TUFTS OF TURF

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8914, 3 October 1894, Page 3

TUFTS OF TURF

Weekly Press and Referee."

LBy the Editobial Scissors.] Gnat are tha virtues ot the ,*'doctor's certificate.'* aad it -hall prevaiL Oue day last week (says a London paper of July 85th > a well known bookmaker in one of the clubs was summoned to serve upon a jury. Needless to say he was not absolutely ''breaking his neck" to do so, wherefore he promptly hied himself to his medical man in Wimpole Street. And that selfsame evening the summoning officer received a physician's letter to say that "Mr G , being in an extremely delicate state, confinement in any heated atmosphere would probably cost him his life," whilst G. himself, in a state of intense excitement and bis shirtsleeyes, was back at hi 3 club playing ten shilling pool in the billiard-room with the thermometer well over 130.

The authorities in Melbourne appear to be making every effort to put down shop-betting as, on September 7th, James Ludlow who had been twice convicted was charged with using a place for the purpose of betting with persons resorting there. The 51st section of the Police Offences Act provides for a penalty up to £10) or imprisonment up to six months, and the bench, consisting of Mr Bartrop, P.M., and local justices, at the close of the case ordered imprisonment. This is the first occasion on which the step has been taken. The evidence was similar to that given on previous occasions. The bench ordered tbe defendant to be imprisoned for three months' hard labour without the option of a fine. They also allowed ogs costs, to be recovered by distress, in default of distress one month's imprisonment. Notice of appeal being given, the bench called on defendant to find two sureties of £100 each and his own of £200.

The very determined crusade against betting just now being so developed and put in force, promises, by its pronounced severity and open and undisguised vindlctiveness (says Man of the World), to have the very opposite effect to that aimed at. So alarmed and disgusted will the general body of the Euglish people presently become at the monstrous acts of injustice being now perpetrated at the hands of those influenced by this Nonconformist Conscience, that a speedy reaction and revolt against such flagrant persecution may be relied on as quite certain to take place. The aforesaid conscience knows uothing about sport and cares less, and those in authority now enforcing its decrees, entirely ignore justice in the blindness of their passion against those they resolve to stamp out. The enormously heavy fines and cruel sentences that are being daily inflicted upon bookmakers are becoming so outrageous, not to say illegal, that it reminds one more of the days of the brute Judge Jefferies than anything else. This venomous policy might have done in the old Puritan days a couple of centuries since, but will hardly be tolerated in this enlightened age by Englishmen, of whom we may presently find there are yet one or two left. It is pretty certain, indeed, that this unmerciful ruling of the Praise-God-Barebones party will not be long suffered to continue.

I have been asked more than once (says a writer in Land and Water) to draw attention to the manner In which John Porter's Derby horses were distinguishable in the Epsom paddock, viz., by having their names—Matchbox and Bullingdonworked into their clothing, so that everyone could see at a glance what they were. One correspondent—an owner, too — suggests that it sbould be compulsory for crainers to afford the public some means of knowing what the horses are when they are walking round, and I quite think it is high time that something was done in this direction. All racing is dependent in a great measure on public money, and the amount taken at all the paddocks must be very great. Racegoers pay highly for entrance to any paddock, and tbey go there to inspect the horses before they ruii. As it is now, they can only learn the names of horses walking round from the boy iv charge, and in about three cases out of four the answer to one's query is so mumbled that the name is indistinguishable—besides which, many of tbe boys pretend not to hear. Now, racing is a show for which high prices are charged, and those who pay to see the show are entitled to have things made plain. At an infinitesimal cost the matter could be arranged, either by the executive having the names of all the horses coloured on the cards printed in black letters on white paper, and handed out to those iv charge to place on the quartersheet, or by having a series of numbers like they have at the shows. In this case the number of the race could be placed above, and the horse's corresponding number on the card in that particular race immediately below. Of course it is out of reason to ask trainers to take the trouble that Porter did at Epsom, but some simple method, such as what I have proposed, should certainly be adopted. Our Australian cousins have for long enough set the fashion by numbering the horses, and it is ridiculous to say, as has been urged in some quarters, that everyone who goes racing knows, or ought to know, all the horses in their clothing.

The Hoc. W. Long's proposal to reduce the jockeys' fees did not meet with approval. This is what " Verax" of the Sydney Referee says of the proposer:—He knows yery little of what he is talking about when he states only Hales and Power have saddles of their own that are worth anything. Most of our best jockeys have saddles of their own, and I saw a jockey at Coogee on a pony the other day with a racing saddle that cost £1212s uuder him. It is absurd to make such a statement. Mr Long was stretching his imagination when he stated that two pairs of breeches and two pairs of boots would last a jockey a lifetime. What utter nonsense for a man In Mr Long's position to talk like this. I hope, for the sake of decency, the hon. gentleman doesnotlimltbimself as to pants on this principle. I beg to differ with Mr Long if he says racing is a poor man's game. He is a very rich man, and if Ido not mistake him knows very little about the poor man, despite his assertions to the contrary. Mr Lung's attempt to carry a motion which practically would pauperise our jockeys, failed, as I felt sure it would, and he met with but little encouragement from tbe members preseut.

Apropos ef riding in wrong colours, for many years young Tom Jenniog. raced with a straw-coloured cap, much to the vexation of Judge Clark, who was always confounding the colours with those of Mr Gardner Muir. At length one day when the jockeys were weighing out for a race in which both owners had horses running, the old judge puled a black cap oat of his pocket and told young Tom he'd keep him in black caps if he'd make that change in his colours, which he obligingly did. We say obligingly because he was justly proud of the jacket and cap that hia grandfather had made famous.

With reference to the St, Leger won by Throstle on the 12th inst, the editor of the Sporting _ Times wrote on August 11th (when Ladaa was a strong favourite and the ultimate winner was not even mentioned in the betting) as follows:— Probably the most improved three-year-old in training is Throstle, and though last year It would have required a very great amount of weighs to put her on a level with Matchbox, we doubt whether there la that distance betwscn them new. Pet*

sibly la the St. Leger she will be sacrificed to Matchbox; bat should she ran "on her own hook," many who noticed the style she won in at Goedwood. and are on the look out for a second Caller Ou, will take the long odds that are sure to be on offer against her. John Porter has an an* pleasant habit of showing a front in the St. Leger with something or other quoted at a thousand to fifteen, as with Gonsalvo and Apollo, both of whom beat hot favourites from the snme stable. , . . Ladas having had the fortnight's rest that we taid would be given him, has been the first to begin his St. Leger preparation, md of late he has been doing good work it a mile and a half. Matchbox being fit to run at Goodwood has not been doing much. Amiable has started work again, and recollecting what Oaks winners hare done in the St. Leger, she will, despite her ungainly action, have plenty of followers, more especially as it can now be seen that Ladas and Matchbox, though good, are not wonders.

Strange that the proposal to cut down the jockeys to twenty shillings for a losing mount should come from perhaps the wealthiest man on the Australian turf.— Bulletin.

During the "seventies," a peculiar feature of the Sussex fortnight, an event under the title of the Eccentric Free Handicap, was contested on the last day of the Lewes meeting. The distance was a mile and a quarter, and it was stipulated in the conditions that it was for " reputed non-stayers," though it appears strange that no restrictions were mentioned. To the credit of owners of horses of tbe period it should be mentioned that rarely did animals who soared above the T.Y.C. figure among the entries, and the race certainly served to introduce in a new character many thoroughbreds whose attention would otherwise have been confined to sprint races. Oue of these was Mr Saville's famous mare, Lilian, who won the race in 1872, and afterwards showed her liking for the Sussex air by winning the Brighton Stakes in 1873, and tbe Cup iv 1874. Previous fo her success in this race Lilian had always been looked upon as a non-stayer, but she afterwards proved herself possessed of stamina of the highest order, and gained so many victories in Queen's Plates, and other long-distance races, as to enjoy the appellation of " the Second Caller Ou."