RACING

North Otago Times, Volume CI, Issue 13235, 5 March 1915, Page 3

RACING

VICTORIA RACING- CLUB.

( Per Onble. —Presa Association,—Copyright)

Received March .4, at 7 Ji.m. ',"■' "'MELBOURNE,, March 4. ' Flemirigton Hurdles—Wisconsin 1, Van Homvoigh 2, Chess 3, Nine started, 'Won''by four lengths. Time,-ft min 461se'e.' CM'Lloyd Stakes.—Trnquette .'l, .Toll)' Beggar 2; Mountain Knight 3, Philio arid Blnguo also started. Traqueftc immediately took tho lend,, and was 1 never headed. Won easily by a length, third horso half a length nway. Time, limit 39scc. Autumn Handicap—Onnzcr 1, Attdrn 2, Abbey Craig 3, Diabolo also started. The pace was very slow for the first 'seven furlongs, Abbol Craig lending. OnsUer mndo his run at tho distance, find wpu easily by hnlf n length, : a neck separating second and third. (Time 2min (541 sec. • Nursery Stakes—Thraso 1, One 2, Karl 3. Won by a head. Time, Imin liispc. Loch ,Pla,te—Hayston I, Land of Snug 2, Cnrlitn 3. Also'ran: Pistol King, . There was no pace till half a mile from home, where Hayston led by three lengths, Cnrlitn being three lengths in front of tho others. Rounding tho turn Land of Song, hard ridden, passed Carlita, but failed to dlsplaco Hayston, who won by a neck, Carlita f our ..lengths away. Time, 3min 411 sees, •River Handicap-Wallachia 1, Burrinjiick LV Fidelo 3, Twelve started, Won by a length. Time 2min Bsec.

Received March 4, at 8.10 p.m. MELBOURNE, March 4, At Flemington the weather was beautiful, and there was the average crowd. People looked for keen racing in the wcight-for-age rnces, and got more surprises than they bargained for. The C. M. .Lloyd Stakes was regarded as a gift for Mountain Knight, the only other horse attracting attention being Jolly' Beggar, whose form was good. Traquette went away with a dash and was never caught. A' performance more pronounced was the Loch Plate, but the first case was won on merit, In the other the jockeys on Carlita and Land of Song, when finishing, were caught napping, Hayston'increasing his lead while the other two were watching each other. Hayston was loudly cheered, Onazer'"s race was regarded as a foregone conclusion after his performance on the first day. DANNEVHRKE RACING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING, DANNEVIRKE, March 3. The Dannevirke Racing Club's autumn meeting opened to-day in brilliant weather. The course was on the hard side, and this accounted for n fair number of scratchings throughout the day, The sum of £10,307 was put through the machine as compared with .Cli>,o6f) on the corresponding day last vear. Results:—

■' Maiden Plate, of 75 sovs; wight Sst; five furlongs:—s Irish Fusilier (W. Kvnu), 1; 1 Blacking, 2; .1 Rongora, 3. 12 Lord Laddo, « Holywell, 0 Purseform, C Sinorn, 4 Admiral Beatty, 7 Traze/.icno, 10 Cherry and Black, 11 Kawarau, 2 Goldbearing, .14 Mobilisation, and ■ .1.1 Bonny Jem also started. Won by half a length. Time, liuin 2 2-5 see. Tahornita Hack Welter, of 100 sovs; seven furlongs:—l Want, 8,8 (B. Deelev) 1; 4 Cherry Blossom, 7.12, 2; 2 Lubrilino, !).:!, 1 » Whakahoki 8.9, 5 Miralmn 8.4, 7 Danger Signal 7.11, and I!' flihgey 7.11 also started. Won by a long heck;' two lengths between second and third. Time, 55see, •

Nursery Handicap, of 120 sovs; four furlongs' and n-half:-l Dribble, 7.12 (L. Wilson) l;3Sicily,7.4,2;2Loreto S.C, 3. 5 Flying Spur 7.7, 4 Bronk Bolaval 7.7, (i Carrilon 7.4, 8 Marioia 7.4, 7 Spain 7.4, and fi Tall Mall fi.l2, also started. Dribble and Sicily had the race to themselves, the former winning by a length; two lengths between second and third. Time, liiiscc, Dannevirkc Cup, of 300 sovs; one mile and a-half:-2 Multiply, 8.3 (B. Deeley) 1; 1 Sunbird, 7.5, 2; 7 Ivinbomhi, 7.7, .1. 5 Midnight Star 8.3, Imarose 7.8, 0 Kiwitapu 6.3, and 4 Invader (i,7, also started, Won by a length; Sunbird just beating Kinbombi, who finished very fast; Imarose fourth. Time, 2min .".Usee.

Hack Handicap Hurdles, of 100 sovs; one mile and throe-quarters:—2 Ascalon, 0,11 (A. Ward) 1; 1 Merry Guy, 10.0, 2.4 Golden Water 10.fi, and 3 Composed 9.13, also started. At the third hurdle Golden Water fell, bringing down Composed. Ascalon .won by a length. Time, .'linin 22sec. J. O'Council, rider of Composed, sustained a broken collarbone, and wfls removed from the course in tho ambulance. Composed broke his back, and died, Electricllack Handicap, of 100 sovs; six furlongs:—l Multiplicity, 8.5 (B, Deeley) 1;S The Nile, 7.0,'2; 4 Ladv Daylesford, 7.4, 3. 2 Miss Kelly 8.3, 3 Improve 8.10, 5 Lady Teazle 7.4, Ii Sir Moutoa 7.0, and St. Omer 7.0, also started. Won comfortably by half a length; two lengths between second and third. Time lmin 14Jsec. Tamaki Welter, of 150 sovs; one mile and 50yds.—S.BIackall, 7.3 (L. Wilson). 1; 0 Perhaps, 7.11,2; ii Monologue, p. 13, 3. 2 Despatch Carrier 10.0, 1 Jem 0.10, 4 Lady Moutoa 8.1, and 7 Instep 7,11, also started, Won by n head; half ! a length between second and third, Time lmin 4Gsee, MakirikiiT Hack Handicap, of 110 sovs; seven furlongs:—2 Want, 8.4 (B. Deeley) 1; 1 Nightshade, 7,13, 8; 3 Suratura, 8.5, 3.5 Lady Nolan 7.13, and U Melodist. 7.8, also started. Won by a neck; half a length between second and third, Time, lmin 29$ sec,

TOTAMSATOIt FRAUDS.

INGENIOUS METHODS. Word is to hand from Wanganut that /both the Jockey Club and Trotting Club were swindled extensively at their recent meetings by means of faked totalisator tickets, the amount involved running into £SOO or £OOO. Ever since the introduction of the totalisator into New Zealand frauds have been perpetrated on it, but never to such an extent as in the caso under notice. By many the totalisator is dookcd upon as fair game in tho matter of spoliation; indeed, many a racegoer who would scorn to do anything croolced in tho ordinary courso of business has no scruple in exploiting the autoSialic dispenser of odds, No doubt there is a foundation for this sharpness associated with the dim and distant past, whoif totalisators were proprietary affairs, or woro run by privato individuals on a percentage basis. All whose experience of racing extends to those times, will remembor the suspicion in which the totnljsator" was held by many racegoers. And it must be admitted that tho suspicion was not altogether illfounded, Nigh on a qtlartcr of a century ago 'the writer remembers being, presont a small meeting held within ri few miles *of Christchurch,, nnd wit-; nessing, h, riot ;f;hat looked like resulting, in' tbef wrecking , of the hotting mnchfpes. tjio ~rnce under notice a rank outsider! preyailod, and many who. were interested r in tho ■ result ■ Affirmed that pn*th<J cessation of,betting—-for at oiv was imm'c t (li'gteiy ; i's.nowji : on the horseto; hum'Ver^Wjfnvest)nmt:.h4d;^cn|:n!(&db;;6n' Hhii:u)}|mat;brTvinjier. Yo;t!bn ,'^'-iKe^Ac^u^ : H;-WA9^:£buhd;t^at4. : Eibl^■

tary l hivc.«lt)|i'e,iit n'jfyji iccoiij]h]}%niust the wiiinei's naiiio', and tho * Inference diawn was'that' the totnlisntor piopiie* tor had made it during; tho progress" of 1 the raee.-When faetk, bo«: came: public property tlioro;.;w»ij' a tor-; riblo hubbub, for'; thp'Muvpstprs,^W tending that as no'' ticket;. hn'iV j been 1 shown on thp. winner whon/thb..raco. started, Ui.ciV'investments sh.pu.jd.be■•rot turned; as was. tlib'usual custom in smli raro happonings. Whoiij.'matters, looked really serious, an official,, aiiiipni)<jed that a mistake .hod b.e.en,mai}e, aiid.tljat all the investments, would bo .returned'' to ticket holders, J ' It was an incident such as,this-that gavo rise,to,a lot'of distrußtin investors' minds,', mid no doubt originated tho idea; stilb in existciico,in some.minds, that the machino'ds fair gain? to be shot at whenever possible, ■■>':. No System Flawless. • ' : "'

■ In later years the'mftjority of cliilis, ran their qwii't'otalisator arrangements,, and, as explained.in' a 1 "Sun" article last, month, the "system generally adopt-; cd is so v perfect as to pinko fraiid rilniosi impossible. But even so, no system is quite (lawless to the master mind, as, many clubs liavo'fbnjid to their disadvantage. As'the majority of racegoers' know, totalisator tickets are numbered consecutively, and also, bear the number of the race ,on '.which they liro, issued, printed in large . letters across their face. As a-further safeguard, a ■ code word is stamped on each one issued by tho selling clerk* which combination, of letters is unknown to them uijtil, their duties" on each race commence. It, is not a veiy difficult matter to,propar| genuine lokbing. tickets, but qnlto aiir other matter for a! woukl-bG, exploiter to forgo the correct code wprt], ; Even so, this has been done, for .'it* must, be remembered that .anyone of- an enterprising turn of mind could purchase, the first ■ ticket issueibon several Worses, and then have .nearly a hour.; iniwhich to manufacture a code wordslampi Oi' course the fraud would be discovered by the officials when the tickets subsequently came to be compared with tho selling blocks, but too-late to stop the dividends being paid out on.the forgeries, .

Gathering up the Discank Another plan that has been found, to work successfully is.that adopted by some ingenious minds of gathering all the discarded tickets at the.meetings they attend, and keeping them till the winning ticket corresponds,Jjoth.in code word and number with ausulwequeut winner. This dodge was worked only' a few- weeks ago at a North Island meeting, with the result that tho totalisator ! staff paid out two tickets too many on a double-figure dividend,

Worked in, Collusion. . 11l a chat the ■writer hart with several tolalisatov experts, as to hnw "tote" frauds are usually, worked, the general opinion expressed was that in' a minilicr of eases .thorp must he collusion between the perpetrators and some of the totalisator staff. Instances of such ft happening are on record, and, its is always the ease nowadays, it is those who run the machine and not the public that lmve to put up with tlio loss. Not |nany years ago a selling clerk at a metropolitan meeting adopted the ingenious dodge of practically "laying the favourites" by selling a lot of tickefs on them that he dirt not account for in iiis returns. Fortunately for liim his judgment or luck stood to him, but it will he a long time before he enters a totalisator house again. Tire latest fraud has naturally caused a good deal of perturbation in totalisator circles, but when the method by which it has been worked comes to 'be discovered, steps will at once be taken to safeguard against its further practice. ■ ' , . TEMPTER, in the Sun.