MOUNT BENGER ANNUAL RACES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 257, 2 January 1873, Page 8

MOUNT BENGER ANNUAL RACES.

(From our own Correspondent.) With such lovely weather as we were favored with on Thursday and j Friday, the races could hardly help being a success, and such they were in every sense of the word. Good and interesting, exciting racing, with a large and fashionable gathering of spectators to witness them, attending the efforts of the Mount Benger Racing Committee to provide sport for the residents. The great events of the day were to be the two Handicaps, which unfortunately did not come off, owing to the two horses which came from a distance to run, being, as thought by nearly everyone, not pro- j perly handicapped with the district hqrses entered for these races. But the deficiencies were made up by two other races — one being a Hack Race, and the other the Town Plate. I am very sorry to have here to relate a very sad and serious accident which occurred on the course during the Hack Race. Eight started, and ! when they had gone some hundred yards from the flag, two of them some how came into collision, throwing both riders violently to the ground. One horse rolled over his rider, William M'Kinnon. The unfortunate lad was picked up insensible, and was immediately attended on by Dr. Miller. lam glad to say Dr. Miller thinks the boy will recover, but at present he is lying in a very precarious condition. Appended is a list of the results : — Pibst Day. Maide.k Plate, of £10. Distance, 1 mile ; weight for age. For all horses that never won public money. Quale's b g Wild Manks, 4 yrs., 9st lib (M'Kinnon) 1 Cox's b g Young Roebuck, 3 yrs., 7st lib (Green) 2 Arch. M'Pherson's g g Gamecock, agerl, lOst lib 3 Crossan's g m Jessie, aged, lOst lib W. Orossan's c m Little Jenny, 4 yrs , 9st lib A very fair start was effected, Gamecock slightly leading, closely followed by the rest. The race, however, was not settled this way, as Roebuck and Wild Manks singled themselves out, and a splendid finish resulted. By dint of whipping hard up the run, Wild Manks passed the post half a length in advance. Hack Race, of £5. One mile heats. Reed's om Miss Black, (Morrison) 110 Gaven's Cannie Willie Lythgoe's Pretty Girf Crossan's Jenny, Cane's Rosebud. Alex. M'Pherson's Alice Hawthorne, F. Tubman's Hannah, and W. Andrews Italian aiso ran. In this race all eight got away well together, but in the first heat unfortunately, the Rosebud and Italian collided, which put them out of the lace, a,nd caused a serious accident. The race was thus almost left to Miss Black and Cannie Willie — the former winning the first two heats. Ladies Purse, of £10. One mile and a half. Welter weight for age. Gentle-> man riders. Young's c h Young Swindle, 5 yrs., list 61bs (Wilson) 1 Cox's b g Young Roebuck, 9st lllbs (Green) 2 Carlaw's b g Rambler, aged, 12sjj. 3, Lythgoe's Pretty Girl, aged, 12st 0' All got away pretty well. About half way round, Swindle and Roebuck took tbe lead, which they kept up till near the finish, when Young Swindle forged ahead and won by a length, hands down. Hurry Sccr,r,y. Distance, one mile. Arch. M'Pherson's g h Gamecock, (Leary) 1 Gaven's b h Cannie Willie 2 I Mervyn's Nora Crenia 51 Crossan's Jessie 0 ( Won by Gamecock eacily.

Second Day. ITandicap Hurdde Race, of £15. Distance, two miles ; over eight nights oi hurdles, 3ft. 6in. in height, Arch. M'Phexson'S g g'Gamecock, aged, lOst 81bs, (Wilson) 1 Carlaw's bg Rambler, aged, list 81bs, v (Alex. MTlwrson)' 2 This was a capitally contested race> and would have been much better if Rambler had not run inside the first jump. Rambler returned and cleared the jump, but Gamecock thereby gained so. much that he never was caught. Both horses jumped well. Town Pl.vte> of £15. One mile and a half. Alex. MTher3on's eh m Sultana, aged,, lOst lib, (Leary) 1 Young's b g Young S\<indle, 9st lib 2 Cox's b g Young Roebuck, 7st Ub 3 Loudens Beeswing, 9st lib Q. This was the event of the day, and resulted in an easy victory for Sultana. Handicap Trottinc Race, of £10. Distance, 3 miles. .Carlaw.'s Rambler, aged, list (scratch) (Alex. M'Phevaon) I Burton's c g Brewer, aged, list (2.501 yds) (Owner) 2 A very good race, the Rambler not oai.oh,ing hi 3 opponent till about the last half mile. There was about two lengths between first and second. Hack Selling race, of £10. Mile heats v Weight, lOst. Winner to be sold for £10. Any surp|»s to go to the Race Fund. Arch. M'PhejEepn's g g Gamecock, lOst lib (Leary) \ Reid's, c m Miss Black (Morrison) 2" Lythgoe's b m Pretty Girl 3 M'Pherson's g m Alice Hayjthorne 0 This race was a pretty faif specimen of what the district hacks could do. JSath heats were won by about a length by Gamecock, which was sold

Consolation Handicap, of £5. Distance," one mile. Loudens Beeswing, 4 yra., 9st (Mona- , ghan) 1 Cox's Young Roebuck, 3 yrs., Bst 2 Lythgoe's Pretty Girl, 7st 0 Mefvyn's Nora Creina, 7st 0 A fair race. The little mare proved victorious by a couple of lengths. Hospital Back. Distance, one mile. Andrew's Italian, ' (Green) 1 Wijliams' Cousin Jack 2 Boyd'a Flirt 0 M. Crossan's Tommy 0 Mervyn's Nora Creina 0 This finished the programme. There were several other races or matches between the regular programme, which were very good sport. The whole of the proceedings were carried on satisfactorily by the stewards. Mr. Arch. M'Pherson and Mr. Alex. M'Pherson — one as starter, and the other as clerk of the course — deserve great praise ; and the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Burton, the hon. secretary, deserve honorable mention. I might mention the weights issued for the Handicaps, which did not eventuate, were — Beeswing, 9st 101 b; Sultana, 9st 121 b ; Young Swindle, Bst X2lb.