SPORTING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2784, 27 December 1887, Page 2

SPORTING.

MASTERTON-OP \KI JOCKEY ■ CLUB. SUMMER MEETING. FIRST DAY. President: Mr T, E. Chamberlain; Hon Treasurer, Mr A. Elkins; Judge, Mr A. W. Cave; Starter. Mr T. Parsons; Handicapper, Mr J. 0. Evett; Stewards, Messrs J. Ross, Wii Lowes, W. B. Buick,,R. R. Welch, J. 0. Vallance, E. Chamberlain. and G. H. Yates; Clerk of Scales, Mr J. Harding; Clerk ol Course, Mr jW, lorns; Timekeeper Mr J as. Muir.

Although the weather ivas-simply abominable, between six and seven hundred persons were present on the Opaki Course yesterday,' (Monday) among whom were a number of the fair sex. Prom early mom till noon the heavy wind and occasional shower made things very uncomfortable for pleasure seekers, and raised a doubt as to whether the races could beheld under such circumstances. As the day wore on old Sol got the best of the contest, and beyond the unpleasantness of the wind, there was not much to complain of. A fair percentage of the spectators took advantage of the railway, as a means of reaching the course, there being very few buggies aud horsemen present. Mrs Wagg, and Mr Cranmer (Featherston) had charge of the alcoholic dispensaries, which, owing to the amount of dust that impregnated everything, were liberally patronised by* the dustythroated sportsmen. Mr A. L. Whyte (Carlerton)" provided thehungry with good things " none being "sent empty away " from liis wonted well supplied department. There were a few games for li 3 lesser speculators, the onterpriainj lessees of the" stands" finding numerous soft investors of the "Colonial Robert" on the 50 tol clianoe of getting their money baok. One individual with a'" monkey up a stick " drove a roaring trade among the (! soft uns," the most peouliar part of the arrangement was that on? speculator magged to win, or rather to gut five out of six pools, and still the others continued to play against such luck Mr Pearsons private band made things a bit pleasant, during the waits, the music dispensed having a very soothing influence upon the crowd, who were so quiet and orderly that Sergeant Price and his" boys in blue" had nothing to do but to enjoy themselves. " _r

The racing throughout was very good, and . not an accident qv incident occurred to. mav tlw day's pcefldings, In"the Derby, Orator had it all his own way when it came to racing, and won pretty easily. Minnie Palmer was greatly fancied for this event, but owing to an accident she did not go to the post ju anything like fyttltj, yp''flon% cjum]{ly never 'clangorous during tlw race. In the Member's Hack Raoe, the "Tattlers" again'proved them, selves goers, Mr |fi ss by Tattler^mischief, winning, after, "lie of the best struggles witnessed gn the course. The Opaki Stakes Handicap Tf«| won by the .game little Smooth, who kept the pace tip from start to finish, completely wearing out such stayers as Administrator Rumour, &c., and winning harq held in the fast of Win' 42 8-stlis sec, a vary qr-editablo performance. The Maiden Hack Race was won by Killarney, who surprised everyone by beating such a opponent as Spear, a $ tlie. noted Rami Ram? (i frying; to' the bad starting, vfh(|t \y.onld have otherwise have been the most interesting race of. the day, was spoiled, yiz.; the. Cbampap. -Stakes.' Boaz won, because ' he got buqlj .' advantage wlijin fell,' but {fcw

to the front if there had been a differ" ent start. ' The Ladies Bracelet produced another bad start, but on this occasion the first away did nqt catch the judge's eye, as Buick's Mariner came very fast at the finish and won after an interesting struggle, by a neck, 1 The last' race of the'day —the Eailway Plate- -was the best of the lot. Five flyers faced the starter and wore dispatched to a capital stark tliey hung together the whole distance, not half a length separating the first, four during any part of the race, and after a most desperate and exciting contest down the straight they finished in a bunch, Little Scrub being adjudged the winner by about half a head the same distance being separating the other three. Mr H. Lyons worked his Totalisator in the.saddling.paddock and put: through £1239, some very respectablo dividends being paid. The following are the events and the order in, which they were run

Derby of 125 sovs. Second horse 20 sovs, third horse 5 sovs from advertised amount. For three year olds. Colts Bst lOlbs, Fillies and Geldings . Bst slbs, 1£ : miles. P. F. Tancred's • cli.c. The Orator . Bst lOlbs, (Cuneen)'... 1 J. Leopold's b.g, Cupid Bst slbs (Avery) ... ... ... ... 2 A. Burt's b.g Lancer Bsfc slbs : (Cronin)... 3 J. Macara's Minnie Palmer also ran* Lancer carried ljlbs over weight' After a little trouble tliey were sent away to a good start, Lancer cutting out the running closely followed by Cupid. On passing the stand Lancer was slightly a-head of Cupid, The Orator laying back with Minnie Palmer,, the pace being very slow. Bounding the south turn Minuie improved her position and "The Orator fell back last. At the back of the course Cupid took the lead, Minnie coming up to second place, the pace being somewhat warm. The Orator was now extended, and was soon among the front rank, Cuneen keeping him in hand at Cupid's girth, At the top turn Minnie had fallen back hopelessly beaten, Lancer sticking well to the two leaders.,' Cupid and The Orator swept into the'straight neck and neck, but the race was virtually over, for Avery was already at work, whereas Cuneen had . his charge well under control, and won by a length and half, hard held, Laucer a bad third, Minnie pulling up very sore. Time 2min 47 8-sth seconds. Totalisator 131,62 on winner, dividend £1 18s.

Members' Hack Race, of 20 sovs. Second Lorae 5 sovs. For horses that have never won a'i advertised race. 12st up. Once round the course. T. W. Shaw's Miss Sylies (owner) 1 T. Thompson's Piako (F. Pelling) 2 C. F. Vallance's Signor (owner) B i Highland Mary, Little Fraud, Jack, | andßubina also ran. Little Fraud | went to the front at the fall of the! flag, and led to the south turn, when J Piako took the lead, and Miss Sylses ] and Highland Mary went into second I and third places. Along the back of i the course Piako increased liis lead until he had placed about 100 yards between himself and the second horse,' the race, being to all a "moral" for him. Coming round the top turn, Miss Sylies was seen to move up,, and when the straight was reached she had reduced the gap. The race home was very exciting, the horse being caught about 80 yards from the post, when owing to the crowd getting on the course Miss Sykes bore into the fence, giving Piako a momentary advantage. Shaw quickly changed his whip, and brought the mare to the front, just pipping the horse on the post. Time, 2min 26 2-sth sec. Totalisator 194; 12 on winner. Dividend, £l4ll. Opaki Stakes Handicap, of 100 sovs. Second horse lOsovs., third horse 5 sovs. If miles. A. Peter's Smooth, 4yrs, 7st (Peters) 1 J, Leopold's Bumour, 5 years, 9st ... ... (Avery) 2 P. F. Tancred's Administrator, aged, Bst 121b ... (Cuneenj 8 Kangaroo 7st 121b, Hollo 7st6lb, and Barbette 6st 71b also ran. Rollo carried 21bs overweight! After the field had broken away several times, the flag fell to a good start, Administrator leading the way, Smooth being iu close attendance, Rumour third, Kangaroo _ fourth, and Rollo last. This position was maintained past foe stand, and as they swept round the south turn the paoe was very fast. ■ Along the back of the course Smooth crept up, and raced the Wellington Gold Cup winner neck and neck, Rumour improving her position, Kangaroo and Lollo having shot their bolts. Rounding the top ton Smooth assumed the lead, and Rumour up to Administrator. A desperate struggle ensued down the straight,, whips were out on and Administrator. Smooth however had P, tolly left, and oamo away from them an easy winner by two lengths, half a length separating second and third. Time, 2ihin 42 8-sth sees. Totalisator 262,50 on the winner, dividend £4lsa. Maiden Hack Bais, lii sovs; Once i'?,und Hie 'mm Catch weights, xhonmson's Killarneyl hyforo Spear... g Ingley's An-ie... 8 > IP* van. Spear, a handsome looking colt by Rama was made' a .very hot favorite, and "after leading . his field for about three quarters of a mile was overhauled by Killarney, and beaten by abouLhalf a length, 11®© 2min. 28 B:sth, spca, Tat^lis?;.' tor 166., 21 on tliQ v/Juner, Bivi4? shere were eighty qn qp,ear. Champagne • Stakes, of IQQ sovs, ser cond horse 25 soys from stakes.' F'o two-year olds, Sis furlongs. 10. Vallance's bo Boaz,byDuke of Edinburgh—Ruth, 7st 101b '■ A n , " (Poison) 1 A. Gordon's br f Brunette, by Craw- , ; ford mare,, 1 t J : (Bwadbent • 2 i «•. W.Wa.B' bi; g Harlequin, by i ... Voltiguer—Sweetheart, 7st6lb i (Cooper) 8 i A.' Gordon's clif Coquette, by Crawi M priory—Shepherdess, also ran.

Harlequin carried . 81bs overweight. ! The'start m a regular procession, Boaz having all the advantage, Harlequin being second to get away; Coquette waited until-Boaz had fairly settled down with about two chains of a lead, and ■ Brunette did not evince any desire to leave the starting post, Rounding the top turn, Boaz was leading Harlequin by about a hundred yards, and Coquette was rapidly reducing the advantage .the leaders gained at the start, Brunette being unable to get up steam. As they entered the straight, Harlequin improved his position, and Coquette came up rapidly, The horses now closed up, and what promised to be a close finish, was spoiled by Harlequin and Coquette going inside a post, the former striking it, slightly injuring his jockey, leaving Boae to win as he liked, Brunette taking second money. Time, lmin 29 4-sths sec. Totalizator 168, 65 oil wirmor. Dividend £2 6s.

Ladies Bracelet, of 15 sovs, Second horse 5 sovs. For bona fide ladies

hacks which have been owned by residents in the North 'County for three months previous to the'date of this meeting. lOst up. f mile. Gentlemen riders. Misa Buick's Mariner (Buick) ... 1 Miss Birkenshaw's Taleut (C. Winteringham) ... ... ... 2 Miss E. Buick's Highland Mary (P. Pelling). 8

Nine ran. Talent" and Highland Mary got the best of a bad start and led the field to within a chain from the winning post, when Mariner with inside, running came through very fast and won cleverly by half a length the sauie distance between second and third, lmin 28 l-sth sees. Totahsator 152,16 on the winner.' ' Dividend £8 lis. There were 49 on talent and 88 on Shepherdess.

Railway Plate Handicap of 60 sovs, Second horse 10 sovs. | mile. '• T. Thompson's Little Scrub 7 yrs, Bst 41b, ... (Hockley) 1 J. Leopold's Cupid. 8 yrs, fist 101b (Peters) 2 T. H. Hill's Kangaroo, aged, Bst (C. Poulson) 8

Smooth Bst and Forester lOst also ran. Cupid carried 81b and Forester lib overweight. After two false starts they were sent away in a bunch, Cupid being the first to show ahead. He ■was not allowed to get away, however, and as lie rounded the top turn had Scrub, Smooth and Forester in close ■company, not half a length separating the quartette, They entered tho straight locked together, as it were, and a magnificent race ensued. Lyford shook Forester up, and the chestnut answered gamely, but the Scrub went away with him, and Smooth still stuck to the pair. Cupid managed to keep his nose in front till within 20 yards from the post, when the Scrub came again, and in the last half-dozen' strides snatched the victory irom Mr Leopold's colt by half a head, the same distance separating Cupid, Forester and Smooth, Kangaroo being last. The finish was the best seen on the Opaki course, the spectators being in doubt as to the winner until the numbers were up. The Judge placed Kangaroo third, but there was no question as to the horse being last. Time, lmin 20 2-stli sec. Totalisator, 202; 72 on winner. Dividend £2los.

From a reliable source we learn that Mr J. C. Yallance's Voltigeur won the Maiden Plate of 40 soys at Palmerston North yesterday. Mr Quinlivan was equally fortunate down South winning the Inanguha cup of £l5O with Steelbone, British Lion being second.