SPORTING.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2554, 28 May 1881, Page 2

SPORTING.

ASHBURTON STEEPLECHASES. The Ashburton steeplechase meeting came off yesterda}'. The weather was grand and the ground in capital condition. There were baldly any professional betting men present, the meeting scarcely being of sufficient importance to warrant their presence. The Ashburton Handicap, of 40 sovs was the big event of the day and brought out four horses. The distance was three miles and included a formidable water jump backed by a stiff gorse fence. Quamby soon obtained the lead and took the water jump flying, Clarence and Kosciusko being close up, but a general spill took place, the three jocks being thrown, Cullman being fortunate enough to catch Quamby immediately and get away while the other horses galloped off riderless. Lonehand, who had been lagging behind, now came up to the water jump, but all Nichols’ efforts to make him negotiate it failed, and thus Quamby had things all his own way, winning as he liked, Clarence a bad second. The following race, the District Handicap, resulted in a walkover for Mr S. Saunders’ Why Not. The Tradesmen’s Plate, of 30 sovs, was also a walk over, this time for Quamby. The Parmer’s Steeplechase of 20 sovs, only brought out Why Not and Lone Hand, and was won easily by the former. The Hack Steeplechase which only produced a field of throe was won, hands down, by Cassandra. This was the concluding event and the crowd soon dispersed.