OTAGO.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9944, 25 January 1898, Page 2

OTAGO.

[Fbosj Ocr DuNBDiN Correspondent.] Another dispute arose at Roxburgh on New Year's Day. Ivy 11. finished first in the mile and a half race, but broke in coming to and passing the poet, and the judge gave the race to Patience, the stewards endorsing the decision, from which the owner said he intended to appeal. The form displayed in the trots at Wyndham may. be disregarded. Many of the competitors gave up trying very early in their races, and the endeavour seemed to b# to finish last. The local paper says in regard to the Cromwell meeting :—So many trottera were entered who were all so anxious to come in last instead of first, that public opinion revolted and showed its appreciation of the position of affairs by boycotting the machine, The paucity of investments on the trots on the machine is as pointed an object lesson against this class of sport, as carried on at the meeting, as possibly could be taught. The moral of the lesson thus forcibly given is that, in future, owners of trotters will have to choose betAveen atraight running or else stand by and see every trot swept from our race programme altogether. The owner who protested against Sandy, the winner of the first day's saddle trot at Southland, obtaining the stakes on the ground of alleged variation of form, applied afterwards for the refund of the £2 he deposited, the protest not having been sustained. It was decided to decline the request. Kirlon did not state to the Tahuna Club what the subject of hie appeal vo the Association was, and he seems to have practically abandoned the appeal, since he brought forward no evidence in support of it. Many people here think that if he had gone to any trouble in the matter he could have made a fair case for reversing the club's decision. The jostling is by no means universally' assented to, and some hold the view that in any case the club should have called evidence before upholding the appeal on behalf of Leo. As a matter of fact the Rex people had no opportunity of making a defence.