SPORTING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 643, 25 May 1878, Page 2

SPORTING.

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* GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE MEETING. CnKisTcnritcii, May 24. At the Grand National Steeplechase Meeting to-day the weather was dull and cold. The attendance was good. Maidio- Plate of 100 snvs. ; weight for ace ; two miles. Mr. Keith's Stecknian ... (Shcenan) 1 Mr. Neilson's Sir Tatton ... (O'Brien) 2 Mr. Fisher's Mickey Free ... (Hankins) 3 Turk and Cannon Ball also ran. Betting—G to 4 against Sir Tatton ; 3 to 1 others. Sir Tatton led over the first fence. Cannon Ball, Stockman, and Mickey Free close astern ; but Turk refusing; was out of the race. Sir Tatton increased the lead, and opposite the Stand Cannon Ball fell, Lunn sustaining a fracture of the bone. At the jump entering the straight Sir Tatton hung a little, enabling the others to close up. Sir Tatton led over the last fence, but fell. O'Brien was notmuch hurt, and quickly remounted. In the meantime Stockman and Mickey Free went to the front. Stockman won easily. Sir Tatton raced Mickey Free for second place, and beat him by a length. Time — Omin. 27secs. Hunt Ci.v/b Cur of 150 sovb. ; weight for age ; about three miles. Mr. Neilson's TV Whctu ...(O'Brien) 1 Mr. Dollm.-iu's Shark ... (Shceivxn) 2; Mr. Markey's Mouse Trap ... (M'Coy) 3 Mr. Fraser's Shillelagh... (Stevenson) 0 Betting—Even on Mousetrap ; C to 1 on Te Whetu ; 4 to 1 on the others. Mousetrap and Shark cut out the running, with Shillelagh third, and Te Whetu fourth. All the horses jumped well throughout. Mousetrap and Shark kept well together till entering on the third mile, when Mousetrap wont to the front. Te Wlietu closing up. At the bottom of the course Te Wlietu and Shark overhauled Mousetrap, and a fine race up tinstraight resulted in Te Whetu winning by half a- length from Shark, who beat Mousetrap by several lengths ; Shillelagh a good fourth. Don was beaten oil. Gkaxd National Handicap of 200 sovs. : about 4- miles. Mr. Markev's Mousetrap, list. 4;b. (M'Coy) 1 Mr. Neilson's Moose. lOst 121b (Mathews) 2 Mr. Seabright's Zetland, lOst. 31b. (Lyford) 3

E vers ley, Te Whetu, Shark, Fakir, Lunatic, and Don, also ran : Shillelagh and Agent were scratched. Moose made the running, with Mousetrap second, Eversley third, Fakir fourth. Mousetrap took the lead at the second fence ; all cleared the stone wall in capital style. Eversley astonished everyone by the steady way lie took his jumps. At the fourth fence he secured second place. Mousetrap maintained a good lead till commencing the third mile, when Eversley closed up, Moose and Fakir alternately running third, the others tailing oft". After passing the Stand a second time, Te Whetu lying fourth, began to go up, but fell at the fence next to tlv stone wall, and was out of the race. Mousetrap and Eversley raced along the back of the course at a tremendous pace, and opposite the Stand, Eversley showed to the front, but at the double, Mousetrap resumed the lead. Moose and Fakir cannoned here, both coming down, but they were soon at work again. Mousetrap increased the lead and entered the straight ten lengths in front of Eversley. The latter baulked at the last jump, and persistently refused to go over, giving Moose and Fakir time to come up. Mousetrap won as he liked. Moose beat Zetland by a head for second place. Time—lOmin. lS|secs.

DUNEDIN BIRTHDAY RACES. May 24. About 2000 people attended the Dunedin Birthday Races to-day. The course was somewhat heavy in consequence of the fall of rain. The following are the results : Hurdle Race of 40 sovs. Two miles and a distance. Baron (late Wax-wick), Sst lOlbs ... ... 1 Kildare, list 2 Black, Bess, 9st ... ... ... ... 3 Camelia, lOst Tibs, also rail. Kildare took the hail, with Baron next, Camelia third, and Black Bess last. The position of the leader remained the same for the first half-mile, but at the end of the first mile Baron challenged Kildare, and raced him on level terms for a short distance, but soon fell back, and Kildare led past the Stand by a length, Baron next, and Camelia third. At the back of the course Camelia tried to improve her position, but could not catch Kildare, who in the meantime had given way to Baron after a good race down the straight, and the race ended as above. Time—4min. ssecs. Maidkn Pi.atf. of 35 sovs. ; 1J miles. Weight for age. Mr. Pollock's Captain Douglas, sst lllbs 1 Mr. M 'Donald's Bluebell, 9st 21bs ... 2 Mr. Goodman's Mountain Maid, 9st 21bs 3 Larrikin, Endymion, Honest Jack, Contriver, and Campanelle also ran.

Captain Douglas led throughout, and won easily by about. +wn lengths. Time— Birthday Handicap, 120 so vs.; 1J miles. Mr. Swanson's Blue Peter, 7st 4lbs ... 1 Mr. Ray's Bide-a-Wec, Sst 51bs ... ... 2 Mr. Ivitching's Oberon, 7st ... ... 3 Mr. Andrew's Exile, 7st 21bs, also ran ; Contriver and Camelia being scratched. Blue Peter was first to show in front, but was quickly displaced by Oberon, who was last to the start. Theso two soon parted company from the o f hers, and raced well together for the first mile ; Bide-a-Wee then went up and passed Oberon, and for the last half-milo struggled hard to catch Blue Peter, but failed, as the latter won by a length, Oberon and Exile being several lengths behind. Time—3tnins. 31secs. Handicap Trotting Rack, of 15 so vs.; 3 miles. Bella (220 yds) 1 Polly (300 'yds) ~ Kafoozalum (550 yds) ... ... ... 3 Won easily. Seven started. Time—Shnins. 3C]secs. Tradesmen's Handicap, of SO sovs.; 1;{ miles. Blue Peter ... ... ... 1 Bide-aAVee ... ••• ••• ••• 2 Oberon ... ... ... ••• ••• 3 Selling Rack, of 35 sovs.; 1 mile and a distance. Mr. Hastie's Lady Ellen ... ... ... 1 Mr. Goodman's Mountain Maid ... ... 2 Mr. Goodman's Merry Monarch 3 Bluebell and Telemachus wore scratched. Lady Ellen led trom the start, and won by two lengths. Time—2mins. ISsecs.

WANGANUI STEEPLECHASES. Wanc; axti, May 25. There was fine weather for the steeplechases yesterday, and a largo sittoiuliiucoof spectators. The following arc tho results of the different events : MaIDKX StKKI'I.KCIIASK, ol' 7- r ) 80VS. Mr. Fleetwood's Deborah... ... ... I Mr. Stevens' Don ... ... ... ... - This was won easily, tho field being spread-eagled. Hack Hunni.K Race. This was won by Mr. Sweeney's Violet. Watts, the rider of Sloper, fell at tho first hurdle past the stand, and injured himself seriously. Consolation Steeflkckase. Hector 1 Bully 2 Gazelle ... ... ... & A protest was entered against VictorWon easily. Handicap Steeplechase op 150 sovs. Mr. Roger's Awaho*, lOst 711) ... ... 1 Mr. M'Rao's Medora, list 41b ... ... 2 Mr. Campbell's Rully-fnr-You, lOst 101b 3 Ten started, and a good finish took place between the two first.