TURF TOPICS.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 124, 15 November 1902, Page 22

TURF TOPICS.

By 'Krect-Card.

The Camterbuiy Jockey Club's spnng meeting was opened on Saturday last The weathei in" the morning was beautifully fine, but about noon the sky became over-clouded, and during the first race a sharp shower fell. There was a large attendance repiesentatives beine: present from all parts of the colony. The course was looking at its best, and the lawn and saddling paddock looked a perfect picture, with its crowd of welldiessed women. The race tor the Cud was most exciting and at the entrance to the home stretch a sheet would have covered the whole of the contestants. At the distance post, the, winner liad the measure of his "field, and he won easily. The times for the different stages ot the joxirciev, as taken by Mr. Stead, were as follows —Half-mile, o4isec , six furlor^s lmm 21f sec , mile, lmi 1 48Jsec one mile and a-quarter, 2mm lbsec one. mile, and a-half, 2min 42sec two miles, 3min 33^sec Private watches made the time a fraction shorter. The totahsatoT returns showed a slight increase on last veai For the Spring; Hurdles a field of eight faced the starter Evening Wondei having; a sliebt call over Bellman in the betting Slow Tom and Bellman cut out the runnm? for a mile and ahalf, whene X veiling Wonder beecan to reduce, the pap At the last hurdle, the latter was with the leaders, and, holding them safe, won with comfort bv five lenerths from Kohunui, who made up a lot of ground in the straight and beat Bellman for secomd money The winner paad a dividend of £2 9s fid a<nd backers of .Kohunui received £3 (is second money. For the Maiden Plate, which was cointested bv a field of eight, Exmoor was made a hat pot but he had to succumb to Evelyn Wood The former made the running from the ii.se of the barrier, attended bv Evelyn Wood and Stewdancer, till well in the straight, where he commenced to tire, and Evelyn Wood had no difficulty in settling him in the run home. The latter won by three lencrths, and paid a dividend of £3, while supporters of the favourite had to be content with 10s The Raccarton Welter was a snlendid race from the rise of the barrier The large field of sixteen lined up to contest the event, for which the popular fancy was Omeo, Roman- Queen, and Ayrdale. Regulation and Petrovna were in the van at the rising of the tapes and led to the straight, with Ayrdale and Battler in close attendance. Once in the home run, Oingo and Rosemere closed on the leaders, but Regulation easily retained her position, and won bv threenuarters of a length from Ayrdale tv ho was haJf-a-length in front of the favourite. The winner naid £13 14s Od, and the second horse, £1 18s. Oannie Chiel was the only withdrawal from the Cup which brought out a field of ten. Siege Gun was the nopular fancy, but Prosser's representatives and Halberdier were also in good demand. When the field settled down, Canteen and Welbeck were in, the lead, with tihe Porirua pair in close attendance. Passing the stand Welbeck and Punamu were showing the way, followed by Canteen, Halberdier, Siege Gun, Tortulla, and Porirua, Nonette in the rear. There was no change when the mile post was reached but further on Tortulla dropped back, and Nonette began to improve his nosition. Six furlongs from home Welbeck was m front Canteen, Punamu, Halberdier, Glenaladale, Siege Gun, and Porirua followine in that order. Entering the straight, Welbeck was showing just clear of Canteen, Glenaladale Halberdier, and Porirua being; their closest attendants, the rest of the field being close together. Once in the home- stretch, GlenaJadalo commenced to retire, and the finish seemed to rest with Canteen and Welbeck A fu v long from home, Halberdier shot un and settling the leaders in a few strides, won easily by three lcrgths, Welbeck beating Canteen by two lenorths for second money. Porirua was fourth, the order of the others beine Glenaladale, Siege Gun Tortulla, Fakir, Nonette, Sinus and Punamu. The winner paid a dividend of £5 3s 6d, and backers of the second horse received £2 19s. Mr. Stead's representative, King Log was backed for the Welcome Stakes as if the race was rll over bar ehoutiro;, but

once again were backcis of the Yaldhurst colour ait sea. The winner turned up m To-morrow, a speedy descendant of Bill of Portland Hon. Mr Mo Lean's representative Syohom was second The four furlongs was run in 50 1-othsec ar.d the winner paid £~> 13& (>d, w liile backers of the second horse received £3 15s. linnn credited the Hon. J. D. Ormond with his first win at the meet me tlhe daughtei of The Officer appropriating the Soplmg Plate, in vory Lc'.low fashion, from two opponents Twelve horses faced the barrier for tlie Stewards' Handicap, for which Red Gauntlet was the populair fancy. Ghoorka and Orloff also had a host of admirers. From an excellent start Westell ard and Red Gauntlet took ur> tlie runnino- and they were not supplanted till the straight was reached, where Paillas e^ot m front Comjac down the straight, it looked as if t^e latter was going to win easily but he was stiongly challenged bv Vladimir inside the distance, and suffeied defeat bv h»lf-a-length Westguard third two lengths away The winner paid £10 Is, and cut the distance out in lmm 14 3-sthsec. The Ladies' Purse concluded the' first day's programme, and it was a, snlendid struggle between Clanburn and Maq-rafi-cent The foamer just lasted long enough to wan bv half-a-length During the progress of the race, Zealous fell when occupying a good position, and George Price her iockev had the misfortune to break his collarbone • •* * Derby Dry was ushered in m b.Mutiful weather, a slight sout' h -w est w ind blowing to temper the heat The attemd&nce was, if anything, lirpor than on the opening day. The raci"g was excellent, and, with the exception of the Metropolitan, passed off successfully. The win of Mr. Stead's representative. Siege Gun, was the occasion, of a demonstration that has seldom been seen or heard on, any racecourse m tlhe colony When, the winner returned to scale the rider, horse' and o\\ ncr w ere hooted groaned at, amd generally snarled at bv thousands. The public considered that they had not got a fair run in the Cup on Saturday and this was how they showod their disapproval To my mind there was nothing inconsistent. If the distance had been two miles on Monday, Siege Gun would never have seen the journey out, and when it is remembered that in the' race for the' Cup he ran -well for a mile and a-hailf the two performances appear consistent enough. But, the public, who made him favourite on Saturday on no grounds whatever, could not quite understand that a horse could not win at two miles, but might be successful at a mile and a-half. The ra.ee for the Derby was a splendid one, and once again was Mr. Stead's colours boime to victory m that event The downfall of the' favourite Welbeck, was not anticipated by the majority of backers, who supported him as if he could not lose. He ran a game horse right throughout, but evidently, his severe race in tlie Cup had taken too much out of him, and he suffered defeat by half-a-len^th. For the Middleton Hurdles, a field of seven faced the starter, Beillinan being in most demand. The favourite took the lead from! the start, and, never being headed, won with ridiculous ease by five lengths from Roller, who' was three lengths m front of Evening Wonder Stockade and Scottish Minstrel were the two last to finish. The "ace was too merry for Kohunui, and he had no chance whatever. The winner covered the male and three-quarters in the erood time of 3mm 19 4-"sthsec, and paid a dividend of £2 7s 6d, while backers of Roller received £1 18s second money. There were no withdrawals from the Criterion Handicap, seven furlongs, and the large field of fourteen, faced the barrier. The field wero bunched at the entrance to the straight, where Pallas momentarily showed in. front. At tlie distance- he was strongly challenged h^ Vladimir, and the Dunedm colt soon asserted has supemonty, and won, with something to spare, by half-ar-length. Westguard was third, two lengths away. The winner cut out the seven furlongs in the smart time of lmin 28 2-sthsec, and paid £4 10s, and backers of Pallas received £2 10s second money. The placed horses finished in exactly the same order in the' Stewards' Handicap, on the first day. By his victory. Vladimir proved his superiority over the other three-year-olds competine:, and when the times for his two' victories are considered it must be admitted that the Horn. Mr. McLean is the lucky possessor of a particularly smart racehorse. The Juvenile Plate was a duel between Achilles and Dirk, Vladimir, Sychem, and Bandmaster declining tihei contest. Both horses were together till the course proper was readied, when Achilles went to the front, and won in a canter bv four lengths. The five furlongs were negotiated in lmin 1 2-sthsec, and the winner paid £1 3s.

Bombardo and Secret Society were the only withdrawals from the Derby contest, which brought out a field of five competitors. Weilbeck was made a warm favourite on the strength of his Cup running, while Orloff, J^onrua., and Golden Vein were backed on the chance of a boil-over. The race was a splendid one between Porirua, Orloff, and Wei beck. From an excellent start, Tercelet took up the running closely followed by Welbeck and Porirua Round the back, Wei beck and Porirua were in front with Orloff lying handy. Turning for home, Orloff had caught the leaders, and a/t the distance post the three leaders were hard at it. Mr. Stead's representative gradually forged ahead, amd won the best race for the Derby seen for many a year by half-a-length from Wei beck, who* was only a head m front of Porirua. Th© winner put. Uii> a, record for the race, outtin^ out tHie rrulei and a^half in 2min 37 l-sth sec Halbeidier was a slightly better favourite' than Canteen and Siege Gun for the Metropolitan Handicap, which brought out a field of nine starters. From the rise of the barrieir, Magnifioemt and Terrapin cut out the running past the stiamd. Along the back, Meoiura. aind Terrapin were in front - and racinpr hard. Rounding the bend, Siege Gun improved his position, and, when heads were turned for home, was in front Stalling off challenges from Canteen and Halberdier, he won bv a length in 2min 37 9_sthsec. The favourite was third TortuJla fourth, and Fakir last. The winner paid £4, and the second horfe £1 2s. Twelve horses contested the Epsom Hi eh-w eight foT which favouritism was divided between St Denis and Clanburn. From an excellent, start, St. Denis and General Symonds wert to the front and they had the race to themselves, for nothdmp- could get near them and the former won comfortably by half-a-lensrth. in lmin 44isec The winner paad £3 5s and the second horse £1 15s 6d