AUCKLAND RACES.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3081, 2 January 1879, Page 2

AUCKLAND RACES.

(BY OT7B OWN EEPOBTEB.)

The first day's racing of the Auckland Summer Meeting took place at the Ellerslie Course yesterday, the weather being glorious, and the attendance large. Auckland was awake and in holiday trim by 8 o'clock", previous to which time groups of Thames people who arrived by the Rotomabana at five o'clock might hare been seen perambulating the streets with carpet bags, portmanteaux or bundles. Later in the|morning Thames people were conspicuous in Queen street, and many a hearty greeting' was . exchanged between present and former residents, and frequent adjournments to adjacent hostelries naturally followed!; Queen street, the premier thoroughfare of New Zealand cities, was early the scene of great animation. A large omnibus crowded With Thames Naval Brigade.men, carrying a Union Jack was not the least conspicuous object. There were other busses, sociables, express waggons, and "every sort of wan and cart." Highwheeltd, light Yankee buguies behind smart trotting ponies; butchers' and grocers' hacks harnessed to spring carts ; dashing Hansoms and their equally smart drivers. Every vehicle in the city seemed to have been called into requisition to take people to the races, as if the trains could not take all the people. Perhaps not, but the trains took a large number, the ordinary carriages available being supplemented by trucks, provided with temporary seats and canvas covering from tbe heat of the sun. The grand stand was fairly patronised, but the saddling paddock and lawn seemed bare, and there? was but little of that obtrusive element the bookmakers visible. Outside there were scares of means of disposing of loose cash, our American cousins of "Yankee notion" celebrity, being exceedingly fertile in this direction. Our local genius, Mr Hobert Clementson. was thar—all there, pool box and all,' and he appeared to be doing his best to shout himself hoarse by inviting people to " make a pool." He had rivals in the same line, but trade did not appear to be brisk with any of them, the gorgeous display of cloth, Zero box, piles of silv.er wooing people from the less pretentious "chance" resources of Mr Clementson and others in his line. The Bicycle Circus drew lots of adventurous boys and maidens to try the exhilarating exercise of a circular ride, while Hayes and Benhanio's boat and band, with eight in baud, were carefully tooled about the course by one of the skilled whips of the troupe. The races, which did not seem very brilliant, resulted as follows :—

Debby Stakes—loo soya. . Omega 1 »' Althea... ■* 2 Misdemeanour, ... ...** 3' Publicans' Ppbse. Isaac Walton t< 1 Walter*' br c by Traducer... 2 . Bepo .. 3 , Selling Eace. Walters' colt ", ... 1 Yatapa *-w* ... 2 ' Gf-olden Crown 3 - Auckland Club Handicap. Fjufirel 1 X;j4j»im|e 2 Perfume 3 CrBAND BTAND HANDICAP. Pinfire ... ... ... 1 \ Eepo ... ... „, ##I 2- ?; Pungawereweire ... ... 3 -| # THIS DAT. To-day's Mares Produce Stakes was a Walk over for Buckland's Omega. i*^CKLAND Plate—loo sors with sweep,stake three sors each. Pmfire ... .;. ... 1 Tom Finn ...2 *. The Don ... • ... ... 3