TUFTS OF TURF.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9019, 4 February 1895, Page 3

TUFTS OF TURF.

•• YTcoklv Pi ess and Ueferee. l: y the Editorial Scissors. Sir O. G. Stead had an unpleasant experience at Auckland last week (writes ••'i'erlinga , ia the Aiulralqsian of January JOtli). He ran Bloodshot and Blue Firo in the Mu9ket Stakes, end because BloodBbct, the one tlio rubllc backed, wee fccaten by Blue Firo, there was a scene and ioroe of the disappointed snoportere of ploudaliot yelled for Mr Stead's diequalltteatlou. 1 wonder how often the la,te Mr WMte ran two, and saw Lls colours landed by the animal which the public did not fiucy. Nordcnfeldt nnd Singapore both won the A.J.C. Derby when their etablo companions Uralla and Rudolph were hqt farouritce, and numerous other iiiHtauccs of tlie wrong one in the public estimation getting home Wight be cited in connection with the tori career of Mr White, who was one of the flnc-:t sportsmen who ever raced i'i tbji or any other country. It seem* the Auckland stewards held an enquiry into the Musket Stakes running! and that enquiry revealed the fact that Mr Stead was in the mime unfortunate position as the backers who bowled— he bad backed Bloodshot and oegKctcd Blue Fire. From all accounts the stewards would have been better employed in holding au enquiry into some circumstances iu connection with another race decided at tho A.It.C. Meeiiag.

Referring to the sensational item at the ■ale of the late Duchess of Montrone's stock the special commissioner of the Sportsman saye :—" Now we bad reached the highest point, (or None the Wiser was Iα the ring looking really beautiful. There was tho usual thronging and'bustling when anything of exceptional interest is being submitted, and the hush of attention wa«i marked enough when Mr Somerville Tottereull commenced to offer the daughter of Wisdom and Corrte Roy. • Will anyone give 4COD for her f said he; bat there was no response. Presently, however, EOOOgs was bid by Capfc. Machull, sitting at the far side of the ring. Sir J. Blundell Maple, standlug behind MrTattersall'e box, advanced lOOge. '3000/aaid the captain in bis best old style. * 100,' again was Sir BlundcH'e response, and to this came the rejoinder 4000.' Naturally everyone now was thoroughly alert. ' 109/ persisted Sir Blundoll. •'6OOO/ said theCtptain. This was in its way a record performance, and (er a brief period it seemed that None the Wiser would be sold at this price, but Sir Blundell went on another and then Capt. Machell for the first time took a pull by offering only another 10Q&, on which Sir Ulundcl jumped to 5500 n 's, thinking no doubt to get the mare; bat the Captain carob again with ' COOO/ and there was a regular gasp of astonishment round the ting. Sir Blundell, however, still stuck maufully to his work, and again it was a Case of • 100/ * 200/ * 500/ and • 7000/ To* elimox, however, capped all, for there was a farther bid of 200gs and, lo and behold the mare was knocked down toLordElles mere, whom to that moment no one had' regarded as a likely purchaser at all. Sir Blundell Maple and Capt. Machell were vastly surprised—at least they looked so, »nd Str Blundell walked off, consoling lilmself probably with tho recently received news that Memoir is to visit Royal Hampton next season.

The Queensland writer "Waxy" has always been a stroug advocate tor the use Of the totaliintor, and in the success of the machine In New Zealand, and South Australia (not to mention Queensland) he finds a strong argument in favour of the machine Ho says: "I notice that in the •totaHtator-rldden' colonies—New Zealand and ttouth Australia—the racing clubs •re substantially Increasing their prizes. Xn the bookmaker*' happy hunting ground jjtakee are goliig down from.SQ t050%."

With reference to the recent raid on the Albert Club "Rapier," in tho Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News of December 15th, writes:—"The mischisl of such proceedings as the late raid on the Albert Club is that (be authorities are trying to magnify Into crimes actions which are in do way renugnaufc to the general feelings of tho community. One result of this is to make crime seem less odloue; for if innocent nlen are lumped In with criminals the line of demarcation becomes to a great extent obliterated. Personally thare never been Into the Albert Club— or Into the.Victorla, or any other racing Club—in my life; bub I beb continually, and am thareforo to all intents and purposes,, I suppose, as Iniquitous a criminal as the average moraber of a rac-

ing club. Tho Prime Minister of .Sacland

bets; so does the leader of one of the great '■ furtlet of the Opposition, the Duke of Devonshire; «o does, or at any rate till lately did. the Lord Chief Justice of England. Other judges and taaelstratet do so. (Since the death of poor Montagu Williams ho has been warmly eulogised as "the Poor Man's * Magistrate"; but there was nothing be enjoyed more than a bet, as I know well, fdrl have frequently shared bets with him and done little commissions for him. No loan In the country Iβ more deservedly respected thin Lord Bradford. So im-

. portant a journal as the Standard had a whole column on Moudaj about hi* lord•hip's retirement from the Turf, aud in It .', the writer remark", "On the subject of

> betting Lord Bradford his never enter--I' talned 'fsddUt' notions. Turf apccula- ■ tlon, carried on in the only way in which

. It was possible with him, ha has always

Considered perfectly legitimate, and though never a foolish or reckless bettor,

If he thought lit to support ona of his . borses In the ring for a forthcoming race, ho betted, tta ho did everything else, straightforwardly, resolutely ana judlciontly. Wheu he believed that he had a good chance of success, he emphasised his opinion as long as fair odds were obtainable, but was equally Imperturbable whether ho won or lost.

• • • • • < Well, are we all to be bad up before tho liord Mayor and aubmtbieJ to the ialioleoces of Mr Crawford, tho city toltoitor i-after behiß searched hj the police, daprUcd cf oar raou«j aud watches, and piavlufc notes made of the colour cf our eye* and hair, so that our gaolers w itl bo Hole to recognino ua when we are noxt *' io trouble,"—for picking pockets or «hopilMnp, ae they pretend to anticipate, perhaps ? Thlnß* eesm to be tending this •ray under the enurgetJc direction cf Mr Foha Ilawko; and ye:, when desiring information from absolutely the quarter, I once esked the Lcrd Chief Justice whether b.<ui»g was illegal, ho replied wlthoac hesitation that It was not ao. What can bo aaid for a law which pronounces oue act perfectly legal in oue place, and a psnal if carried oa round the corner f Aa eminent parsonage once declared that "the law was a bass," and surelj the law with regard to betting fully justifies the description. Of course there is no.sort of difllculiy about betting legally. Tho courts have decided that there can be no interference with n man who receive* letter , telcßram<». and tele* phone meueeses at hfo c-nicu from persons who want him to lny ihc odds; but that these- potty por.ccutiu. ', tnstltutcd by the Hawke tribe will prevent the wißcriog cf even ouo solitary half a , aoverdfltn, I do not auppodc they them- ** ftdres believe.