TUAPEKA RACES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 332, 21 February 1874, Page 3

TUAPEKA RACES.

Theifuapeka Jockey Club races, which are generally looked forward to as the annual festival of the district, took place on Thursday and Friday. The weather could not have been better for the purpose had it been of the Club's own making. The Bky was covered with broken clouds on both days, thus preventing the direct rays of the sun from making the heat sufficiently intense to be uncomfortable. The attendance on was less than we have observed any previous meeting, although the tonmber of visitors from Dunedin and Clutha Ferry was largely in excess of anything ever before known. Owing, to the * limited attendance on Thursday, the various refreshment booths were but poorly patronised. The bßoths on the course were: grand stand booth, No. 1, Mr.- Hinde, of the Blue Spur Hotel ; No. 2, Mr. Chalmers, of the Halfway House : No. 3, Mr. C. Long. The Good Templars had a marquee, in which were dispensed, to quote the words of their advertisement, " All kinds of delicious and cooling beverages, without fear of painful results." There was also a fruit and confectionery booth, and several fruit stalls. On Friday (yesterday) the attendance was much better, nearly double the number of the previous day being present. The hill over-looking the racetourse presented a very lively appearance, numerous groups of ladies and gentlemen and a vast number of children being squatted all over it in the form of so many pic-nic parties. The weather was warmer than that of the previous day, tod the occupants of the various booths aRd refectories were kept very busy all the afternoon.

The number of horses to compete in the various events was far from satisfactory,, and, judging from the paucity of •entries, we fear the Club will be out of pocket tv hen the accounts are made up. All^ the up-country meetings in Otago tliiß season have been, comparatively *peaking, failures, the explanation of yhjch fact may be found in the absence of horses to compete for the money. Probably the cause is more likely to be found in the fact that a large number of the up-country population have migrated from the interior to the arena of public works and big pay, thus placing the up-country districts in a less prosperous condition than on previous years. For the Maiden Plate there were only three horses entered, all of which went to the post. This race was a surprise to 'everybody but the owner of the winning horse, whose confidence in it was unfcounded. Miss King iilJy was the favorite, but she was evidently out of form, •andcauhi not gallop. The horse that won was looked upon as the least likely to. pull it . off ; almost any odds could have been obtained about him before Starting. After the lapse of an hour, the riders were weighed out for the Lawrence Handicap. Tambourini was the favorite, ■and he justified the confidence of his •backers by winning. The race was never -- in doubt from start to finish. ' There were five, on the card for the District Handicap, but Novice was scratched. Sultana was made a warm favorite ; but just before the start German , Louis came with a rush, and a? *!ittle as 6 to 4 were taken about him. He^was winning the race easily when he bolted off the course close to the winning post, leaving Sultana, who was closely following 'him, to win the race ; Young Leamington second. For the Flying Handicap only three horses faced the atarter. There was hardly any betting on this event. Color Sergeant was -fancied by a few, but being such an uncertain brutej his own friends did not •care aboiit backing him. He, however, won the race easily. Neither of the other two were able to travel with him. After .^the conclusion of the programme, Mr. *TJarew, the President of the Hospital, fend Mr. M. Hay collected the handsome Bum of £18 for a Hospital Bace, which was won by Raven. Although the field for each event was vmall, it is believed the races were all run honestly. There appeared to be an -^Whtire absence of anything unfair. The "-general public won a larger number of Calcutta sweeps than the owners of horses. and a fairer test of honest racing could hardly be found than that. MAIDEN PIiATB, of SO soys.; distance 1£ mile ; for horses that never won an advertised race exceeding-£lO, hack races and matches *excepted. ■Mr. G. C. Sinclair's Young Leamington, aged, lOsfc lib (Lynch) 1 „ Beany's Nelly King, -3 y*s., 7st 51b (Malone) 2 „ W. O: Webb's Mas Bang filly, 7st 51b .' - <Haghes) 3 All three -got away to an exceHenb start. Young Leamington keeping the lead. Wonting over -the hill the Second- ttimu, both fillies challenged the old horse, but "could not catch Mm. He came in an easy winner dy two lengths, a neck second and third . Time, 3min. '-7mc. Ljlwrtccb HandlCA*, of £0 *ovs., with a •weepstake of 2 guineas ; the second horse to receive amount of sweepstake; distance, 1£ mile. ~Jfr. J. Ward's Tamboorini, 5 yrs., 9st 101 b (Dan (3'Brien) 1 „ W. C. Webb's Ada Colt, 3 yrs., -7st 6lb~ ■ (Hughes) 2 •„ C. Water's Verbena, 3 yrs., fat i •(Malone) 3 •„ •£. Cotton's Wildboy, aged, 7st 101 b * (T. Cotton) 0 A good race for the first -male, when Tarn. 'came away and won by a couple of lengths ; Verbena a bad third ; Wildboy never in the race after the first mile. Time, 2min. 66£ sec ©ißtßidt-HAiTDicAP Cot, bf 25 soys.; twice ■rotind the course ; horses to be the bona i ' fdt property of owners 2 months prior to date of races, and residing within 20 miles of Lawrence. 3fr. T. Dwjer's eh m Sultana, aged, 7st 61b (T. Monaghan) 1 ■*: ffi&clair'i. ¥oung Leaminnton, aged, filb, (carried *st 41b) -(T. Cotton) 2 , "Baren, aged, 6st i2lb •';■''. y. Tanner) 3 . 3, $.. Ttlford's £esmsß $ouu, aged, 7st ~4ttb v . '{Malone) O

Novice was scratched just before starting. , The others got well away, Louis maintaining the lead from the first half mile, and 1 was winning the race easily when, within l a few yards of the post, he bolted off the course to the saddling paddock, right through the crowd, fortunately without hurting any one ;, Sultana, who was i following him, winning, Young Leamington second. Raven did not finish." Fixing Handicap, of 40 soys.; distance, 1 mile. r Mr. P. Mason's Color Sergeant, aged, 6st 101 b (W. Smith) 1 „ J. Cotton's Wildboy, aged, 7st 101 b (T. Cotton) 2 „ C. Water's Patch, aged, 7st (Malone) 3 Color Segeant ran clean away from the others, winning by twenty lengths. Time, lmin. 52sec. Hospital Rack. Four horses started, Raven winning. The sum of £18 resulted for the benefit of the funds of the Tuapeka Hospital — the rider of the winner getting the entrance money.

Second Day.

Friday's racing commenced with the Handicap Hurdle Race, for which Swaggerer was made favorite. He was, bowever, beaten in the first heat through baulking at the last jump when winning easily. Dan O'Brien mounted Swaggerer for the second heat, which resulted in a splendid finish between him and Rambler, Sawggerer coming in first by a neck. The third heat was a gift to Swaggerer, having only old Musician to contend against. For the Jockey Club Elandicap there were only three entries, and just before the start one of them— the Ada Colt — was scratched, leaving the race between Ward's two horses. Their going to the post was therefore merely a matter of form. Swaggerer could not make Tatnbouriui gallop had he been asked to do so. The race was no sooner finished than it was ascertained that the judge was not in the box — he by some mistake not haying- been informed that the horses were ready — consequently they had to go again, This little mistake, which although it created some derisive elieers from the on-lookers at the time, couldn't be attributed to any neglect on the part of the stewards. The Hack Race was a splendid race between German Louis and Sultana. In both heats they went the mile within a length or two of each other, both 'riders and horses doing their best, but the horse proved himself too fast for the mare. Fairy Queen ran very game, but she wanted condition to carry her through. For the Publican's Handicap only two faced the starter, the Ada Colt and Novice. They raced well together for a mile, when the colt gradually drew away and won by about a length and a half. The Consolation Stakes was won by Novice on three legs, She went lame after the Publicans' Handicap, but she proved herself game, and ran home an easy winner. Handicap Hukdle Hack, of 40 soys.; heats ; one mile and a distance ; over four flights of hurdles, 3ft. 6in high. Mr. J. Ward's Swaggerer, aged, lOst 41b " (Dan O'Brien) 211 „ J. Wright's g g Musician, aged, list (T. M'Kay) 12 2 „ W. Quin's b g Eambler, qged, lOst 41b (J. Laing) 3 2 0 The first hpat Rambler got away to the front, closely followed by the other two, all taking the first hurdle well together. At the second hurdle Rambler ran off the course, and Swaggerer at the fourth, Musician" cantering in. The second heat was a sp.lendid struggle between Rambler and Swaggerer, both taking the jumps in good style. They both took the last hurdle together, but Swaggerer managed to catch the judge's eye first, winning by a neck ; Musician a bad third. The third heat was won easily by Swaggerer. Tuapeka Jockey Club Handicap, of 100 soys., with a sweepstake of 2 guineas added ; amount accruing from sweep to be given to the second horse ; distance, 2 miles. Mr. J. Ward's Tambourini, 5 yrs., lOst (Dan O'Brien) 1 „ „ Swaggerer, aged, 6st 81b (Malone) 2 This race was simply a farce, both horses belonging to one owner. However, they galloped round, Tambonrini coming in first. For reasons above stated, this race had to be run a second time, when they took it very leisurely, cantering and walking alternately, Tambourini coming in first again, when he was declared the winner. Hack Race, of 20 soys.; 1 mile heats. No

weight under lOst. Mr. H. Telford's German Louis (Good-

man) 11 „ T. Dwyer's Sultana (J. Laing) 2 2 „ R. Cotton's Fairy Q.ueen (T. M'Kay) 3 3 Both heats were hotly contested, Louis winning each one with very little to spare. Fairy Queen ran very well for about half a mile, but could not stay with the others. Publicans' Handicap, of 45 soys.; distance,

If miles. Mr. W. C. Webb's Ada Colt, 3 yrs., 7st (T. Cotton) 1 „ J. Wright's Novice, aged, 7st 61b

(Malone) 2 This was a splendid race. After going a mile, it was hard to say which had the best of it ; but on entering the straight the colt had the mare beaten, and eventually won by a length and a half. Consolation Handicap, of- 25 soys.; for all

beaten horse 3 ; distance, 1£ mile. Mr. J. Wright's Novice, aged, 7st 71b

(W. Smith) 1 „ J. Cotton's Wildboy, aged, 7st 2lb (tf. Cotton) 2 „ J. Water's Verbena, 3 yrs, 6st 121 b

(Malone) 3 Novice went to the post lame, but she beat the others easily by several lengths. Thus was brought to a close a meeting ■which may only be termed a moderately successful one, owing to the deficiency in the number of horses to compete forth*various events.