TARATAHI-CARTERTON RACING CLUB.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3040, 10 November 1908, Page 5

TARATAHI-CARTERTON RACING CLUB.

FIRST DAY. ideal weather prevailed for the opening day of the Taratahi-Carter-ton Racing Club's meeting, and the attendance was therefore large. The racing throughout was of an interesting character, the fields being fairly large. The starting, however, could have bsen improved upon, the starts being delayed long after the advertised time in each race.

The additions just made,to the appointments of the course in the shape of a new Stewards' stand, combining Press room, Secretary's office, jockeys' room, etc., were favourably commented upon, and the arrangements for the conduct of the meeting were as complete as could be desired. The capable Secretary (Mr J. B. Bairstow) with a staff of assistants, promptly supplied any information required by the public. The sum of £7,442 was put through the totalisator, as against £9,153 for the corresponding day last year. Fourteen bookmakers were licensed. The following were the results: —

TARARUA HACK HURDLES, of 70 sovs; lh miles.

Mr A. Rhodes' Haeremai, 9.6 (Pine) 1 Mr A. Reside's Lebeccio, 9.0 (O'Neill) 2 Mr G. C. Hamilton's Forest, 10.9 (Hercock) 3 Commander, Hatley, Speciosa, Liberator, Don Carlos, Indian Mutiny, Clovial, Oakbourne, Whakatika, Kurunui, Golden Butterfly and Diplomatic, also ran.

A somewhat straggling start was effected. Goldei: Butterfly got well away, and led the field past the stand. Liberator was first over the jump in front of the stand, but Golden Butterfly took up the running again, and led past the stand. Before turning into the straight. Haeremai had secured a good lead, and eventually won by tv/o lengths from Lebeccio. Time, 2min 50 3-ssec. BELVEDERE HACK HANDICAP, of 100 sovs; 6 furlongs. Mr M. T. McGrath's Tumut, 8.12 (C. Cress) 1 Mr D. E. Davis' Rock Ferry, 7.3 (G. Price) 2 Mr J. Crass' Thera, 7.5 (Bennett) 3 Blue Bell, Conquer, Lochiela, No Trmups and Castiglione, also started. After a long delay the field were sent away to a good start. Castiglione cut out the running to the home turn, followed closely by Rock Ferry, with Tumut and Blue Bell close up. When entering the straight Tumut came through on the rails and won by a length. Time, lmin 18sec. RAILWAY HANDICAP (open), of 115sovs, six furlongs. Mr S. W. Tatham's Lothair, 8.0 (Price) 1 Mr S. Penfold's Flotilla, 7.2 (F. Cress) 2 Mr A. Rhodes' Golden Eagle (C. Cress) 3

Toa Tuhi, Polyanthus, Mataari, j Aberration, and Waicola also started. Lothair was first away, with Flotilla next, while Toa Tuhi was slow to ! move. The first mentioned pair led into the straight, where Golden Eagle ran into t v >ird position. A fine race down the straight resulted in a verdict for Lothair by a neck from Flotilla, Golden Eagle being a length away third. Time, lmin 16sec. WAIRARAPA HACK GUINEAS, of 100 guineas, seven furlongs. Mr W. C. Vincent's Passive, 8.12 (O'Brien) 1 Mr D. E. Davis' Splash, 8.12 (W. Ryan) 2 Mr S. Messena's Waitoto, 8.5 (W. McKay) 3 Also started—Mildura, Colossus, Merry Christmas, and Bravery. A very poor start was effected, the favourite Waitoto being badly left. Merrie Christmas led the field to the half-mile post, where Splash assumed the lead, and Waitoto ran into third place. Entering the straight, Passive came very fast, and taking charge ran home a winner by two lengths. Mildura was fourth. Time, lmin 30sec. WAIRARAPA COUNTY CUP (open) of 200sovs,'one mile and a quarter. Mr J. Cress' San Julie, 7.1S (Langstone) 1 Mr W. Piatt's Merrie Rose, 7.4 (Hallinan) 2 Mr J. C. Skeet's Silken Rein, 7.10( Carroll) 3 Irish Rifle and Iranui also ran. From a fair despatch Merrie Rose and Iranui were in front passing the stand. The former showed the way along the back stretch, her nearest attendant beipg Iranui, then came Silken Rein, San Julie and Irish Rifle. The Merrie England mare maintained the lead until halfway down the straight, where Langstone brought San Julie through, and in a fine finish the latter won by half a length from Merrie Rose, with Silken Rein a length away third. Time, 2min 8 3-ssec.

The following are the winners of the Wairarapa County Cup since 1900: —

1900—C. Burt's Whario, 7.10 (T. I Wilson); time, 2min 13 l-ssec. 1901—A. Patterson's Aide-de-Camp, 7.10 (Telford); time, 2min 11 1902—A. Still's Nioiti, 7.7 (W. Price): time, 2 min 12 sec. 1903—C. Bennett's Asteroid, 7.7 (Kirk); time, 2min 15sec. 1904—J.Freeth's SunfLih, 6.9 (Sandiford); time, 2min 13sec. 1905—Lind and Smith's Kuroki, 7.10 (Price); time, 2min 20sec. 190G—W. C. Davidson's Douche, 8.10 (W. Whittaker); time, 2min Usee. 1907 W. Murray's Moral, 7.10 (D. Kemp); time, 2min 9sec. 1908— J. Cress' San Julie, 7.13 (Langstone); time, 2min 8 3-ssec. KING EDWARD HACK HANDICAP, of lOOsovs, one mile. D. H. Roberts' b h Tangeroa, (jyrs 8 7, Son-of-a-Gun—Sally (G. Price) 1 A. Liskirk's b g King Post, 4yr3, 10.7 (W. Ryan) 2 F. Dorset's ch m Blue Ribbon, 4yrs, 8.10 (F. Langstone) 3 Skye, Windage, St. Brandon, Osiru, The Cockatoo, and Pukevhai

also started. The Cockatoo cut out the running along the back stretch, closely attended by Tangeroa. When the far turn was reached Osiria moved up, and before entering the straight held a slight advantage from Tangeroa. The latter, however, came again, and King Po-st joined him in the final run, Tangeroa winning by a length from King Post, with Blue Ribbon a good third. Time, Imin 44 2-ssec. TRIAL PLATE, of GOsovs, six furlongs.

W. H. Nicol'sb h Sir Antrim, 9.0 Soult—Lady Antrim (George) 1 A. Peters' b g Vinco, 4yrs, 8.11 (T.Pritchard) 2 0. McGinn's br f Afterthought, 7.11 (T. Carroll) 3 Silver Light also started. Sir Antrim led from to finish, and won by a length from Vinco. Time, lmin 18 2-ssec.

GLADSTONE HACK WELTER, of 85sovs, seven furlongs. W. J. Douglas' br g Espartero, 4yrs, 9.3, Torpedo—Espanola (P. O'Brien) 1 R. Knox's br m Lucretius, syrs, 8.10 (C. Cress) 2 A. W. Cave's b g Sealer, 4yrs, 8.5 (F. Langstone) 3

Royal Maid, Kelso, Flintgun, The Dane, and Knight Commander made up the field. Royal Maid showed the way to the far turn, where Espartero and Lucretius made a forward move, and Flintgun and Sealer improved their positions. Entering the straight Espartero came away and won by two lengths. Time, Imin 31 4-ssec. NOTES. Racing commenced with the Hack Hurdles, for which Forest, who scored at Napier Park, was made a decided favourite, Don Carlos and Liberator coming next in the public estimation. Golden Butterfly carried on most of the running, but at the far turn Haeremai forged to the front, and stalling off a challenge by Lebeccio won comfortably. His backers received the best dividend of the day. Eight lined out for the Belvedere Hack Handicap, of six furlongs, arid Tumut was quickly selected as the most probable winner. The Birkenhead representatives, Rock Ferry and Castiglione, also had plenty of backers. The latter pair cut out the running to the straight, where Tumut raced through and quickly settled the pretensions of the leaders, and won easily. Thera ran a nice race and finished third, while Lochiela also ran prominently. Ballarat was the only withdrawal from the Railway Handicap, leaving eight to face the starter. The start was an irregular one, and Lothair getting the best of it was never headed and won by half a length from Flotilla, who was nicely in at 7.2.

All the acceptors went to the post for the Wairarapa Hack Guineas. The Foxton-owned Waitoto, a brother to Waipaku, was looked upon as a certainty, and he was backed accordingly. When the tapes were released he was standing well back, lost several lengths and although he made a game effort could net ms'.e up the lost ground, and in a good finish Passive won from Splash. Merrie Christmas showed a good turn of speed for three furlongs, but then fell back. The winner was decorated with the blue ribbon by Miss Bunny, daughter of the Club's President.

Polyanthus was withdrawn from the Cup, leaving five to fight out the contest. Silken Rein was made favourite but Irish Rifle was a close second on the totalisator. The race is easily described, for Merrie Rose was practically in front all the way, and failing to withstand a challenge by San Julie lost by half a length. Had young Hallinan, the rider of Merrie Rose, taken up his running on the rails it is more than probable that victory would have gone to the Merrie England mare. Silken Rein again filled third place, as she did on each day at the Masterton meeting. Nine exceptionally good hacks were saddled up lor the King Edward Hack, the Masterton trained Blue Ribbon and Osiris oarrying just half of the totalisator investments. Osiris looked a likely winner entering the straight, but Tangeroa and King Post then put in their claims and fought out the finish, victory going to Tangeroa. The Trial Plate proved an exercise canter for Lord Soult's biother, Sir Antrim, Vinco and Afterthought filling the places. The day's sport was brought to a conclusion with the Gladstone Hack Welter, which brought out another good field of eight. The public made a good favourite of Lucretius, but when it came to racing Espartero proved his merit and won comfortably by two lengths from Lucretius, with Sealer third. The latter is showing improvement, and finished in good style.