NOTES BY BEACON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 4 March 1882, Page 21

NOTES BY BEACON.

So mucH room is taken up this week with a renort of the Dunedin meeting: that I must

hold over a review of the gathering till next issue. A few items in connection with it will, however, be found here. The following amouuts were paid over on j pettling-night to the winners of stakes :—

Mr,D. O'Brien takes in addition to his £180, the cup given by Mr Joseph Clarke, which is a magnificent trdphy, , and apparently considerably over its nominal value. It was a coincidence that this first cup given by Mr Clarke should be won by the Tasmanian-bred colt Tasman', as Mr Clarke himself lived there for many years before proceeding to Victoria. , Tasman is by the English horse St. Albans, and son of Blair Ath'ol and Pandora, by Cotherstone. Tasman's dam iB Zillah, a daughter of Peter Wilkins and a Jersey mare. The public settling took place at the beginning of the week, and passed off with the usual proportion of good and bad paying up; but betting in these degenerate days of totalieator gambling is nothing like so big as it used to be. The meeting was not a very paying one to bookmakers, neither did. the public benefit ' much in wagering over Lady Emma in' the principal betting race, the Cup. A few certainly won money over her victory, but it ,was much against their will, for after her poor running? in • the Wellington • -Cup everybody tried without much success to lay off his money about her for the Duhedin Cup. The appearance of Messrs Lance and Robinson's colt Vanguard in the race for our Champagne Stakes was productive of much amusing comment among the onlookers, who remembered'how after last year's Natator business the much injured Mr Lance repeatedly declared that he would never send any of his horses to Dunedin races again. When this terrible determination was made public, I took occasion to doubt whether the Dunedin Jockey Club could not better afford to do without Mr Lance's entry money than he could without our stakes, and now that doubt turns out to be a certainty ; still one could scarcely expect that he would cave in so soon. Mr Lance did not favour us with his august presence at our meeting; that was a pity, for he missed a most agreeable gathering. A cause celcbre is coming on this week under the Gaming and Lotteries Act, a number of gentlemen in prominent circles here having engaged in sweepstakes on the racecourse—purposely, it is stated, within ken of the police officials. Two cityM.H.R.'s (Messrs Fish and Bracken) are, I 'believe, among the delinquents, besides the present Mayor of Dunedin. The case will in all probability come on on Friday next, and will undoubtedly attract some attention. I am given to understand that Mr Proudfoot contemplates laying a double line of rails to the racecourse and into the ground near to the saddlhjg-paddock. This will obviate any delay in future, and prove a boon to the Jockey Club. The large amount of £19,128 passed through the totalisators at the races, or about £4000 more than at the last meeting. The sum was made up as follows :— First day, £5056 ; second day, £5452 ; third day, £8028 -—total, £19,128. The '£1900 commission which goes to the Jockey Club out of this will, even after the deduction of the heavy expenses incidental to the construction and working of the machines, leave a good round sum to assist towards recuperating them for their immense outlay on the Forbury. course. A great deal more money would have been invested but for backers of horses having a stupid habit of hanging back until the very last minute in order that someone may give them a lead, by which time such a crowd has assembled that they have to fight their way in" and out. I have heard it said that the Club should pay out the dividends from a side window, and such an arrangement would do no harm ; but it would not improve matters a bit, for I took particular notice that long after the paying-out was clone the operators had lo I remain idle pending such as the backers should make up their minds what to invest on. The evil cannot be cured by any system of rails or gates ; the remedy lies with tho public themselves, who have ample opportunity to go quietly up and make their investments, but obstinately refuse to do so. It may be remembered tint when the weights for the Hurdle Handicap were declared, I published some very violt>nt remarks by the Mount Ida Chronicle on tho manner in

- — ■ .' ■ i, ' ■ ■ ' ij ' — ' (■ which a horse from that district (Mr T. Foster's Rocket) was treated by the handicappers. In the light of the results of that and the other •jumping races at our meeting, it will be interesting to reproduce those remarks. They are as foll6ws :— " The illiberal and disgraceful way in which Mr Foster's horse Rocket has been handicapped for the Dunedin Hurdle Race has excited a good deal of comment. The horse has never run anywhere but at district meetings. He is practically quite untried, never naving done anything. Even before Sailor Boy came out last season it was always considered that he could give Rooket 2\ stone J I and beat him, yet in this race he is only called upon togive him Istslb. Rocket, too, has to give Dandy (who has won numbers of good races at country meetings) 31b, and he has also to give Katerf'elto, Isaac, Milo, and others weight, notwithstanding that these horses have won and run into places in very fair races downcountry. Rocket has never done anything to justify an imposition above the usual maiden weight of Bst 71b. It is absurd to put weight on an entirely new horse (which Rocket is, for his racing among' common; half-trained hacks is nothing to go by) simply because he is in good hands. Certainly neither Rocket's performances nor his breeding can justify the weight. It is extremely unfair and impolitic to impose upon such a legitimate and straightforward sportsman as Mr Foster is. The manner in which he has been treated on this occasion is scandalous." Since then the Palmerston correspondent of that paper wrote in a similar vein : — "|Dunedin handicappers evidently consider Rocket something above the common, judging by the weight they have decided he shall carry. It appears | to be strange that, for the paltry races he had won prior to the publication of the handicaps, he should be compelled to carry such a heavy weight in his first debut among good horses." Last week the Hyde correspondent of the Witness added his valuable opinion, to this effect :— " I cannot refrain from remarking the seemingly heavy weight placed on Rocket, who is as yet a practically untried horse. Considering Sailor Boy's recent defeat, I also consider his weight to be too heavy. Mr Foster I is a straightforward and honest man, and one who should be encouraged to continue on the turf." i remarked at the time that the Mount Ida Chronicle's writer evidently knew nothing about racing matters, and that has been clearly proved. How does he, and how do the writers of the other idiotic stuff just quoted feel now that.Rocket went away from the whole field in the Hurdle Race, and would certainly have won it but for slipping into the ditch through keeping too near the edge ; now that Rocket won the Tally-ho Handicap with the greatest ease ; and now that Sailor Boy won the Steeplechase in an extremely comfortable manner? Rocket ran only twice, Sailor Boy only once, at the meeting ; and if two out of three is not a good enough proportion of races for one man to win, the Mount Ida people had better keep their horses for their district races, and then their supporters will not be called on to write so much trash. That our handicappers knew pretty well what they were about is now perfectly dear— in fact, if anything, they erred on the side of leniency. Mandeville races are fixed for March 17th, and some £50 or £60 will be given' thereat. The Press has ' the following with reference to the first of the five cups given by Mr R. Campbell to be raced for at Christchurch and Dunedin:— "Mr R. Campbell's magnificent cup, to be run for in the Great Autumn Handicap, is now to be seen in the shop win-do-vf of Messrs Coates and Co. The cup, which is of colossal proportions, measuring 32 inches in height, and resting on an ebonised base giving six inches additional, is of silver, j with a cover and two handles. The cover is surmounted by a nicely-modelled statuette of a horse bridled and saddled, and is ornamented with engraved fern leaves. The body of the cup has on one side the inscription: "Pretented by R. Campbell, of Buscot Park, to the winner of — " The remainder of the inscription is to be filled in. On the other side is a spirited representation, in low relief of s, closely contested horse race. The pedestal is orrjamented with fern leaves and laurel branches. The trophy, the value of which is estimated at over 100 guineas, will certainly iorm no insignificant ornament on the sideboard of the fortunate winner, and speaks volumes for the munificence of the donor." Wanganui races will come off on Thursday and Friday next, and should prove nearly as successful as usual, though the Cup has fewer i acceptances than usual. The following are the general entries :—: — \ FIRST DAY. WEIGHT-FOR-AGE HURDLES, Of 75 boys. ' Clarence Agent Monk Catch'em. ' DERBY, 01 100 soys. Taipo Eccleaton Odd Trick Fathom Lord of the Hills Rangoa Vesper Minerva Holy Dublin Bonny Doon. SAPLING STAKES, Of 250 soys. G&bble (late Albany) Raccolite Telltale filly First Walor Balgownie Orphan Landseer Fume Dauphin Armourer Polly Amazon Seashell True Blue Gem Maid of Eccleston. WANGANUI STAKES HANDICAP, Of 250 soys. (Ten acceptors). ' ' TOWN PLATE, Of 75 soys. Virginia Water Grand Duclichs , Sir Modred Satanella Camollia. FLYING HANDICAP, Of 125 soys. j (Five acceptors) SECOND DAY. HANDICAP nURDLES, Of 75 soys. Clarence Agent I Monk Totara Catcn'cm Cncvalier. MAIDEN PLATE. Tally-Ho Conini 1 Kincraig Totara Frivolity Holy Dublin Bonny Doon Odd Trick. WANOANUI CUP, - Of 600 soys. St. lb. St. lb Sir Modrod ..94 The Dauphin ..80 Virginia Water ..8 4 Hailstorm ..7 8 Libeller ..8 2 Blue Gown ..7 2 Piscatorious .. 8 1 Willberforco .. 6 8 Somiius • • 8 0 RAILWAY PLATE, 0f 60 soys. Camellia Dauphin | Virginia Wator Kint'raig Romnus Sir Modred Grand Duchess blander filly. DISTRICT IIDNUICAP, Of 100 soys. (Niueacceptoi'3.) In the first hurdle mm I prefer tho Agent to j Clarence at woight-for-age. The Derby should be won by Odd Trick or Taipo, as far as I know of tho candidates' condition, Of tho Sapling

Stakes I can say no more than that I hear good reports of True Blue and Orphan. # live Stakes has several Cup horses engaged in it, but the 71b penalty it would entail on the winner will probably keep some of them out. Supposing that none of the great guns— toir Modred, Somnus. and the Dauphin-gof or it, Mr Walters should secure it with the blander filly or Libeller. The Town Plate I look to see won by Sir Modred, and the Flying Handicap by Somnus or the Slander filly. On the second day Clarence should take the Hurdle Handicap and Kincraigthe Maiden Plate, lhe Cup looks on paper a good thing for Virginia Water or Somnus, and with both fit and well, I should place them first and second ; but with that in doubt, I must plump for the Dauphin. The Railway Plate should go to Sir Modred or Somnus— whichever of the pair does not go for the Cup. The District Handicap looks well for Wilberforce. The following entries have been received for the Oamaru Jockey Club races, which take place on March 17th and 18th :— OAMARU HANDICAP. Adamant Goal Rocket • Coldstream King Quail Taaman On Dit Legerdemain Gitana. ST. PATRICK'S HANDICAP. Adamant Goal Rocket Coldstream Redcliffe King Quail Taaman Chancellor Whitbach On Dit Legerdemain Gitana Brenda. HURDLE HANDICAP. Sailor Boy Rocket Dandy Levant Quamby Trovatore Naumai Thorntop Mokarakara Little John Milo. FLYING HANDICAP. Adamant Goai Brenda C'lldstreara Redcliffe King Quail Taaman Chancellor Ringleader Whitbach Thorntop On Dit Legerdemain Gitana.

ton. G. M'Lean-Cup .. ..£550 D.J.C. Handicap .. 200 Forbury Handicap .. 150 Maiden Plate .. 25 £925 [r H. Horsford— Champagne Stakes .. 274 Maiden Plate . . 5 Cjfcy Stakes .. ..155 Tramway Stakes „ 60 — 491 [r D. O'Brien— Hurdle Race .. „10 Tally-ho Handicap .. 5 D.J.C. Handicap .. 45 Mandeyille Plate and Cup 120 ->- 180 tr P. Butler— Hurdle Race .. ..70 Selling Race „ ..70 Consolation .. ..10 160 [r Thos. Poster-Tally-ho Handicap . . 55 Steeplechase . . 90 - 145 [r H. Goodman— Dunedin Cup . . 20 Flying Handicap .. 80 [r E. O'Jtts— Publicans' Handicap .. • '80 [r D. Kirby— Novel Race .. .. 70 [r W. Walters— Cup (second horse) . . 50 ■ ■ Forbury Handicap ..18 68 [r Geo. R. Lee -Maiden Plate .. 60 IrS. Horsfall -Consolation, .. .. ■ ,50 Ir Q. Robinson- Hack Race .. .. .34 [on. W. Jtobinson— Champagne Stakes .. 20 [ason and ValJance- City Stakes (second) , 20 It T. W. Hungerford— Steeplechase .. ,10 Total .. .. £2412