EDITED BY “BUFF AND BLACK.”

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1157, 4 May 1894, Page 22

EDITED BY “BUFF AND BLACK.”

Outside peoplo who only take a slight interest in racing matters would bo surprised if they only knew of the great amount of private betting that is done over various race meetings in some of the big centres. If a metropolitan gathering is in progress of course the betting assumes a somewhat extensive character, but even ou paltry meetings that an ordinary race-goer would not trouble his head about there are often hundreds Avon and lost. An owner may hare a sweet little thing in pickle for a certain race, and send his money away to outside metallicians, who aro always willing to do a little business that way. On occasion, however, they won’t havo the order if it is too “ hot,” so to speak, and the owner has co go without his full commission. Often a horse pays eight or ten pounds, and if the layer has to pay out on, say, twenty-five pounds’ worth, ho does not care much for his part of the performance. Often, though, large commissions are received and the horses don’t come off, so the metallieian manages to get even that way. I think he in the long run gets a trifle more than even with an ever backing public. There are people who back on every race meeting going -not because they have plenty of money to do it with, but because they are not blessed with a superabundance of cash, and would like to make a rise. The rise is generally found to be in his business accounts, which are perhaps not always paid. Young fellows, who really cannot afford it, generally seem to fcrape a pound, or oVeu half a sovereign, together to back what they deem to bo a sure thing, or else a horse they have been consistently losing on, in the hope that ho will turn up trumps and repay them what he owed them over past non-successes. They back horses for a variety of reasons, and never seem to be able to let it .alone. Women, too, get infected with the mania, and always like to have their trifle ou. They do not, as a rule, waste much cash in this particular respect, but they, especially on a racecourse, often are foolish enough to back three or four horses. Many men do the same thing, but that does not matter. They soon find out that they must lose their money, as only one horse can win, and they then bet in a common - sense manner. The gambling question is a peculiar one in every respect —a great deal could bo written about it and a lot told by a versatile writer of racecourse incidents, winning and losing backers and the noble anny of “ mugs.”

I hear that Rosefeldt (Nordcnfeldt — Rose d’Amour) is to bo put over sticks. She will make a good jumper, and, as she is as sound as a bell, ought to havo a victorious career.

pjPerkiu, who has been winning down South, originally cost .£B.

Merganser is in work again. She strides along with her old greyhound-liko freedom, and nothing troubles her.

Silver, winner of the Awaliuri Stakes at Foxton, could havo been had not long ago for a tenner.

Needlegun and Meteoro (Castor —Meta) aro being brushed along very smartly at Hastings. Their trainer is probably doing this in order to havo a bit of condition on them if wot weather comes on.

Searchlight has not been worked since taken to Hastings, a spell being given the daughter of Iris.

Prairie Grass has been turned out.

Mr A. Portland,” owner of Pinrose, has secured the filly by Quilt —Uira, bought by D. Donovan at the last To Mahanga sale. She has been turned out. I think she is worth four times the 22 guineas originally given for her.

Wilberforce, the sire of Haven, died at Hastings the other day.

Mr|ll. Limmer has a nice foal at Hastings by Dreadnought out of his hack mare Grace Darling.

Prairie Grass and Lady Somnus havo been scratched for all engagements at the Town and Suburban Race Meeting.

Aphony is engaged at Taradale in an event or two, but I think ho is green yet. He is a full brother to Pasha.

Goosander is bowling along again at Hastings. She ought to pay her way next season.

I hear that Mr W. Douglas is going to do away with his racing stables at Hastings and soli off his stock, with the exception of a few, which ho will havo trained at To Mahanga station.

Lottie, tlio Aucklander, although she shows scarcely any white marks, is out of a piebald mare.

Derringer (Musket —Rosalie) looks halo and hearty. He served 35 Wairarapa mares last season.

••• * j Old Scot Free is the progeny of a stock marc.

There have been enquiries sent to Karamu about the price of Midas (full brother to Merrie England), but no business has resulted.

Lady Somnus, the Hastings two-year-old, has been turned out.

Pinrose, who has won <£l4oo in stakes, is to be given a spell. I see ho baa boon accepted with for two events at Wanganui, though.

Norton, tlio Southern chaser, looks in very good nick just now.

Mr McKinnon takes Scot Froo back to Auckland with him. Loch Ness will be left in charge of J. Maher at Hastings.

Kaimanawa came a cropper when jumping the other day, and'could not come down to the Wellington meeting.

Melinite has not yet quite recovered from the spill she got while jumping.

I heard privately that Whalebone has gone wrong. His name appears in the Wanganui acceptance list, though.

Meteoro, Mr Gaisford’s chestnut, will turn out a fine three-year-old.

The Otaki Club aro to bo congratulated on tlio excellent nominations they havo received for their next mooting.

Mutiny, the Auckland hurdle winner, who recently suffered from a strange thing —stoppage of the blood —is in work again.

The high-priced Mosqvtut.uro (Nordenfeldt —Frailty), who cost Mr (101 l an 2050 guineas, but who could not be raced in Australia, is in work again. It is very unlikely that his legs will stand it, though.

Mr Collan arrives from Australia in a fortnight.

• * * * . >.» Pumau may not go to Australia after all.

Kempenfcldt (Nordenfeldt—Bianca) will never be able to race.

The Wellington Steeplechase, decided this week, was won in 1885 by Mr W. Dennett’s Faugh-a-Ballagh (by Dainty Ariel), who carried lOst 4lb and boat Orient, lOst 2lb, Erebus, Berrington, King Arthur, Romeo and Fair Fly. King Arthur unseated O'Connor, who remounted, and Romeo hit an obstacle heavily and fell. There was a great race home, but Erebus hit the last hurdle. Faugh-a-Ballagn beat Orient by a length. On the same day Ngatitoa won the Selling Hurdles, paying £5 2s, Erebus the Local Hurdles, paying £5 12s, and Faugh-a-Ballagh the Trial Steeple, which was run before the big event.

In 1886, Denbigh, by the Painter, carrying list 51b, and her trainer (A. Eilingham), boat Secretary, by Tekoa, Vic-

tor, by Maimion, and a fow others. Denbigh only won by a neck. It was a good race, the first five being all close together at the finish. The dividend was jB4. Victor-, won the Selling Hurdles, Orient the Hurdles, and Halicoro the Trial Steeple, paying £6 13s.

The following year saw another Hawke’s Bay horse, in Mr J.Rollo’s Echo, get home, beating Mr Donnelly’s Mangaliaome, who had list 41b, and winning on the post. The dividend was .£ll. Orient was third. The other starters were Belle, Secretary, Victor, Mammoc, Kangaroo, Erebus and Maywood. Kangaroo and Erebus came down. On the same day Zulu beat Owhaoko in the Trial, paying £4 10s, and Kangaroo won the Hurdles, paying £7 10s.

In 188 S, Mr J. Leopold’s Kangaroo, by The Mute, carrying lOst 101 b, beat Mr ■Williamson’s Artist (The Painter—Mab), Denbigh, Chemist and Waitangi. Denbigh came on her nose at the furze, and lost soveral lengths. Kangaroo got homo by two lengths, and paid £5 Is. Waitangi was last. Orlando won the selling ovont, paying £6 Os. Lcnoro (Meiskot Mis 3 Laura) paid £5 15s, and Rufus £2 18s in events which they won. Shillelagh paid £26 13s in the Hurdles. Oddfellow (late Silver King) got home in the Trial, but came to grief at the water jump. Four others refused the furze, and Te Ngamu turned a clean seven at the sod wall. Ho was remounted, but refused the next obstacle. Hundreds of people got around the jump, and neither Oddfellow nor To N«'amu would go over, Redmond, on the first named, persuaded his animal to go over at last, and he won. A horse named Rata raced home second, five minutes after Oddfellow had weighed in all right.

Rossiter, by May King, out of a Painter mare, won the Steeple for Mr A. Bell in 1889, carrying 9st 3lb and Cameron in the saddle. Kangaroo, ridden by Poll, was second, and the old cart-horse Panic third. The other starters were Oceolo, Louis, Ariel, Don, Right Bower, Defamer, Doctor and Owhiti. The last-named and Right jBo-vor fell, Ariel ran off, Orient camo to grief, Don came down at the gorse, then Defamer wa3 put out ot it. Rossiter won by half a dozen lengths, and paid £2B 13s. Defamer bolted into the swamp and had to be pulled out. Clarice paid £lO in the Selling Hurdles, and Kahu won the Ladies’ Bracelet.

In 1890 the winner turned up in old Orient, who carried lOst 41b, Sir Maurice being second and Doctor third. The other starters wore Darnley (who afterwards went to Australia), Gladius, Gasparini, Waipipi and The Tonkey. Darnley came down at the first fence, Gladius baulked, and The Donkey and Gasparini fell later on in the race. Orient got home by six lengths, and paid £3 18s. On the same day, Raven (by Fleur do Lys—Lady Little) won the double of Selling and Handicap Hurdles. Leonardo won the Bracolet for Mr Gollan, and the high-weight event was appropriated by Angler.

Tho year following saw a great race between. Mr Mcßae’s SVhalebone, who was then four years old, and Mr Richards 000, both having the same weight in the saddle. They ran past the post locked together, and tho judge declared it a dead heat. Darnley was third. Tho other starters were Ahua, Oceola, Kangaroo, Gladius, Otaiori, Rough and General Gordon. Ocaieri, Gladius and General Gordon came to grief at tho first fence. Ahua was last and Whalebone first. The gorso was fatal to Rough’s chance. Whalebone had a lead of three lengths in the straight when going for home, but 000 disputed every inch of the ground and got up near tho post. Darnley was, lengths away, third, Kangaroo fourth, Ahua next and Oceolo last. Ahua ran in a most disappointing manner. Whalebone paid £G 03 and Oeo £2 19s. The Hurdle Race resulted in a surprise, Ival, who belonged to Mr Golian, beating Oaklands, Pyraraus, Sentinel, Master Agnes, Couranto, Christmas, Theorem, Blue Mountain and Kimberley, and paying .£lB 10s. Jet d' Eau also won a race, and paid £8 83, and Chester got home in tho Trial Steeplechase.

Mr McAlister’s Ingorangi, by Both well, and ridden by A. Williams, with lOst 71b up, took the steeplechase money to Auckland in 1892, when the disappointing Caloola (the grey) ridden by Griffiths, was second, and Kaimanawa third. The others that took part were—Whalebone, Auckland, Canute, Morok. Flintstone, Gladius, Otaieri, Worth, and Banker. At the double flight of hurdles in front of the stand Chance, Caloola and FlinUtono ran off. and Banker and Morok dropped out later on. Auckland balked and Whalebone ran off at the hurdle in the centre of the paddock. Caloola. when he got going, ran up into second place, and had to finish behind Ingorangi, who paid £5 10s. Kninoanawa battled along and secured third place. On the same day Raven (by Wilborforce) paid £3l in the Trial Steeplechase, Waterbury £6 Is in the Hurdles, and Gondolier won the double of Ladies trophy and High Woight,

Last year Mr Ormond’s Victrix (by Gladiator—Swindle) got home in front of Waterbury, Gondolier, Empire, Sir Garnet, Parnell, Bide-a-wee, Chester, Otakeho, Flywheel, Caloola, Iroquois, Cyrus, Dromedary, and Union Jack. Empire ran round, Cyrus refused to get over, Chester fell but was remounted, and Iroquois unseated his rider. Hope, who rode the second horse (Waterbury), broke his stirrup early in tho race, and he suffered defeat by two lengths. Dividend £B. On the same day St. Anthony, carrying 13st, won the Ladies’ Bracelet, Lord John the Selling Hurdles, while Unity paid £29 6s in the Hurdle, and Union Jack £5 198 in the Trial Steeplechase. . • • • rowing to great pressure on our space we are compelled to hold over a great amount of most interesting information.]

The date of receiving acceptances for the Rotabitangi Maori Racing Club’s Meeting has been altered to the 12th May, at 9 p.m. The weights aro to be declared on the 7th May.

Mr Justice Richmond on Friday,“in the course of hearing an appeal ai'ising out of a betting prosecution, said it was matter for surprise that while the Legislature took steps to discourage systematic betting it should not at the same time have decreed that disputes connected with racing could not be made the subject of litigation in the Law Courts. Cups and plates equally with bets ought not to be recoverable at law.

A cablegram received on Sunday from London, for which, we suppose, wo will he asked to pay, informs us that the racehorse Bill of Portland has been purchased for shipment to Australia. This happened such a long time ago that people have forgotten all about it. The horse was bought by Mr W. R. Wilson, and i 3 at tlio St. Albans farm. Tho purchase was recorded in the newspapers at tho time. The cable man has plenty of good news which he ought to send without troubling himself to telegraph stale stuff of this kind at tho expense of the newspaper proprietors of tho Colony.