GERALDINE RACES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1011, 30 September 1882, Page 3

GERALDINE RACES.

First Day. Stewards Messrs T W Corbett, D McKenzie, R H Pearpoint, J Kennedy, W Deßenzy, J Meikle, W Lawson, and J M Ollivier. Clerk of the Course, Mr R Stansell. Clerk of the Scales, Mr J Meikle. Judge, Mr M Studholme. Starter, Mr T W Corbett. Handicappers, Messrs D McKenzie and T W Corbett, Sacretary, Mr D McKenzie. The race meeting held annually under the auspices of the Geraldine Racing Club commenced last Thursday, on the new ground of the Club, near the Orari Railway Station. The racecourse is certainly a credit to the Club. We have not seen in New Zealand so good a one in any country district. The course covers an area of about 100 acres, and it is capitally laid out excepting that the turn coming into the straight is far too sharp. The grand stand is a very substantial affair, but it has been built too narrow and too high. Had it been built wider, and not so far up in the sky, it would be more suitable, .and it would not have had so much of the sentry-box appearance to "persons who look upon it from the railway station. Oa the whele, however, the Club must be complimented on the improvements they have made. The people of Temuka might well go to see it, and reflect upon how they are being left in the shade on all sides. Tiie grand stand is on a raised mound, about twelve feet in height, and commanding an excellent view of the course. The sloping lawn in front is fenced in by very substantial railing, and at the right-hand side is the saddling paddock, in which there are stables and other conveniences erected, and all equally well got up. In the angle of the front railing and ths fence dividing the saddling paddock from the lawn, is the Judge’s box. Behind the seats of the grand stand aro two rooms, one for the Stewards, and the other for the representatives of the Press. In justice to the Club, we may remark that in our experience there is no otiier race meeting where reporters are so well treated as at Geraldine, a fact which we think is mainly due to the thoughtfulness of their courteous and obliging Secretary, Mr D McKenzie. This room is farms bed with chairs, * writing desk, and other conveniences ; so also is the Stewards room, and underneath them is the bar of the grand stand booth and the luncheon room. There is also another bar facing the saddling paddock. With the exception of the sharp turn in the course coming into the straight, and the defects in the grand stand, it would be impossible to have more complete arrangements. In fact, we think that for an annual meeting only the course is got up too elaborately, and too expensively, especially as it is so far away from any town. It is doubtful whether the townspeople of Geraldine will support it so heartily as they hav« done heretofore. The ground has been granted to the Club by the Government, and is now vested in trustees. It is certainly a magnificent racecourse, being as level as a bowling green, and in good order.

The weather was all that could be desired, and the attendance was very large, among those present being a great many Ashburton men. The racing, too, was very good, many connoisenrs stated that, it was the best they had seen in New Zealand. The following is a description of the various events ;

Handicap Hurdle Race, of 85 sovs ; about two miles, over eight flights of hurdles. Mr J Pilbrow’s b g Clarence, aged, 12st 51b (H Lunn) 1 Mr P Jones’s cb m Lady Perdita, syrs, Oat 121 b (0 Joyce) 2 Mr M Shenvin’s bg Mokarakara, yrs, lOstlOib ~, ftt Colton; 3

Mr L Walker’s bg Jack, aged, lOst 51b ; Mr Hammond’s br or ch in Lottery (late Bijou), aged, lOst 51b ; and Mr P Butler’s b li Qiamby, 6yrs, lOst 121 b, also ran.

Betting—s to 4 on Clarence, 7 to 4 against Quamby, 7 to 2 Mokarakara, 7 to 1 Jack, 10 to 1 Lady Perdita and Lottery. There was £196 in the totalisator ; £6O on the winner.

With the exception of Lottery all the horses ran well together. Clarence, the winner, was far behind until the last mile. Lady Perdita would probably hare won, but for meeting with an accident in the third last fence, when she escaped coming to grief by the excellent management of her rider. Until then she was ten yards ahead, but she lost this much ground, and was never able to get away after. Claience won by half a length. Maiden Plate, of 40 sovs ; weight for age, miles Mr J H Lunn’s br c Welcome Jack. 3yrs, 7st 51b ... (W Butler) 1 Messrs Mason and Yallauce’s br c Turquoise, 3yrs, 7st 51b (G Williams) 2 Mr D O’Brien’s oh h Holderness, syrs, 9st slb ... ... (Clifford) 3 Mr D Mackay’s b g Horseshoe, 4yrs, Mr F H Barker’s br g Dexter, Mr G Lawson’s ch f Marchioness Neill, Mr R Latimer’s b m May Flower, and Mr J Bell’s ch m Gold Dust also started. Mr W C Webb’s Blue Jacket, and Mr P Butler’s Trinket were scratched.

Betting—Level on Turquoise, 3 to 1 against Holderness, 6 to 5 Welcome Jack, 10 to 1 Dexter, May Flower and Marchioness Neil l , 50 to 1 (off) against Horseshoe and Gold Dust. There was £l9O in the totalisator, £3O on the winner. There was a magnificent race between the three placed horses and Dexter until near the finish, when Welcome Jack and Turquoise got away and ran neck and neck, the former winning by a iiead. Time 2min. 47^sec. Geraldine Pacing Club Handicap, of 100 sovs ; IJ miles. Mr D O’Brien’s b h Tasman, 4yrs, 7st 121 b (Clifford) 1 Mr S. Horsfall’s br h King Quail, aged % 7st 111 b (T Thompson) 2 Mr H Goodman’s b h Sir Modred, syrs, 9st 21 b ... ... (Owner) 3 Mr W C Webb’s b c Blue Jacket, 4yrs, 7st 61b ; Messrs Mason and Valbrnce’s br f Siesta, 3yrs, 9st 21b ; Mr P. Butler’s b f Trinket, 3yrs, 6st 101 b ; and Mr W Bishop’s br c Curate, 3yrs, 6st 91b, also started. Mr P Butler’s Luna was scratched.

Betting —5 to 4 against Siesta, 3to 1 Sir Modred, 4 to 1 Tasman and King Quail, long odds the rest. There was £222 in the totalisator, £46 on the winner £77 on Siesta.

Only for the way King Quail was ridden he would certainly have won this race. He was kept at an immense distance behind until about half a mile from home, yet came up to within half a length of the winner at the p®st, and would have passed him if they had had two lengths further to go. Siesta led the running for a long time. A horse allowed to run loose collided with Curate and threw Ins rider off, bat he escaped unhurt.

Time—2min 16sec«. County Plate, of 50 sovs. and Cup given by Mr D, Andrews ; for three-year-olds, the bona fide property of persons residing within the County of Geraldine for three months before the races. Colts, Bst 101 b ; fillies and geldings, Bst 71b. One and a half miles. Mr L Walker’s ch f Doris, Leolinus— Waterspout ... ... (Derritt) 1 Mr D Deacon’s b f Rebecca, Papapa— Becky Sharp ... ... (Clifford) 2 Mr H Struthers’ ch c Scaltheen, Daniel O’Rourke —Alice (Wattie) 3 Messrs Murphy and Stock’s ch f Fanny, Mr R H Pearpoint’s ch f Sensation, Mr R Gould’s blk f Mermaid, Mr J Kennedy’s b f Maid of Avoca, and Mr J Mundell’s b f Nancy Lee also started. Betting—Level on Doris, 3 to 2 Rebecca, 4 to 1 Scaltheen, 5 to 2 the rest. There was £l2B in the totalisator, £4B on the winner. Scaltheen, a diminutive little pony, was ridiculed on appearing in the saddling paddock, but proved herself a first rate runner. If she had been properly trained, and hadjleßs beef on,there is no doubt that she would have done better. She finished up splendidly, coming in a good third, but she was not equal to Doris, who had the race his own way. Selling Hack Race, of 15 sovs, for hacks that had never won over 10 sovs of public money ; once round the course ; weights, 9st or upwards ; winner to be sold for 15 sovs, any surplus to go to the club. Mr A Story's ch g Bogardus (late Orange Lightning) ... (Qerritl) X

Mr Bell’s Fly, Mr Lewis’ Sandy, Mr Malinke’s Whitlow, Mr Lynch’s The Lad, Mr Hedge’s Our Pony, and Mr Mcllraith’s Miss Chattaway also ran.

There was a great deal of speculation on this race,Sandy being a strong favorite, freely backed at level money, the odds against Bogardus being 4 to 1. There was £B7 in the totaliaator, of which only £lO was on the winner ; £45 on Sandy. There was no horse anything like equal to the winner in this race. He was bought in for £l7. SECOND DAY. The attendance was not so large yesterday »s oh the first day, and the lacing was uct altogether so good.__

Hack Huddle Race, of 15 aovs; 1^

miles ; winner to be sold for 15 sovs. Mr F Hedge’s Our Pony ... (GHsson) 1 Mr J L Crawley's Brenda ... (Hobbs) 2 Mr PofTs Naughty Boy ... (Co:uelins) 3 Mr Storey’s Bogardus ... ... 0 Mr Lewis’s Sandy ... ... ••• 0

Our Pony took the lead and won as lie liked. Brenda was the favorite in the betting. There was £l2B in tiie tofalisafcor, £29 being on the winner. This was the first time Our Pony ran over hurdles, and the first time its rider rode over hurdles, so there is credit due to both of them. Geraldine Gup, of 100 sovs, distance miles. Mr Horsefall’s br h Ring Quail, aged 7st 131 b (Watty) 1 Mr J. Lunn’s hr h Welcome Jack, 3yrs, 7st 131 b (Butler) 2 Mr D O’Brien’s br h Tasman, 4yrs, Bst 61b ... ... ... (Clifford) 3 Mr William’s b f Problem also ran. There was £177 in the totnlisator, and £l4 on the winner. After the horses had got away well together they settled down into pairs, Tasman and Welcome Jack leading the other two by about a length. In the second round King Quail challenged the leaders, and soon himself and Welcome Jack were running a splendid race, which was won by the former by about half a length, with Tasman a good third.

Tiin« —4 mins 21 secs. Ladies' Purse of 30 sovs, welter weights fer age, I].- miles. Sir G. Lawson's ch g Comet, 4yrs, lOst 111 b ... ... (Warner) 1 Sir Bishop’s b c Curate, 3yrs 9st 21bs (Hunt) 2 Mr Butler's b f Trinket, 3jrs, Bst 131bs (Wyatt) 3

Mr Barker’s Dexter, Mr Jones’ Lady Perdita, Mr Hammond’s Lottery, and Mr Pilbrow’s Clarence also ran.

Trinket made the running, with Curate about a length behind, and Comet a length behind again, and so on with all the ochers. This position was maintained until about half a mile from home, when Comet challenged theleader and won a well contested race by a length, Trinket being a good third. Comet is owned by an Ashburton man, and the Ashburton men won hatfuls of money on him. They backed him in every direction. Flying Handicap. Messrs Mason and Vallance’s br c Turquoise, 3yrs, 7st 31b ... ... 1 Mr D O’Brien’s ch h Holderness, 5 yrs 7st 51b ... ... ... ... 2 Mr G Lawson’s ch f Marchioness Neill, 3yrs, Gst I2!b ... ... 3 Mr McKay’s Horseshoe, and Mr Butler’s Trinket also ran. The horses kept well together to the finish, but Turquoise won hands clown. Consolation, of 20 sovs. ; once round the course. Mr Denoon’s .Rebecca, 7st 101 b, (Wyatt) 1 Mr Butler’s Trinket, Bst 51b, (Butler) 2 Mr Lewis’s Sandy, 7st (Lewis, junr.) 3 Rebecca had it all her own way, The Hurry Scurry was won by Mr Hedge’s Our Pony by about 100 yards. This finished the day’s proceedings.