DUNSTAN ANNUAL RACES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 263, 13 February 1873, Page 6

DUNSTAN ANNUAL RACES.

(By our Special Eeporter.) The Dunstan annual races of 1873 were the most unsatisfactory that have ever been run on this racecourse. The number of entries was much smaller than hitherto ; the handicapping for the first day's events simply wretched; aud the attendance considerably less than at any other" meeting. The poor gathering of spectators is easily accounted for. So many small meetings take place in localities close to Clyde, that people get surfeited with the sport, and do not trouble themselves much about attending the principal meeting of the year. I greatly fear that if the spirit of jealousy which prompts the getting up of these various small local meets is not soon allayed, the faceß uuder the auspices of the Dunstan. J.ockey Club will never again be as successful as they were in the days of yore. It is well worth the while of the Jockey Club to attempt to arrange matters, so az to secure unanimity of action among the inhabitants of the extensive district of which they are the sporting guardians. The weather for the first day was extremely disagreeable. There was a light breeze, which stirred up the sand, and kept a thick cloud of dust suspended around the grand stand and vicinity the whole afternoon. The racing was exactly the reverse of good. There was not a single well-contested event, and the handicappers' work was alluded to in anything but corapli- ( mentary terms. There was no batting .whatever, the Jockey Club Handicap and the Members' Handicap being considered dead certainties; and as . results proved, those who thought so were correct. I will not here cuter iuto particulars, but I think that the foreign horses, had scarcely a fair show ! given them. The second day was a contrast to 'the first 'in weather^ and racing. The former could ijotj possibly' be better, and $he _„ lAtijer w,as really exciting, shbwiuflr' that' the', handicapping approached more closely to correctness than that of -the previous cL,\ Tho

attendance was smaller than that on the first day, and there was a little betting among the " sports." On both days there was a fair attendance of ladies, and a much larger number pf vehicles were on the ground than usual. Mr. Hawthqrne was lessee of the grand stand and booth. T-he fprmer was considerably improved, and was fairly patronised. The booth, however, did not do a very extensive business either day, for a very simple reason! bn Thursday the price of drinks was one shilling all round, aud on Friday the booth was divided into $wo compartments, sixpence per drink being charged at one, and a shilling per drink at the other. Of course publicans know their own busjuess bes,t, but my opinion is that in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, shilling nips are anachronisms. The Dunstan Jockey Club mi<rbt do worse than take into consideration the question whether in the futuro more than sixpence should be charged at booths. I have little doubt in my own mind, that many were deterred from attending, simply on account of the high charges for refreshments. One pleasing feature was that each race came off at the I specified time. I cannot refrain from mentioning that a great deal of dissatisfaction was expressed at the ac--ceptauces for -the second day not appearing in Friday's "Dunstan Times." I don't know who is to blame, but it is very evident that there has been culpable oversight somewhere. Appended is a detailed account of the various events : — Maidkn Plate of 30 soys. ; for all horses that have never won an advertised race of over £25. Weight for age. Eraser's b.m. Flora, 3yrs. (Holt) 1 Hazlett's e.g. Wexforcl, aged, (Waddell) 2 Monaghan's b.g. Q&amete, syra. (M'Kay) 3 When the flag'dropped, the bay gelding got away well ahead, Flora closely following, and Wexford a long way behind. The latter managed to overhaul the pair, and about half way ro'ind Otameta * falling behind, Wexford made a dash for first place, but only succeeded in coming in a bad second, Flora winning hands down. Handicap Hurdle Race, of 60 soys. Distance 2 miles, over 8 nights of hurdles. Nosworthy's b.g. Tambourini, 6yrs., 9st. 121bs. (Keay) 1 Buelcham's eg Sir Tatton, aaed, lOst 41b (Lang) 2 Sir Tatton declined to negotiate the first hurdle, and never had a chance afterwards. Tambourini never made a mistake, and pulled oft' the race without an effort. Dunstan Jockey Club Handicap, of 100 soys., with a sweepstake of three guineas to go to the secoiul liorse. Distance, jtwo miles. Hazlett's b.g. Atlas,- aged, 7st 71b (Holt.) 1 O'Brien's Wildboy, aged, 7sb 101 b (J. Cotton) 2 „ Miss Ennis, aged, 6st 81b (T. Cotton) 3 Nosworthy's b.m. Malice, syrs., 6st 81b 1 ( Reay) 0 Betting even on xltlas against the field. ■' Mr. got his horses away well together, Miss Enuis cutting out the running at a stiff pace. All kept fairly together till halfway round, w'ipii Atlas forged ahead, Wildboy following up. The other two made no show afterwards. In the run home, Wildboy made a rush to catch Atlas, but unavailiugly, the latter winning hard held.— Time, 2min. sO.secs. This was the fastest time the distance was ever done in on the Duustan course. Hack Seizing Race, of 15 soys. ; distance, one mile, No weight under lOst Post entry. Wrights on's Fanny (Lang) 1 Gordon's Young Turpin (M'Kay) 2 Wilkin's Kathleen (Marshall) 3 Colelough's Fenian (Cameron) 0 Fanny won easily, none of "the others having the ghost of a show. Members Handicap of 40 soys. Ilazlett's b.m. Brunette, aged, 7st 41bs (Molt) 1 Cox's cm. Madam, aged, 6sfc 121 b (Marshall) 2 Fra3er'sb.m. Flora, 3yrs., 6st 31b (M'Kay) 3 O'Brien's e.g. Dragon, 3yrs., 6st 91b (T. Cotton) 0 Dragon bolted, and Flora on starting collided against a post. So neither of these horses bad any show. A finish race ensued between Brunette and Madam the former passing the post a couple of lengtLs in advance.