WAIRARAPA JOCKEY CLUB SPRING MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 921, 10 November 1881, Page 2

WAIRARAPA JOCKEY CLUB SPRING MEETING.

The first Bpring gathering under the aus* pices.of the above Club took place 'yertetf day on the Tauherenikau. course and wds favored line weather. The attendance was not so numerous, as was anticipated, and this may be accounted for ; by the fact that the course isout of the track of excursionists, and people coming up to' Featherston by the train hardly jbare to spend more money to make a second journey iu order to reach the course. There were about 800 people present, who found some difficulty in passing the time away. There were no tables, no totalisator—the voice of the cauary sweep man was not heard, and the familiar "pop it, down, gents," was a thing of the pastl; People were forced to - the .publioanB 1 booths to have a " beer" and.an argument to fill up the intervals, or walk round abusing the legislators of the colony. , As; the day wore on, however, a few bets were indulged in and a few friendly "drawing matches" took place, butalto-" gether.the ''sport" was about the mildest that could be imagined. About the only oversight the stewards could be accused of was omitting to provide a band, ..which: •?ould have been a considerable acquisition! In all else tlie arrangements mede by the officers of the Club were aß, i nerfeot as they always are and were not a h.ttle creditable to their worthy and obligiug secretary. The judges apd. starters pert formed their onerous duties to the satisfaction of all concerned, the patience ofthe latter iu starting their fields well together was much appreciated both by the public, the owners, and the jockeys. The handicapping came out fairly, the horses being well together in all the races.

The Club's action in altering, the charge, at the gatea to one Bhilliug a heao), with no extra charge for vehicles, was' muoh appreciated, and having now became generally 1 known, will probably came a greater number to attend the future Auiumn Meeting than wpre present on this occasion.

The wants of the public as far. fitting anil taking were concerned were in good bauds. MrA.L, White, of Carterton, had a refreshment booth on. the ground, and liquid supports were dispensed by Mr I'aber, of the ltoyal Hotel, ii'eatlieroton, who baij the grand starjd bar, and MrHodder.'qf tl}p Yjctpria sotpl, Featherston, and all seemed to be well patronized during the day. . The racing was honest .and good, and had the usual diversions-of a racecourse been in lull swing and a little music provided to lighten the scene, yesterday's meeting would have been a most enjoyable one; but under to present rescricr t'iqns of to law, wlijcb/forbjaVeven. a sixpenny sweep tq he drawn among a few fends, we very much fear racing, as a means of. ga« heriiig a concourse of the general- public together, will soon have "sliqt its bolt" unless,'those who have been in the habit of looking forward to these reunions make a strong and united (iroie4 adjust fhe strippcy p to'iey/iii'V' iSVJfiNTfI.' Handicap Huudle Race,—2s sovs.; 1{ miles, T.H, Hills General, aged, lOit6lb (J, Dorset) ..I <n m . »■ 1 T. Eay's Sliamrocli, list (Hamilton) 2 Nikau also ran, but baulked,.at the seooud luudle, bolted, and was pulled up. Shamrock and the General went on with about a length separating them, the former leading. Shamrock was evidently far the fleetest of the tffOi though General gained a good deal in ' the jumps, which both took splendidly till, the fifth hurdle, at which Shamrock ran off and the Genera.l Wit home as he liked, Sham'I rock was taken over the hurdle and secured second place, Time, 8,52, Hack HußntE Eace.—lOsovs j 1} miles; 4entries. J. Cusey'B Venture (Birch) ... 1 T. Carswell's Kohai (Hamilton),.. 2 Colonel Baker and Turpedo also ran. Thu was a more exciting affair than the first. The horses started away at a rattling pace Colonel Baker at half-a-milo his bolt was Venture took command with Kohai secow the Colonel and Torpedo nowhere, arii after an exciting race this was how the; came in. The jumping all. 'through wa very good. Time, 2min. Usees; Birthday Cup.—BOsovb ; 1| mile. Mr J. 0. Haywood's Qrphan,. 7at ~' 41bs (J. ; Hams).., .... ... ". Mr if. Drummond's Senorita, H (T, Hay ward) _ ... ! Mr John Macara'a Petruohio, Bat (Palling) ... ... ! Flycatcher, 6st 121b, Comus, Bst Gib, am Ika, 7st lllbj also ran. The handicap was all in favor of the orplian, sonof Kakapo, who is not at all a show yhorao to look at, but whose performances are cortaiuly Very creditable. It will be" remembered he won the Opaki PrAduce and HJiftdicap iri 1879, beating some good horsesiii the former, and amongst others, The Diver in the latter. He is, however, a very difficult animal to make fit, and Mr-Hay.war.il well deserves the Orphan's prize for the pains that he has. taken with him, Petruchio went off with the lead, going as hard as l he knew how, and consequently at the three:quarlerß-pf. : ,vniile, though there was still running in 'him;' an extra spurt was out of the •question.' Seribrita-kept the game lively, and depriving Petrchio of his lead, led the 6eld merrily, Comus and Flycatcher closing up, Ika out of it, The Orphan, who had lieeu taking things easily while his stable companion, Senorita, did all the racing, now beuan to cut down his horses, and at I lie tuai into the straight h«d;done his business satisfactoryj and caiiio in an easy winner, .being greatly cheered, tjaiwiiiva length behind, the. rest about three lenjjthß and close together. Time, 2uii'n. 47^e's.

: .I!\nK Vim, 7:b0v3.—1 mile; cafch weiglitßj.aix :. T, Kay's Annio {T. E. Ray).'.. 1 J'. Casey'B Veuture (Pelliag) •. ..." % . This raca was won easily by Aqnjo,

<,■;■■— ■ ■ ;-V,-» Yonture good Beoond, Dan thifd. . Imin 68 edcsi ,; : ... ./<?■- Spbiho .Maiden SiAttßr'2o mile; weight for age. ■ ■". -'' J, Strang's Gentle ArimVf • . lllbß(J,Wintejringhani),.>., iT..'""r Mn Macara'i Mairi, :.Byrs, 7stlllbß;; r .- ' (Pelling). ... ;■■■' .« .« -' 2 Danger Bst 131bB, Lad; Ellen Bst 18lbs, Nikau ;Bif 181bSj Mabel Bst lSlbi, - and Papapaß>tlßlb« l ai«orj l n., ; Main made tkerunmng, Niteatiotong olosely to. when Gentle Annie,was,taken; up,and .; Danger began to shoW himself among the t leaders. The gentle one and Maui, how- } ever, seemed to-Vegard the matter as Mr of their own, and theyraced tyout to.;.ffi» bitter end, Gentle Annie leading intothe ■ • straight and winning a good race amidst cheers by: a length', Mairi second, Dangtt i third'," Lddy Ellen and Nikau hand, Papapa and' Mabel in the '•&&' TimVlmin 67jseos. --, j Hack Bacb.-7 sots ; |milr; ■ *efor. r ■ ■weights; 9 entries. . ~ »,-•■' * J.. Casey's.Beggannan (J. I |».';2J" This.Traa a very good race betwee;nlh* ■firßftWo! : 'btttonffeighmginit-TOBfDuno ; the. rider of Beggarman • had lost some of ; hi£ weight,'' and'he therefore lost bis position. Dan,- whooamein' third, t»> jn'g Beeond;plaee,'.vicß Taratahi first; •-. . \ Corarr Peak Hanmpap;-20 1 mile.."/, • ■.,-',': ~ ' ',■■ ... i'v.' T. Bay'. Comuß, 7st (K E. Bay)-, -«-■ I %i. Strang's Flycatcher, sat 121b (T, • Winteringham) ... .■'•.. »• 2 John Maoara'o Mairi (B. Ptlliug).,... 0 •Danebury, Qit 41b, and Ika, 6at:lßlb, also ran. The latter bolted. Everyone thought that Danebury would do as he did at the last meeting—gallop in an e'isy winner, but they made a mistake on this oceasion. Ho started away witbthelead, f which he kept fur about half a mile,' when, the rest closed up to him, and when they Bpread out again he was last, which position he maintained. Oomus secured, the lead, hard pressed by Mairi and Flycatcher, and the race was doubtful till ■they entered the straight, when the former drew ahead, Flycatcher passed Mairi, and they come in in the order named. Danebury ran with his head andneck in . "clothing which gave the impression that he never started to win and was only intended to have a breather, and to take a little fat off him,. : This conoliided the first Spring meeting of the Olub, and though not the success anticipated in point of numbers attending it, the Stewards are to be congratulated upon the manner in which they" carried out their duties in order to make it one.