SPORTING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9115, Issue 9115, 11 January 1910, Page 6

SPORTING.

Quite on extraordinary occurrence took place last week in connection with Mr Bidwill's horses. A well-known racing man. who was attending the Wairarapa meeting, received a letter, apparently written by Farmer, Mr B dwul's trainer, telling him that Mr Bidwill was desirous of enterting his horses for several events that are to be deckled at Randwick during the autumn. It went on to explain that the matter was one of some urjpnc.V' and, as a special request on Mr Bidwill s behalf, the recipient was asked to interview a prominent Wellington sportsman, who is in touch with Mr Bidwill s racing affairs, with the object of getting him to fix things up. Thinking there was no time to lose, for the letter hinted ac the date of entry for the events named therein being close at hand, the Wairarapa resident came down to Wellington post haste, arriving by the night train. After making inquiries he ran the W el-lino-ton sportsman already alluded to to earth at his club. It was now 11 p.m., but the matter was gone into at once Cablegrams were written and despatched to the secretary of the A.J.C and. a few extra shillings being neither here nor there in connection with busincs which called for immediate attention a total sum of £3 19s was thus expended Their labours being concluded, the \\ airarapa and the Wellington sportsman parted company, each feeling thoroughly Satisfied that he had done his level oes, for a mutual friend. But then came the denouement. The letter purporting to bo written bv Farmer was not drafted by him at all.' Neither he nor his patron had in fact anv knowledge of it. Both the writer of it and his intentions are equally mysterious. It could scarcely have been'written for fun. for any joke that may be concealed about such an action is not transparent. In view, moreover. A Mr Bidwill's recent loss the time was not opportune for such fooling. Nor could it have been written with the object of giving some bookmaker n chance of knocking some money out ot horses which the writer knew would not be taken to Australia, as Provocations performances at Randwick were too poor to cause anybody to have the slightest inclination to back him. Tribulation, too was entered in long-distance events, amongst others, in which, being a two-vear-old ho was not eligible to compete. The meaning of the whole thing at present remains unintelligible, but Mr Bidwill was naturally very much annoyed, and, after cabling Mr Clibborn the true facts of the case, he lost no time in placing the matter in the hands of the police.