Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/265

Rh shooting, the winner (Mr. A. E. Jenkins, a young Australian) putting up a record for the Colony. Mr. Jenkins was on scratch, and out of 84 sliots he scored 74 " bulls' eyes " and ten " centres, " < an aggregate of 410 out of the possible 420. At the 200- yards range, shooting at the 6-inch "invisible bull," his scores were : — Oct. 1907—5-5-5-5-5-4-4-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 ='■'« Dec. 1907—5-5-5-5-5-4-5-5-4-4-5-5-5-5 =f>7 Feh. 1908—5-5-5-5-5-4-5-5-5-5-4-5-4-5 =(V A total of 202 out of a possible 2io. At 500 Mr. Jenkins did even better, being only two off the highest possible score, as under : — Jan. 1907—5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 =70 Nov. 1907—4-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 =69 Mar. 1908—5-5-4-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 =69 A total of 208 out of a possible 210. In addition to these fnie scores one of 69 was counted out at the 500-yards range. HORSE-RACING. The " sport of kings " occupies a prominent place in the affections of sportsmen in Hong- kong. There is only one race meeting a year — in t'ebruary — but during the four days over which it e.xtends business is practically sus- pended in the Colony. The racecourse has already been referred to. There is a large grand-stand from which an excellent view of the racing can be obtained, and, in addition, there are two blocks of build- ings, the upper tioor of each being divided into compartments and let out to owners and their friends. China ponies are the only horses raced, though at various times " walers," as horses imported from Australia are termed, have been introduced. The China ponies range from 12.3 to 13.2 hands in height, and in most of the races are weighted as per size. For their size they carry staggering imposts — from 10 stone 9 lbs. to 1 1 stone 4 lbs. being the usual weights— and on top of this there may be penalties of from 7 lbs. to 10 lbs. The races are for two classes of ponies, to wit, subscription griflins and China ponies. The former are brought down from North China and drawn for by those members of the Jockey Club who have subscribed towards the cost, while China ponies are either old griflins — if the term may be permitted— or ponies imported independently of the Jockey Club, which have run at meetings elsewhere in China. In all, upwards of thirty-five races are contested annually, the principal being the Hongkong Derby, the Challenge Stakes, and the Champions. Tlie distances vary from five furlongs to two miles, and among the best times yet recorded by China ponies or subscrip- tion griffins in the Colony are the following : — Distance. Time. Poxy. YEAR. Half-mile sees. Punch Three- I mm. Tuber Rose I8q8 quarters i sees Mile and a mins. > i Glory quarter sees. Bay Ronald Mile and a mms. Ardent 801 half I2i sees Mile and three- mins. Zephyr quarters sees. ] Polka Two miles mms. , 23 sees Sinbad Most of the owners adopt assumed names, and great rivalry has existed in the past be- tween the "Roses," owned by Mr. "Hiixey." and the " Kings," owned by Mr. " Potts," hut the latter stable has now withdrawn from the sport. The leading owners are Messrs. " Bu.xey," " John Peel " and F. B. Marshall. verandahs or roofs and sustained severe in- juries, and, in more than one case, been killed outright. A very fine distinction, however, is drawn on the course. While bookmakers are debarred, the pari-mutuel (or totalisator) and sweeps are permitted. From the money which passes through the pari-mutuel and sweeps the VIEWS ON THE LAWN. Amateur jockeys only are permitted to ride, and there are no bookmakers on the course. Betting is illegal in the Colony and many a poor unfortunate Chinaman has been haled before the magistrate for indulging in a game of Ng Pau, or Fan-tan, while others, in en- deavouring to escape a raid, have fallen from promoters deduct 10 per cent., and the Jockey Club gets a good proportion of that amount. The dividends paid by the pari-mutuel on the whole are small ; in one instance this year (1908), in the case of a dead heat for first place, those who had backed one of the tirst two ponies received $480 back for each $5 invested