entry, £1 Is. -Distance, I mile. . Surplus to.-goto the Club. 3 entries—Artful Joe, Sst slb;. Blood Koyal, 7st 131b • Pickpocket, lOst lib. "". Pickpocket got off "worse, and did not materially improve his position until the: horses were . approaching the last turn. - when Artful Joe, who had more weight -tliuri he could carry,-' fell back: to him. Blood Boy al meanwhile hail gained ground —and won by several lengths. Pickpocket's jockey made an effort to bring his horse up, but it was no use, . Blood Boyal was 8t once put up at the tapset price of £lO, and bought in for £22, the club netling £l2. Blood royal .. .-.' (S. Inder) 1 Pickpocket .- ;•.. ... : _ 9 Grand Stand Handicap of 60 sovs. Distance, 2 miles. Six entries—Keen an's Wild Manx Boy, Bst ...101b ; Keenan's Gamecock, Sst 81b; Foster's Coquet, Sst 61b ; Cotton's Envy, Bst; Holden's Miss King, 6st 121b; Laverty's Venus (late Mary Ann), 6st 71b.

For this race which was the event of the day, Venus and Manx Boy were scratched. Envy was mucE fancied. "We thought a little pot ; was being boiled quietly, which the mare's defeat bubbled over. Gamecock'and Coquet, who hare had many a game set to at or about equal weights, it was thought would fight well for second honors. Coquet was dimpled with fat, while Gamecock— although biglooking, as usual—was hard and fit'to go. There uas a good deal of trouble to-get the horses away owing to the fractiousness of Coquet, who wanted to bolt into the crowd. After one or two trials a very fair start was effected for a long race Gamecock having the inside; Miss King and Coquet close behind, Envy not far away: At the first mile Miss Earjg had tailed, Coquet coming up best; but Cotton on Envy was playing with him, and put the mare's nose in front at the post, holding her hard; At otto mile and ahalf Coquet and Gamecock were lumbering a good deal, and it looked ' a certainty for Envy, so much so, that the stable were offering tea to five on her. Gamecock, however, was not to be sh'.Vf-T) .>fl" At Urn !n*t (urn hr :ipp, ~,., lo gaihfr huuselt up, and tairly close i,n the marc- holding his ovi n, aiid creeping

up ineli by inch as they came tip fiig straight, tiD on the post he" had a fair neckand shoulders in I rout, thus winning the" concluding and best race of the day.Both Gamecock and Envy were well ridden—Cotton's attempt to steady the msxs homo being a piece of reaity good riding.Gamecock... ... ... (Richardson) t Ei.vy . . ... ;.. ... .... 2 Coquet ... .. ...- ... ..■ $ Five or six professional gentlemen wore busy whileing the time between (he events, extracting loose shilling?,by of rhe red white and black marbles, and wheels of fortune —one very ingeuioasly k-pppi)ig on his table a f«w trinkets tomato believe a mild raffle was going. <>n. Happily.(here did not appear to be many pigeons'ready for the plucking.