IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1947, 18 June 1891, Page 26

IN A NUTSHELL.

—Joe Thompson is bookmakiog in New York. —Mr Stead's horses were landed safe and sound in

Sydney.

— Weights for the Melbourne Oup on Monday, the 22nd last.

—Common is a big, leggy horse, standing nearly 16hdB2In.

—Bob Allan is now riding exeroise for the Hon. G. M'Lean's team.

—The V.B.C. Derby of 1892 has 117 entries : exactly the same at 1891, —King Louis won the chief steeplechase at the Moonee Valley meeting. —Stanley, winner of the Adelaide Cup, hat been told for 200gs to go to -India. —Tradition; who ii troubled with bad feet, is being treated to swimming exercise. — Ihe candidates for the Caulfield Oup number 151, or 14 more than last year. —Carbine has been baoked for the Melbourne Cup, ia Melbourne itself, at 100 to 9.

—The Observer has oaloulated that the double, Oaulfield and Melbourne Cups, can be latd 26,092 different ways. —Uranus was weighted at 110 In the A.J.O. Steeplechase won by Melton. Beggar Boy was top weight with 12.0.

—The stallion Crawfurd Priory, brother to Gnesiwork, is now the property of Mr A. M'Lean, of Dusrfc, Hawke'e Bay. — *or onoe in a way the cabled list of nominations for the Melbourne Gap has not misled us as to number. The total it 164,

— The death of the trotting stallion Alabaster is reported from Amerioa. He wat valued at £8.000, and had a record of 2 15.

—The Lismore (N.S.W.) Olub reoomtnend that the totalisator should be legalised outside a radius of 20 miles from Sydney.

, — The Hook, one of the homes tent to America by Mr S. Gardiner, hat found a purchaser la Mr B. 3. Baldwin, of Sao Francisco.

■ — Brmak, winner of the French Derby, is out of an English mate. Energetic, by Lord Lyon irom Perseverance, by Voltigeur. —The tale of the Bundoora Park stud did not take place, on acoount of the claims of the mortgagees having been settled. —Maid of All Work, In her day one of the best mares .in Victoria, was recently sold for £18, and Idalia (sister to Brlteis) for £38. —After the Hon. G. Beibey't Allspice won the Flying Handicap at the' Carrlok (Tas.) meeting the owner gave* the stake^to' his trainer. !

—In the Corinthian Bace run at Adelaide, fines to the amount of £65 were imposed on the , amateur riders before they were seßt on their journey. —The South Australian trainer Harry Tothill met bis death by accident recently. He was knocked down in the street by a grocer's oart. — Greygown was recently offered for tale by auction ia Brisbane, but the highest bid was 600gs, or just half the value placed upon him by his owner. —The C.J.O. has deoided that the distressed jockeys' fund is not available for. the benefit of jockeys injured at places other than at Biccarton. — The Adelaide Basing Olub realised a substantial profit over its most successful meeting. Over £37,000 pased tbrough'the totalisator ia three days. —Senator Pettigrew will drive a trained moose against a trotting horse for 200dol a- side, ab the State Fair to beheld at Sioux Falls, S D., next fall.

— The A.J.O. hat deoided to raise the training fees from £1 to £8 per annum. At present it is said the revenue from this source does not pay for the tan used.

—George Herritt, who with his family was living near Inverell (Vio.) iq a half-starred condition, won Tatteraall's £10,000 consultation on the Birthday Handioap. —I regret to hear that Mr S. G. Smith, olerk of the scales to the D.J.0., has been the victim of another buggy accident, by whioh he it confined to his house. , —The C.J.O. is communicating with the D.J O.in respect to the rival claims of Mr Beeves and Mr White to the colours recently registered as the late Hon. W Beeves' colours. —The price paid on behalf of the Viotorlan Trotting Olub for the Qakleigh Park raoeoourse was £20,000. It is said, however, that there is a slight! hitch, and the tale has not yet been completed. — Mr V. Harris wants the Wellington Olub to return him the nomination fees of Inez. The mare did not go to the meeting, and was not handicapped. The matter stands referred to the conference.

— Ca'oro, a fairly -good oolt, is one of the best known of the defunct Trefoil's get. Trefoil wat by King of Olubs from, 1 Forget-me-Not, and therefore half-brother to Memento, Mikado 11, and Lady Zetland.

—In the last; volume of the " New Zealand Stud Book" Fame's oolt of 1888 Is given as by Sou'wester. Is not th's n mistake for Natator ? I think that Natator— Fame, is the breeding of Captain Webb.

— J. Malone, tbe well-known steeplechase rider, was disqualified by the Moooee Valley stewards for suspicious running with Spud in tbe Federal Hurdle Kace Spud is hung up for a similar period, as also bis owner. L. Abrahams.

— It is announced that the Geraldine Olub made a small profit on the Spring meeting, but nothing is said as to the general outcome of the year's work. I hope it was satisfactory, for the Geraldine Club is one that deseivea to eucceed. —Running in the Stradbroke Handicap at Brisbane on May 23, Glenooe fell and broke his neck, dying instantly. Three other horses fell over the prostrate body. The rider of Glencoe was stunned, and another jockey badly shaken. — Whimbrel was very heavily baoked in Melbourne for the Adelaide Birthday Cup, but was ecratohed on the day of the race. His trainer. J Nicholson, Btates that the ground was as hard aB bell metal, and quite unfit to gallop upon. —I learn from the Canterbury Times that Mr Donald Fraser'i fllly^Pottuue (Ascot- Speculation), engaged in the Hawke's Bay Guineas and New Zealand Cup, is wintering well. Her owner recently received an offer of 200gu for her.

—The handicap for the chief event (in harness) at the Lancaster Park meeting is as follows :— Berlin Boy spratoh, Energy 6aec, Elsie Gay 9ieo. Billy 13sec, Sunlight 17seo, Butoher Boy 17seo, Tommy 22sec,' Sapphire 22seo, Flora 24«e0, Captain Russell 30sec. .

—A late English exohinge tells that owners are beginning to complain about the scarcity of good jockeys about the middle weights. Between 7.0 and 8 0 George Barrett, James Woodburn, Fagan, and Moray Cannon appear to have matters all their own way. — Several applications are said to have b -en sent in for the post of stipendiary steward In the place of Mr Harrle Smith, resigned. The V.R C. Committee decided to invite applications for the position up to fche 30th iust., when applications for the post of handicapper will alao close. — Rufuß, who created a surprise by -winning the Victoria Derby in 1884, won the principal event at the Allaudfile Queen's Birthday meeting, but; was subsequently disqualified for having run ineide a post, and the 'priz° — value ssovs —was awarded to the stcond horse. Called Hack. — Another record is said to have been lowered in Amerioa, a horse called Hotspur being credited with having run a mile and three-quarters in 3min fsee. I am content for the present to make a note qi the

fact, and will amend the tabulated list of records when particulars oome to hand.

—After a reoent galloway race near Melbourne an inquiry was held into the running of one named Wasp, wtio whs obviously pulled. The jockey, who admitted that he was instructed not to win, was fined £20, and the owner, Mr Oloud, was disqualified, with his mare, for two years.

—"Titan" hears good acoounts of the Tasmanian oolt St. Albany and that he has grown beyond'recognition. The son of Pussy is engaged in the V.8.0. Derby, and, bar accident!, it a certain starter. Hit owner thinks hit obance Is a very rosy one, aud hat backed him to win a few thousands already. — Little Billy Lardner was tuipended by the stewards of the- Moonee Valley races for three months for disobedience at tho post in the Gillies Handicap, in whioh raoe he wat riding Vatoota- He was first of all fined £10, but at he persisted in his disobedience the heavier penalty was put In foroe. _— The Sportsman tayt that wagering on the V.8.0 Derby no v is very dull. Stromboli it.quo»ed at 90 to 20. He has been baoked to win a little money at hundreds to twenty, and Penance hat a few followers, who now and again take elghtt to one about his chance. Zalinskl is inquired for occa.ionally.

—The Australasian says that Archie, who was such a sensational favourite for Martini-Henry's Derby, Is making a geod name for himself as a tire in Queensland. One of hit progeny, Dillon, is regarded as almost at good a oolt as Megaphone was at the same age, and already a very large figure has been refused for him.

—A meeting of the Bosehill Baoiag Olnb was convened on 29th ult. to consider the running of the steeplechaser Grafton at Bosehilll and Handwiok, and after investigation It wa* resolved— " That the explanation afforded by Dr Oortls is satisfactory, ib having been always his outtom to run Grafton in similar shoes at Bosehill." —At the Oarrlok (Tas.) meeting on Queen's Birthday Young Lapidist beat Merry Soul in the Hurdle Bace. The owner of Merry Soul entered a protest against the winner on the grounds that Teddy Mills had got off too soon, but it wat found that he had ridden the raoe with only one stirrup, and that he bad lost bis balance at the finish. The protest was dismissed.

—At a recent meeting of the Bngliih Jockey Olub Mr Lowther asked the stewards if it wonld not be desirable to put the olub in touch with foreign and colonial turf authorities with regard to any irregularities under the rules of .racing, and if possible to establish a system bf reciprocity in suoh matters. Prince Soltykoff, on behalf of the stewards, agreed to take the matter into consideration. ' —Mr William Sduness has had several misfortunes with his thoroughbred stock siuoe he settled ia the North Island. Mataura Ensign says that La Bohemienne and Water Nymph both passed out some time ago, and the latest viotlm is the wellknown thoroughbred stallion Trefoil, who was apparently all right when left out one night recently, but was found drowned in a lagoon ia the morning. —A Oalifornian paper »ays that the ooloured jockey Hamilton was last year engaged by the late August Belmont at a salary of £2000 a year, with an extra compensation for winning mounts. Hamilton is a typical Southern darkey la appearance, with a somewhat morose and stubborn disposition. He is a patient rider and prefers to oome at the end of a race with an electric rush, when he finishes with great vigour. —London Sportsman says that James Watson, the well-known Bngliih trainer, died recently at the age of 78 years, haatag followed his profession for more than 60 yeaw: He began by being private trainer to Mr Orde, the owner of Beeswing, who is remembered not merely for her • successes on the turf, but also as having been the dam of Newminster, the sire of Lord Ulifden, Hermit, and many other famous animals .

— The Oaloutta horse trade is anything but flourishing. Every year (says the Indian Planters' Gazette) over 2COO horses are brought into Calcutta from Australia and Sew Zealand, a number whioh certainly exceeds our requirements. -More than three-quarters of these horses are imported with the objeot of selling them at 650 rupees eaoh to Government ; although the military want does not amount to a third of the total number. '<

—For the third time in succession, says the Mall, the V.E.O. has allowed the Melbourne Oup to become an advertising medium for 'enterprising business people. In 1889 a popular actress managed to keep her name before the public at the alight cost of nomination for the big event ; last year a similar course was adopted by a patent medicine man*; and the list of entrants for the coming race is headed by a most palpable advertisement. x —I heartily endorse the following English opinion :— Plague on suoh a jacket say we at " light blue, with primrose five pointed ■ stars, primrose sleeves, and scarlet cap." Such a combination may be all very well in Worth's costumes worn in a ballroom, but what becomes of the five pointed stars a mile away P And this argument becomes the m re forcible when the blue and the primrose stars have " run " from the age of the jaoket into a dirty grey. —The Victorian Trotting Olub have decided to give the sum of £100 in the event of a match taking plaoe between Valentine and Mystery, conditionally that the match takes place at Blsternwiok Park, and the record of 2min 30sec for the mile is broken." Mr Cox. on the other hand, is willing to give a £50 trophy to the winner should the match take plaae at Moonee Valley, and that the time is under smia llfseo for two miles, which was done by Mystery a short time back x - The light-weight Myers, who is now attached to the stable* of Messrs Cook and Wilson, and Ouiden, another New Zealand j ckey. rode a coople of remarkably good races at the Williamstown meeting, says " Freelance." Myers was up on The Magistrate, a 6 to 1 chance, and ,Cusden had the mount on Miss Tasma, the Glorious mare, which won the Trial Stakes, starting price 10 to 1. Both of these lads are Hew Zealanders. and neither now has any excuse for dabbling ia anything doubtful. — As to Zaltoski'a chance ia the Berby, '* Augur" writes:— " Should this gm of Frailty stand ft thorough preparation he will perhaps prove one of our stoutest pillars to re'yupon for the contest for the blue riband of the Victorian: turf. There* are, however, two other oolts in the same stable to be reokoned with, and though I shall expect to see Zalinski mature into the great weight-for-age horse of the trio, I shall not be at all surprised to tee Strathmore or Steadfast prove'hls superior in the Derby, simply because I have an idea that Zalinskl's great frame will not at so early an age stand any great amount of wear and tear."

' —An exchange informs us that there was a lot of trouble at Moonee Vallsy atnongeto^cerj of steeplechasers owing to an innovation tried by Mr Cox. The proprietor had the top rails of all the fences padded with bagging and other matter. This did not suit owners, who appealed to Mr Cox to remove the bagging, and be acceded to their desire. However, this work was badly done, as when the men had torn away the bagging they left the nails so prominent that several of the horses were injured, some of them seriously. Those who were most severely injured were Jubilee, Belle Swiveller, Gaslight, Hortense 11, and Sir John Moore.

— A welsher's doom 1 Kobert Kurlz registered by the V. K. O. as a bookmaker, and convicted of weighing, was thus spoken to by the Chief Justice :-— " The prisoner had a license to praotise bis calling became he wat believed to be a penon that wonld not, seize aa opportunity to rob the public at race meetings. That fact was an aggravation of the offence of larceny from a man who had placed money in hit charge, and made it distinguishable fronpbther cases of a simitar kind. The sentence was lSTnonfcht' imprisonment with hard labour, the first five days passed ia gaol and the first five days of eaoh succeeding alt err alive month of the term to be passed in solitary confinement ' — Speakiog of the benefit to be given to Mr Da Mestre, "Augur" writes:— "Some people say tbata man who has won four Melbourne Cups and trained a fifth should not be ia want. But these people are not aware tjbat the mighty Archer, who won the first two Melbourne Cups, and Tim Whiffler, who won in 1867. were not hi* property. They belonged to Messrs Hasral and Eoberts, and Mr De Messtre, not being a bier bettor, profited only to a small extent. Then, when Chester won the Derby and Oup, he landed a double wsger of £5000, but on settling day'the bookmaker who had laid him. could not pay. though he subsequently diagorged £1000, and th s, I believe, was all that Mr De Mestre ever received."

— New South Wales Parliament has been debating a motion " That it is desirable in the r.ubllc interests to suppress as far as practicable the pernicious practice of gambling in sweeps, com ul tat ions, and other games of chance, and therefore, regarding oivil servants, it ia agreed that any person holding a trust position of a monetary character who tball speculate ia sweeps, con ultatfom. or any form of gambling la horseraalng, rowing, or boxing badismitsed from the service. The motion was amended by striking" out the references to the civil service' and the addition of a clause expressing an o pit- lon that the Government should introduce a bill at the earliest possible date to deal in a comprehensive and drastlo manner with the evil, and, as amended, the motion was agreed to.