OTAGO.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9515, 7 September 1896, Page 2

OTAGO.

Dcsedts, August 31. The regular meeting of the D.J.C.'s Committee was held on Thursday evening. Present:—Messrs Stephenson (in the chair), Solomon, Taggart, Maclean, Goarley, Short, Millar, Dawson, Fleming, Cook, and Meenan. The sub-committee reported having instructed Mr Barr to prepare plans and specifications for the formation of the new course at Wingatui. A petition was received from about thirty jockeys asking the D.J.C. if they would give notice to add to the roles of racing the following ;~' : Xoat.

if any owner or trainer refuses to psy any jockey foes due to him for riding, suoli jockey shall have the right to appeal to the stewards of r -y club where the rules of racing are in 1- - and slop such owner or trainer from starting his horso until (ho fc;s are paid." It was decided that the club cannot sea its way to recommend the adoption of the proposed rule. A letter was received from the Colonial Secretary giving the list of tolalisator licenses granted to clubs in the Otago districts, by which it appeared that the following clubs have been struck out of thTj list of those which had permits last season, and for which the D. J.C. applied for licenses: —Roxburgh, St. Bathans, and Wairio Racing CUilw. It was resolved—"That bookmakers and 'tote' bettorsbe not admitted to the Hunt Club Meeting." The following were passed as amateur riders :—A. E. Ward, Thomas Harley, L. C. Hazlett, Thomas Leedham. The following were placed on the unpaid forfeit list for entry fees due :—On account of the Ri vert on Club; J. Olgie, Rakahura, £2 15s ; T. Ryder, Gipsy Prince, £1 15=!; W. Duncan, Craighead, 15s ; H. Tel ford, Reuben, 15s. On account of the Vincant Club : J. Pyrke, Dan, £1; J. Williams, Songster, £2 ; J. Kingston, Nancy Lee, £2. The breeding of the Trident filly has? now come to hand, and it appears she is from Ruth, by Crown Prince from Rsrprplum, by Old England from imported Cassia, by Sweetmeat. My first picks for the Hunt Clul» Races are :—lnvader or Danrlonald for the Hunters' Hurdles, Captive or Hippomenes for the Kensington Handicap, Van Buren o» "victim for the Shorts, Nat or Bolmont for the Winter Hurdles, Robin or Dundonald for Hunt Cup, Captive or Stimulant for the Welter, and Creeping Jane or Gordon for the Trot. Casket will not start for the Kensington Handicap, his owner averring that he is dissatisfied with the weights. Another of the horses handicapped by Mr Dowse is also out of it, Dunmore, owned by Mi , T. McKay, dying suddenly on Friday morning. He had just finished a brisk canter, winch was intended as a prelude to a sweat, when blood was seen to he issuing from his mouth. The trainer got him home as quickly as possible, and ten minutos later the horse died in his box. was by Dnntroon out of Envy, and about eiglifc years old. In picvlous seasons he was useful at up-cauntry m 23 tings. Everybody is sorry for McKay, who not long ago lost Argonaut through an accident. Nothing fresh has cropped up during the week in regard to negotiations which are alleged to be proceeding with the object of retaining the Forbury for the D. J.C. Complaints reich my ears that the system of owners' permits for training is being largely abused throughout Otago. The D.J.C., as will be seen above, has declined to give jockeys the right of appeal against owners where riding fees are in arrear ami get their horses stopped at the scales. I understand that the committee considered that to act as requested would bo to interfere to a perilous and inadvisable extont with the relations of master and servant. No doubt there is something in this, but the lads ought to have some remedy as against owners who can pay and won't. Work at the Forbnry has been considerably interfered with during the week by wet weather. I went out on Saturday morning and saw Lord ,St. Oimla, Emineline, Lady Somnus, Nat, Captive, Ulster, Decoy, Pitch and Toss, and a few others do exercise, which consisted of halfpace galloping on the very muddy middle track outside the plough. All our horses are keeping well, but there is nothing fresh to report. • s Canterbury and Otago owners have sent in satisfactory nominations for the chief handicaps at the Dunedin Spring Meeting. The total for the four events, of which the Otago Cup is the chief, is ninety-eight, or eight more than last year, and those who are booking horses for the New Zealand Cup will he pleased to see included the names of some horses such as Chaos, Saracen, Euroclydon, and others, evidence being, thus supplied that they are doing well.