NOTES BY BEACON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1585, 8 April 1882, Page 19

NOTES BY BEACON.

From the Riverton Star I learn that a meeting of the Wallace County Jockey Club was held on Thursday evening, Mr M. Hayes in the chair. The accounts in connection with the last meeting were passed for payment, and from a rough estimate made by the secretary it was shown that after all liabilities were paid a balance of over £30 would remain in hand. The stewards may therefore be fairly congratulated upon the success of the meeting and .their judicious management. With £30 in hand for next meeting, they will be able to offer a much better programme, and be encouraged to carry out a proposal to place the Club on a permanent footing.

Nominations for the handicaps at the Dunedin meeting close on the 17th inst.

At the settling on the Waikouaiti races about £80 was paid over to the winning owners. The Club will have a substantial balance towards next year's meet. ' Before breaking up the meeting passed a special vote of thanks to Mr B, Bray, the chairman, for his exertions in promoting the races, and the services rendered by him in getting the course into such a presentable condition. In acknowledging the compliment paid him, Mr Bray intimated that the Club would always tind him one of its most ardent supporters and workers.

Entries for the Oamaru Champagne Stakes of 1833 are stated to have been received as under : —

Mr Btudholme'B eh f by Ham— Flirfc Mr Studholme'a eh f by Ham— Waituna ' 'Mr Studholme'schc 'by Ham— Gaiety • ' , Mr Studholme's oh f by Ham— Darkness Mr A. C. Paterson's br f by Pertobe— Maid of the Mill • Mr A. C. Pateraon's eh c by Pertobe— Norah Mr J. Wilson's eh f by Pertobe— Elswiok mare Mr W. M c Kay's b or br f by Pertobe-dam unknown

Mr W. M'Kay's b or br c by Ringleader— dam unknown Mr P. Dunbar's eh f by Rolling York -Helena Mr W. Goddard'sbf by, Weßtora— Minnie. .

Messrs C. Haynes,,W. Affleck, and J. Kennedy have been appointed handicappers to the Palmerston and Shag Valley Racing Club. Nominations for the races close on the 12th inst.

For the Taieri races, which will be held on Saturday, the following weights have been declared : — . HANDICAP HURDLES, Of 15 bovb. St. lb. st.lb. Katcrfelto .. 11 7 Putative .. 910 HANDICAP HURDLES, Of 10 boys. st.lb. • st.lb. Putative .. 10 0 Donald.. .. 910 Elsie .. .. 910 Croydon ..9 6 TAIERI HANDICAP, Of 20 soys. St. lb. St. lb. Little John ..9 0 Flossie.. ..7 4 Boughleen Dhoun 9 0 Oynx .. ..7 2 Katerfelto ..8 8 Empress .. 7 2 Goai .. ..8 0 In all there are eight events on the programme for the above meeting, which should form an agreeable outing for townspeople. It is sure to be attended by crowds of country folk.

Nominations for the Otautau races close on Saturday.

The Canterbury Jockey Club seem to have been in a queer strait this week. On Monday afternoon they decided to " sack " Mr Griffiths, giving that gentleman three months' salary in lieu of notice. It was also decided to appoint a committee of not less than five members for the purpose of framing all handicaps. Messrs M. Studholme, J, Brabazon, G. G. Stead, S. Garforfch, and H. P. Lance were elected as a Handicapping Committee. In the meantime Mr Griffiths issued weights for the Free Handicap, and they were telegraphed down to Dunedin. The newly-appointed Committee appear not to have approved of this, and they> accordingly met, and, cancelling the handicap, issued a production of their own, which certainly differs greatly from their late handicapper's effort. Such a state of affairs is most extraordinary, and the variations in the two handicaps are so remarkable that I submit the two for the sake of comparison :— MR GRIFFITH'S HANDICAP. 'st.lb. , Bt.lb. Billlngfltrato .. 912 Mafaku .. ..8 0 SirModred ..9 9 taMode.. .. 712 Natator .. ..9 6 Hineinoa.. .. 7 12 Betrayer . . . . 9 0 On Dit . . . . 711 Virginia, Water ..9 0 Envy filly .. 711 Luro •■ ..9 0 Tasman .. .. 710 La/iyEmma ..9 0 Hilda .. ..7 9 Chancellor .. 812 Louis d'Or ..7 8 Voluntuor „ 8 10 Fleur de-Lys .. 7 8 Mischief .. ..8 8 Bundooia ..7 7 Gorton .. ..8 7 Th« Poet ..7 3 The Dauphin ..8 7 Nonparicl 7 2 tioinnus . . „87i cgerdomain . . 70 Sir Georgo . . 8 6 The Joker . . 7 0 Libeller .. ..8 4 Mavis .. ..0 12 Luna . . ..83 Holdomcss . . 612 Nautilus.. ..8 2 Kmir ßey ..6 7 Mr Garnet ..8 0 Dan .. ..6 7 Sftlvago .. ..8 0 Gitana .. ..6 7 THE COMMITTEE'S HANDICAP. st.lb. st.lb. SirModred .. 9 1 Hinemoa .. 7 4 Natator ..9 1 La Mode .. 7 4 Billingsgate ..9 0 Fleur-de-Lys .. 7 4 Lure .. ..8 8 Tiv.-man ..7 3 Mischief . 8 8 Louis dOr .. 7 t Betrayer .. S 7 S*lvane .. 7 2 Lady Emma . . 8 6 'J he Poet ' . . 7 0 Virginia Water ..8 5 Holderness ..7 0 Somnus .. 8 3 On Dit.. ..7 0 Sir George .. 8 2 Mavis .. ..7 0 Chancellor ..8 0 Nonpareil ..7 0 Luna .. ..8 0 Bundoora .. 7 0 Libeller .. 8 0 Legerdemaiu .. 612 The Dauphin ..8 0 Sir Garnet .. 612 IJfoutiluß .. 718 Emir Bey ..6 7

Gorton.. „ 712 Ehvyfllly .. 6 J ■ Volunteer .. 710 The Joker ..6 7Hilda .. .. 710 Gitana.. ..6 0 Mataku ..7 7 Dan .. ..6 0 The following are the acceptances and entries for the meeting : — GREAT AUTUMN HANDICAP. st.lb. st.lb. SirModred ..9 3 Salvage .. ..7 7 Natator ..9 1 Mataku .. ..77. Lure .. 810 Tasman .. .-. 7 5 Lady Emma .. 810 Bundoora , ..7 0 Chancellor .. 8 8 Legerdemain .. 6 9 The Dauphin .. 8 2 The Poet '..6 8 Luna .. 712 Holderness ..6 0 Libeller ..7 9 Emir Bey ..6 0 FREE HANDICAP. Bt. lb. et. lb. , Natator .. .. 9 1' Hinemoa .. .'.' 7 4 Betrayer .. ..8 7 Salvage „ ..7 2' Chancellor ..8 0 Legerdemain .. 612 Nautilus .. .. 712 Envy filly .. ..,6 7 Volunteer.. .. 710 The Joker .. ..6 7 CHAMPAGNE STAKES. ThejCurate, by Traducer Vanguard j . , —Moss Rose Trinket Iris, by Traducer— Nonsense Waitt Sießta , Doris t Leonora. ( • I The, following are the nominations for ,the » . SELLING RACE. j The Poet Hinemoa Joker Envy filly •' ' Volunteer ' On Dit. NURSERY HANDICAP. - Leonora . • ' Bayard . Doris , TeAta , . „ , - Siesta Nonsense Welcome Jack Vanguard' .- Ms,, „ Turquoiso 4 Free Lance, by Javelin Trinket * t ■ ' -Flattery. ' ' l " "' »" <' EPSOM STAKES. " " ' IJ ' ' Hinemoa ' ' Holderness " ' : Legerdemain Salvage Envy filly Volunteer Tasman Mataku. The lot left in the Great Autumn Handicap should furnish a good field and an interesting race, it being hard to say that any one of the 1 ' competitors is downright out of it. My own ' fancy ij. .however, for Natator, and I shall vote for him right out— with Chancellor, if im- ' proved on his recent form, as the most likely to furnish an upset. ' The Champagne looks a moral for one of Mr Horsford's pair- Siesta or Nonsense—, and I ta>e it that he^can win with whichever he likes. Vanguard ,is their most dangerous opponent. The' Epsom Stake's should furnisn a good contest between' Taßman, Mataku, and Legerdemain.' "The other events ' are not yet ready to be touched upon. ,„ i A correspondent wired to me on Wednesday. • that betting quotations were aa under ;— 3to 1 agst Natator . . < 4__ i Libeller , 5—5 — 1— — Salvage ' " r 6 — I—r Lady Emms 6 — 1 Chancellor ' g — 1— - The' Poet • ,' 6— 1 Tasman . •. , - < . B—l Mataku B—l Lure 100 —11 Legerdemain ' 100 — 10 100 — io SirModred ' 100— 8— ~ Emir Bey. • ' • I " 100— 6- — Holderness. > At the meeting re Mr Griffiths a long discussion' took place, of which the chief points of interest are the following :— Mr Gressonmo yed — " That a committee be appointed forthwith' to frame all handicaps, such committee to con- ' sist of not less than 'five members, who shall hereafter be elected at the annual " general ' meeting, three to form a quorum, In- the event- of any vacancy occurring 1 in the coin* mittee, such vacancy shall be filled up as soon as possible at a special general meeting to be called for that purpose. It seemed to him that the logical result of his motion would be that the club would require no handicapper, and would save £100 a year. This 'was done elsewhere, and he saw no reason why it. should not be a success. He considered that the appointment of the present hanicapper was merely an experiment. He did 1 not think that there was any danger of unfair Handicaps, for, with five horse-owners there would be no danger of that, as if. one man wished to let his horse in lightly he, would have four .against him.— Mr Egan would oppose the motion as unprecedented, impracticable, and thoroughly unnecessary. The handicapping, in spite of what had been ' said against it, had given general satisfaction, ana he did- not think that the public would have confidence in the handicapping of five gentlemen who were, perhaps, owners. — Mr G. P. Willams would like to move an amendment to the effect that a Committee pi not less than five members Bhould be appointed to revise the handicaps. No member to be eligible to sit on the Committee who has any interest in any horse engaged at the meeting at which he helped to handicap. He pointed out that when the meeting was called, there was no question of dispensing with their pre« . sent handicapper. He did not think out side owners would care to have their horses handicapped by a quorum of three Canterbury owners. Owners would be almost sure to handicap their horses according to their worst running. It seemed to him that a magistrate might just as well sit on the Bench to try his own case. — Mr Grigg was Somewhat in a fog as to the meaning of the amendment. Before members voted, they should understand what the meaning of revising and supervising was. If the Committee had a veto on the handicaps, . what was the use of a handicapper? He thought the experiment proposed by the resolution was a dangerous one. To maintain the credit and honour of the Club, the members must be careful not to pass a motion which might be misconstrued. He thought a handicapper should be appointed with a really good salary. — (Hear, hear.) That handicapper might* perhaps, act for the whole, Colony. The publfc ' would never have confidence in a Committee composed largely of owners of horses. — Mr Stead said there was no need that the Committee should consist of owners of horses. Such a plan prevailed at Dunedin and Wellington, and yet Canterbury owners entered their horses there.— Dr Prins was opposed 'to both motion and amendment. He was in 1 ' favour of' one handicapper. Mr Stead had not sent horses to Dunedin for two years, he supposed on ac count of the handicapping.— Mr Stead asked Dr Prins tb withdraw the statement ; he was imputing motives. — Dr Prins would do so; but still Mr Stead had not sent his horses there. — Mr Stead : Not on account of the handicapping. — Mr Donne seconded the amendment. He himself, as the owner of one or two horses, would have more confidence in a Committee than in one man. He knew that Mr Stead had not refused to enter his horses at Dunedin for the reason stated.— Mr Gresson thought that it would be found possible to find honest men to handicap, though they were owners of horses, and the public would have confidence in them. — The amendment was then put, and lost by 9 votes to 20. — Mr Gresson's motion was then put, and Mr Donne moved the insertion of the words " not directly or indirectly interested in the running of the horses to be so handicapped." He would move the addition of the words as an amendment. — Dr Prins seconded the amend- . ment, which was lost by a large majority, nine members voting for it. — Mr Donne proposed a further amendment — "That the word 'persons \ > be substituted for the word ' members,' after • thewor^ 'five,'"— Mr J, Grigg seconded. the'

amendment. He pointed out that the effect would be that they would be able to secure the services of gentlemen from other parts of the Colony.-The amendment was then negatived, only seven members voting for it.-MrGres-am& motion was then carried by 21 votes tTßVfltead moved-" That the meetingproceed to the election of the Handicap Committee."-This was done, with the result ab Bv 66 aßptrasala B ptrasal of the above it will tie seen that things have drifted back into their old state, Mesirs Lance and Stead haying matters in their own hands again. It will be seen that their party was too strong for the unfortunate owners of horses and their few friends who foueht so hard against the placing of the handicapping in the hands of opposition owners of horses Everyone will remember how,about a couple of seasons back, Mr Lance made a very virtuous speech, in which he said that he was eoine into racing with Mr Robinson, and must therefore resign the handicapping, as he could, of course, not handicap his own horses. How does he reconcile his present acceptance of office with that declaration? The outcome of this pretty little arrangement (three handicappersto form a quorum; , too ! must inevitably fee a general fading of dissatisfaction if not, as Mr Grigg put it, want of- confidence. Itwffl be noticed that Mr Stead openly declared at the meeting that he had not ceased to enter horses at Dunedm on account of the bad handicapping he experienced here. This will be very gratifying to our handicappers, who have long writhed under the accusation that by their bad handiwork they had kept Mr Steads horses away. One of the three will be especially pleased: for it has been openly stated that to him Mr Stead felt particular objection. But what now becomes of all the Christchurch outcry about Lure, Betrayer, and" Co. being so cruelly treated here that no wonder Mr Stead scratched them summarily for the meeting they were entered for? ■ The Grand National Steeplechase Club have brought out a capital programme for their meeting at Christchurch on May 24th. The added money amounts to £650, or an increase of £150 over previous' years, and the stakes are therefore good enough to prove attractive to the owners of good jumpers in any part of the Colony The first event will be the Grand National Handicap of 300 soys, four miles ; after which come the Maiden Plate of 150 soys : Hunt Club Cup of 150 soys (weight-for-age with 71b allowance to amateur riders, and lllb penalty to the winner of the Handicap); arid Consolation Handicap of 50 soys. Nominations close on the 24th inst. with the secretary, Mr W. St. Lindsay, at Timaru. Owners of horses should take particular notice of the following ' intimation, which appears in the programme :— " As some misconception appears to have arisen about the weights in the Grand National Handicaps, it may be as 1 well to state that no weight will "be under lOst, but that 12st 71b is not necessarily the highest weight in any handicap." ' . "Sir Launcelot" paid a visit last week to Yaldhurst, and reports that " Libeller looks rather light after the gruelling -he has had, though he moved free enough; but Mr Walters' other string, Billingsgate, will not appear again this season. His peculiar knee is still as bad as before, and the swelling seems to be extending up his arm. Amulet is doing gentle exercise, butf-I did not see him out, as he and Coupon generally work in the afternoon. The son of Charm, however, looks as well as ever" he did,' and I understand- his owners, will guarantee him to.be perfectly Bound." ■Thefollowing entries have been received for the Ashburton races :— *> HURDLE HANDICAP. Albion • Tom Fool • GangAwa' Isaac M i t< ? Makarakar , Trovatore Levant „Quamby Moltke 11 Why Not ' Clarence Mountain Deer. , MAIDEN PLATE. Lady Florence , ' Trumpeter ' The Curate " Grin Lathallan Cornet. PUBLICANS' PUKSE. The Poet Tasman ■Cbldßtream % r6& TX Hinomoa Envy filly SirModred. , 1 ASIIBURTON CUP. The poet Makarakar . Taama n .Ooldstream Betrayer , Envy fdly 1 SirModred. , FLYING HANDICAP. Marchioness Noill Lady Florence . Lady Ellen , The Curate Q r j n Lathallan Coldstream Whitback * SirModred. At Lake Tekapo races last week the principal event was the Cup Handicap, which was won by Mr J. M'Gregor's Pigeon, beating five others. . The weights for the Timaru races are due on the 15th inst. . Handicaps for the Kowai Pass races have been declared as under :— HI'RDLE KACE. St. lb. St. lb. Levant - .. 12 0 Isaac .. .. 9 C Trovatoro ' .. 10 4 Kosciusko ..8 7 Mousetrap • • 912 Kensington ..87 Albion.. ..9 9 Tommy ..8 0 Young Diomede3 . . 9 9 SPRINGFIELD PLATE. St. lb. St. lb. Oi\Dit.. ..9 0 Besult .. .. 7 C Taaman ..8 9 Farowell ..7 5 Bundoora ..8 7 Tommy ..6 7 LADIES' PURSE. ' Bt. lb. St. lb. OnDit.. - 11 7 Pippin.. .. 912 Bundoora .. 10 12 Tommy ..9 6 Albion.. •• 10 7 Magic ... ..9 5 Levant ..10 6' Lady Ellen ..9 0 Norman .. 10 2 tThe Wanganui Herald has at last come to the conclusion that (as I pointed out long ago) their Cup should be run on the first, and the Wanganui Stakes on the second, day of the meeting. It says: — "The experience of the past teaches us that the Stakes race on the first day has never been run for as it ought, that of ttimeß some of the horses engaged in it have not gone for the money, or in other words have started, but been pulled and saved for the Cup. That this race has once, if not oftener, been won by arrangement, we have had conclusive proof, and so it may be again, unless owners, like the owner of Dauphin, prefer to race for the money, and by winning spoil their chance of appropriating the more valuable prize on account of having to put a penalty up." . . , , . , Thirty-five nominations have been received for the Wanganui Derby, 1885, including six \ Musket foals owned by the Auckland Stud Company. Musket is represented altogether by 13 foals, Patriarch by five, Puriri by four, and Don Juan by three. Hawera race privileges realised £139. The meeting was a very successful one, and the totalisators were kept busy, £1224 being put , through. The dividend of the day was declared in connection with a hack race, three gentlemen who had pinned their faith on an outsider drawing £29 each. ■ The more important races at the Fielding meeting have revived the following entries ;— '

FIELDING HANDICAP. Venture Dan Alaric Wilberforce Exchange Bonny Doon Kohai odd rnck Camellia St. Glair Skylark Kaibinau Aurora Taipo Gentle Annio Scrutineer St. Clair (Collins'). . FLYING HANDICAP. Discretion Dan Wilberforco Alarie Exchange Bonny Doon Swallow Minerva Kohai Noncomfornnty Odd Trick Camellia Taipo St. Clair Marikena Aurora Volunteer Gentle Annie Scrutineer. A New Plymouth telegram informs us that the stewards of the Taranaki Jockey Club, after investigating the affair in connection with the winner of the Autumn Handicap, have decided to disqualify the horse Raudwick and his owner for ever, and the jockey for two years. This is very vaguely worded, and we are left quite in the dark as> to what crime has been committed. All- that is known of the race is contained in the following telegram, sent on the day of the event :—" Larry and Randwick attracted the principal attention. A bad start was made, in which Randwick had the advantage, Larry came next, and Dan third. These -places were kept, Normanby bringing up the rear till rounding the straight, when Randwick was held in by Williams, whilst Larry was doing- his best, and the pair went in this way until within four lengths of the winning-post, when, without an effort, Randwick came in, leaving a good length between him and Larry. Time, 3 mm. 21£ sec. A dispute arose afterwards, as it was found that Larry had carried 91b extra, but the stewards ruled that they could take no action, as Randwick had weighed out at his proper weight." The impression conveyed by this would seem to be that there was collusion between some parties ; but I presume that we shall before long be placed in full possession of the facts. ' ' ' ■ The Hawke's Bay Herald says:— "The Napier Hospital will be the richer by £200 in consequence of Mr Allan M'Lean's success at the Jockey Club races with his filly Louie. There was some doubt whether Louie was entitled to run as a maiden owing to her dead heat with the Slander filly at the Jockey Club's Spring Meeting, but as no protest was lodged Mr M'Lean was entitled to the stakes. Under the circumstances, however, he gave the Maiden Plate stakes (£6O) to the Hospital, and supplemented this with another £40 from his winnings in the Handicap, making £100. This will obtain another £100 as 1 subsidy from the Government." ! The acceptances for the principal handicaps at the Auckland meeting are as under :— EASrER HANDICAP, Of 150 soys. Distance, two miles. St. lb. St. lb. Randwick (inc. pen.) 9 5 Souknr.. .. 7 5 Maid of Honour ..8 8 Anglo 1 .. ..7 2 Misohief ..8 4 Yatapa.. .. 6 1 2 Kinsr Quail .. '8 0 Dewdrop .. , 6 1^ Larry (inc. pen.) .. 711 Lone Hand .. 61q Slander filly .. 710 Luc«penny .. 6 g TlmWhifiler ..7 9 My Dream ..67 Louie .. ..7 5 Nor M.. .. 6 ■ HANDICAP STEEPLECHASE. Of 100 soys. Three miles and a-half. sfe. lb. Bt.lb Grey Momus ' . . 11 7 Hard Times . . 10 5 Te Whetu v . . 11 0 Harkaway . . 10 5 Matau .. .. 11 0 Wild Day rell .. 10 0 I Catch-em .. 10 0 RaKau .. .. 10 0 , The latest betting on the Easter Handicap is as follows :— ! 5 to 1 agst Slander filly ( 6 — 1 ■ King Quail < 6 — 1 Louie 7 _ 1 Mischief 7 — 1 Larry ' ' 10 — 1 Randwick 10_i Tim Whiffler > 10 to 20 — 1 the others. How Randwick will be affected at this meeting by the action of the Taranaki Jockey Club remains to be seen. • ■ " Phseton " has the following :— lt was a very near thing that Louie, the winner of the Napier Handicap, was not scratched for that race. I understand that when Derritt got off the mare after winning the Maiden Plate with her, Mr M'Lean asked him what show he thought the mare had of winning the big race. Derritt is said to have replied, " I think it is a thousand to a cigar," and advised her owner to scratch her. Mr M'Lean was on his way to give the necessary notice to that effect to the secretary, when he met a well-known Bank manager, who remarked, "I say, M'Lean, I've backed, your mare for the Handicap at 100, to 1." Mr M'Lean informed him that he was just about to scratch her, thinking she had no show. The Bank man replied that ho must have a "speel for his money," and using his persuasive eloquence on the squire of Tula Tula, gained his point, and the mare went to the post, with the result that the scrubby-look-ing daughter of Anteros cantered home a winner by two lengths, beating all the great guns. The same writer says :— I understand that some very curious business \yiaa reported to for the purpose of getting possession of the mare N or M, prior to the Henderson's Mill races. There are various reasons given for this, but I think the main one that guided the persons in so doing was the intention of making the Hurdles a certainty for Harkaway. From what I can gather, it appears that a money-lender held 1 a bill of sale over the mare, and this became known to one of the parties interested in the horse Harkaway, an offer was made to buy it up. This offer was accepted, and the moneylender proceeded out to Henderson to inform Mr Dibble, (in whose name the mare was entered), that he had sold her. Mr Dibble at once flatly refused to give the mare up, but the " man of money " was not to be put . off in that style, for I am informed he politely told Mr Dibble that unless he gave the mare up immediately he would be under the painful necessity of sending a "peeler" out to arrest him for being in wrongful possession of his property. Mr Dibble, seeing that opposition was hopeless, gave up possession. After the " Harkaway party" had purchased the mare, they did not go to sleep, for I understand they backed tlie double — Randwick and Harkaway,— which, as circumstances after turned out, was tantamount to backing Randwick straight out, for the mare was scratched for all engagements on the day of tho races. These are the whole of the facts connected with tho case so far as I have been able to gather, and, to say the least of them, they do not redound to the credit of the parties, who, I believe, call themselves "honest sportsmen."