TROTTING FIXTURES.

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 139, 16 June 1927, Page 9

TROTTING FIXTURES.

June 18, SI-^-AucHand T.C.

Some of; the matter' being published relating to' -the Memsahib case and writton by individuals with no knowledge of the facts', is grotesque in its inaccuracy. It is said .that "a little knowledge is a dangerous-thing." In this particular instance it is a case o£ no knowledge at all. One writer naively confesses that he knows nothing about either the Royal Despatch case or that of Memsahib, but the two cases are similar. When nothing is known about two cases naturally they appear alike, while the general result o£ comparing them can be nothing. - • ' Watchman, who figures amongst the acceptors for Haiti lleanee Hack Handicap at Napier Park on Saturday, is a speedy but unsound gelding who has not raced since the; Hawkes Bay Meetings last year. He Yon at Hastings at his first attempt last June after. a very lengthyspell, ■ and was subsequently unplaced three times. Saturday will see his next appearance; R. Reed rode him last year, but he wilt not -be available on Saturday. Great Day, who promised well in the spring, but subsequently■■ disappointed, is to make his debut as a hack hurdler at Napier Parts on Saturday. Gaze was easily the most promising jumper seen out in the early part of last season, but a mishap just prior to the Great Northern Meeting settled him completely, and for a time doubts were expressed W to whether he would ever race again. He;figures in the open flat event at Napier Park on Saturday, and a good deal of interest will te centred in his reSlS eiofcC; W ,L,Murch|on (one time a stipendiary steward m. New Zealand) at; Canterbury Park recently, one •was irresistibly reminded of the old couplet "Whefi the devil was. sick the devil a saint would be; when the devil was well, divil a saint was he" (says the Sydney "Sun"). It is not suggested tor a moment that- the genial Mr. Murchison has any of the ; attributes of his Satanic Majesty; at the same time he is well known to be a "divil" of a punter. Therefore, having congratulated him upon: at ; last having woni with Freddie Q. at Newcastle, it was rather surprising to hear him say, "I didn't have a penny on him. IS seems that Mi-. Murchison was well under the weather with an attack of the flu, and, to use his own words, 'I felt too bad to think about racing.' I'reddie v. has cost Mr. Murchison a small fortune in bets. Notwithstanding the handicappers' exalted ideas of the gelding, his owner repeatedly backed him, only to see him beateh. r The N.J.C. Handicap was the first race he had won m Mr. Murcnison's colours, 'arid' the; £150 ; would not recoup training expenses, leave alone the hundreds spent on him in fruitless bets. ■ Items of interest published, in Australian papers in-regard to the Derby are as follow:—Mi:'^rahk-Cufzon, the owner of Call Boy, has been ill for some time, and though still indisposed, watched the race throughout. He was overcome with excitement all the. time. After the race he went to the course, pale and trembling, to lead in the winner. As he did so he said, emotionally, "It's too good to be true" Eriends, supporting him, assisted him to return. •Mri-Cui-zoniwas,given_ a chair in the stewards' room to enable him to recover before going to receive the King's felicitations. . . .The filly Stampede, who was purchased by the Dowager Marchioness of Queeusberry four <lays before the race, started at a four-figure quotation, which,' ia.a record long price for a Derby candidate.: She.^toiled along behind the rest-of the field and finished a quarter o{ a mile last. The Marchioness, who had not seen the filly before the race, said afterwards, '.'I never .want to see the animal again." . ..The day provided the most severe, test the betting tax^ officials have had'since the new Act came into force. They.daily received a record payment of -.tax. •'"'■'- 1. .> i. ■ In reading through some incidents connected with; the Epsom Derby, the following was;•unearthed:-^-The Derby of 1844 was won by. Running Rein, a horse that after a sensational inquiry was proved to be-a; "rung in" four-year-old, the race being awarded to Orlando. This however, was'not by any means the only scandal associated with that memorable Derby. W. R. Crockford's colt Ratan, one of the finest horses ever seen on the Turf, and owned by an individual bearing the name of "King of Gamblers," was "made safe" the-evening before the race by some 'poisonous "dope," which effectually put>him.hors de .combat. ..This dastardly crunci -broke the heart; of Crockford, who; had .backed the colt to wm an enormous; stake, 'and it is believed the shock hastened ihis death. Moreover, there was another four-year-old in that 1 Derby, lieander, whose fetlock was broken by a kick: from Running Rein just at the start. Leander was shot and buried, but a party of men jwho imspected this was another fraud, dug up the body at dead ■ of night, only to find that the head, where alone the- incriminating evidence could have been discovered, was gone. Yes, those old timers : certainly -rffere a pretty warm lot. :., .. •■: . ■ ■■■•. ■ Regarding the subject of backing horses, it is worthy bf^reiiiark that Admiral Rous was strongly against betting in large sums. He once proposed that any "person" winning more than £30,000 over any race 'should forfeit his winnings, and that any member of the Jockey Club winning more than £50,000 should ipso facto cease to be a member of the club. Of course, these-proposals were rather too drastic; \ moreover, to prove a breach of such rulesj had they been adopted, would have been, extremely difficult, while means of evading them would easily be found.- " Prior to-the, start of the Brisbane Thousand last: rndrith the Queensland Turf Club's stipendiary stewards, acting at Albion Park; rwith the assistance of three officers from the criminal investigation de-

partment,: searched the fourteen riders engaged to steer the Thousand candidates, and then:went through the gear of the

horses saddled up to take part in the race.

Nothing 'of an incriminating nature was discovered; The chairman of the stewards subsequently announced that rumour had

been busy; regarding the use of batteries, and as a; criminal offence might be involved it was decided to invoke the assistance of the criminal investigation department; in the search that was decided upon. It was stated that a week earlier a battery had been found at Albion Park, and apparently that was responsible for the action taken. :

Recently in Pertli Letter of Credit was the subject of an inquiry. An Australian exchange states that no fresh developments have occurred in connection with the case.--;- The W.A.T.C. committee is awaiting information from New Zealand. In the meantime Letter of Credit's nomination will hot be received.