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Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 120, 18 October 1902, Page 23

Jil? L By 'Krect-Card.

The spring meeting of the Otaki Racing Club was held in good weathei and there was a fair attendance on both days The racing was interesting and as the winners were' well concealed the dividends were large. A featuie of the meeting was the success of horses trained by "Dad" Peteis, and he was the recipient of many congratulations- The Ponrua stable had a representative in every race on the fiist day with the exception of the Hurdles, but was only once successful Waireka was a slightly bettei favouilte than Bets> m the Maiden Plate which was contested by a field of eleven. The field moved off together at the rising of the tapes, with the exception of Clovelly, who was playing up at the post, and got left. Explorer and Yahma carried on the running tor three-parts of the journey, with Waireka lying hand's . At the entrance to the straight the latter came through, and although challenged bv Betsy, succeeded in -ainuik the verdict bj a, length 1 antomime, who was galloping strongly at the finish, was third Ghoorka, the Locluel— Fiancee colt, purchased in. Sydney last year bv Mr J . Prosser, was made a pronounced tavounte for the Te Hiwi Memorial Stakes, which brought but only four starters, and he justified the confidence replaced in him by winning easily from Wehonga, who was the only one of the others to make any sort of a showing. Six horses contested the Hurdle Race, Old Gun being a slightly better favourite than Mourner, while Kohinui was also well supported. A good-looking son of Quilt in Dreyfus, was making his first appearance, and he ran well for a time Old Gun waited on his fieJd until the home stretch was reached and then came away, and won easily by four lengths from Kohmui. Mourner was being ridden when halt the lourney was completed, and will probably make a better showing later on. Six liorses contested the Demonstration Handicap for which Lifebelt was most in demand. The Ponrua representative Ora was also well supported. Cure who had the services of a different rider made the nace from the start, and along the back stretch was a counle of lengths in front of The Guesser and Ora. At the entiance to the straight Cure was still m front, but the favounte was seen threading her way through, and the former had to be shaken up to stall of? a strong challenge from her Cures rider drew Ins whip when neanng the post and was unfortunate enough to strike Lifebelt acioss the nose, thereby interfering with her. This cost him the race, for 'the stewards, after about an hour's deliberation, awarded the race to Lifebelt, and sent Telford, the uder of dire, out for three months The St. Leger horse would have paid a dividend of £6 9s. Seven horses faced the barrier foi the Flying Handicap, for which Mussell was most in favour The winner turned up in Pure Silver, who shot out from the start, and, never being headed, won by a length and a-half from Mussell, who was a head in front of Flanagan The winner paid £4 ss, and cut out the six furlongs m lmin 173 sec. Some surprise was occasioned at the action of the club in not bracketing Pure Silver and Mussell on the. totalisator, as both were racing under the same nomination, but it is understood that these two horses are not tihe property of the same owner. The Welter Handicap brought out a field of seven contestants, Hamua being a little better favourite, than In the Van.. Pantomime, on the strength of his late run in the Maiden, was also well supported From a good start, Pantomime shot out, and earned on the running, closely followed by Hamua and Hakaria. The leader maintained his advantage to the end, and passed the post two lengths in front of Hamua. In the Van was third, half-a-length behind Hamua. The winner paid a dividend of £4 14s. The large field of eleven contested the Stewards' Handicap, run over five furlongs. Stepson and Gold Seal were about equal favourites Eubank and Stepson had the worst of a rather .straggling start, and were left several lengths in the rear when the field commenced to move. Gold Seal and Dede

carried on the running until the straight was reached, when the latter retired. The former held his own up the stiaight, and passed the post two lengths m front of Turepo, who came fast in the straight, and just beat Kereiru foi second money. The winner paad £4 10s, and backers of the second horse leceived £5 14s. To show that there was no loitering on, the way, the distance was cut, out in lmin 3 1-obhsec. Six horses contested the Trial Handicap, the first event on the card for the iseconid day's races, for which Vahma was a slightly better favourite than Clovedly. From an excellent start, Rebellious cut out the runmne till well in the straight, where she was overhauled b\ Clovelly, who gained the verdict by <» head " Vahma was half-a-length away third. The winner paid £2 4s, and covered the six furlongs in the excellent time of lmm 17sec. The Hurdl© Race, which brought out a field of six horses, was a chapter of of accidents' Aitua fell at the fir 5 t fence, where the order was Clovis Mourner, and Old Gun, with Kohimm last. Olovis fell at the back of the course, and brought down Old Gun This left Mourner m the lead, with K> hunui coming fast The latter oveihauled Mourner in the straight, and won an excdtane race bv a nose The winner paid £1 l."s and backers . . Mourner received £2 2s second money The Guesser was the outsider of th" quartette that started for the Ngatuhui i Handicap, for which Lifebelt was most in favour. TV' former got well awr and, never being headed wen bv fchioe lengths from Cure the fa-\ ourite las f The winner returned each of his supporters with a dividend of £12 16s. In the Van made some amends for hi<first day's defeat bv winning the Hailway Handicap from a field of six Tho Vanguard gelding waited on ltis field until tihe straight, was roachod aiv! then went ahead, and bv a length and a-half from Kereru The «mn >r paid £2 13s and cut out the six fur longs in lnun 17sec. "Dad" Peters' lepresentative was to tho fore again in the Rangiuru Welte: which brought out a field of six starters. Pantomime was a slightly better favourite than Smith y, and Elamua wa = also well supported. Sim in v rushed the front a,t the start, and va«= seven al lengths in front at the back of the course. Rounding the bend Velocity ]oaned the leader, and, beating him u 1u 1 the run home, passed the post a length to the good Tyrone was thud two lengths away and the favourite' last The winner paid £12 3s Ehbank bioke his maiden status by appropriating the Klectric Handicap from a field of nine, for which Turepo was most in favour. The lattei shot out at the start, and held a commanding lead coming round the bend. She was challenged by Elibank half way down the straight, and. in a punishing finish the latter won bv a nose Mussel! half-a^ength away thud The son of Medallion paid a dividend of £-4 <>s, and out out the five furlongs in lmm 3 * sec " , Excellent racing was witnessed at the Hawke's Bay spring meeting, which was held in splendid weather. Large fields were the order of the day, and some exciting finishes were fought out. Fourteen horses contested the King Edward Handicap, amongst which were fcho New Zealand Cup candidates Kiwa, Kelpy, Porirua, and Sinus. The Shannon, on account of her recent successes at Avondale and Wanganui, was installed favourite. Fleka led the field a merry dance for seven furlongs, where The Shannon made a forward move At the entrance to the straight, Hinetauia shot out from the ruck, and, despite challenges from Kelpy and Ponrua, maintained her position to the winning post. The former was beaten by nalf-a-lengtb while Porirua was a length away third The winner out out the distance in lmin 55isec, and paid a dividend of £26 os straight out, and £15 16s for first horse, and £3 9s second horse. Bombardo, about whom great things have been written, and who has been backed for the New Zealand Cup, made his first appearance this season in the Hack Race which was contested fr" a field of ten. Rajah cut out the running from, the rise of the barrier until well up the straight, where he was challenged by Bombardo, and the latter, getting the best of the struggle won a good race by a length. The winner paid £2, and backers of Rajah received £2 10s second money. The classic event of the first da^'s programme. — the Hastings Stakes — was contested by twelve youngsters. Blackwater and Stars-hoot were in command for the greater part of the jouraev but Sans Peur drew out when called upon, and won easily by a length from Starshoot, with Kamo close up. The winner, who is a half-sister to Cruciform, has always been looked upon as fairly fast, and it was generally admitted that she had hard luck in losing the Avondale Stakes last month. Her victory

was anticipated by the general public, and sihe started a pronounced favourite. The Hawke's Bay Guineas was contested by a field of seven, and the race was the best-contested in the history of that event, and furnished the greatest "boil-over" sinoe Forester won in 1886. Golden Vein, Sir George Cliffoid's representative, after a magnificent struggle down the straight, 711 st defeated the Porirua z'eoresentative by a short haJf-head, uith Orloff a neck away in third place. The mile was run in the good time of Imin 43sec and the winner paid the substantial dividend of £23 17s straight out. This is the fourth ocoas-ion on which Mr. Stead s representative ha>s been beaten since 1897.