MELBOURNE SPORTING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1682, 16 February 1884, Page 20

MELBOURNE SPORTING NOTES.

. (Br our Special Turf Correspondent, "Warriob.") ' February 5. For a fortnight previous to the declaration sf weights for the principal eventß of the Victoria Racing Club Autumn meeting racing and other sporting matters was at a standstill in Melbourne, and with the exception of the Champion, for which the Hon. Mr Pearson backed Commotion to win £3000 at 3 to 1, there was no news to record, Wednesday nigHt business commenced in real earnest^ A commission from Sydney to back' Segenhoe at 100 to 3 and 4 for the Newmarket Handicap for as much as the books would g<\ very soon placed the 1881 Maribyrnong .plate winner at the top of the tree, aud last night you couldn't get 100 to 9 about him. Mr .Whittingham having won this prize twice with , Aspen, haa determined to have another shot| and being delighted with Claptrap's handicap— 7st 121b — (I fancy nothing better at the present time) — accepted all the 100'b to 2 otfeied, and leaving off ready to take 100's to 3. Mr Smart'a chestnut colt, Countryiflan, I consider, has been thrown in at Bst 71b, and the public wasn't at all surprised to hear of the son of Countryman having been backed to win a considerable Bum at 100's to 4 and 100' ato 5, and was this morning 6rm at 100' ato 7.' Here's Luck was nibbled at for a small amount, but, considering that he carried 78t Blb, and 6st Ulb to victory in the Flying Handicap and the Anniversary Handicap at the Sydney Tuif Club meeting, you would have thought bis. figure would be a cut above lOps to 3 ; his stable companion, Countryman, has no doubt taken all the wind out of the sails of Kingsborough'a eon. After the weights were declaied you could have got 100 to 1 about Dan Robinson's three-year-old Precious Stone (7st 21b), but Binca the son of Tubal Cain— Topaz won the Geelonsf Trial Stakes carrying 3lb more, and the Geelong Stewards' Purse (8ot), he has been backed to win tho Newmaiket at 100 to 4. On Friday afternoon Coolbah, a four-year-old (8»t), shewed soma pace in the betting market, commencing at 100's to 3, leaving off at 100's to 6, atter hi 3 backers had accepted something like £8000. On referring to the Australasian Turf Register of 1882, I find Coolbah running second in tho Yass Maiden Plate, and nowhere in the Murrumbidgee Publicans' Puree. Mr H. B. Tothill's colt, Lord Wilton, having baen allotted 7at 51b, came in for a fair share of support ; the Adelaide chestnut^ leaving of! at 100 to 4. There was no business done on either the Australian Cup or Champion Race, the betting at Tattersall's on Wednesday and Friday evenings being confined chiefly to the Newmarket Handicap, Geelong Cup, and Geelong Handicap, particulars of which will be found below. v Some little excitement took place at Tatters.alls on Tuesday night last when it became known that the chief magistrate of the Water Police Court, Syduey, N.S.W., had decided t at the Australian Jockey Club had no power to make a bye-law which permitted certain men to bet in their enclosure, for it was against the Betting Act of New South Wales to do so. According to this decision, the Australian Jockey Club will have to ro fund to all their license d bookmakers tho fee paid by them for plying their calling in the saddhng-paddook ; and the bookmakers will nofc be .allowed to make any bets, otherwise the police will step

in and prosecute them under the Betting Act. No doubt my readers will wonder what has brought about this startling reformation of the gambling spirit in the sister 'colony, or whothar there is some unknown influence at work, or a speedy conversion- of the New South Wales magistrates by the Salvation Army, that has awakened them to the danger or betting on horse racing, and caused them to open their eyes, after pome years of lethargy, and declare against public betting, to the utter amazement of the Australian Colonies. All this trouble and annoyance — and every possibility of more to come — could havo been saved if the Australian Jockey Club had not behaved in such a h'gh-handed manner. It appears that a man named Davies applied some time ago to the Australian Jockey Club for a bookmaker's license, but the Club, not being satisfied with hia credentials, refused to grant him one. Of course Davies, who sepms to have known what he was about, went to Eaudwick on New Year's Day, paid for admission to the grand stand and eaddling-paddock, and commencecj bookmaking in right down earnest. Attention was very Boon called to the authorities of the Club, and by the order of the chsirraan, he was forcibly ejected from the enclosure. Davies, although he may be looked upon asa " wel&hor," has aense. He remained on the flat for the rest of the afternoon, aud next morning consulted one of the best lawyers to be found in the city of Sydney. His next dart wa« to let the club attack him ; and ho hadn't long to wait, for he was summoned for trespassing on the Randwick racecourse, which, by-the-byo, you have to pay a shilling for admission to, and the case was dismissed. Davies' turn came next, and he laid an information against th". Hon. Jaiii&i White, as chaitman of the Australian Jockey Club, for permitting persons to bet in tho Randwick racecourse reserve. The Bench was fully satisfied that the plaintiff had proved his case, as the information disclosed an offence, and that Mr White, as chairman, was liable, bv«t - sis this was the first offence he would only fine him £20 or one mon^h in . Darlinghurst gaol. Of course the club gave notice of appeal in both cases. Until the Supreme Court has decided for or against, bookmaking will cease in the Bister colony. Should the higher coutt look at the matter from a popular point of view, they will stand by the club. The magistrates' view of the case, no doubt, was that by the A. J.C. licensing bookmaking they were countenancing betting. This is all moonshine. From the day that the Victoria Racing Club licensed bookmakers " welshers " have been unknown at Flemington, and the Hill has been turned from a bear garden to something approaching respectability. The Bench' at the Water Police Court had perhaps, like thousands of other people in Sydney, never witnessed a Melbourne Cup, or they would have read the Act differently, and fallen in with the opinion of the general public, that the real object of racing clubs in registering bookmakers is to protect the public from "welshers;" and to lessen the amount of gambling on the racecourses of Australia.

The Hon. James Wbh>, during his career on the turf, has been one of the most successful men in Australia. Of course Mr John Tait and Mr De Mestre are of thirty years' standing, and therefore it would be an injustice to Mr White to place him on a par with two such fortunate men. It is with such sporting gentlemen as Sir Thomas Elder, Mr Long, Sir W. J. Clarke, Mr Smart, Mr Pearson, Mr Wallace, Messrs Chirnside, Mr S. Gardiner, Mr S. Miller, Mr C. H. T. Hart, and others that the Hon. James White's name occupies such a more prominent place. He has won three Maribynong Plates, two Melbrurne Cups, the Oaks, the V.11.C. Derby twice, the Metropolitan, A. J.C. Queen's Plate, V.R C. Mares' Produce Stakes, Sydney Cup, and Normanby Stakes. And why? Because Mr White, since ha commenced running horses has always started his horses to win, and never failed to secure the highest priced two-year-old in the land. Look at the enormous sums Mr White has paid for the then yearlings' Palmyra, Segenhoe, Monmouth, Martini- Henry, and lastly tho -Musket — Onyx colt. Although Mr F. F. Dak'm had journeyed from Victoria with instructions to purchase the gem of the Auckland Stud Company, he failed to keep pace with Mr White, on Monday last, when Mr Clibbon disposed of the Muskof, young«i ers sent up from New Zealand. Mr Dakin offered £1100 for the son of Musket— Onyx, but Mr White outbid the Victorian, and the colt was knocked down for 1200 guineas. Such a sportsman as this deserves to win. Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of inspecting a beautiful present made by the Auckland people to Mr M. Fennelly, trainer of Martini-Henry, for the able manner in which he brought the horse to the post. It is a very valuable gold watch, ono that is n«t picked up every day. He begs me to return his thanks to tho people of Auckland. Mr Fennelly states that the Melbourne Derby and Cup winner has been enjoying himself during his holiday, that he is in the best of health, and will be at Fletnington in another week in company with Segenhoe, who is ako goiug well. V/hat an unlucky horße Sardonyx is to be sure t As a two*year-old he won the Squadron Handicap, and a year after the Hawkesbury Maiden Plate, the A. J.C. Mares' Produce; when four years he won the Sydney Handicap, Doneaster Handicap, and Birthday Cup. The son of Fireworks — Onyx has unfortunately iua into second place in the Hawkesbury Handicap on three different occasions ; ha has also run second twice for the Summer Cup and Tattersalls, and twice for the A. J.C. Anniversary Handicap. Altogether Sardonyx has faced the starter's flag 30 times, won (5, gained 13 seconds, 3 thirds, and 14 times .unplaced. Hia owner has resolved to only enter him for the future in weight-for-age races, as the Australian handicappers will give the littlo horse no show

On Wednesday last the Victoria, Racing Club issued their autumn programme?. Among the Ghiof events to be decided at Flernington I find the St. Lpger, Ascotvale Stakes, and Newmarket Handicap, which will take placo on Saturday, March 1 ; on tho following Thursday (March 6) tho Si) ea' Produce Stakes, Steeplechase, and tho 22nd Australian Cup; and on Saturday (March 8) the public will have a splendid dish placed before them — Maiden Stakes, Nursery Handicap, Autumn Handicap, All-aged Stakes, Free Handicap, and tho Champion Race, three miles, 2j .soys each, 10 rovb forfeit, wit\ 1000 sovs added, second horse 200 soys, and thiid 100 soys. The Club will fcive. in added money nearly £5000. The Victorian sweep- piomnters received their death blow on Thursday la*t, when the Postmaster-general notified in the Govern.ment Gazette that for ihe future i\o lottom or packets addressed to "Boz," either to the care of J. J. Miller, Melbourne, or to any other address in the Colonies will be delivered. This js a great blow to Mr Miller, who for some years has received an income of something like £6000 per annum from the results of his sweeps. Last Melbourne Cup "Boz"* had in his possession £32,000 of public money. lam sorry that such men as Messrs Miller. Buland, Goyder, and Jones will, in accordance with powers conferred by ithe Post-office Act, be compelled to cease promoting sweeps, for their transactions were at &U times above hoard,