Wanganui Steeplechase Meeting.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8197, 25 May 1906, Page 8

Wanganui Steeplechase Meeting.

■ By ** \ i.v r." 1

Ideal weather at Wsnaranui yesterday, the first «l/ty of the Wanganm Jorfccy Club's Steeplechase meeting. Con*equcotly there was ft remarkably large attendance, particularly of district people, who .were prmmt from all directions, The new grand stand erected by the club wast well packed during the day and the idea h given thereby that m a few season* the club, with ordinary progress, will again lux! itself with (united stand accommodation, The pretty grounds never looked better than they did yesterday, the general effect being greatly enhanced by- the large number of ladief present. tVangama meetings are proverbial for the great attraction they possess for the fair sex, the picturesque surroundings no doubt accounting in a large measure for the interest excited. The meeting itself was one of the most Mifvi'»>ft;! of recent years, totalizator investments exceeding those of the first day last year by a substantial Kuin, wnile the fields that eontested the various events surely eonHtitute a record for the club and certainly were a high tribute to the capability of the club's handieapper. Mr Geo. Morse, who naturally was present at the meeting. A special feature of the racing was the excellent jumping in nil the obstacle events. The Wanganui Steeplechase country is not regarded as difficult, rather the contrary, but there were a | couple of stiff jumps, tke post and rails j and the scrub fence, and for eleven j horse.-; to get over three miles of eosri- | try at a rattling pace with only one ] cropper, is certainly a good and clean performance. It was the >ame in each of the remaining jumping events, all the horses Negotiating their fences safely. The Steeplechase was, of course, the piece'de-kesistance of the day's sport. The Palmerstou-owned mare, Slist King, «a* made favourite, with £;i73 on her, Eurus was next with £288, Defoe €217, llutana £21:5 and the rest in van-tug sums, the ancient Shyloek, who is Htill looking for hi* "pound of llesh," being the outsider with l"i ( > on him. The total investment on the machine was £lt)S4. The field was despatched on even terms by Mr Chavarmes, Phaetonitis showing out in front after the horses had

settled dowu. He was dispossessed o£ pride of place at the jump by Defoe, who led the iield over the next two jumps, but gave place to M'ss king and Nadador entering the straight the first time round. The two mares were first over the hen-coop with Defoe, Hutana, Kurus and South Star elo.se up, .Shy lock already tailing off. At the double in front of the stand the Jiawke's Bay mare, Nad ad or, jumped splendidly and passed Mia.s King, but wheu the}' got going on the flat Again the latter again asserted herself and the two were in front of the lieid during the next round, which proved fatal to Phaetoni(is at the brush fence, the big horse coming a most deeided cropper. Miss King still led the iield with Nadador, Defoe and Hutana m close attendance, the rest racing well together just behind the liangitikei horse- Three-quarters of a mile from home Miss King struck a jump heavily and almost came down. She fell back into fourth place and did not regain lost ground, the rap she gave herself evidently taking all the steam and sting out of her. With the mare's defection, Deioc took up the running, and, with Nadador, Eur us, Playfair, Mocassin and Eclair m attendance, was iirst round the home turn, the Welling-ton-trained horse apparently having the big event well in hand. But the glorious uncertainty of the game was again exemplified, for at the next jump, the hencoop, the leader ran off and took Playfair with him, leaving > urus to win a most interesting race comfortably by a length from Nadador, Mocassin, a similar distance away third. After tho placed horses came Miss King, Eclair, and South Star

in the order given. Defoe, palling double, passed the post third, and was placed in thai position by the judge, who was not aware that ho had run off at the last jump. When the Robinson Crusoe gelding pulied up, it was seen ht: \v,is very lame in the near hind lie walked on his toe and had evidently hurt hia etitie. It will probably bo his last rco this season, a circumstance tkut adds considerably to the bad luck m losing the race by bad behaviour that the geldmg is rarely guilty of. Phaetonitis was not hurt when he fell, but I). Moraghan, his rider, sustained some injury to his ribs, and was removed to the hospital. Miss Iviug and Itutana also show ed cuts, but nothing serious. Eurus paid £"i 18s and IS'ad a dor £ 5 os for second place.