DUMBARTON ROCK STEEPLE CHASE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 206, 11 January 1872, Page 6

DUMBARTON ROCK STEEPLE CHASE.

(From a Cor respondent. )

In a country where a good crosscountry nag will always command a good price for stock-riding purposes, it is surprising that so few steeplechases are got up bj 7 the sporting fraternity. It is quite cle.ir that in the absence of thoroughbred mares any attempt to breed racers must result in failure, while on the other hand perfection of j edigree is by no means a desideratum for a good serviceable hunter. Probably these considerations led the spirited proprietor of the Dumbarton Hock Hotel to offer the money collected by him for Christmas races for a steeplechase, instead of, as is .too often the case, splitting it up into half-a-dozen miserable prizes to be run for by all sorts of scrubbers. Probably tuany of your readers know the physical features of the country aUuiit rr>« LWrrib-irtOTi "Hock/but for tl" b

ock, >v or the oneiit of those who are strangers, I shall briefly state that, owing to the number of prosperous farmers settled there, the country is closely intersected by sod and post and rail fences,, some of them stiff enough to make even a Torn Smith pause and crane. The course was most j udisiously laid off, as far as the interests of the spectators were concerned, although owners and riders' might have-objected to the superfluity of jumps. The sensation- leap would not have disgraced Croydon, bein<r an in and out jum

p across the road, over two sod fences more than six feet high, with double ditches over three feet wide. But not to waste time on preliminaries. Thursday, the 28th ult., proved all that many an eager sportsman could have desired, as far as cbe weather was concerned

At & comparatively early hour nuin-

bers f rom all parts had . assembled on the ground, and after having imbibed a few nips, just to keep the dust down, business was proceeded ~ with Five

uags proved bold enough to face the starter, Sbillelah and Colleen Rhua appearing, to be generally considered the pick "of the lot. The other three — Caubeen, Wild Irishman, and Maiden Fair — could not' find a single backer. A beautiful start was effected, Sbillelah jumping oft" with the

lead. The first fence, three feet sods and a. post and rail, proved no hindrance to any bat Maiden Fair, who got a bad take-off and came down a

burster, very nearly crushing her rider beneath her, Before she got on her legs again the others had reached the next fence — an in and out jump over five rails forming the enclosure of a stockyard. Wild Irishman was first over, the Colleen and Shillelah bein^ close behind. Caubeen baulked, and in spite of all the efforts of her rider

could not be got to negotiate. The three leaders now sailed away over a grass paddock, .taking, a low. sod fence and ditch in their, stride. "Next came a long stretch of ploughed land, when Wild Irishman's wiry power began to tell, tbe Colleen, after a game Btruggle, being pulled up. The sensation leap

came next, and as both horses left in the race were considerably pumped,

there was a general rush to see the music. "Wild Irishman came first, and gallantly took the leap* lighting cat-fasbion on tbe top of the fence, whence he very composedly rolled into the road. The fence on the oilier side he managed ta scramble over, in some inscrutable manner,, and upon three lege he bumped, along the run in, passing the winnintj-poßt some eixty lengths ahead of Shiilelah, who came down a cropper at the last fence. The game beast persevered, however, although after the race it transpired

that his shoulder was slipped. The following is the result : —

O'Farrell'a Wild Irishman (Barrett) 1 Buike's Shilleluh (owner) 2

All the others distanced. Betting — Even on Shillelab, and tbe Colleen against the field.

The winner is a black horse about sixteen hands high, and a white blaze. Anyone could see that it was sheer gameness had won him the race, bis unkempt condition showing an utter want of grooming, let alone training. A pigeon match followed, which was won by Mr. McCarthy by a score of 3 out of 4. All hands appeared thoroughly satisfied with the sport, and on all sides a wish was expressed that the Dumbarton Ruck Steeplechase should be made an annual event.