TROTTING TALK.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9325, 28 January 1896, Page 2

TROTTING TALK.

[By Honesty.] It will bo seen that the North Island Trotting Association now say they will disqualify all horses trotting at meetings not held tinder the rules of the North Island Association. The Wellington Trotting Club and other clubs in that district have an association of their own, and will have nothing to do with the N.I. Association, sines it includes the Auckland Trotting Club, disqualified under the Canterbury Metropolitan Association Rules, and the Palmerston North Club, which body allowed the mare Roseleaf, disqualified by the Wellington T.A., to run at one of its meetings. Tho Taranaki Trotting Association is another North Island body, and a strong and wellcomlncted institution, not in accord with the N.I.T.A. ; so it seems that trotting affairs in the North are in au unfortunate state. The Wellington Trotting Association would not allow any of tho horses that competed at tho recent meeting of the Palmerston North Club to take part- at the Wellington and Johnsonville Clubs' meetings under pain of disqualification, so I presume the N.I. A. now intend some sort of retaliation. This is the result of the mysterious disappearance of that Edwards' disqualification telegram to tho Auckland T.C., and the action of this somewhat notorious trotting organisation. Trotting owners must bo sick and tired of tho whole affair. It is to bo hoped, for the sake of trotting interests, that tho matter will soon be looked squarely and fairly in the face and all personal motives put on one side. Both Mis 3 Mac and Manuka, the winners of the trottinsc events on the first day of the Gore R.C.s Meeting, put up good performances. The former maintained a 2.47 gait in the three miles event, and the other went at a 2.45 rate for the mile and a-half. Wildwood having completed his stud season will be put into work, and with that object has joined his owners' team at New Brighton. Sacramento has returned from Ashburton to Middle Park after having completed a good season. During a week in November in the city of New York not less than 500 trotting bred horses were disposed of, and when it ie considered that the average price on thie entire lot was nearly £60, it would seem that there was plenty of food in the facts for the comfort of horse breeders. How true are the following words from the San Francisco Breeder and Sportsman :— No matter how great a driver, how nicch influence he may have, how much money he may possess, how strong his stable of campaigners, if the man is given to crookedness he ia a dangerous person, and the trotting turf is a great deal better off without him. To be pointed, such a man is more dangerous and can do more to injure legitimate horse racing on account of his qualities and influence than a score or more of smaller fry, be they as crooked &3 Dossible. The well-known authority, Mr Hamlin, in the course of a recent interview, made the following remarks :—" You have noticed have you not, what a large proportion of troltera are taking to pacing. The secret of it is that the trotting gait nurts them. It is the knee-up, spank action that tells on them —the continued shock on the same musclfis, and they change to the pace for relief. The pace is a much easier gait, and is faster, on the average, in my opinion, than the trot, by two seconds to the mile. lam not in favour of starting very young animals and I believe the practice has ruined mjiny of the most promising animals. I think it wiU be found that nearly all of them were knocked out by the forcing process."

T>. Price returned from Victoria a short timo back, and has taken up his residence at lu3 old home, Aahburton. Ho brought with him from the other side a number of trotting horses, one being Prinoe Imperial, a son of Princess, who has several wins to his credit. As previously stated, the Groymouth Trotting Club camo out with a handsome balance over the last meeting, and, provided a totaliaator permit can be procured, a second gathering will be held this season. It is nob too much to say that the present satisfactory position the olub finds itself in is entirely due to the energetic way in which the secretary, Mr R. C. Hungerford, has engineered the affairs. It ie very probable that in future the meetings will be hold on the racecourse, which, if somewhat far removed from the town, has many compensating advantages over the Park ground. For one thing, the traok now used is too narrow to permit of wheel races, and with such a programme ia very much more attractive. The Lake County Trotting Club stewards had to hold enquiries over both the trotting events at the recent meeting. Rugby, who won the first race, was protested against on the allegation that he was identical with Silverwood, the old grey whoso latest appearance in Canterbury was when he boat La Rue in tho Maiden Handicap at Lancaster Park. The stakes were held over pending full inquiries, but the totalizator money was ordered to be paid out on the following day. When the second event came on for decision, a notice wa , posted warning investors that should Ragby again succeed the totalisator money .would be impounded. This was unnecessary, as the winner tarnsd up in Lcra, who for crossing was disqualified, Albatross, on whom ao

money had bsen invested, being awarded the stake. In the Mile Trot at tho Gore meeting last weak J.H. started before his time and won, and his rider, R. Taggart, was fined =>5 and the race ordered to be run again, waen Gaiety won. , The nominations for the Tahuna Far* meeting number 185, as again3t 164, last year. Wellington and Canterbury are represented as well as Southland. The Americans are taking thsir c inking mare Nightingale, who has lowered all their records and it is said can stay any distance, to England. [By Spectator.] Quite a large number of two-year-olds are in regular work for the Juvenile Stakes to be decided in May under the auspices of the Canterbury Trotting Club. It is reported that several of tho youngsters are showing satisfactory quarters and half-mile goes. There will, "in all probability, be a good race. It ha 3 been suggested that a short limit two-year-old handicap on tho second day at the" meeting would take well. "Ringing in" case 3 seldom occupy the attention of the trotting club 3of Canterbury, aa-.i are less likely to do so m future judging from the way 'in which the two cases recently before the local clubs of Plumpton Park and New Brighton have been disposed of. Here-I-Go, the winner of the Maiden Plate at the Summer Meeting of the Plumpton Park Club, it turns out trotted in another name in Australia and wa3 brought to New Zealand by a well-known Sydney horse dealer. The nominator and owner produced documentary and other evidence that he purchased thc t gelding in Tattersall's yards, and he also tendered in evidence the man who put. the horse in the yard and who stated that he exchanged a mare he had for the gelding, receiving also £10, but sold the gelding, which he considered of littlo value, ii. MeCormack becoming the purchaser. The name and residence of ths previous owner, however, was not disclosed. Ths club on the other hand «btained evidence of the arrival of the horse from Sydney and such further testimony as to hi 3 identity as to satisfy them beyond doubt that the horse was wrongfully entered, and they have made an example, a3 related last week, of the nominator and rider, and a witness who misled them. It i 3 generally thought that they have not got all the parties connected with the swindle.

The Bilbah case is perhaps the first of the kind that has been brought to light. Bilbah has been known in Canterbury for some time, but seven or eight months ago was purchased by H. Wright, a Woolston resident. The grounds of the protest were that Bilbah had been taken to Wellington by one Yates, also a Woolston resident, and had won a race in the name of Fagan at Wellington, and this was very conclusively proved by witnesses who had seen the horse run. Though only one of the witnesses was prepared to go before a Justice of the Peace and swear to the identity of the horse, others were morally certain the horse wn.3 one and the same. Other 3 took advantage of their knowledge that they could not be compelled against their will to make any statutory declaration, by declining to do so. Wright was given every chance of showing, if he could do so, that" the witnesses were mistaken, two adjournments being granted. He wan distinctly told that the evidence was against him, and that he had better try and produce Fagan, and the seriousness of his position was pointed out to him. Yates was written to for information as to the whereabouts of Fagan and told of the trouble that might result to Wright if that horse was not produced. Yates' reply was that he had sold Fagan and did not know his whereabouts. The name of tho buyer avos not given nor of the person from ■whom he purchased Fagan; indeed, no assistance was given to the club or to Wright in the matter. Wright waa positive that the horse could not possibly have left his possession for a few days without him knowing it, and on this point he was repeatedly questioned, but when asked if ha would go before n, JusticD of the Peace aud swear that Eilbah was not Fagan, he declined to do so, and perhaps it is as woll to give his own words. Here they are :—"I have told you all I know. I will not swear that Bilbah is not Fagan, but let anyone else do so and I will make it hot for them." Wright was pressed to make the declaration, but declined several time 3, and was then told by more than one of the stewards sitting on tho case that hi 3 refusal had removed any doubt that existed in their, minds, and he was asked to withdraw. Bsfore doing so, he asked the stewards if they had any money on the racs, when all present stated that they hail no interest in the race, and expressed their willingness to take ah oath if that would satisfy Wright. As it has been common talk that all tho stewards backed Lady Agnes, it is only fair to say that thoso who sat on the case denied having dons so. It was finally decided, with but one dissenting voice, " that having carefully reviewed tho evidence this meeting has come to the decision that Bilbah and Fagan are one and the same horse, and that Bilbah be disqualified for ever; that H. Wright bo disqualified during the pleasure of ths club, and particular stress be laid on the fact, that Wright declines to swear that Bilbah is not Fagan." The secretary was instructed to let the Wellington Trotting Club have a copy of the evidence and the correspondence. It was then decided that investors on Biibah receive their money back less 10 per cent., and that Messrs ilobba and Goodwin be instructed to pay out the dividend on Lady Agnes. This amounts to £3 2s for each £1 ticket.