NORTH OTAGO TURF CLUB RACES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 581, 13 March 1878, Page 2

NORTH OTAGO TURF CLUB RACES.

President—-Mr. •'• O'.Meagher ; Vice-Presi-dent-Mr. G. S. Lintott; Stewards—the lion. It. Campbell. I-r. Webster, Dr. (bvland, M'eaSis. .M. Studholme, W. J. Steward, A. 11. Maude, G. A. Sutton, G. -M'Lenn.' It. I.uinsden. W. Gardiner, and It. M-Anlv: Judge—Mr. \Y. .1. Steward; Starter—Mr. T, 'shalders : Clerk of the Course—Mr. It. Smart; Clerk of the Scales—Mr G. It. Taylor; Handicapper— Mr. Sherwin ; Timekeeper— Mr. It. Lumsden : Trea-urer, Mr. it. Luinsden i yeorotarv, Mr. P. W. O. Grant.

SECOND DAY. The follow ing is the conclusion of our renort of yesterday's racing, which was brought to a close shortly aiter 5 o'clock yesterday :

1.-ONY ItAt'li. Some amusement was afforded the spectators by a race between two ponies, one owned by Mr. M. Taylor, and the other by Mr. White. The distance was once round the course, and the ponies wv.ro, ixidden-- Mr. Taylor's by young M-Kay, and Mr. White's by young Allen. They van together For a. quarter of a mile, after which Mr. Taylor's pony began to draw ahead, and from thence was never headed, winning easily by three lengths. Consolation- 11 ani'loai'—lo sovs. (start at ,~> iiV'ndi). l'"'>r all beaten horses at the meeting. Distance, I.} mile. Post entry, 1 so v. Mr !>. l)''linen's eh f Luna, 3 years, 7st (Allen) 1 Mr Swanson's g 'J Line Pet::i\ ii years tt.'liftbrd) 2 Also ran—Mariiana ((Ist Olbs).

Lotting—(i to 4, and even money on Maritaim; I! to 5 Blue Peter; 2 to 1 Luna.

Maritansi was fractious at the post, and when the Hag fell she was four or five lengths away from the other two horses. Luna and Peter raced together to the second turn, when Maritana began to draw up to them. Entering the straight the three were on even terms, and half way up the ran in it looked a " moral " for Maritana. but unfortunately NiehoH's saddle slipped round, and tho mare began to "buck." Luna and Peter then drew away from her, and ran a desperate race, the former just, winning on the post by a short head. Time—2min. 17 4 secs. This race brought to a close the most successful meeting ever held in the Oamaru district. The weather was favorable : the Club's arrangements as near perfection as possible ; the horses firstclass ; tho handicapping unexceptior.ably good : and the finishe:; taking the whole of the races together —the finest ever seen in New Zealand. The only thing to be regretted in the whole of the transactions connected with this meeting is the scratching of Eclipse for the Hurdle Race. When it "is taken into consideration that the horse was brought up to Oamaru to run for this race alone, and when it is known that at the time he was scratched he was fit and well, and if he had run, the race was a "moral" to him, providing he kept on his legs, then the "scratching" of Eclipse was alike discreditable to his owner—no matter who he is—and tho whole proceeding is a standing disgrace to the men who bought him over, and calculated to make the name of "bookmaker " synonymous with roguery and swindling. We heartily hope that the next time the owner of Eclipse enters a horse for the Oamaru races the handicappsr will remember the " Eclipse episode" of IS7S, and show him that those entrusted with the management of the affairs of the North Otago Turf Club know how to treat men who run their horses for the stakes, and men who will allow themselves to be bribed by aset of. racecourse cormorants who grow rioh at the expense of that ever-guileles3 lamb—a confiding public.