TROY'S TRICKS.

NZ Truth, Issue 180, 28 November 1908, Page 2

TROY'S TRICKS.

"Poker Neds Reminiscences.

"Poker Ned" writes : While, returning from Miramar last Saturday I found myself short of v.tobacco, so strolled into a .shop, .'. m. Kilbirnie. \\ho do you. think served me and confessed to owning the show, In a hundred guesses you would not. be successful, so I will out with it at f oncc--Tira Troy. What " a " lot of ' mystery is connected with that name. How many rooks, ramps a*d rigs has he got credit for', and rightly, .too, though ' m his heart , he is very soft-and has 3. lot of good works to' his ■qredit. . This story is peniied because Tim told me , I ' 1 br.d left, the turf for good and all and . wss goin^ ; to setile': down /m business. \.di, he \' r gave tlie game a good "go," and had- the usual ups and downs inMs 'caLC i r, and if r 'he could not make it pay then this child, is ; positive no one else can. 1 .First ■ rjict Troy at Wanganui about i! 5 years. ago, 1 Would say Jie was about a5 now. He was then a champion at. I' te 'and: used to win all sorts of .events, inplud»ng biyh jump; hurdles, sprjnts," half miles, hanW mer, and many others' too numerous to mention. ,. When lvs 1 muscles t wtre worn put apd'.h'e cOujdnot prevail ,m < field events, he turned h'ls attention to hojrse racing, and was generally to be found at the '"'unregistcreds" all over the North Island. At the first , tote meeting at Karioi Troy, turned up with a "ring m", and a well-bred one, ' It was. a good performer called The Lamb, and claimed The Painter for' his sire, and "One Top" was t/he name he was , entered On,der, and ili was aptly' named, for Troy made i* that hot that he was never able to race him again. The race was ' " ■'; District Plate, for horses that. had never previously I, een nominated. • There were eighteen start^ ers and they camevfrom all parts. There were 10s ! tipl<ets oosn s the machine, and oijly one wasi taken out on "One Pop." When the race came on the starter could not be found and a new one had to be installed. Tim was always pf a modest and/ retiring disposition (I don't think), and volunteered to officiate. He had ap flag, . but a turkey red handkercbjef did duty , as well. At the post, which, was behind a plantation, the new starter had perfect control over the boys. The held mpved off m a perfept line, but was soon spread out. "Tinny" j^lurphy was: winning easily, when from a neighboring paddock a strange horse shot outasd, being full of running, 1 nothing had a chance with it. Won "hard held" is no description of the finish. The winner was One Pop. The owner of the second horse protested and the starter gave evidence. He clearly remembered One Pop being at the start, but could say notlv ing that would throw any light on the second jockey's statement. After a lot of wrangling the machine' paid out on One Pop, and as there was only one ticket taken out and the dividend was well over £50, naturally the spectators clustered round to see who was the fortunate investor. Their surprise can be imagined wh?n Mr Troy, "owner ofi One Pop, late The Lamb,: strolled up and calnily Ilected the dividend. Threats of vengeance were heard on all sides, but Troy escaped scathless, as indeed he generally did