THE TURF.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 4, 5 July 1910, Page 2

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Sir Bedivere.) Even the most optimistic amongst us can scarcely have dared to hope for such an acceptance as was made last night. Eighteen remain in the Steeplechase, and as there is really no good reason why the whole of them should not be seen at the post, a first-class contest is practically assured. The Winter HurSles has done even better, no less thap nineteen of an original entry of twenty-seven have made the further payment. Wimmera's withdrawal comes as no surprise, but Ben Jonson might have been expected at Trontham, as he was very nicely handicapped. Tui Cakobau is another whose presence could reasonably havo been anticipated. The field for the Parliamentary Handicap now numbers eighteen, the most notable defections being St. Aidan and Wauchope, each of whom has recently shown smart form. Sowever, it is ploasing to note that each of the five at the head of the list has stood his ground. Viewed from every standpoint, the position is a thoroughly satisfactory one, and with any luck at all in respect to weather conditions, all previous records with regard to the size of the fields and the quality of the sport are likely to be eclipsed. A most unusual case, concerning the payment of dividends, came before the stewards of the Woodvillo Jockey Club at a special meeting held last Thursday. Shortly put, the facts are these : At the clubs autumn meeting Mrs. Treweek, of Palm'erston North, approached the totahsator and asked for eight tickets on Waitoto, who was engaged in the Whariti Handicap, a race that fell to a rank outsider in Skye. Mrs. Treweek alleges she put the tickets in her bag, and did not discover that she had been given five on Waitoto and three on Skye until later on in the day. On noting this, however, she decided to take the tickets home and consult her husband, acting on whose advice she returned to the course on the second day of the meeting, and presented the three tickets bearing Skye's number for payment. The totahsator proprietors, Messrs. Marrett and Fox, admitted the genuineness of the tickets, but refused to pay out, and the matter was reported to the club's secretary. In giving evidence, Mr. Fox stated that after Skye's success the tickets, as usual, were counted, and having paid out on all that were registered on thfi machine, he could only conclude that three tickets had been issued to Mrs. Treweek in error. Payment thereof was refused on the ground of late presentation. Having considered the pros and cons of the case the stewards resolved: "That the club is of opinion that Mrs. Treweek did not bona fide purchase the tickets on Skye, and that 1-he 'tote' proprietors were justified in declining payment, as the tickets were not presented for payment within one hour after the last race of the day." Now this is all very well, but the question may bo asked what would Mrs. Treweek's position have been had Waitoto proved successful? Would the totalisator proprietor have been prepared to pay her eight dividends or only five? And, if only five, would they have been agreeable to refund the three sovereigns which were represented by the like number of tickets issued in error? Purchasers of totalisator tickets are, of course, expected to see they receive those that are demanded before leaving the window, but many people are careless in this respect. So far as the lady in question is concerned, it may, of course, be fairly contended that she had no moral claim on the five dividends paid in respect to Skye. But there is another way to look at it. Unless certain that she would have been refunded the £3 mistakenly invested on Skye in the event of Skye's defeat, it would teem as if she had no chance to win and every chance to lose, a position which, needless to say, is directly opposed to the very first principles of the ruleß of betting. > The Martian— Nantes filly Martyre has so far proved an expensive bargain to Mr. S. Nettlefold, who, it will be remembered, paid Mr. C. G. Dalgety 1250 guineas for her last spring. A lot of money was lost upon her when she ran second to a rank outsider in Gold Cord, recently, and at the last meeting at Caulfield she again let her connections down badly. This time she was sent out a very hot favourite for the Minook Two-year-old Handicap, in which, however, she gave a most disappointing display, and finished no nearer than eighth. The race was won veiy easily by a half brother to Dyed Garments, in Bostra, to whom Martyre was conceding 141b, and once again the despised Gold Cord, who finished second, got home in front of the Martian filly. Though Aiartyre may, of course, have been a bit off colour, her form only goes to sunoprt the contentions of those who maintain that really good two-year-olds have been conspicuously absent in New Zealand this season> for when she Left these shores she was generally regarded as being right among the first-nighters. In the event above named, a colt called Camballo fell, and his rider complained to the stewards that H. Cairnu, who was up on Marfeyre, had interfered with his mount. After holding an enquiry, however, the stewards found that the falling of Camballo was purely accidental.