THE TAIERI TROT.

Evening Star, Issue 8084, 7 December 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE TAIERI TROT.

TO THE EDITOR, Sir,—Kindly allow me a few words in reply to your correspondent " Smoker." Ho says Mr M'Kewen deserves credit for his cleverness in detecting a barefaced swindle. Now, Mr M'Kewen did nothing of the kind. If it had not been for the determination of the Taieri Racing Club, the protest would have been withdrawn by Mr M'Kewen. After allowing him a week to get evidence, he came before the club with no evidence, and the case would have fallen through but for the assistance given by Hankins, the rider of Milton's Daisy, who gave evidence which warranted the club in further investigating the matter. From Mr M'Kewen's dilatoriness in the matter it was common opinion that he really wished the protest to fall through. Again, your correspondent "Smoker" says that Shepherdess trotted previously at the Taieri with 65scc start. From this 1 judge that " Smoker" is either wilfully misleading you and your readers, or else he knows nothing about the matter. Shepherdess never ran at the Taieri before. A different mare under the same name ran unplaced several times at the Taieri, and the idea of a " clever division " was to make the public think that Mr M'Kewen's mare was the same animal. Many people thought it was the same old Shepherdess, but it was not, as Mr M'Kewen will admit. According to the rules she should have been nominated as Shepherdess No. 11., so that the public should not bs misled. The public have been misled, the mare's entry has been informal, and according to racing rules Shepherdess is no more entitled to the stakes than Quiz. Mosgiel, December 6. TO THE EDITOB, Sir, —In my last letter, in reference to the above, I made a mistake, which I wish to rectify, viz., that Shepherdess was handicapped by Mr Dowse for the Taieri, whereas I should have said it was at the Kurow. If the bare fact of making a slight mistake in the nomination of a horse would debar him from getting the stakes, then Milton'a Daisy could have been protested against before now. Ido not remember ever seeing Daisy (late Ella) published in any paper or race book. Still, if such a strict interpretation is given of racing law it is imperative to do so. Again, who nominated Milton's Daisy for the Taieri Trot? Does she not belong to Mr Sam Orr ? If so, to be correct, should not the nomination have been Mr S. Orr's Milton's Daisy, late Daisy, late Ella.—l am, etc., Smoker. Dunedin, December 6. [We have received several communications on this subject, but as the matter is likely to engage the attention of a tribunal, we have decided to treat it as sub judice ; wherefore, we shall publish no more letters pending a decision.—Ed. E.S.]