PORIRUA RACES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5298, 19 March 1878, Page 3

PORIRUA RACES.

Judge: Mr. W. Brown. Starter: Mr. F. Smith. Collector: Mr. G. Thompson. Secretary: Mr. ' W. Jillet. Stewards; Messrs. E. J. King, Cameron, J. AVhitehouse, J. Prosser, and T. Bould. Treasurer: Mr. J. McGrath. Clerk of the Course: Mr. J. F. Lloyd. The annual meeting, under the auspices of the Porirua Jockey Club, took place yesterday, and in point of good racing, fine weather, and attendance of visitors, was more successful than any of its predecessors. The stormy and wet day previous was very unpromising, but more propitious weather succeeded, and the morning broke fine, without a cloud in the sky. The course is on the sea beach, and at the time announced for the first race —l2 o’clock — the sea was still in, owing to it being the date of spring tides. This was an annoying circumstance, as it provoked a delay of nearly two hours, the first race only being started at two o’clock. The coarse was exceedingly heavy and sloppy, causing the jockeys to be covered with wet sand from head to foot. There were the usual surroundings of a race meeting—booths, refreshment stalls, Aunt Sallys, steeplechase-boards, and a host of other concomitants; but bookmake-s were conspicuous by their absence. A “grand” stand was improvised, which consisted of a few rough boards nailed oh the top of some piles driven into the sand. V [Regarding the races themselves, it may be said that they were really excellent for a country meeting, the seven events on the programme each bringing out a number of competitors, and six horses running for the Maiden Plate. The Cup—the big event—was run in three heats, and would no doubt have been won by Black Prince had that horse not run in the two nrevious races. Amongst other events introduced in the programme was a private match for £25, between horses owned by a Porirua storekeeper and a Pahautanui hotelkeeper. It proved a most interesting item, but owing to the surcingle of the publican’s horse getting under the animal’s belly, it caused it to kick instead of run, and the storekeeper scored an easy victory. Owing to the late hour of starting, the last race was not run until 7 o’clock. Subjoined is a list of the events : HURDLE RACE. Value £l2. Over four flights of hurdles, 3ft. 9:n. One mile heats. Weight for age. Entrance, £1 Is. Mr. T. Crosbie’s h Don, aged, 10st 81b (J. Campion) 11 Mr. W. Galloway’s g m Minnie Grey, aged, **lost 81b (J. Prosser) 3 2 Mr, F, J. Mnrtagh'e bk h Black Prince, 5 yrs, lOst 31b (P. J. Murtagh) 2 3 Betting ; Even on Black Prince and Minnie Grey, 2 to 1 against Don. A long delay took place in the start of the first heat, caused by the fractiousness of Minnie Grey, and after exhibiting a deal of patience, Mr. Smith managed to get the three well away together. Both Black Prince and Minnie Grey baulked at the first hurdle, thereby giving Don, who took the “sticks” in grand style, a long lead, Minnie Grey refused all the jumps, and Black Prince was almost as bad—only taking one out of four without being turned. Don came in first by 150 yards, Black Prince second, and Minnie Grey a bad third. A protest was afterwards entered by Mr. Galloway, the owner of Minnie Grey, against the rider of Black Prince, for jostling. The second, and what proved the deciding heat, was run after a short interval. The horses took the first hurdle together, hut Black Prince baulked at the second and third, leaving the race between Don and Minnie Grey, who were racing neck and neck. Don came in a pretty easy winner. MAIDEN PLATE. Value £ll. For all horses that have not won public money; weight for ago ; distance, U- miles. Entrance, £1 Is. Mr. P. J. Murtagh’s bk h Black Prince, syrs, 9st 01b (Mur agh) 1 Mr. T. Crosbie’s Defamation, 6yrs, Out lllbs (Stevens) . .. 2 Mr, Kopra’s g g Puhinahina, syrs, Oat 01b (Jenkins) 3 Fluke, Sam Slick, and Koany also ran. Pu hinahina and Black Prince were the favorites. With a good field of six horses the race was a very open one, and daring the first round a sheet would have covered the whole of them. Fluke ran away with the lead, but during the last half mile the horses separated considerably, and a close finish took place between the first and second horses. A protest was entered by J. Smith (the rider of ITluke) against Black Prince, for running under a wrong name ; also against Defamation, by the same person, for running under a wrong name; and against Puhinahina for going inside a post. HURDLE RACE, Value £5. Entrance, £l. Mr. Beeves’Jack (Beeves) .. .. 1 Mr. McKenzie’s Bess (W. Beat) 2 Mr. Cameron's Castaway (Firraln) 3 Mr. Smith's Kakapo also ran. This was a two mile race, got up on the course. Castaway ran until the second round, after which Jack kept to the front. PONY RACE. For all horses 14 hands and under; Dr. Bradford's Nell .. • 1 Mr. Galloway's Chance ~ 2 Mr. Cameron's Pat .. 3 This was a gift to Nell, as Pat bolted, and Chance was disqualified for running inside a post. PORIRUA CUP HANDICAP, Value £2O. One mile and a half, in heats. Entrance, Mr. W. Beeves’ bk g Tim Whllller, aged, . 7st (Bell) 3 11

Mr. P. J. Mnrtagli's bk h Black Prince 5 yrs, Ost 7ln {Miutagb) .. .. -. ..122 Mr. Jillett’s cr h Castilian, 5 yrs, IDst (Pr.-sser) .. .. .. .. .. ..230 The first heat - was very closely contested between Castilian and Black Prince, the latter winning by a bare head. In the second heat Tim Whiffler, came in first; and the final heat lay between Tim Whiffler and Black Prince. Tim Whiffler came in an easy winner, whilst his jockey rode cap in hand. ladies’ purse, Value £7 10s. Weight for age; gentlemen riders. Entrance £1 Is. Mr. Nopra’s g g Pnhinahina, 5 yrs, lOst (Campion) 1 Mr. IV. Eeevcs’ b m Vesta, 3 yrs, Ost (Burr) .. ~ .. .. .. •* ..2 Mr. W. Galbovay's g m Minnie Grey, aged, lOst (ilb. (Galloway) .. 3 Pnhinahina kept the lead throughout, ana the only exciting part of the race wasaatrnggle between Vesta and Minnie Grey for second place. HACK RACE. Value &3. Mr. Reeves'Jack.. .. .. 1 Mr. Campion’s Ilit-or-Miss .. 2 Mr Boll's Dick 3 Tin's race was a very fast one. Don and Quicksilver also ran. CONSOLATION. Sam Slick 1 Defamation 2 Only two horses started, Sam Slick having the best of it the whole way. A ball took place in the evening, and dancing was kept up with spirit until an early hour this morning.