FIRST DAY.

Inangahua Times, Volume XI, Issue 1690, 12 April 1886, Page 2

FIRST DAY.

Contrasted with some of the festive gatherings of brisker times the meet* ing of to-day was hardly " the relics of ould dacency." The atteudance wag small, the fluids were small and the racing was generally poor. With all these drawbacks, however, the meetwas a fairly enjoyable one. What could least have been expected at this season of the year — fine weather hap pily favored the occasion, and really made the meeting. The attendance reached to about 500, there being a fair sprinkling of ladies whose handsome costumes were displayed to great advantage on the rich grass-land fronting the stand. The absence of music was generally regretted. People have somehow come to regard music as essential to the due enjoyment of a day's outing. On a racecourse at all events ■ it is an essential complement to the , " music of the spielers," It is to be , hoped that the Club will not in future , omit this concession to the popular , wish. It was evident that the spiel ing fraternity had laid their plans for j a rich harvest. Thry mustered in strong force, aud brought with them I «l*borafct paraphernalia for ourying '

on business Bit a cruel fate crossed them, and they had scarcely got their little, giunes under way when they were warned ofl. None of the games were positively illegal, being in the nature of sweepstakes, the whole of the contributions being handed over to tlie winner, accompanied by a gentle hint that something could be returned as a gratuity if the lucky one chose to do so. In some cases, however the winner's respect for the law was too profound to allow him to take the hint, in which case he, would move «>ff with a clear eosiseience and* a han«if>ill of coin. It necrns that the individual who purchased the right to the games on the course had elected to " run the monopoly " himself, and hence it was that all the- other players were cutout. The " unemployed " then perched on the fence hard by aud scowled unutterable things at the bloated monopolist, who all day long was raking in hatsfull of money, aud unable to mauipu late it fast enough. The man, despite no doubt tlio benevolent well wishes of his brother crafts*men on the fence, must have made a pot of money, for lm whirligig was not idle for one mm ute during the two days, and half the time his table was encircled by a crowd of men aud women about a dozen deep, all struggling for tickets, and trying to prove to the world tha' they knew bow to appreciate a g od thing when they see it The. booths were fairly patronised, though tliere wis no drunkenness or rowdyism of any kind* The police had evidently expected some distinguished visitors, for the force was strongly represented, there being present Mr Inspector Emerson, Sergts. M'Ardle and Slattery, Troopers Bamford Barry and Bowden, and Con tables M'Mami3 aud Hannings, This was a rathtr formidable array, bat their services wore fortunately not needed, but viewed in the light of the occurrences of the last few weeks the precaution was pet haps a very commendable one. Little can be said of the racing, for it was hardly worthy of the name. The most interesting event was the Beeftou Plate, which was remarkable chit fly for the neat manner io which the- Nelson visitors got the bulge on all the knowing ones in Reef ton. The following is the result of the running : — County Handicap of 20 soys. — The 2nd horse to receive 5 soys from Stakes. Distance, 1 mile. Mr M'Williams Cardigan, Ost (Allen) 1 jMr Breeu Rosina, 7nt (Stevpnson) 2 i Mr Richardson's Norfolk Lass, Bst 81b (Williams) 8 Mr M'Quillan's Comstock, 6st 121 b (Harley) 0 I Time lmiu. />ssrc. Totalisator, £58, dividend, £1 7s. : Handicap Hack Bace of 10 8 ova — Mile heats without dismounting, layboy, Bst 7lb (Allen) ... 1 Tim<? ltniu. 55sec. S"rond heat 2min. 9sec. Totalisator, £100, dividend, £2 2s. ; Autumm Handicap of 50 soys. — The [ second horse to receive 5 so^s, from : the Stakes. Distance, 2 miles. Mr Harley s Marquis, Bst 121 b ... 1 Mr M'WilliamsCaidiynn 8s l 61b ... 2 Warren Jone's Sir William Bst 2»b 3 Mr Breen'a Rosina 6st 121 b ... 0 Time 2'iiin. 50sec. ToUiisator, £70, dividend, £1 5s Handicap Tbottino Race of 10 soys. — Distance 3 miles. Mr Newmans Peter scratch (Stevenson) ... ... 1 Mr J. Dick's Bess, scratch ( Eddy) 2 Dobbin, scratch, Jack and Noah, 75 yards each also ran. Time 2min 55sec. Totalisator, £41, dividend, £2 4s. Boatman's Handicap of 20 sov3.— Dis tance, 1£ miles. Mr Alexander's Duchess of Albany, 9st lib (Allen) 1 Mr M'Neill's Playboy, 7*t 41b ( Speii sley) 2 Cardigan also started but fell aud was distanced. ! Hub ole Handicap of 15 soys. — 2 miles. Mr Breeu's Dart, 9st. 81b, (Allen) 1 Mr EJ ward's Tommy, 9at.( Williams) 2 Mr M'Qnillau's Comstock, 9st. (Tetley). 8 Forester, 9st. 81b, was entered but did not start. This was a very hollow affair, Comstock ran off the coarse leaving the contest to the Dart aud Tommy, the former winning easily. Time smin. 12sec. Totalisator, £47, dividend £1 Bs. Selling Hack Back of lOsovs. — 1£ miles, winner to be sold for £10, surplus to go to the club. Mr Breen's Dart, Bst 101 b (Hungerford) 1 Warren aud Jones Burgundy, Bst, (Stevenson) ... 2 Mr M-Quillan's Comstock, Bst 61b, (Mildlemas) ... 0 Mr William s Forester, Bst 61 b, (Williams) This reduced itself to a contest between Dart aud Burgundy, the foi mer winning with comparative ease. Time 2miu Ssecs. Totalisator, £52, dividend £1 19s. Bkepton Plate of 40sov8.~ If miles, second horse to receive ssovs. Warren and Jones Sir William, 7st 41b, (Stevenson) ... 1 Mr Alexander's Duchess of Albany, 9st, (Allen) ... 2 Mr Harley 'u Marquis, 9et 61b, (Quin) 8 Mr M'Willmms Cardigan, 7st 41b, (Hungerford) ... 0 This race excited a good deal of interest. At the post Marquis was a strong favorite, the odds in the totalizator being nearly 3tol on him. A good start was effected the Maiquis and Duchess laying neck and neck, with Sir William and Cardigau half a length bad. After the first round the Utter two had fallen twenty lengths behind, and this order was maintained Until coming home on the lust round

when Sir William drew up to the first flight, overhauling them at the distance post and landing a winner by two lengths. A protest was entered against the winner for crossing, but it vyas disallowed. Time— Bmin. Tutal : *»tor £212, dividend £7 6*. Hack Handicap for saddle and bridle— 1£ miles. Mr M'Neill's Play Boy, 9*t lOib, (Allen) ... 1 Yatterina, 6»t 10; b, Dart, Bat. 51b, and Crazy Jane, lit. 10lb, also started. Won easily. Time Bmin. Ujec Totalisator £ 29, dividend £1 13 i Consolation Stakes of 15wvs.— 1 mile. Mr Breen's Kosina 1 Mr -Yatterina 2 This proved a gift for Boaiua. Totalisator £20, dividend £1 4s. This concluded the days racing, which takeu altogether, was of a satisfactory though unexciting character.