NOTES BY BEACON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1486, 8 May 1880, Page 17

NOTES BY BEACON.

I hear with pleasure tbat Mr Henry Yeend, a once well knowu CHafio racing man, intends returning here ahortly from Tasmania, and that be will hriag with him the horaes Customs and Intrepid, a flitracer and steeplechaser respectiv. ly, whom ho has been running with varying aut:c6Bß ovor tbe water. Whim ho meed King Philip and Rory O'Mora hero Mr Yoend nbowed, under a continual run of bad luck, more pluck than U usually exhibited by a good many more bucchesM owners, and no one would grudge him a share of Fortune's favonrß en his return to his old quarters. Of the Wyndham or Mataura Racen I can learn nothing, b&ynud thrJ; a meeting was to have been held during this week to make the nec^esiry arrangements. Otautuu winter races were held on Thursday, bui. beyond tho fact that, they wero largely attended and were a great success, the only information to hand is that Mr J. Henderson won lhe Hurdle Race, Mr J. Smith the Otautau Cup, Mr H. Martia the Ladies' Purse, Mr J. Ward a flurry Scurry, a-id Mr J. M'L^an the Consolation Stakes. The names of tbe horaifs that were successful are not mentioned

For tbe Riverton Meeting nominations close on the 14t,h in&t. for th« Hurdle Race, Maiden Pln^e, Biverton Handicap, and Wallace Sfak-8.

Acceptances and general entries for the Dunsdtn Meeting are due on the 15th xoat. It h possible tbat the appearancfi of theso will infuse a little interest in tho gAthering, but a*; present nofc much notico iH accor ied it. There are abou!; a scorft of horses in work at the F ,rbury, but their doingo are scarcely worth üb.ronicling. Mr Goodman's lot comprisei? Tera, York, ami Titania, all of which ara preUy well. Arthur Smith gets a good deal of work out of Huntsman and Mespingliam, aucl po3si^ly wo shftll &t last see thin latter fit to atarfc for a roce. Boro and Adamant are progressing in J. Cotton's band?, and the former is — notwithstanding the outrnfypriija nome pivtm him — d-ivelfpitj? into a rumrUinie colt. Hii yom'Ksr brother, M&'mka, U nl-n iv work. Mr Dryien's Borvtioea >v\<\ tha tr-oUor Donald hfcve arrived in Bob fl-alt'a «Wjr», and are dninpr ust-iul work. Mr B.'B-\» Mntidfl and Ant^inett Q , Mr Johns' Native Cat and Dolly Barspon, with Mr Ta^gsrt's Soey, Cmmretfl, and Kite, malm up tha lot Anns? wnrlr—Wriug «, 1H; of tro'.tera, who are taken on*. a u nil hour< of t.hfl fV-y atid given an unlimited aai<vnjfc of f-xercinrt.

Ji'rimy Allen, who etpf rfld Scamp to victory in th«) recent Oimedin Hurdle Ttaco s\w\ Stf>orsleeohtii". will tide the I'ttlft horn;* in the Grabil Ni.ti.wil, f> lbr-iift In will hfwa to pat up a couple <vf p'ohp or fo < f dcftd weight I a?n informed on good authority that the Hem Qe wf:* M'Lgah rpceiitlv pent ly cable on f.ff-r of 1000 gn».ea<« for <ho H»n Mr Clarke'H fi'H- P. tn»o, huh 'h*'-.. :vi rnigb*. have bern •>rU ; eitir«>«»', ll> Q . answir rai uoft favotirnbl». ■ > {f>i>i"-ri!«u sv'W w-»'"o!»ifi tbifl iaf 'i-ma-•iop in < nt* y-iv, hi"-'«v-'r, for if; shows t.ha<; we ►•hall p'n ! 'o,H"' hove scwlkt rftiurur MaVlo in Otafi) befurfl lonp 1 , mvl " goodness knows" we want a- *"w iipt* -pier

No ;i; i f Miiv : on o/'TifM-iiSfip 1 fir 1 en Mini, r>v even Hi" 'I .'" >>( no'nhv. "imp, f n v tljp amo-oach-ing vac <i v*u f. Tiv./nu'- 1 a»d Ettrfck imve yofc reached t >«n

Brepdarn in Vinnont, Lake, and Maniototo » Counties are reminded that nominations ff Oj» O j»

tbe Cromwell Darby of 1880 close *» tbe 24fch inst. This raoe will be run at the Club's December mating, and it is a stake of 5 soys each, with 50 sovh added ) .y the Club. Another Derby stake which closes shortly is that of the Southland Jockey Club, entries for which cloee on the 25th inst. It will be run at next season's annual meeting, and will be a tolerably valuable stake, being a sweep of 8 soys each, with 75 soya addfid. It is an open Rvonr, ond not limited to the particalar dittricl;, so that enmo Canterbury nominations may bo I<i' ked for, as horses engaged at the Dunpdin Forbury Rfeeting can at JiUlo expense and trouble proceed to Invercargill. Widespread regret is felt at tho death of Mr W. F. Neilson, who was well known throughout Otago and Canterbury as a thorough sports man, and devoted to racing, crieke , aud athletic pursuits of all hinds. Tho deceased was playing in cricket matches at Christchurch le^s than five months ago, but was early in the present year attacked with (I belitfVfe) rheumatic fever, and gradually sank until his death a few days ago. Mr Neilson's career as an owner of horses was principally limited to the season 1878-9, when in conjunction with Mr D. O'Brien, and subsequently with the Hon. W. Robinson, he owned Natator, Fishhook, Luna, To WhetumaraiEa. Moose, Numa, The Lad, and other homes. The stakes paid over in that year to Mr Neilson amounted to nearly L2OOO, of which Fishhook took L 833, in five wins ; Te Whfltutnaraina, L 475, in ten wins ; Natator, L 278, in one win (the Canterbury Derby) ; Luna, L 217, in three wins ; aud Numa, L 155, in three wins.

The Rev. J. U. Davis lectured on Sunday evening to a largo audience on " Gambling," in which be used most; of ihe Btock arguments urged against horse-racing and its surroundings. The reverend gentleman's remarks, however, have not the nlightest atom of force about them, for they are in almost every inBtance based on misconception, and I can come to no other conclusion than that the individuals from whom the lecturer obtained his data have been what is commonly termed " taking a rise out of him." Mr Davis seems to have felt scarcely sure of his position, for he commenced by saying that " no doubt what he said would meet with much criticism and contradiction"—and he was not far wrong, though I for one shall deal very briefly with the lecture. He said that the manager of one of the racing consultations did so well that " ho could affird to keep a clerk and go about with his hands in his pockots " Ah a matter of fact this manager is one of tbe hardeac- worked men in the town, and he waild naturally bs glad to do without paying a cWk's salary wore it not that the labour in connection with tbe getting up of his sweps keeps both himself aud his clerk fully employed. Then the lecturer say* the large attendance at the last races was "much, owing" to the presence of the Governor and of the totalisafcfir. Well, I should like to wager thab not fifty additional people were attracted by either— indeed, the attendance was not a bit larger than usual. Next, we are told that tho proprietoi s of tbe> totalisafcor clearod L7OO, whereas they g :. ouly L3BO, out of which they had to pay wgo ex penses, to say nothing of the cobU of the machines— considerably over LIOO each, I believe. Thon comeß the amusing notion tlmt the totalisator will not upset the ring, because ladies find more amneement in betting with gentlemen than with a machine, for they (the ladies), "though they made bets, nm-r paid them, and were awful welchers." Tue members of the ring will doubtless feel pleased at the unusual compliment of being termed "gentlemen," but they will scarcely admit that they are supported by the betting done by ladies. How could they be, when "ladies receive but never pay " ? Besides, I npver yet saw a lady taking the odds from a bookmaker. Then we are given the startling information that " in Dunedin thera are twenty-seven bookmakers ard about fifty racehorses." Where are they hidden away, I should like to know? The eimple fact is that seven bookmakers wo aid be nearer the mark, and about five horaes. If Mr Davis calls the proprietor* of racecourse gamos and the like bookmakers, be might as W6ll call tho persons who clean out churches aud chapels clergymen : there is just as much connection between the parties in each case. Next, lie calculates that because "the bookmakers had L 20,000 on the last Dunedin wees, therefore not le-s than L 40.000 musb have changed hands." I cannot see how this comes in, for the two parties to a wager do not both have t" pay. Then " other place 3in the Colony— Christchurch, for example— were oven more guen to betting than Dunedin." This shows the lecturer's ignorance of lbe_ subject, for there ia more betting in Dunedio, or on the Dauedin races, than in all the rest of the Colony put together. The lecturer next advances the absurd argument that because " dualling " had been put down by the strong arm of the law, so should racing be. What possible resemblance does the one hear to the other ? Finally, Mr Davh, apropos to nothing, " saw no roaaon why a horse should carry B^. 9!b over two miles and a distance in 3min. 56^0." Perhaps the reverend gentleman will tell us why the animal should not do so. Mr Lance has declared the following weights ' for the Canterbury Jockey Clnb Handicap of 500 soys, two miles, to be run in November :—

From the Mail I \puvn that a meeting of the Oaraaru Jnckey Club was hsld at the Empire Hotel on Monday evening. Fifteeu members werfl present, and Mr John Hardy having been voted t<> the chair, Mr Moss, treasuier, read fc^n fioanciil statement, from whijh it appeared thit the assets, aflei. 1 paying all account.*, s mounted to T,140. It was rcfolvocl. on the motion of t he Treasurer, neondnri by Mr Hook, that another sum "f TylO fihoul-1 ha presented to tho "Li Turf Club toward-i the liquidation of their dobt. A letler from Me?srn Moorhoufle, Edwards, and Cufct«n, Holicitor?, Wellington, was read, threatoning <hs Club with an action for infringing tho patent right of Mr j Franc k by permitting tho use of a tofcalisator on th* racecourse at the late meeting ; and the Secretary was instructed to write a letter on the subjaofc, informing them that a totalisator proper bad pot been naed yet in QaraMU, A

letter from Mr Alexander M'Kay, aiking tho Club to post Mr R aB a defaulter, waa r^ad, atid after inquiry as to facts »nd discusBion thereon, the following resolution was unanimously adopted : — " That the 01 "b consider the debt to ba fairly due to Mr M'Kay, but as the gentleman was not a member of tho Club, it had no power to interfere." Mr Hardy waa requested to act as Secratary pro tten,r n, and consented. It was also resolved that a one-day'a steeplechase be held in June or July, on a day tobe fix^d by the Committee, and that the Committee ba requested to arrange a programme without delay. The original number of sixty entries has been reduced to fifty-nine by tha death of Templeton. I shall not ab present fully analyse the above production, bub I shall give what strike me on taking a cursory glance as being well in. First of all, as I anticipated when noticing how leniently this horse was treated at Christohurch and Timaru, comes Le Loup ; then Foul Play, Betrayer, Chancellor, Longlands (though he ia actually up as high as 7sfc 91b !), Hilarious, Lure, Leveller, and Virginia Water. The four top weights would have nothing to complain of in their imposts, for they^ have all proved that they pan carry them, were ifc nofc that Le Loup must, if right, hold them safe ; and at all events if there is any betting on the race through the winter, I shall expect to ccc public estimation make him a very warm favourite. The acceptances are not due until August Ist, ao thai; owners have plenty of time to make up their minds as to their intentions.

A special meeting of the stewards of the Ellesmere Jockey Club was held on Friday last for a very unusual purpose. The Chairman stated that the meeting had been called for the purpose of considering what steps, if any, should be taken in the case where Mr James Bell had entered a horse under the name of R\yboy for two of the district races, whereas the horse had tho week before run at the Kowai Pass races tinder the name of Pippin, and was then owned by Mr D, Kennedy. The Secretary read letters reoeived from the Secretaries of the Kowai Pasa races and fche North Canterbury races respectively, stating that Pippin had been running at their race meetings as a six-year-old. Mr Bell was then called into the room, and the letters were read over to him. He acknowledged that the horae entered at the E.J.O. meeting by him as Rayboy was the horse Pippin that ran at the Kowai Pass races, and also at the North Canterbury races. He Bfcated that the horse was his property at the time of tho raoes, but that he had not had him three months, the neoessary qualification required for the distriot raoes in which he had entered the horse. It was propesed by Mr Kellahan and seoonded by Mr Spring— "That James Bell, the rider and owner of the horse Pippin, alms Ray« boy, be disqualified i iom entering, training, or riding a horse in any race run on the Ellesmere Jockey Club course, and that the disqualifica- 1 tion extend to the horse during the pleasure of! the Club. ' The motion waa carried unanimously. The weights arranged by Mr Lance for the Grand National Steeplechase Handicap of 200 boys are as under : —

Tha Australian crack has at length come down to a level with our best New Zealand horse, and rightly too, I think, for his doings in this oountry do nofc warrant his giving weight to the Agent. Scamp looks a bic high up at first, and he has more weight than he haa so far been troubled with ; but he must pay the penalty of winning, and he is such a hardy horse that I do not consider him out of it. Royalty, ThUo, Little John, and Loch Lomond appear to ma I about the best treated on the whole. Of the I less-known horses engaged at the meeting I [ gather some particulars from the Chrisfcohurch papers. Tarn O'Shanter ia said to be by Tra« duoer— Lady Jane Grey, but I think he is a six-year- old grey gelding by Talisman out of that mare, and that he was originally called Crusader. He has ruu successfully at minor meetings. Oae and-Three is a big, useful-look-ing sen of Traducer, recently imp >rfced from Wanganui. Tally-ho has plenty of power and is a certain jumper. Magic is a big, useful-look-ing son of Slanderer, and is oaid to be a oapital jumper aud a stayer to boot. The last number of the Gazette contains a notice of a private bill, to be introduced during the ensuing session, to incorporate the members of the Wellington Raoing Club. Ifc repeals the Hubt Park and Racecourse (Provincial) Act, 1866, and vests in the Club the personal estate of the Hutt Park and Racecourse Board, which is thereby diesolved, all ita obligations, debts, and liabilities being transferred to the Racing Club. Nominations for the Wanganui Steeplechase Handicap of 175 soys close on the 15;h inst. f and the weights will be declared on the 29bh. The Patea Jockey Club is in financial straits, and has had to abolish its Derby race, after tbe ensuing season. A Mr David Scotfc writes to the Hawke's Bay papers oomplaining that the seoretary to the local Jockey Club does not write to owners signifying that their nominations for races have been received. This individual must think fchab secretaries have very little to do when he expects such a thing as this to be done. Besides, nominations are always published in the papers, and owners cm see for themselves if their entries arrived or not. The following weights have been deolared for the Ellerßlie meeting:— Ellerslib Cur, st lh st Ib Ariel .. ..8 8 Resolution .. 612 Soukar .. ..8 4 Yatapa .. .. 610 Vampire .. .. 712 Snunterer .. .. 610 Numa .. ..7 7 Malvern .. ..6 9 King Quail ..7 4 Golden Crown ..6 0 I M»id of Honour .. 7 4 Xantippa .. ..6 4. Libeller .. ..7 2 Gildoroy .. ..6 0 Laertes .. .. 6 13 Hurdle Race.

A winter race meeting will be held at Waerenga n-hika on the Queen's Birthday, when about £100 will be given in stakes.

St. lb. Mata .. ..9 8 Iloldernesa Fishhook .. 9 3 Badsworth Foul Play ..90 Fancy colt Camballo ..9 0 Zulu .. Le Loup ..89 Beanstalk Maritana ..8 7 Moonstone Natator . . 8 6 Prince Charlie Hornby . . 8 5 Sir Garnet Betrayer ..S3 Sauntercr Grip .. ..8 3 Ltiro .. Volunteer . . 713 Luna . . Chancellor .. '7 12 Laertes.. Norseman .. 710 Leveller Titania ..7 9 Malvina filly Longlanda .. 7 9 Sir George Pinflre .. ..7 8 Maligner Lara .. ..7 6 Vampire Libeller . . 7 5 The Governor Kodciusko ..7 5 Sweetbriar filly York .. ..7 4 Amy .. Bogardus . . 7 4 Amohia filly Marie Antoinette . . 7 4 Prunella SirModred ..7 3 Hippona Numa .. ..7 2 Nautilus Piscatorious .. 7 0 Mischief .. Hilarious .. 613 Virginia Water OnDit.. ..6 12 Miss Flat filly Tera .. .. 612 Sludge filly Sylvanus . . 612 Itomeo . . Somnambula colt . . 6 12 f Bt. lb. 6 12 6 12 6 12 6 12 6 12 6 12 6 12 6 10 6 10 6 10 6 9 0 7 0 7 6 7 0 9 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 2 6 0 6 0 6 0

Lone Hand Agent „ Grey Momus Loch Lomond Baron . . Scamp .. Royalty Eversley Duchess Hireille Hard Times Bt.lb. .. 12 7 Banjo .. .. 12 7 SirTatton .. 12 0 Black Prince ..11 6 Oiirence .. 11 4 Blue Bell .. 11 2 Thilo .. .. 11 0 Swindler ..11 0 Harkaway .. 11 0 Mickey Free .. 11 0 Ada .. .. 11 0 Little John St. lb. .. 10 10 .. 10 10 .. 10 7 .. io r .. 10 7 .. 10 7 .. 10 6 .. 10 0 .. 10 0 .. 10 0 .. 10 0