CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 68, 27 December 1871, Page 3

CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

Yesterday, contrary to general expectation, the weather was as beautifully line; as could have been wished for, and the number of people who turned our, to enjoy themselves, and to visit the scene of the sports at Tararu, was larger than we have seen at the Thames, with perhaps the one exception of the Tararu Races, at the time his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was to have visited us. Notwithstanding the large number both of vehicles and foot passengers, no accident of any moment occurred on the road either going or coming. The grand stand, which was much larger than on the 30th of November last, was well patronised, being filled for the greater part of the day ; and below the spectators, the host and his assistants were kept pretty busy all through dispensing comforts to the thirsty multitude, who seemed determined not to allow themselves to be choked by the dust, which was very plentiful. Excellent order was maintained throughout the day, a fine ring being kept, none of the public being admitted within the outer circle, which was roped all round. At about 10.30 a.m. the bell rang for entries for the 250 yards maiden race. For this race there were the large number of 17 competitors, who fancied themselves runners. The result was, as might have been expected, an easy victory for the two New South AA r ales men, who have entered for nearly all the races of the meeting. The running

was pretty good, considering the rough state of the ground, but the issue was never in doubt after the first 150 yards had been run. The jumping was not of a first-class order all through, and produced, as it nearly always does in the district, very few conmetitors. This is not as it ought to be; surely there must be some good men amongst us, in fact, wc know there are, but still they allow the same men to compete for the prizes time after time, and remain quietly looking on, instead of coming forward and trying to wrest some of their laurels from them. The horse racing was a very poor affair altogether, the fiat race only bringing out

two starters out of the live entered, and it proved a gift to Faugh-a-Ballagh, or more properly speaking, the Marquis, the only difficulty the jock had being not to get too far ahead of Donald Taylor, on Jack, a pony better known as Fish, hut who is not nearly gooil enough for such a class of horse as the Marquis. The hurdle race would have been good if the horses would have jumped the hurdles, but this they persistently refused to do, only by dint of great persuasion of both whip and spur consenting cither to go over or to knock them down. AVe were rather amused at the style of hurdle-race riding pursued by the jockey of Minnie Athol, who quietly sat on his horse near each jump, and waited till one or other of the horses had made a gap for him to ride through, and when this was effected he came forward with a gallant rush to await the same course of affairs at the next.

This plan was evidently successful, as Minnie Athol came in first, as will be seen by reference to the account of the race below; but immediately after it was run,

two protests were entered against her—one by the rider of Miche, and the other by the rider of Cumro—which will be decided at a meeting of the stewards. They claim that she did not jump a certain hurdle, but ran round it. The programme was got through, with the addition of one or two footraces, by G p.m., and the crowd turned homewards, having, for the most part, thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The following are the different events in the order iii which the)* came off : 1. MAIDENS ACE—Open to all who never wou an advertised race; 250 yards. Entries 2s (Id. First prize, L 3 ; second, L2. Ed. Drake - - - 1 D. Dunlop - - -2 AV. Brassey - - - 3 This brought 17 starters to the post, but the issue was not long in doubt, as Drake and Dunlop overhauled Brassey, who ran remarkably well, and came in as they liked. Tt is very doubtful whether the two first men were maidens, but, of course, with strangers such a thing is very difficult to prove, so no one disputed their right to run. 2. RUNNING HIGH LEAP—Entries, 2s 6d. First prize, L2 ; second, LI. 11. 11. Manning - - 1 D. Twohill - - -2 R. Bach - - -2 For this event there were five entries, and after some good jumping, Manning landed a winner, Bach and Twohill dividing the second money, having botli failed to clear Manning’s last jump. 3. THREE - LEGGED RACE—Entries, 2s Gd. First prize, L2 ; second, LI. Henderson and Brassey - 1 Barron and Quickley - -2 Six couples entered for this, hut the two Auckland boys were a long way too good for all the others, coming in several yards in advance, and quite at their ease.

4. FLAT HACK Entries, 2s (Id. First prize, L 5 ; second, L2. E. O’Hare, 71yds. - - 1 E. Nolan, 10yds. - -2 Lewin, scratch ; Manning, scratch: Bevan 64yds. ; Dunlop, 54yds.; Drake, 54yds. ; Bach, 7yds.; and H. W. Henderson, 64yds.; also ran. This race was won rather easily by O’Hare, Nolan being second. Drake third, and Manning fourth. Manning ran splendidly, and had it been a straight course, a different tale might have been told, but owing to the nasty corner coining into the straight he could not manage to get throught his men at all. Dunlop was looking well for a place, but stumbled at the corner and lost all chance. 5. FLAT HACK —ll miles (handicap); owners up.—Entries, LI l()s. Prize, Ll 5. Faugh-a-ballagh (late Marquis), 12st. Gibs. - - 1 Jack, lOst. 71bs. - -2 This was a dead gift to Marquis, who hard held distanced Jack. 6. STANDING HIGH LEAP—Entries, 2s (Id. First prize, L2 ; second, Ll. D. Twohill- - - - l Bevan - - -2

Manning, Sutcliffe, and Porter, also competed. Bevan's jumping was by far the steadiest, and most admired of the lot. but Twohill was too good for him. Manning, with practice, would jump well, but he is evidently not quite up to this sort of thing, as well as he is to most other athletic feats.

7. FLAT RACE—quarter-mile (handicap), Entries, ss. First prize, L 5 : second L2 E. O’Hare, 26 yards - - 1 R. Bach, 60 yards - -2 H. Henderson, 16 yards - 3

Lewin, scratch ; Dunlop, 15 yards ; and Drake, 15 yards, also ran. For the best part of the way round it looked like Bach’s race, hut O’Hare came with a spurt, and won well, Bach not being able to hang out for the distance. Lewin never came near the leaders, and he, ns well as Dunlop and Drake, stopped near the top of the course. Henderson ran

well, and gained some of the start he had to give to the two first men, but could not . catch them. He was a good third. ; I 8. A T AULTING AVITH A POLE—Entries, 2s. I (id. First prize, L2 ; second, LI. Manning - - - 1 J. Twohill- - • -*■ -2 Phillip and Ellis also entered, but soon had to retire, Manning and Twohill jumping well till the latter hurt his ankle, leaving Manning the winner, he having cleared a height of Bft. 4in. 9. HURDLE RACE (440 yards.) Entries, ss. First prize, L 5 ; second, L2 ! This event was postponed until tomorrow (this day), a 430 yards handicap hurdle race being substituted in its place. The following ran : Manning, scratch - - 1 R. Bach, 20yds. - -2 T. Bach, 15yds. - - 3 Young, 7yds. - - 0 T. Henderson, 15yds. - 0 Henderso.i fell at the first, hurdle, which rather marred his chance of winning the race. R. Bach led half way round, when he was collared by Manning, who was flying his hurdles magnificently, and came in a winner by several yards. 10. HACK HURDLE RACE—I’ miles. Entries, 10s fid. First Prize, L 7 ; second, L 3. Minnie Athol (Leonard) - 1 Miche (Bodkin) - -2 Cumro (D. Taylor) - - 3 An excellent start was made, but great difficulty was experienced in getting the horses over the hurdles. Miche was first over, making a gap for the others, and led round to the back of the course, where Cumro came at the rush, but baulking at the next hurdle. Miche again assumed the lead, on coming round the, second time. Minnie Athol led at the third last hurdle, but baulking gave the lead to Miche, who cleared it in goed style. He (Miche) was first up to the last hurdle, hut again refused, Minnie Athol going clean through it, thereby coming in first. Two protests were lodged against her for having run round a hurdle, which will be decided at the conclusion of the sports. 11. AV HE ELB AIIR OAV RACE (blindfold) | Entries, 2s fid, First Prize. L2 ; second, LI This was struck out, there being no wheelbarrows on the ground. 12. BOA” RACE-—Under 14 years of age ; 250 yards. Entries. Is. First prize, L2 ; second, LI ; third, 10s. This brought 16 starters to the post, most of whom ran the race out, leaving the remainder at their scratches. In consequence of this, a second heat was run, the [two first boys in each heat having to run off the final heat to-day. Ist Heat. Kell}' - > - - J Phillips - - -2 2nd Heat. R. E. Isaacs - - - 1 O’Brien - - -2 A Maori race of -1-mile was added to the programme, in which nine started. The following was the result Penc - - - - 1 Thaka - - -2 "Thi« race created considerable amuse- , •nent, the Maoris evidently all doing their j best.

Mr Lewisson gave a prize of 10s for hoys under 10years of age, the youngsters running a quarter of a mile in gallant style, the winner being a most diminutive hid, named Joy, who, if he runs ns well when he grows up as he docs for a child, will open the eyes of some of our cracks. On the conclusion of this race the ring, which had been most admirably kept throughout, broke up, and all hands struggled homewards.