THE AUSTRALIAN CUP.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1520, 1 April 1882, Page 4

THE AUS TRALIAN CUP.

Thk following is a description of the race for the Australian Cup, a handicap sweepstakesof 20sovs, with 300soa s addecf Two miles and a quarter ; —At a few minutes after 4 o'clock Mr Watson succeeded in despatching the 22 competitors to a magnificent start at the first time of asking. Sweet William, who was next the rails, was the first to show in advance, Coriolanus, Pollio, Ween, Narrabri, Wellington, and Suwarrow being most prominent among the others. On settling down in positions Suwarrow ran to the front, and sailed past the abattoirs with a noticeable lead of Sweet William, Pollio, Niirrabri, Odd Tiick, and Wellington, who formed the van, the extreme rear being brought up by Gloucester. Suwarrow in turn was displaced by Duchess before reaching the turn into the straight, where the St. Albans mare had an advantage of two lengths over the grey, ne\t to whom were Nan .ibi i and Waterloo, closely hampered by Klsinore, Sweet William, Wellington, Royal Maid, and JL'ollio. Duchess came up the straight at a great pace, and on passing the stand enclosure she held a seven lengths lead from Narrabri, on whose quarters Suwarrow was literally pulling OBrien out of the saddle, with Sweet William m close pursuit and harassed by Royal Maid, First Water, Odd Trick, Attaciie, and Ween. The Duchess evinced every inclination to persevere with the pace, and on commencing the river stretch she was fully eight lengths before Narrabri, who was two lengths before Suwarrow and Elsinore, next to whom came Royal Maid, Sweet William, Wellington, Waterloo, Ween, Saunteiei, and Coriolanus in order indicated, Gloucester still plodding away in the rear of every thing. At the bridge Suwarrow and Klsinore dropped back behind Sweet William, the other leading positions remaining unchanged. Duchess mci eased her lead to twelve lengths at the back of the coiu&e, Sweet William and lioyal Maid 1 mining nearly level at the head of the others, of whom Nanabri, Wellington, Suwarrow and Pollio weie mo&t conspicuous. So w ell was. Duchess going at the sheds that cries were raised '• They Avill never catch her," but between this point and the turn home Sweet William gradually diew away from Royal Maid, iollowed by Saunterur and Pollio, Wellington having suddenly diopped behind. Sweet William dcci eased the gap considerably before reaching the stiaight, where Royal Maid, Sauntoier, and Suwarrow were all done with, Pollio and Wellington being the only hoi&es capable of maintaining the pace among the others. Once in the home stretch Pollio gave Sweet William the go-by, and on getting on terms with Duchess at the distance he soon had her in tiouble, and Sweet William and Wellington were each called upon for a final effort in the last couple of hundied yards, but Pollio continued the pace under difficulties, and as neither could quite get on terms, lie ultimately passed the judge's box half a length in advance of Wellington, who was similarly separated from Sweet William ; Ween was a fair fourth, then followed Duchess, Attache, Narrabri, Westbury, Ooiiolanus, Suwairow, and First Water in the order written. Time, 4 mm, Olsecs.

At Invercargill Mr McCulloch, R.M., has ruled tli.it card-pla.ying is not an "mi law fxil g.iino. ' His> Worship noticed that in none of the tlnce Acts now in force were unlawful games defined. In th n se circumstances they had to fall back on the old htn.tutcs, dating as far back as the time of Henry VIII., and two leading statutes passed in the reign of George IV., but none of these said that cards or playing them was an unlawful game. They made ceitain games with cards, which were enumerated, unlawful, but card-playing in itself was not unlawful.