CAMBRIDGE JOCKEY CLUB RACES. ANNUAL SUMMER MEETING.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1180, 20 January 1880, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE JOCKEY CLUB RACE S. ANNUAL SUMM ER MEETING.

i "ua reporter's letter containing the ac» ••mufc of the Cambridge Jockey Club'a ; Summer Meeting, throuarh some careleesi6HB Rome where did not reach us until dtnrday Ust, and houce the meagre re•ort whioh we were glad to receive from m amateur who was present at the raoes. 'ur reporter's letter appears to have beea »osted too late for the mail nn Friday, as f be % vr> the Cambridge post-mark of that 'ay, and the w ami 1 ton post -mark of latarday. Wo ffive the following : — The heavy rain which fell last uesday nade the fine day wo so fortunately vero favorod wi f h all th«* more enjoyable. Y. more lovely day than Thursday oould Qot have been w shed for On Wednesday evening a largre number of visitors arrived from * aoklaud and el-ewhere, and every ivailable bed and shake-down was occupied. The township was very lively on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. til o'clock the nbops closed, and the people began to set out for the course, and before hal-pant 12 — the time the first race was advertised to start— the ground was thronged with visitors. In the course of the day there were no leps than 400 horseß tied up in the piddock ; there were also a large number in vehicles and ou foot, and the steamer brought up about 5 . Upon approaching the grand stand, the extensive improvements made at onco struck our notice. \ lawn and saddling paddock has bein fenced off the lawn in front of the itand, and enclosed with a handsome paling fei oe, and the paddock by a close boarded fenoe. From the latter an entrance has been made to the weigh-ing-room, and the old tn ranee &t the back of the stand clostd The f-t© ards' room also opens into the saddling paddock. The seats on the stand were divided by a partition, and the admi^ion to one part wan <fs 6d, and to the other ss. t • hile the races were run, both parts j were crowded to excess. The lessee of the publicans' booth was host Kaynos, who also provided lunch in his usual excellent ptyle and ta-te. On the lawn ia front of the buiidinqr were the Cambridge « avalry Band iv their uniform, with their new f-et of handsome and elaborate band stands, which have just been completed at a c*»>t of about £50. he stands were rordo by Messrs • amb and ' 0., at ( ambridge, and are of hickory, with elaborate braes fittings, screws, &c, which were cast by Mr Lamb. 'he music boards, twelve in number and one for tho bandmaster, are cut out in handsome fietwork, I hese band Btaudn could scarcely be surpaHNed in the bands of any of the crack Imperial regiments. '» he following is tho strength of the Band at present :- Corpl. Webber, ba»«8; Bandsman Constance, euphonium; Band«ir.an Hector, trombone ; Corpl. < amp, first cornet ; Bandsmen Booth and Maxweil, second and third comets; Randemm, first h flat horn; FergußSon and McCann, second and third E flat horn; Whitehouse, B flat horn; Lamb and Hrown, first B flat clarioneta Stuart, b flat clarionet ; Andrews, pioolo * Miller, drummer; >anders, kettledrum; Pearson, triangle ; Grey, cymbals ; I andmaster Mackintosh, solo cornet and conductor. As soon as the Band had played their first tune ou the ground Colonel Fraser went up to the Bandmaster, and by way tf expressing tua approbation, of

eke cffietmor and talent of the Baad, gavftbim £Ito *d»«t" for the bandsman. lliere were a large number of jra<nM of ohanoe on the ground, and the totalizator wa* well patronised. This is now beginning to bo understood, and will be a favorite method of betting, v uoh money changed hand* m each event wan rnn. 20 to 4 was offered on the double, Grey Momns and Sportsman being the favorite for the hurdles and Heepleohaae, and libeller and Mnlvern for the Cnp. A good field on each occasion faced the starter, and all the events were well contested, moot of them being grand and exciting races. The handicapper (Mr W Percival) gave univer.-al satisfaction ; •ttch, indeed, was the result that long odd» were offered on naming the winner. The handsome cnp presented by Mr J. A. Douglas for the Steeplechase, was won by • r Mclvor. On it being presented to him he cracked several bottle* of champagne to drink suc-ees to the Club. The President also called for ceveral bottlen. and visitors and others were called upoD to diink snocess to the Club. There wa no MrioaH accident of any kind, and the utmost good feeling and jollity prevailed throughout tht day. N<> doubt we should have had more Hamilton people pre*ent bnt for the u fortunate accident te the late Mr Peter Walksr. However, the fiwt grand meeting of the Club was an unqualified success — visitors from all parts ex^rcsaing their gratification at tht most enjoyable holiday and *>port they had har' for some time. Tfca secretary and stewardn were moot indefatigable m attending to their duties, and much of th( •uccom of the meeting wan due to th<s ill and zeal of the starter (Mr B. Ferguson). j