TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZBPPA.

*** The body •of the late John Poole was buried in the Northern Cemetery last Thursday. The funeral was very largely attended. Among those who followed were Messrs W. H. Taggart, Sydney James, Harry James. G. Dowse, A. Bremner, Peter Miller, S. Myerp, J. Fleming, J. B. Reid, J. Short, E. H. Hart, F. W. Petre. R. Driver, W. T. Hazlett, E. Hogg, J. Cotton, T. Cotton, S. Waddell, M. Allan,B;J. Allan, J. M'Guiness, S. Bishop, H. Goodman, and numbers ot others representing the racing clubs, the Hunt Club, trainers, riders, bookmakers, and the general public. Wreaths were sent by the Hunt Club and the Bookmakers' Association, the one forwarded by the latter body being very nicely got up with Poole's well-known colours. Mrs Poole, I am glad to learn, is a little better tiian she was. fc is also a pleasure to be able to state that the subscription started on her behalf is being liberally subscribed to. I hope that no one will stand out> because he cannot afford a golden offering. The more that is raised the better, but it is desired to make this a popular subscripion, and silver will be thankfully received from Jack's poorer friends.

*#* The Nea case, having run its course of Surmise, objection, and adjudication, is now Settled, the decision of the Dunedin Jockey Club being to pay over to the owner of the mare, Mr W. G. Mouat, the stakes that were impounded. Nea, it will be remembered, won the trotting double at the Anniversary meeting. Then, before settling, the tale got about that she was a "ring-in" from Australia, and suspicion gathered bo thickly about the circumstances that the stewards were fully justified in instituting an inquiry. Mr Mouat put himself in a. good position from the very first by courting the fullest investigation. He emphatically denied that Nea was anything but what she was represented to be, and relied on the facts to clear him. This they have done. The protest was based on the assumption that Nea was identical with Florence K. Later on this was somewhat varied, Forest Maid, another Sydney mare, being mentioned as possibly having been passed off as Nea. The Forest Maid theory, however, was dropped almost at once, and the question practically narrowed itself to the issue of whether or not Florence X had been performing under the name of Nea. I may remark here that Florence K. is no wonder. Her doings last season, at any rate, were simply wretched, and it is not easy to understand why, if she were fco be brought to New Zealand, there should be any need to give her a fresh name. There would be no points in that, so far as can be perceived. The process was, however, gone through of taking evidence, and this all points to the unlikelihood — I might say the impossibility — of Florence K. being taken for Nea. For one thing, Nea was found to measure about 14hds 2iu with naked teet, whereas Florence K. stands 16hds. This last-mentioned fact is disclosed in a certificate from Florence X.'s present owner, a Sydney medical man, who clinches the whole matter by asserting that he has the mare and drives her every day. Moreover, the brands do not tally. Nea has Ron her near shoulder and the figure 6 on her off shoulder ; Florence K. has a V on her near shoulder and a 3 on the off shoulder. Again, Florence X has a white foot, and Nea has not. Further, there was powerful documentary testimony of a positive character in Mr Mouat'a favour. He produced a copy of the sale note from one James Brjan, of Syduey ; a telegraphed assurance from the same man that Nea had never been disqualified or rung iv ; three certificates from the JLiillie Bridge Club, iv Sydney, where she had raced, giving particulars as to measurements and brands corresponding exactly with the observations made officially in Dunedin ; and lastly, Mr Mouat went before a justice of the peace and took an affidavit as to the bong. Jides of the mare. It may be mentioned, as evidence that Mr Mouab was not on for making reckless statements, that before he made his statutory declaration he wired to the previous owner. He wanted ta bu quite sure that he had not beun " had " by buying the wiosg mare. In the face of ttie evidence adduced, and with no iacriminatiug replies from the Sydney authorities, who were specially appealed to, the D.J.C. committee could not do anything else than ord^r the stakes to be paid over. This step was taken at a meeting on Thursday night last, and the cheque was duly paid the next morning after the final formality had been complied with.

*#* So the case is closed, in a manner which should be satisfactory to all parties. The protestors, H. Rawcliffe and M. Allan, must be persuaded beyond all doubt that Nea is not Florence X , and the suspicion that she is anything else other than what she was represented to be is so far met that there is a statutory declaration on the point. This means that the criminal law is available should further revelations disclose the falsity of the declaration. But as to that contingency arising there is very little fear. Mr Mouat would not run such a risk. There is no reason, indeed, to suspect that be has acted throughout the whole affair in anything but an honourable manner. The olub's committee, too, are fully satisfied, They say so by their decision. The only person who professes to have ft grievance is tb,9 owner. He complajnß of the inoonYeaieoce. fee, has. been pud

to in having to wait five weeks for payment of the stakes. Herein he is unreasonable. The club conld not do less than order an inquiry. There was abundant ground for a fuli investigation. And I may add that Mr Mount is surely in a better position now, his reputatioa being cleared, his mare free from suspicion, and the stake in his pocket, than he would have been had the whole thiDg been allowed to slide before the mystery was cleared up. Moreover, he has not been put to a great deal of expense in the matter. The delay was unavoidable, and, though it is bad luck for an honest man to be suspected, it is far better for him to suffer a little inconvenience in order that he may be fully justified, as in this case. Now that the case is settled, I may be pardoned for drawing a moral from ifc. It is to this effect): that sooner or later, as before remarked in these columns, we shall be forced to have all trotters branded and registered. This would effectually prevent ringing in. Such a system would be tor the benefit not only of clubs bub of owners as well. Me Mouat's salvation in this case was the complete accordance between the description as recorded in Dunedin and by the Syduey authorities. What a satisfactory state of affairs it would be if we had all trotters registered. Then there would not be a question of identification once in a generation. The principle is admitted in the coursing world, and why it should not be introduced and extended to the extent of having the horses »11 branded, I am utterly at a loss to raake out. The carrying out of this notion would involve littlo or no expense. The cost of one inquiry would cover the whole outlay for the colony for a year. I once more recommend the suggestion to the notice of the trotting authorities.

*#* Really nice-looking colts fire the pair brought over from Sydney by the Tarawera for Messrs Stephenson and Hazletfc. Both have evidently been well nursed by their dams, looked after properly by their attendants, and fully fed. Bjsy it is to pick out yearlings reared under such advantages from the starvelings that occasionally come to market. And these youngsters, also, havo been lucky in making a good passage across. They come to hand m piime order-a little leg weariness being the only sign of the journey. As Sid Bishop led them out on Saturday last for the lnFpeotiou of a small party of visitors one could not help thinking that Jimmy Monaghan had secured real bargains. Of the two the Grandmaster colt is the more impressive at a first glance. He is a big fellow, plenty of length to balance his height to the witber, blessed with' excellent proportions both as to limbs and bod.r, and in walking he carries himself with that liberty of stride which one likes to see in a racer. He is certainly a flue colt, exhibiting no constructive defects, and many would call him a handsome yearling. In colour ho is a bay with black points and two white stockings. On the point of breediug, as already remarked, this colt is up to a very high standard. Grandmaster, an English-bred horse, descends from Gladiator and Stockwell, and his dam is from a full sister to the Bire of Traducer. I cannot recall to mind any real duffers got by Grandmaster, and among his winners are Ensign (who beat Carbine), those great performers Highborn and Paris, and the A.J.O. Derby winner Gibraltar. On the dam's side this colt comes from Angler (brother to Robinson Crusoe), the celebrated Chrysolite, and Musket. Is there anything better than this to be found anywhere ? I doubt it. Here are the headings of the colt's ped'gcee : —

The Australian Peer colb is also a bay, shaded to black from tho hocks and knees, with a diamond in his forehead and a white nose. Put alongside of his mate ha looks rather small, but in reality he has sire enough to do anything if he possesses speed, and on this latter point, though one always has to speak with some reservation of untried yearlings, I feel inclined to wager half a crown that he will not be a disappointment. He has, indeed, every, appearance of being a particularly smart active colb, of tho class thab should run fast sprint races ia his two-year-old career. His breeding is indicated in the following table •' —

Through his sire this yearling has a traditional connection by blood with the colony to which he has now come, for Australian Peer was got by Lurline's best sod, end it may be remarked thab the Traducer 1 ls>ne:B id distibctfy traceable in this youog gentleman. The pedigree ia alto« gtther a good one. Australian Peer won the V.X.C. Derby, and there is not a mean name on the other &ide of the table.

*jj* It would only be in the regular order of things if these colts were to i.rove as good as on their looks they promise to be. The ownership to which they belong have generally had better luck with importations from Australia and Tasmania than with horses bred in New Zealand. Of the home productions La Rose cost far more than Bhe ever earned ; Lustre never did anythiog but show extraordinarily good trials ; Everton Lad is distinguished by only one performance of note — namely, his victory in the D.J.C. Champagne Stakea, when he defeated Stonyhurst ; Huguenot coined money as a two-year-old, and then began a series of failures ; Mata did the stable very little good ; Outpost fell lame just as he promised to develop into the crack three-year-old of his season ; Hippomenes, though well ahead of bis expenses acoount, has met with many reverses when success seemed to be within his grasp ; and with Forbury they had to wait for years to get a race. On- the other hand, to come to the horses brought from the other side, Taiaroa was in his day a constant revenue-raiser and one of the most serviceable racera ever owned in tbe colony ; Tempest made a capital show in hex two-year-old career, and managed to win ft D.twedjn. Gap besides ©tow eveftfej aitw ehq

came back to form ; Occident proved himself one of the best handicap horses we have seen in the colony, and perhaps as true a stayer as ever put foot on the Forbury— I refer for support of this statement to his performances in the Dunedin Cup that he won and to the others that he lost ; while in Captain Webster, Hyacinth, Don Jose, Captain Cook, Mariner, and others purchased from Tasmania the stable have had a serviceable lot that when properly placed paid their way. In one sense there is a balance as between horses that the partnership have got from the other side and the others picked up in the colony. The two best they have ever owned, there is little doubt, are Occident and Hippomomenes, and of thess one belongs to each division. But I am pretty sura that if the figures were made up it would be seen that the importations as a whole have been far more profitable, as things have turned out, than the home-bred contingent, and so long as there are such bargains going as the pair just sent across ib must be far cheaper to invest in the Australian markets. Judging by what I saw in the sale ring at Christchurch after the Easter meeting, these colts would have there fetched a couple of hundred guineas each.

*** At the early age of 31, says Sydney Referee, the Marquis of Ailesbury died from heart disease in lodgings at Brixton. The late owner of Savernake, one of the finest estates in Eagland, after a life of dissipation, died a poor man, if not an actual beggar. What a commencement of a life, and what an ending ! As Viscount Savernake, a courtesy title, he went in for racing, and at one time, wo believe, owned, among other good horse?, Canzoni, by Petrarch, now the property of Mr Baldwin, of Manilla, N.S.W. In his racing transactions he was not particularly scrupulous, and he was, if memory serves us correctly, warned off for a remarkable bit of sharp praotice. Although fond of racing, his chief amusement was coaching, and nothing delighted this scion of nobility more than to tootle the horn on a coach and four tooled by burly Jim Selby. From London to Windsor was his favourite drive, and he was often seen on the box driving to Epsom and other racing centres within easy distance of London. To look at Lord Ailesbury in his low half-decked top-hat, long, fawncoloured coat, with huge flat mother-of-pearl buttons, and horsay boots, one might well have been pardoned mistaking him for a cattledealer out for a spree, or a horse-coper got up for the occasion. If ever there was a wasted life his was. He went much lower down in the social scale for his associates than even Abington Baird, and no doubt they rooked him until he had not a feather to fly with. He endeavoured to sell Savernake for the benefit of his creditors, and there was very little left for him when the vultures had settled on to the spoil. He mairied Miss Dorothy Julia Haseley, better known under her theabrical name of Dolly Tester. She and the noble Marquis, when in the height of their glory, used to go it in great style, and were a notorious pair. His sister recently distinguished herself by wedding Mr Siever Sutton, who was well known in the colonies in the time of Lord Deerhurst and others. Mr Sutton, we believe, is the Mr Punch, turf commission agent, London, whose advertisements adorn the sporting papers of the great city.

*** Awarua Rose began badly at Ashbnrton. Welter conditions are supposed to suit him, and he waß made favourite for the Netherby ' Handicap, but Perkin always headed him and eventually won by a couple of lengths. Mr Vie Harris has a really good horse of his class in this grey Perkin. Neroli went out at a shade better than level money for the Ashburton Stakes ; Strath Braan's price was £4- Bs, Teredina's £4 12s, and on Errington, the solitary three-year-old in the race, there was one investment less than on Artilleur, the winner. Mr Murray-Aynseley seems to have a smart youngster in this eon of Artillery and the Traducer mare Luna, as he should be by his breeding, for his sire was a fair specimen of the great Musket family, and his dam had in her day a colonial reputation as a sprinter or something better. The story.of the race is very short. Artilleur got away smartest from an even start, drew away from Teredina before the straight was reached, and stalled off very easily a run by Neroli. This last-mentioned mare is not, I think, so well as when she annexed the Dunedin Champagne ; but she must have shown her party something on the track. The Ashburton Stakes has now been run three times, with the following results : —

The experiment of putting a steeplechase into the programme hardly met with the success that might have been hoped for, as only three horses went to the post, and of these but one has any claim to class. This one, Magpie, won very easily — how much he had in hand on the handicap is shown by the fact that he stopped at the first fence, and then overtook the slow and sure Glen. Gamester was beaten off the whole road. The public seemed to be in a bit of a quandary as to Hobbs'a pair in the Autumn Handicap, for we find Prime Warden carrying £66 in the machine, and Palliser £60. Neither, evidently, was supported with much spirit, punters preferring to put their faith in Vogengang. In this they were amply justified. Speculator made the pace, Prime Warden lying handy, till the last bend was reached, where Vogengang commenced to draw very fast on the leaders. Speculator was done with before the distance was reached, Prime Warden had had enough 100 yards further on, and in the end tho favourite won very easily by three lengths ; Speculator four lengths away ; Frivolity fourth. The four last winners of this evenb, therefore, are : —

Vogengang's time, 2mm 42see, is the same as Don Pedro's two years ago.

*** That very useful mare Jess, who is doing more than any other to bring Johnny Faulkner into notice as a sire, found the Novel Race conditions extremely suitable, and, though there was a fairish field, £2 12s -was by no means a bad price to get about; her. Backers, however, made an awful mistake about the District Welter. In choosing Aqualate, Erriugton, and Wheedler a 9 the favourite media for investment they certainly got two placed horses, but Victim, who for once in a way was allowed to go out with only £8 on her iv the machine, fairly beat both on the point of staying. M'llroy judged the finish nicely, and got his mare home clevely after Errington's supporters had begun to reckon up the dividend. Lady Thornton, with all her weight, proved too good for the opposition, in the Pony Race. She got away well, and was never really in difficulties, though Tim stuck to her for awhile. In the Flying, the pace in the early stages was made by Black Cloud, but he gave way to Warrington and Wheedler at the home turn, and after the lastmentioned had disposed of her Immediate foe, yogengang came along and settled the pair,

getting up in time to wia by a head. He carried a Sib penalty. In the Wakanui Handicap, on the second day, Aqualate bad 71b advantage over Victim for the beating the latter administered on the first day, and this sufficed to bring home the daughter of July and Teredo. She waited on her adversaries till half way up the straight, and then came at them with an irresistible rush. Artilleur won his second race in good style. It is said that Errington was blocked at the home turn ; but the youngster wonld have taken a lot of beating in an unimpeded go as between the pair. Invader stopped at the first fence in the Midland Steeplechase and took no further part in the race. Magpie also refused, but only onse, and taking the fence at the second time of asking he won in a canter from Vagabond. Aldershot was made first favourite for the Grand Stand Handicap, Priaie Warden being next in demand. Approaching the distance it seemed odds on Prime Warden winning, but he had to answer a perpetual series of calls, for Awarua Rose kept going very strongly, and in the end the light weight got home by a couple of lengths. Aldershot ran last all the way. Jess could not do anything under her heavy weight in the Disposal Stakes, and Review won very easily. la the Open Welter the rider of Awarua Rose made the best use of his horse from the jump off, and once in the lead he was never headed. Lord Zetland fairly romped over his opponents in the Harvest Handicap, and Lady Thornton, with all her 12.6, was never in trouble in the Pony Handicap. Mr Creswell acted as handicapper and starter, and gave satisfaction in both capacities.

*#* Fair prices were realised at the Duke of Beaufort's farewell sale- Some of the horses in training went cheaply enough, but John Porter went to 2800,48 for Son of a Gun, and the Duke of Hamilton paid 800gs for Ragimunde. Both these horses are by Petronel, ' one of Musket's sons. The hurdle racer Benburb was reckoned a bargain to Joa Cannon at 620gs, for this horse is already regarded as a most desirable stallion for producing weight-carrying hunters. One of the peculiarities of the sale was the despising of the brood mare Ithona. Three of her sons fetched 2800gs, 500ge, and 360gs respectively during the sale, and yet, when she herself was led in, heavy in foal to The Cob, the sire of the two colts last referred to, nobody would bid lOOgs for her. She was subsequently bought privately for 80ge. Her daughter, Simonetta, who claims Sb. Simon as sire, brought 700gs ; but Sb. Simon is quite the fashion. Anything sired by him is sure to command guineas ; any mare in foal to him is snapped up like a shot. Fealty, who ran four seasons without winning a race, and who is said to have been looking very bad, excited most vigorous competition, and the final bid of Mr Weatherby was 800gs. So much for fashion. The buyer of Simonetta was the young French Bwell, M. Lcbaudy, one of the Jersey Lily's recent admirers. He it was, also, who secured Rove dOr, and the critics say that in getting this mare at 270 0gs he secured a bargain. With the mare went a filly foal by Petronel. The stallion Eastern Emperor was bought in at 330gs. The hope is expressed in some quarters that the Duke will not absolutely retire from the turf. They say that he is giving up because Alec Taylor is desirous of retiring ; but there is reason to think that the Duke will still keep one or two thoroughbreds to wear the Badminton colours. The nearest the Duke ever came to winning the Derby was when he ran third with Vauban to Hermit and Marksman. He won the Two Thousand Guineas with both Vauban and Petronel.

*** Though everyone knows that America is the world's of trotting, it is probably not generally realised that in some respects the States can also lay claim to be the greatest country in. the world for galloping races. On the money test this is indisputably the case. Uncle Sam has fairly passed John Bull in the matter of stakes. This is not everything, by a long chalk, bub the figures are somewhat remarkable, and decidedly interesting, wherefore I reproduce a pregnant table on the subject compiled by a New Yorker. Last year's Racing Calendar, he writes, shows that the amount of stakes and purses given in England under Newmarket rules was 2,302,562d01, which is 699,834d0l less than it only took 409 horses to win in America in the same period of time, and over 3,00Q,0Q0d0l less than was hung up in stakes and purses on this side of the Atlantic in the season just past. The figures show that the winnings of the 25 leading American horses are 262,316d0l in advance of those of England. Following is the table : —

America. England. Dol. Dol. Domino 180,085 Isinglass ... 94,300 Boundless ... 57,050 Ornae 56,645 Dobbins 58,946 Delphoa 44,793 Sir Walter ... 41.120 Mrs Butterwick 30,025 Senator Grady... 40,985 Matchbox ... 29,790 Rudolph ... 40,540 Ladas 28,840 Daily America... 30,560 Harbinger ... 23,375 Moreno 28,550 Marcion 22,150 Ramapo 28,515 Arington ... 19,650 Sport 25,9(55 Phocion 17,075 Hornpipe ... 25,215 Best Man ... 15,520 Lamplighter ... 25,150 Cabin Boy ... 15,270 Clifford 23,541 Watercress ... 15,240 Lowlander ... 23,455 Arcano 14,610 Sir Excess ... 23,257 Schoolbook ... 13,525 Declare 22,259 Red Eyes ... 13,365 Diablo 22,101 Orvietto ... 13,250 Charade 21,980 Le Hicham ... 13,235 ElTelegrafo ... 20,865 Glare 12,8?5 YoTambien ... 19,765 Bullington ... 12,750 Helen Nichohi... 19.620 Speed 12,424 Prince George .. 18,785 Shancrotna ... 11,840 Ajax 18,730 Prisoner 10,865 Ingomar ... 17,775 Tower Boy ... 10,765 Stonenell ... 17,400 Metallic 10,650

* # * English advices annour.ee the death cf the brood mare Dutch Oven, after foaling a colt by S 1 ", S.mon. She was bred by the late Lord Falmouth, whose colours she carried in 12 races aa a two-year-old, winning nine events of the value of £9429. The first race that she captured was ttrj Kichmond Stakes at Goodwood, in which Sb. Marguerite and Kermesse, the latter penalised, ran a dead heat for second place. Kermesse, however, had his reveDge in the Champagne, at; Doncaster, the son of Cremorne beating her by half a length. The Clearwell Stakes and the Dewhurst Plate were among the other events won by Dutch Oven. She went amiss during the spring of 1882, and failed to finish in the first flight; for the Derby, but later in the season won the Yorkshire Oaks, the Doncaßter St. Leger (starting at 40 to 1), audtheGreatFoilStakes.andTrennialProduce Stakes at Newmarket. As a four-year-old she won three race*, and was then aent to the stud, and at the eale of Lord Falmouth's breeding e3tablisb.me.nb in 1884 she wan purchased by Lord Fitzwilliam for 3200g5. She was by Dutch Skater out of Cantiniere, by Ssockwell, and her stud career was nob marked by any great success. Her foal is being suckled by a foster-mother.

*** In summing up in the libel case, Hayes v. the Australasian, Sir John Madden said : Sport is undoubtedly a matter of public interest according to all the traditions of our race, and I think that, without egotism, the principles of sport are the best principles by whioh the individuals of a nation can be formed,

And by sport I mean that fair sport which enables men to cultivate their bodies and strengthen them to constancy under suffering and constancy and placid-mindedness under defeat, and to the feeling that an honest defeat is no leas than an honest victory. These are qualities which ennoble the mind, and are invaluable in the training of a nation, but in order that they may be of any value to the community they must be absolutely free from any connection with foul play or the practice of any inhumanity and disregard for the lives and limbs of others. It is of the utmost interest to the public that inhumanity ehould nob be introduced, and that any disregard for the lives and limbs of her Majesty's subjects should not be permitted. Ib is of the highest importance that jockeys shall not be allowed to do things which might endanger others, which might bring down a dozen horses in a race, and perhaps kill a number of men. It is therefore necessary that the public should take an interest in these things, and should .deeply resent unfair practices and comment upon them whenever they can. Hayes may be a quite innocent man, and yet the fact remains that on every one of the occasions mentioned the collision or the bumping or the assault, as the case might be, took place, even if they failed to prove the intention. You have to consider whether the comment made in the article is fair and honest comment. If it arose through malice it is not permissible, and the law does not allow ' it, but if the opinion is honest it does not matter how vigorous and scathing the expressions may be in which that opinion is couched, and the defendants are entitle! to a verdict. If you find first that it is no libel— and I do not think you will find that — you will find for the defendants. If you find that there is a prima facie case of libel then you must consider whether it is proved or not. If you consider that it is substantially proved, you will find a verdict for the defendants. If not, you will proceed to consider upon the principles which 1 have laid down whether the .instances which have been mentioned occurred. It you find that they did occur, and that the defendants honestly commented upon them, even if they were mistaken as to the intention of Hayes, then you will still find a verdict for the defendants.

*** If, His Honor continued, you find that it was none of these things, then, of course, your verdiot will be for tho plaintiff, and you will proceed to consider the question of damages. In that aspect of the case you mnst dismiss the V.R.C. committee from your minds altogether. They are a body which are absolute in their own sphere — and perhaps it is wise that they should be so — and they may come to a decision without taking evidence or giving reasons. As honest and honourable men they may say, "We cannot shut our eyes to what is going on, and although we cannot give any evidence, nevertheless we will put down our foot and say ' James Hayes shall not ride.' " It would be monstrous to deny to any member of the community the right to earn his own living, but if James Hayes wants to ride for the prizes of the V.R.C. then he must submit himself to their rules, and one of their regulations is practically this : — " Unless we like to let you ride you shan't." You must not try to interfere with them, but you will have to consider whether bub for this libel he would have been allowed to ride again. If you think that but for this libel he could have got a license again in six months or a year, or two years, then you will assess damages accordingly, and give substantial damages. If the man has no character of course it is worth nothing, and therefore he should nob be compensated. If, on the other hand, you think that his character is not good, but at any rate is not so bad, then you must judge what would be a fair amount to give him. The above were the concluding passages of His Honor's remarks. As we know, the jury disagreed. It is said that the jury were tour to two against the plaintiff, and the general opinion is that Hayes will not bring the case again. His costs already amount to about £750 and the defendant journal's to twice as much.

*#* To say that the committee of a big racing institution cannot prevent jockeys from betting in large amounts, says the Australasian, is all moonshine. Directly a man starts putting hundreds on one horse and riding another in the same race, chat fact gets noised abroad, and his masters — the men who give him his authority to ride — can, if they like, possess themselves of the necessary information to enable them to insist on his stopping the practice or giving up riding. When the V.RC. received the sanction of their members to prohibit licensed riders from wagering, we took it for granted that wagering in moderation would not be tabooed. As long as a jockey puts a losing monnt on the horse he is riding, or two or three pounds on a horse in some race in which he is not engaged, no great harm can b,e done, but when it comes to accepting the mount on a horse and putting £50 on some other animal in the race, how can the owner of the horse the jockey is riding expect fair play P It is against human nature to suppose that in a close finish between the horse he is riding and the horse he has backed the jockey would do the best for his mount. Winning himself would mean the gain of £5, the stipulated amount for a win on the flat, whereas the victory of his opponent would result to the betting jockey iv annexing the odds to £50. Can it be possible, then, to doubt the wisdom of the rule which says jockeys shall not bet? And with the powers the VRC. have, will any reasonable man argue that they cannot prevent this practice of betting among jockeys being carried on ? Australians are rather inclined to consider themselves superior to English racing laws, but tho power to prohibit betting among our knights of the pigskin has been adopted from the English rules, and so have several other late introductions into our racing code. Some of the highest men in the land have been assisbing in English turf legislation for a good many years past, and if they are somewhat conservative and slow to adopt changes, a change once decided upon by the turf parliament in the old country is seldom found to work badly.

>AY low (1893) Naomi Grandmaster (imp ) Wildfire Henchman | Oeloriuia Gladiateur 0 i. 9 O 2. 8- 5-' CO CD £ B* •2. g H (D 1 i s I—l i o 1 (D *& §s wi $$ re ?* *¥ st ?s i if « r f t "f

Bay Colt (1892) Wildiire(imp.) Australian Peer Dynamite Wild Oats | Stockdove Darebin I I 8f (C& o PI I "I I 5" CD 3 CP « &i& i «i s ° i| ft ii it » II g8 S |6 I - "I S 8 °

LB9l LS92 L 893 LB9l ... Liberator ... 4yrs ... 6 9 ... Don Pedro ... syra ... 612 ... Lady Zetland... 4yra ... 7 G ... Voetengang ... 4yrs ... 810

[892 ... Saracen ... 2yra 1893 ... Saracen ... 3yrs L 894 ... Artilleur ... 2yia on, tu. ... 8 3 ... 10 0 ... 7 7