SPORTING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1208, 23 November 1882, Page 2

SPORTING.

Ashburton Races. (PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION). ASHBURTON, This Day. The Ashburton Racing Club’s Spring meeting eommenned yesterday. The weather was splendid, and the attendance unusually large. The following are the results of the principal events:— County Hurdle Race, of3osovs. Brinda ... , ... 1 Captain ... ... ... ... 2 Musket ... ~, ~, 3 —-Won by nearly a length. Maiden Plate, of 40 sovs. Contessa ... ... ... 1 Marchioness ... ... ... 2 Fair Nell 3 •—Won by a neck, Fair Nell running a very good third.

AsHtk.'RTON Cup, of 125 sovs, Welcome J ack ... ~, 1 Turquoise ... ... ... 2 The Curate ... ~, ... 3 —Speculation also started. The race was won by a length and a half. Ladies Purse, of 30 sovs, Comet 1 Winnie ... ... ~, 2 Minnie 3 Among the Cup gossip from Melbourne appears the following “ The day after the Cup of 1881 we had to chronicle the apt statement of a partially inebriated backer of horses, who declared that the public had been assegaied by that confounded Zulu. esterday the same individual, or his mate, was to be seen in exactly the same spot, holding on to the Stand. He was very dejected, very wet, and slightly the worse for liquor, as he hiccupped out — The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold. And the talent are jubilant, but backers are sold. A good many jokes have been made out of “ The Assyrian came down, &e.,” but perhaps the best conundrum of all is one that was manufactured by a pressman immediately on the conclusion of the race. “ When the Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold, what did he do ? Why, skinned the lamb, of course.” The bookmakers appreciate the joke, and will probably reward the witty pressman.