ENGLISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 1705, 26 July 1884, Page 21

ENGLISH AND FOREIGN.

' Mr Joseph Thompson appears to be making bis mark in Old Country, as the following extract relating to betting operations on the Derby from the Sporting Life will Bhow : — " For a long time the meeting waß well-nigh unproductive, the same lethargy which marked the business on Saturday being predominant, and it remained for the latest addition to the ranks of leading pencillers, the 'Australian leviathan, 1 to give the necessary fillip to the proceedings. After a lot of finesse had been indulged in, the bookmaker referred to set the ball fairly rolling with an offer to lay 5000 to 1000 ' bar one.' This offer met with no response, a like fate awaiting the proposal from the same quarter to lay 2000 to 1000 against Talisman and St. Medard coupled. Offers there were in abundance at this time to lay 11 to 4 on the field, until the ' colonial ' was again to the fore with the heavy offer of 3000 to 1000 on the field. Even this offer,' though repeated, was not accepted, but with a few minutes of the time when the price was. first tendered there was a very evident desire on the part of several wnllknown commission agents to tempt the layer into renewing his liberal offer. This time, however, it was the fielder's turn to fight shy." Archer rode nine winners out of 17 mounts at Manchester races. The figures of the principal jockeys up to June 8 were as under :— Mounts. Lost. Won. Archer F. .. 182 102 80 Wood C . . 161 121 40 Loatea S. .. 157 124 33 Watte J. ..74 62 'II Wood burn J. .. S'2 6i 3 7 Cannon T. .. CO H 16 It may be interesting to note that at the end pf the Derby week last year the figures standing to the names of the two leading jockeys were: Archer- 152 mounts, 53 wins; C, Wood — 158 mounts, 43 wins. Third place was then filled by G. Fordham with 36 wins out of 101 mounts, but he has not yet been seen in the saddle this season. Mr Linde, the master of the jumping business, took over May Boy and Donnycarney to collect the rich prizes offered by the Frenchmen at Auteil m May, but both the Irish horses failed to accomplish their mission, and the prizes remain in France. Directly the Derby meeting was over raoing began at Kempton Park, where the Whitsuntide Cup, of 500 sovb, fell to Mr L. de Rothaohild, by the aid of that good old slave Brag. A large field started, and as the winner went out at 4 to 1 his victory probably went a long ,way towards bringing back the Talisman losses m the Derby. The Adelaide Observer's English correspondent e»ys s—Mosfc of the Australian cricketers were at the Derby. The collapse of the Birmingham programme helped them to this, and I may tell you in confidence that Palmer 'backed St. Gatien at a long price, drew him in one biff sweep, and Harvester, his co-dead-heater, in another. At the Metropolitan (Baldoyle) meeting on June 3, S. Kelly, when finishing third on Citron for the Suburban Plate seemingly turned weak, which made him swerve in the saddle, thereby bringing his head into contact with the winning-post as he passed it. He was knocked off the horse, and when picked up life was found to be extinct, his neck being dislocated, besides which he received a fracture of the skull. Herald (foaled in 1872), by Laneret out of Nightjar, by Wild Dayrell, must be a wonderfully Bound animal, for he ran his 137 th race .pn the 27th May. He commenced his turf pareer in Ireland at two years old, and on several occasions ran in hurdle races. Truth says : "Mr Hammond, the owner of St. Gatien, began life as a Newmarket stableboy. In proeeßß of time hja became too heavy $9 ride, and he then to.ok to touting, and ag he

was blessed with keen eyes and sharp wits, he quickly won a considerable sum of money, developed into a professional backer, and from that chrysalis state he blossomed forth as the owner of a stud of racehorses. Mr Hammond during the last few years has won upwards of £80,000, He has been very lucky, and as a proof that he is favoured by fortune I may mention that he netted a large snm over Dutch Oven's Leger. Mr Hammond was able to back his horse to win a heavy stake without much outlay, as St. Gatien was at 33 to 1 after the Two Thousand. I hear he wins £30,000 by St. Gatien, and in addition he had £500 on Harvester. Sir John Willoughby has not cleared more than £3000 on the week. He would have won a good Btake by Queen Adelaide. The Danebury commission for Busybody was £2500." The Epsom Gold Cup fell through, none of the other subscribers caring to pull out a horse to oppose the Duke of Portland's St. Simon, who was indulged with a walkover. At a race meeting held at Lahore (India) during May a couple of amusing events were decided. One was entitled the Harmony Stakes, for all ponies, every rider to play a musical instrument (to be approved by the committee) all through the race ; the first in with his bajah to be declared the winner ; prize, a jewsharp ; distance, £-mile. Bushgirl (his rider and owner playing a whistle) was returned the winner half a length in advance of Curagoa (fife). Pique (banjo) early came to grief, and its sweet strains (according to my authority) were thus lost to the public. The remaining starters were Kandahar (crying doll) and Anonyma (drum). The agonised cry of the doll was heard above the din of the race at the finish. The other comical event was a Mena gerie Race, for all animals except horses, all to be driven ; prize, a card of honour. The competitors were a fox terrier Grip (who won), rooster Chanticleer (second), and bullfrog, called A T, ditto Leper, ditto Hopper, and duck Quack. From the description of the event it appears the fox terrier after his attention bad been with difficulty diverted from the frogs, which he seemed anxious to annihilate, seized on to the rooster, which being in'turn rescued, the oanine was returned the winner. Matthew Dawson has publicly announced in the Racing Calendar that after July 1 he would cease to carry on business as public trainer. The Heath House trainer aho takes the opportunity of expressing his most grateful thanks to the noblemen and gentlemen who have for so many years honoured him with their patronage and confidence. The Earl of Aylesford met with an accident on the Derby night at London Bridge Btation, and bis leg was broken in two places. It is stated that the accident occurred during an altercation with a ticket inspector on the noble earl's return from Epsom races. Considerable sensation was created after the Derby owing to Sir John Willoughby lodging an objection against St. Gatien, the half- winner of the Derby, on the grounds of insufficient description. He is by Rotherhill or The Rover, and the " Stud-book " contains another Rover, who was\foaled in 1856, and wa3 the sire of a few winners some ten or a dozen years back, An attempt will be made to prove that the Rover, by Flying Dutchman out of Meeanee, by Touchstone, is still living, in which case St. Gatien should have heen described as by Rotherhill or The Rover, by Blair Athol. Mr E. O. Smith, V.S., of Midhurst, owned the Flying Dutchman Rover after the death of the late W. Reeves, of Epsom, and has heard nothing of him since he was sold at Tattersall's About this time The Rover by Blair Athol was foaled. In order that Sir John Willoughby may have ample opportunity of making out his case, the stewards of the Epsom meeting have postponed the hearing of the case until Tueiday week, at Ascot. [The objection, we hear by cable, was withdrawn.] The St. Leger promises to be a very interesting race this year, and the latest betting is as under : — £T. LPGKR. 376 to 100 ajjst Busybody (oS, 4 to 1 wtd) 6 — 1 — Superba (tk) 6 — 1 scot-free (< ff) 100 — 16 — - Queen Adelaide (tk) IB — 1 Waterfoi d (tk) 33 — 1 Cambußtn re (tk) Even aggt Superba, Queen Adelaide, Harvester, and Scot-free (tk to £2000) Even Busybody, Superba, Scot-freo, and Harvester (tk to £-2000)