SPORTING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 878, 7 February 1879, Page 2

SPORTING.

WELLINGTON RACES. Wellington, February G. The following is an account of the principal races to-day : Maiden" Plate, 75 sovs. One mile and a half. Mr Vallance's Merlin, 3 yrs, Blue Boy— Malice, 7st 31b (Nolan) 1 Mr Horsfall's King Quail, 3 yrs, 7st 131b (Carrington) 2 Mr Webb's Undine, 4 yrs, Sst 121b (Fuller) 3 Knight's Roebuck, Murtagh's Black Prince, and Lady Grey, also ran. Retting : G to 4 on Merlin; 2 to 1, Undine ; 5 to 1, anything else. The flag 'fell to a fair start, Undine having a trifle the best of it. Murtagh [ soon rattled his horse into first place, which he kept until he readied the back of the course. Lady Grey was left at the '■ post, and was at least ten lengths behind opposite the Grand Stand. She was not . persevered with any further. At this period Roebuck was Black Prince's attendant, but at the three-quarter mile post King Quail ran into second place. . Undine also came up, while Merlin ran ' into fourth place. This order was main- • tained to the back of the course, when Black Prince fell back beaten. Undine and Merlin then closed on Ratcatcher, j and a pretty race ensued until the entry into the straight. Here the leaders ran ' rather wide, and Nolan made a fine exhibition of horsemanship, and took the j inside running and a lead of about half a . length. The race after this was never in doubt, and the colt won easily. King , Quail came pluckily under the whip, and ' was only beaten by a head. Time —2min. oOsec, Hurdle Race, of 50 sovs.; 2 miles. Weight ■_ for ago, '-'Over seven hurdles. \ Mr Butler's Agent, 5 yrs, 9st 71b (Hawkins) 1 \ Mr Murtagh's Harkaway, aged, 9st 101b , (Murtagh) 2 J Mr Neilson's Te Whetumarama, aged, ! itetlOlb (O'Brien) 3 s

Betting—At first, 6 to 4 on Agent, afterwards the same on Te Whetu ; 5 to 1 Harkaway. Te Whetu declared to carry lllbs. overweight. Te Whetu was the first away; The Agent and Harkaway, however, were not much behind, and cleared the first hurdle in this order. 'Harkaway then took the lead to the second hurdle, which he ran into, but afterwards got over, with The Agent next. Te Whetu then assumed the lead, and, with The Agent, ran a neck and neck race, the Maori horse leading by half-a-length over all but the last hurdle, which he struck heavily. The Agent then came on and won easily by about five lengths from Harkaway, who passed Te Whetu, when he was eased after his mishap. Time : 4mins. 29secs. Wellington Cup, of the value of 100 sovs., with 500 sovs. added. Second horse 50 sovs from the stakes. Mr R. Ray's Maritana, aged, 9st 41b (including 101b penalty), Traducer—

Hypatia (Ray) 1 Mr D. Knight's Lara, aged, Bst 21b (Wattie) 2 Mr G. Fraser's Longlands, 4 yrs, 7st 121b (Clifford) 3 Laertes, Rata, Diver, Lady Grey, King Quail, and Sailor also ran. Danebury and Mufti were scratched at 12.5. The betting was 5 to 2 against Laertes and Longlands, 3 to 1 against Lara and Maritana, 10 to 1 Diver and Rata, 10 to 1 Sailor, Lady Grey and King Quail 100 to 2. The flag fell to a poor start. Sailor had much the best. King Quail was stopped directly after the flag fell. Sailor led to the entrance into the straight, when he bolted, and was not stopped until he had disposed of his rider. Passing the Stand the order was Lara, Diver, Longlands, Maritana, Laertes, Rata, and Lady Grey. The leader increased his distance until the back of the course was reached, when Maritana, who had been gradually running through her horses, collared him. Laertes made his effort at the three-quarter-mile post, but soon fell back beaten. Once Maritana was alongside all was over, for Ray had the race in hand. Half a mile from home the leading pair drew away from all but Longlands, who came through very fast. Entering the straight Ray assumed the lead previously held by Lara on sufferance, and won easily by a length, Longlands about two lengths behind the second horse, and the others finishing thus—Diver, Rata, Laertes, and Lady Grey. Time—3min. 47sec, Sailor was, after being caught, remounted, and sent round the course to win bets against Fishhook. Hutt Park Stakes, of 50 sovs.; one mile. Mr Ray s Bribery, Traducer-Ethelred, 5 yrs, 9stolb (Ray) 1 Mr Knight's Saunterer, 2 yrs, sst 31b (Laing) 2 This race was reduced to a match between the above pair, Expectation being scratched at 1.46, Doncaster at 4.2, Diver and Merlin at 4.15, and Rata at 4.30. The two-year-old had rather the best of the start, and a pretty race ensued. Flying Stakes, of 50 sovs ; f mile. Mr Horsfall's Ratcatcher, 7st 51b (Carrington) 1 Mr Gibson's Otawa, 7st 101b (Walker) 2 Mr. Belcher's Expectation, 7st 61b ; Bribery, Bst 41b ; Sailor, 7st ; Doncaster, 7st, also ran. Bribery was a great favorite—ls to 10 being offered on her, and finding no backers ; 4 to 1 Otawa was accepted in a few cases. Nothing else was backed, Bribery was fractious at the post, and disposed of her jockey once. Sailor got a big lead, but Ratcatcher was never caught. Otawa ran through all his horses, but never got on terms. Bribery came well after entering the straight, but was half a length behind Expectation. The same distance between second and third.

THIS DAY'S RACES. Wellington, February 7. Theattendanceat theraces is smaller than that of yesterday, the grand stand being very bare. The weather is fine, and the course is much better than it was yesterday, owing to the rain in the night. The Derby was run, with the following result : Morlin 1 Dundee ... ... ... 2 HURDLE HANDICAP. GreyMomus ... ... ... 1 The Agent 2 Eversley ... ... ... 3 The Agent fell.