The Waikato Turf Meeting. First Day, Thrusday, 21th February.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 588, 26 February 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Turf Meeting. First Day, Thrusday, 21th February.

The prospects of the day's sport were far from satisfactory ou the morning of Thnrs day at day-break. There was a alow but steady down|>our of rain, and much had already fallen in tho night, and all round nothing was to be seen but a leaden sky and mist covered hills. A few hours later, however, the clouds scattered and anoV broke and by nine o'clock the weatherwise ' were sitisfied that tho day would prove fairly fine; nor where they false prophets, for setting aside a slight fall or two of rain of no moment whatever the day broke tine and coutinaed so, a glorious sunset lighting up the road for the bauoiit of the lat» homeward travellers from the course. There was a very large gathering, both of horsemen aud horsewomen, and of spectators arriving in every variety and description of vehicle, from the four-iu-hand dray to the ordinary farm cirt with its family load and cheery-looking hamper. So great was the crush from nine o'clock until half-past eleven o'clock at the Hamilton punt, over which the greater part of Waikato had to travel — the long string of conveyances and horsemen having to wait their tarn for conveyance across — that many arrived late upon the ground, some nine miles distant. Fortunately, however, the carriage of the Judge of tho Course was far back in the waiting line, so mosc people felt tolerably certain that the most they could miss would be the one race, but though late over the ferry his four spanking horses soon passed everything else upon the road, and the races were able to be commenced at very little beyond the advertised time. Some horsemen, impatieut, swam their horse 3 across, aud so saved time, but by twelve o'clock the most of them were over. Yesterday, a large number in the neighbourhood of Hamilton took the precaution of sending their conveyances across the river over night or early next morning, and so a longer detention even was avoided, for a far larger number at tended the second day's races owing to the threatening aspect of the weather the first day, and the splendid summer weather of yesterday. The Waikato is famous for the excel lenoo of its race meetings and the present one has been no exception to the rule. The stakes fortunately are not sufficiently high to attract the few crack horses in other parts of the colony which might have no other engagements at the time, and therefore there is none of that certainty about the events, none of that unevenness of running which takes away all interest of from a race except with those who have found flats to take the odds against the favorite. The races too are run honestly, and thin is more than the Auckland Turf Club can always say for the Ellerslie races, or can be said for very many more important events than the Waikato Annual Races. This year's races have perhaps, on the whole, been wore successful than those previously held. The course wai a very fair one, aud though far from centrally situate,!, a large number of people were gathered there even on the first day. The racing was very clo3e aud very good, only one race (the Maiden Plate), being at all in the shape of a gift. Maymoon showed herself •• all there " in that event —bat we cannot «ay as nmcb for Waitara,. He is a splendid looking horse and the " blood" is there— a real "' jam tart," with <t shield of twenty qoarteiings, none of your Hamilton sky-blue blo.)d ! Ho did not however, show his galloping qualities on Thursday, if he has them. He was a dark horse and much therefore was expected from him, but his backers were disappointed. " Cestus" was, it seems pretty straight in his tips bo that it will be the funk of the readers of tho Times if they did not m.ike the " pot" of money our sporting editor gave them the opportunity of doing. He nimed the winner in the Hundicap Hurdle race, the Maiden Plate, the Waikato Stakes, the Selling Hurdle Raco, the Tiotting Race, and the Ladies' Puise, and if he gave the Turf Handioip to Belle he has at least the satisfaction of knowing that she rau so close a second, that Larry had it only by nt most, a head. The Don, said Cestus, ought to be well up — and s > he was, for he took the stakes. There was not much other amusement on the course between the events, except the usual sweep making, flirting, and eating and drinking, all of which go so far fo make np an enjoyable race day, at leasr to the spectator*. " Aunt Sally" — disgnsted perhap.s with the rudeness of oar remarks on Th irsday, did not put in Hn appearance, but an extempore skittle alley wus there instead, and if life at tho races was not all skittle* and beer, it was just the fault of thoae who did not avail themselves of the opportunity. About one o'clook the judge arr'rel, and was at once placed, not • n the bench, hat in the box, aud thwcler'c of the co .rse, Mr. Burgia, who on y wanted "ihpink" to look every inch -a sportsman had all clear for a start. The only contretemps was the false start made in the second raoe owing to the use of a single flag only in Starting. Two flags should always be ;ti d m» 1 then pooh a c <m as a crowd of horsea galloping half round the course befo c f icy could know they woi« only " fooling around" oonld not (■ojur. A second flag wni used at atuniujf in succeeding races, and «ll fan her mishap of the kind avoided. The first event wai :—: —

HANDICAP HURDLE RAOR!, of 3> •<>?«, 2 mile*, orer 8 flight* of hurd'n*. Bft Om high There were four entries for this race, which was a hard contested one. Crown let] off but fell at the him) lea ; his jockey, however was soon on him again* This mishap gave (jladsiono, who was following 010-%e on him, the chance of a lead, which he took. Gludstono, however, came to grief himself in the second ronnd at the Bret bardic, and Tommy Dodd who bad been taking it easy, led well ahead of the field. At about half way rouud the seooud

Htue. Ctowa mmie a gallant push f>r ranuiug in close upon Tommy Dodd, who, however won easily. Tommy Dodd ... 1 Crowa 2

MAIDEN PLATE, of 25 ion; weight for »2«; 1} mile! for honw* that hare never won h «Uke exceeding 10 »orn entrauca 2 *o»». This race was once and a h tlf roaa 1 the course and nine horses went, to the stirt on the other side of (he c mrse opposite to the winning; post. A false start was made by s ime half d >z m horses, led at a gnlUrpß , by Miiuimi, nor could they be br.iu^ht «|K till they reached the winaingposthalf louni the coarse, tho M,»ori rider who w«3 leading fniling to understand the signals and shouU ra ido by nearly all present to stop and those behind him being unwilling in case of a misundersUn ling to give him the race. Just opposite the judges box, however, the clerk of the o mrse did a little racing neck md neck with his hand on Mimirai's bridle and got him to undeidersUnd the »tite of affairs. A iresh sUrt was then male, Mi^eata, one of tha Derby fillies leading. Tne Master pulled her up before half the running was made, auJ was in turn shortly after passed by May Moon, and the race then clearly lay between the latter two. The master made & good second, bat May Moon hud the race safe uud won it easily.

TUfiF CLUB HA.NDKHP, of 75 tort, « railei ; noninatijn 2 sot*, «ooepUace * •01 1 to go to second horse. This was the great event of the day. There were eight horses eutered and it w.tS a splendidly contested race. L.\rry led off in five style well Ahead with the field astern at his heels. On passing tke judge's post the first time, Clipper wan second «nd close upon Larry, who was avidently de» termmed to go whether his jockey wanted or no. Trie Dan, however, got into stride and passed on to the front, leariug Bella »nd l*rry running neck and neok for second place, so close a run between Larry and Belle as to leave the former second by only a head. A protest was raised bat the jndge refused to badge eten a head Irom bis decision and Larry was declared second. Don 1 Larry 2 Belle 3

POSY KAOE, 10 torn, 1 mite, for ponies 14 h»nd» and under ; 7lb» allowe J for esrery i'lch ondor; top weight 9<t.7>b*i entrance I »OT. Six ponies ran in this race, there being 2 post entries, but the latter might have saved their entrance m >ney. Lanty led off but was quickly overhauled by Winnie. The latter, however, whs pas-ei by Lunty again when hah' round, and then Ruatic coming up and giring Winnie the ifo by male as if he ma.tut mißohief. The race now lay between Lanty and Rustic the Utter looking as if he would raake » good Becond, but wheu about 300 yards from the winning post Kustio drevr trntdaaliy on Lanty till it becime hard to see how the ruunmg lay, and amid cries ot *' Lanty has it," "no 1 Rustic wins," " hurrah for Ruatio, 1 ' the two swept by tha Judges chair. Rustic's Jockey at tlie last moment wemiug to lift his game little horse perceptibly, bat only a neck W advance of Lauty, And so the race wit ; Rustic .» ••• Lauty ♦ 2 "Wiuuie 3

WAIKATO STAKES, ©f 80 *>«, 1* toilet; enimnc* 8 sort, welter weight for age; § «ort out of Stakes to q > to »«eonJ horse. Hor««i to be the bun» 4<ie propertf of Wnikato settler* oue mouth .[irovioui to ll&te of mcc iun. Four bora«*s ran. Ftdolo t<v»k tha ■tart, and kopt it the first haif mile, rrbea Clippr nu close behtni Dan then passed the pair of them, Tui being a long way behind. Tui, however, at the 3rd half mile forged rapidly a h ad ami coming almost up with the Don r:>a him 010 • horn. 1 , the Don wiuuing by about two lengths to ipare. Doa «. ... I Tui 2

MAORI RACK, "f 6 iowi 1 mil* btrtM horac* to -be owned and ridden by Mnorit, Post •ntrie* ; eutr* c* 61. The first heat was well contested between Miraimi and a Grey, the former keeping tke running almost to the Ust, when the Grey gathered way and pushed in h few lengths only a head of him. la the second heat the Grey had *u easy race of it and was consequently declared winner. This was the last race of the day, and speedily hampers were refilled, de*d man were left lyiug " permiscuous-like " where they had in^lorionsly fallen— the viul Btreamhavingbeendrawnir »ra themlay tht umrderouscorkscrew— -traps were repacked »vi the field cleared by magic, Cor Tery many of those preseut bad ten, fifcaeti, and twenty raile4 to drive "iiona^ that ni^ht. From all sides -we iiear that the day wai a most enjoyable one, the racing excellent and we ■caw bear wtww personaHy not only to all this but to fuot th<it for orderliness (dUpite t\te de.id men a.b.>re alluded t'Ogenetal harmony, and perfect good hamonr it pat into the shade all tht vestry meetings we ever attended.