A RACE MEETING IN FIJI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2527, 17 February 1887, Page 2

A RACE MEETING IN FIJI.

The Ctikftiulrove Race Meeting waa held at Taviuni oa the 23rd and 24th of last December. It is to Fiii, apparently, what the CJ.C. Meeting is to Now Zealand; and it was a great gathering. The first race' was the Tavanui Stakes, a mile handicap, open to all comers. First pri tMni L2. This was won by Zoe, GVgJnt second, and Decision third,,. .Decision was the winner of the Catilulrove Cup of 'BS, bo he carried l3st by way of penalty. The Fiji Times reportor naively remarks that the weight was/y too much for Decision.. • The next race v —Hurdle Handicap, one mile, first prize L 5, second 1% - was also non by Zoe. The third event was. a hurry scurry, one mile, the last horse. to pay . il to the funds.; This was won by Emperor. The last event on the programme was "Cigar Race,-Five Shillings sweepstakes; £ mile, for all beaten horses. ;Horses to stand with tails to starting post, then' saddle, light cigar, am' finish xsritb it alight, Robert the Devil won this, being apparently |» good BBoker."' On the second day the. Cakftudrove Cup was run, and was won by Deoision, who carries 13st.- The speedy Zoe won the Hnrdlo Race and Planter's Purse, and Dolly ,won the Consolation. The next ovent is bo funnily described that I shall give the reporter's ipsissima verbs. .Thna he states hu case:— ' '

Quadruped Race—Distance \ a mile, sweepstake of sb, ridora to draw lotafor quadrupeds, and no rider to draw * his own j tbo last one to bo declared a the winner. ' )& ' ,J.V. Tarte's mule, Jack „. fl '" W. M. Moore's mule, J onny... 2 J. Forbes 1 horse Snowy 3' This was the most uproarious event" of the meeting. . All got awAy on even teiW the horse,taking a decided lead,. . and the mules plodding carefully inithfl rear. Each rider made- most pwise» worthy efforts to lefeve his own horse • last, but in - that distinction Jack and Jonny were not to bo domed; W: •. Jenny having run inside a post and Jack not finishing, ■;» protest, was entered and the two had to run it off ' first paßt the post to win. This »g a j Q caused great merriment, and when they made their final effort Jaok.finiijhed.in gallant style, carefully followed'V. Jenny, amid immense cheering. Time fof an hour. The last event wo/ MoEwen's Cup'a two mile flsit race'says the Times 'for residents of Gakaudrove, owners up,' Consent .voa this, audthotnsetinj terraiuatsd,"' N -W