TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1959, 10 September 1891, Page 24

TALK OF THE DAY.

%* Daring this week I have twice visited tin Forbury courae withoufc seeing much, the galloping baing done at odd and early hours when very few perßona are about, and as a matter of fact there is another difficulty about pioking the winners of the Hunt Club races, in that several of the horses had not arrived at the tme of writing (Wednesday morning). I saw Derby do a sweat on Monday, the result of wbioh was to bdow that ho ia in good nick ; and on Tuesday there was an interesting spin by Emmason and Dormeur, there appearing to be little to choose between them at bix furlongs, but of course I don't know what weights were up, and consequently cannot get a line as to their relative abilities-. The horses that have arrived so far include Hero, Golden Moth, Coinage, The Joker, Lyndoora, Patchwork, Kildare, and Kothamstead, the latter being looked after by Bill M'Kay.

%♦ The racos take place to-morrow and on Saturday, beginning at 1 o'clock eaoh day. Tho weather seems to be a bit broken, but tbera is reason to hope that heavy rain will hold off, and if it doea we shall have a large attendance and good racing. Aa to the probable results— l should think that Oheshunt ought to manage to win the Maiden Stee leobaßd, unless JUaunoeiot is- a better one than ' take him io ue. The Joker entered is not the horae of the same name that recently won up North. It seems to be the general opinion that Derby will be the better of Stuart Waddell'a pair, entered for the Keuaingtcn Handicap, being the more forward in condition. I am not very sure that it is a safe thing to neglect Mariner for a race of this kind, for he has quality, and thia may compensate for the superior condition of Derby, but if the public opinion ia baaed on sufficient Rrounde, and the atabla really fancy Darby— l don't profeaa to know whether they do or not —the son of Daniel O'Rourke must be dans;er- °^ Bt JJ A ,?, 06ptl " Dg T Darb y' then > aB tfa e better of Waddell s pair, I expect to see a big finish as between him, Coinage, and Emmason, and they may perhaps get home in that order. Aa to the Trot, I have an idea that Foremast and Telephone are a dangerous pair, Wanderoo's penalty and want of condition beiDg against her ; for the Tally-ho Steeplechase I will have nothing but Lyndoora and Obriatmaa, the latter for choice; the Shortß ia Buppoaed to be a good thing for Dormeur, and I auppoae he will win, though it ia a more open race than aome think, and I fancy that Adventurer will take Borne beating ; and aa to tbe pony race, it will take a good one to beat the top weight. Wizard. Final tipa in Friday'a Timea. V Attention is directed to an article in this iaaue in wbioh the Otago Daily Times catalogues aome reaaona and auggeata othera which in combination bring it to the conoluaion that the propoaed New Zaaland Jockey Olub ia not required by the colony, and ia especially diataateful to Otago. So far as my opinion ia aw y f VM,UBfV M, UBf X haye i° far » while objecting all along to the propoaed constitution of the club, th?L a in W igi g t0 the P ro P°Bal *o do aome! KSFf? tha^ att e r » exporting and hoping to rp flß nJ 'h 1 th 9 BU PP° rt «s of the acheme a reasonable amount of argument in favour of ljn«si °a w . or . dß » X waß °P en t° be convinced, and willing too, provided that the constitution were so altered as to give country clubs representation. But the time ia fast approaching when the question will paaa beyond the region of debate, and if the propounders of thia acheme do not prove to us its necesssity and reason out its equitableuess oefora k the question of whether there is or is i

not to be a united New Zealand comes up at the Lhrietchurcb Conference, many who like myself have purposely deferred passing a final judgment will be driven to tha conclusion that too proposal is not advocated becauee its advooates have nothing to say. In any owe, Ido seriously urge that the whole country Bhould H™ e £fl OI °H in tfa e ma «« ere the serious question is- finally put to the vote ; and as a meana to that end I Bee no better plan than to formu§EL • j J dva I Dta « ea to fa e gained and submit them m oiroular form for discusaion by every racing club throughout the colony. If after Sim! fT Bre i« a substantial majority in favour of tne New Zealand Jockey Club, there «. £«r nyri £ B be 80meth *»& to go on. With. feelinTof 8 ?h h "T ado P^ ed fco *"* «» S t\U~ 5e5 c D 0 assura aoe that tbe delegatea to _th£ 'conferenc c are no t presuming too much, if they do persist in settling tbe affair on their own responsibility they will be Kuiltv l^h 1 ! 6 t y je °P^ dißiD 8 'he autoantiaSy which now prevaila, and they will make » muddle of the whole thing "a B sure aa™*™ ?b eggs" ,n provoking the minor cluba to break KB? SSS a ?. alle « iano9 w *»<* may become hale better than slavery. I 8 p 8a & plain ," beoauso there is not much time for oonSSSi tion.

V The 10 days' postponement of the Aahburfcon steeplechases was doubtless a cause of vexation to owners and others who had to make positive arrangements some time beforehand — postponement always do humbue people, and I'm not sure that it would not hi wise to abolish all delays of date unless a flood is raging over the courae, as at Plemington recently, or au earthquake intervenes and swSL 'ows up the track-but as it so happmed fee postponement did not operate prejudioally in the Aaburton case, the attendance being lareer than usual, and ao far as is stated nohorSa were withdrawn. The racing i 9i 9 described la Hurdlo Race Don was rather a battar favounte than Master Raven, but both were beaten handsomely by a Cheviot geldin* named Ealmarnock, who appears to have wol on hia merits, sinca there were no mishapsT refusals. The Hunt Olub Steepleohasepro' duced a really excellent contest, in which, by the way the, favourite had no par? the Btrugg c bamg a 3 between Postboy and L3wis until the laat fence had been crossed, when Lewis' rider, who had lost a sfcirrub earlier m the race, fell off through exhaustion, leaving Postboy to finish in front of Lyndoora Tbiß mare had fenced well all through, and might perhapa have won if she had not taken things ao eaaily m the first mile and a-half t5L oBT^o B T^w ra l r< 5 nary overß fcto the conditions of the Hack Raoe were either overlooked or misunderstood by one of the owners, and his Magpie bad hia journey for nothing. Thia aon of Betrayer waa, however, equal to the task of taking his revenge before the day was out, being landed an easy winner of a decent; dividend m the Ladiea' Bracelet, for which .Begorrab and Union Jaok etarted favourites 80^ of ,i bat litfcle hoard-of horae Saunterer won the Maiden Steeplechase easily from the only two of hia opponents {that finiahed, and Matanki effaoted a surprise in the Oonaolation. Messrs Mason and Roberts passed £825 through the totalisator.

* # * The question mooted Borne time ago of having one handicapper for all the country cluba ie not to be allowed to drop, the Riverton Club's delegate to the Ofcago Conference having been asked to bring up at the meeting the proposal to appoint a man to the office at a toxed rate of remuneration, say 5 par cent on the Btakes handicapped for. I am afraid that it would never do for the conference aa a whole to pass a resolution to that effect, for the reasons already given, the chief of wbioh are (1) that tbe D J.C. would never consant to put itself in a false position by lending its ltfluonce in favour of one man more than another ; (2) that the country cluba themselves would be hardly likely to agree aa to the particular person ; and (3) that I very muoh question whether one handicapper could overtake all the work with that tboroughneaa which a good man would consider it his duty to fcestow and cluba would expsc!; to receive, lhe aubjeot ia, however, a euifcable one for conaideration, and doubtleaa something could be done by as many clubs aa would find the arrangement convenient voluntarily agreeing to accept tha services of one peraon who would be generally acceptable. Toe question of remuneration would not, I think, preaent much difficulty if the clubs were all of the Bame opinion as tha Rivetton Olub. There is plenty of money if 5 per oent. ia to be taken aa a fair thing. Last season Otago gave £19,101 in added money. Daducting from thia the D.J.O.'a share £10,610, we have £8491 aa the country clubs' contribution, and this at 5 per cent, would yield £424 11s. **• The first race meeting of the season in the North leland was the Rangttikei Hunt Olub'a Steeplechase fixture, which came off on the Marton courae on tbe 3rd. There were good fields for nearly all the events, and wagering waa pretty brisk. In the Open Hurdles of 30sovs, Rere (11.10) and Kaimanawa (9,7) were the only two that kept the courae, and the first-named, a useful daughter of Bylong, won by half a length, paying £4 12s. Donoaster gave weight and a beating to eight others ia the Hack Hurdlea, for whioh he was backed down to 3 to 2 in the machine. The winner ia said to be a son of St. L9ger. They do breed pedigree hacks up that way. For the Hunt Cup tbe most fancied of the starters was Piako (13 3), but the old grey came down, and Flintstone (11 13), a aan of Flintlook, beat Doctor (12 10) very easily. Omaha, one of Armament's get, beat the resuscitated Phormiura Tenax (by Korari) in one haok raoe, and Anteros' son Ros defeated both Omaha and Phormium Tenax in tbe second haok race, while Queenslander (10 5) followed up his Hawke'a Bay auocess by putting down Worth (10.5), Canute (10.12), and aevea othera in the Open Steeplechase of 60sovs. Tbe weather waa fine, but tbe course was a bit sticky after recent rains.

%* For the following notes from the Taieri lam indebted to the Advocate :— Mr J. Gilmour has Cocky in hand, and intends having a go at the two trotting events at the November meeting of the T. A.T.C. The following horaea are likely otartera for the Maiden Plate at the Taieri meeting:— Le Roi, Johnny Faa, a fullsißter to lanny (owned by Mr Clarke, of Greytown), Mr S. Young'a mare by Le Loup— Jeßßioa, Honeysuckle, and the filly by Sir Garnet— Minnikin. Perhapa a few more will be aeen at the starting post. Mr T. Cotton's horses appear to ba doing well. We understand that be intends building a few more loose boxes. He has now got five horses in training —viz., Johnny Faa, a full sister to Fanny, Hesaie, the trotters Youcg Pinole Patchen and a gelding by Berlin. Mr Jamea Christie has Le Roi looking to perfection. The horse Bhould win a race or two in the spring. Mr S. Young'a filly by La Loup-Jessica (full sister to tralfcee) bas now been started to work in earnest. Mr G. Ruthven is greatly pleased at the way in which bia horae Jaok, who broke ma leg aome time back, has mended, and if he progresses as favourably aa he has been doing

•

we may look for his reappearance on the turf before the season is out.— [There must be some mistake about this last sentence.] *** Southland News has a leading article ' on totalieatora and consultations, in tne course of which it says :~"In first legalising and next treating the totalieator as a legitimate source of revenue Parliament will be deemed by some to have taken a retrogressive and by others a progressive step. That the aim of the promoters of the Gaming and Lotteries Act waß as far aB possible to abolish gambling in every shape and form may be accepted as a postulate. But it waa found impossible to obtain the majority required to carry the point, and a compromise was agreed to, which, while strictly forbidding conBultationß, legalised the betting machine and permitted indulgence by private psrsonß in Bweeps of moderate amount. In levying a tax upon moneys passing through the totaliaator the Government not merely accepts the situation, but gives some slight measure of encouragement to those who contend that the private form of betting known as the consultation should not only be tolerated but also made a source of revenue. It b true that the Premier and several other members of the House are opposed to giving any further facilities for gambling, but logically the^recognition of the totalisator oarries with it acquiescence in the principle of the consultation. There are differences between the two, but in matters of detail only." %* Is this last statement correct? I scarcely think so. Theoretically there is no doubt some relation between the two methods of investment, but the resemblance iB only one that occurs at first sight. There is a radical difference which distinguishes the consultation from the tetalisator, and it is this : that the one is worked for the gain of private persons while the other is simply an acceptable and fair medium of exchange as between those who pay for and those who supply raoing. There are further and important points of difference, but this main one is sufficient to prevent any confusion of ideas on the point. Personally I think that it would ba as well if consultations on a limited scale were authorised in New Zealand, but I emphatically protest against the consultation and the totalisator being argued for on the same footing, lest anything should be said or done to encourage those , mistaken people who, .while not professing to wish a return of the bookmaking system, are practically doing all they can in that direction by abusing the totalisator whenever opportunity offers. I say without hesitation that the totalisator has become indispensable. It has purified our raoing of the grosser swindles ; it has given us new and improved courses ; it has made our race meetings fit for women to attend ; it has relieved racing clubs of their financial difficulties ; and I hope we Bhall never give occasion to have it said of us that " the dog haß returned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." Shortly put, the totaliisator is a necessity, and the consultation a luxury ; and that proposition is irrefutable. s , %* The New Brighton Club's meeting on Thursday last was in every way a pleasant afternoon's sport. Mr Price's Connemara drew first blood, being returned an easy winner of the Maiden, two miles, for whioh he was a pronounced favourite in a field of 14. His time was 6min lseo. How easy Connemara's task was may be judged from the fact that later in the afternoon he did the same distance in the Spring Handicap in smin 52sec. Mr Paul's Siberia also scored a double win— in the Now Brighton Handicap (two miles in 6min 14seo) and the mile in harness (3min 4seo) ; but it should ba explained that Oass was first in in the chief event, Siberia getting the stake on a protest for a cross. Mr R. Brown's Director did the mile in saddle in Smin, and Samho waß first home in the Pony Race, beating Sootty on the post and paying a £10 19a dividend; while the ancient Billy won the Selling Race from scratob, and was bought in by Mr Farrar at £13. The sum of £1508 was passed through the tetalisator. %* The •weights for the South Canterbury meeting are, as far as the same horses are concerned, pretty well the same as those for the Otago Hunt Olub raceß—necesa»>rily^o, unless Mr Dowse, who handicaps, for both clubs, choseto so amend his later calculations as to constitute an admission that hiß Dunedin ones were faulty ; but there are "a number of horses

engaged at Timaru which nave no place in the Dunedin handicaps, and it by no means f ol- <* lows that any weak spots in the handicapping ■which may be revealed at the Forbury — we have not yet found them, by the way— will prejudice the racing at the following fixture. So far as one oan form a judgment in anticipation of the acceptances, I Bhould say that the best two in the Hurdle Race at Timaru are Ohristrnas and Captain Abram ; for the County Plate I have a weakness for Coinage, unless he Bhould be reserved for the more valuable Spring Handicap, in which case Quibble may be found handy at the finish ; Cajolery is my howe for the Guineas; Liberator and Derby are probably as good a pair«s one can select in the Spring Handicap, though I Bhould certainly add Coinage if ha were kept for that race, and the highly-bred Clanranald ought to have a Bhow even though he is not perhaps the most promising stayer among the youngsters— the fact is that this is a very open race ; I fancy that Kilmarnock is dangerous in the High-weight Handicap; and Tom Field ought to take the Welter if he is aa good as they say he is. That iB as near as I oan come to picking the results nntil the acceptances appear. My final selections will appear in the Ofcago Daily Times of Wednes* day next. **♦ The principal subject discussed at the annual meetiDg of the Southland Amateur Turf Olub waß as to the desirability or otherwise of altering the date of the meeting from February to October in accordance with the wishes of the Birchwood Hunt Olub. It was urged on the one>ide, in favour of the proposal, that the present arrangements meant keeping their hunting horses in training throughout the summer, that the ground would be in better condition for jumping in Ootober than in February, and that the earlier date would suit owners better and therefore produce more nominations ; whereas the advooates of abiding by the old arrangement urged that the clubjvould, by making an alteration, be run* ning a risk which the Hunt Club ought to share. A vote being taken the proposition to shift the date to Ootober was carried almost unanimously. It iB understood that the date will be about the 21st of Ootober. The report presented stated that proposals had been made with a view of amalgamating with the Southland Racing Club, and thus forming one strong body which would frame varied programmes that would meet the requirements of all sections of sportsmen, but owing to a difference of opinion as to the dates of fixtures the negotiations fell through. The club would be approached by the Southland Racing Olub for the purpose of obtaining their support in their endeavour to prooure a more convenient site lor a racecourse than the existing one, there being no doubt that the difficulty of access militated against the success of any olub usinjr the Myross course. From the balance sheet it appeared that the total receipts for the year amounted to £279, and the expenditure to £211 being a profit of £67, which added to the balanoe.brought forward from last year made a

total to the credit of the olub of £106. The report and balance sheet were unanimously adopted, and the election of officers followed. Mr J. Gardner was elected president ; Messrs A. R. Hare and G. M. Ball, vice-presidents ; Mr A. E. S. Carr, boa. treasurer; and Mr R. Clark secretary ; the committee consisting of Messrs O. Basstian, Ben., E. Bunn, J, Ritchie, J. Tennant, E. F. Crouch, and W. D. Dalgließh. Mr W. Young waa reappointed auditor.

*,„* If I do not make a mistake, this year is the first in which the South Canterbury Hunt Club— or Hunt Clubs, for it was formerly a sort of joint affair — has given money prizss or had the totalisator at its race meet* ing. On this occasion all semblance of amateurism was abandoned, and, so far as oan be learned from the reports to hand, the result waa satisfactory. The Timaru Herald's report says that the arrangements on the course were of a rough and ready kind ; the judge for instance being mounted in a vehicle that bad years ago seen its best Derby day, and the secretary being located in a tent that found the smallest of card tables a tax on its limited space. However, the gentlemen who respectively occupied them made themselves quite at home, and enjoyed the meeting as much as those who bad large paddocks to roam over. The course, from a spectator's point of view, was rather a failure ; but from a hunting point of view was excellent. Gorse fences were in the majority ; a hurdle opposite the judge's stand and a post and rail near the entrance gate being about ample in the w y of naked timber. What made the course a failure was the fact that, no matter to what coign of vantage one went, one-third of the traok was hidden to view by dividing fences or plantation, Our representative tried sprinting and record breaking in the hopes of getting a full description of one race at least, bat not being in "Morrison f orm " bad to give up ; a five-mile run from fence to fenca and paddock to paddock being required to see a two -mile race. As'to the sport itself, it was first-olass, and the way the horses were brought together reflected much credit on the handioappers. We heard several visitors say that the events as a whole were far more keenly contested than at the Grand National^ meeting ; and certainly bo far aB the majority of finishes were concerned nothing more exciting could be seen on any racecourse in the colony. There were four accidents duriDg the day, The Chicken giving W. Jackson a nasty shaking in the Cup ; Stanley throwing Cornelius in the Bracelet, and rendering him unoonßoious for nearly an hour ; Juggler knocking over a boy named Charles Connor at the finish of the same race, and injuring the boy's face somewhat; and Trilford getting an ugly spill from Shingle at the hurdle while contesting the Consolation. In the Maiden Steeplechase Stanley led by lengths to the last fence, where Muokrosis, came through, and collaring Stanley about midway up the rails, won a tremendous raoe by a nose. In the Hunt Olub Cup Glen after really doing the whole of the piloting, fought out a sterling finish arith Mexico, and won by about two lengths. In thiß raoe Mexico's rider punished hiß mount in a shocking manner with the spurs, and many were pleased to see that in the following races the oruel "persuaders " were left in the dressing tent. The Handicap Steeplechase was followed by a protest, Juggler getting the award on the ground that Zaeo had crossed him ; and the next event, the Open Steeplechase, resulted m the most popular win of the day, The Joker turning up Bplendidly for the followers of the Waimate County Harriers, and not giving the cracks from the far north the ghost of a show of a out in. In the Bracelet, Glen got another bracket, winning by half a length from Bob after a finish that delighted the onlookers, more especially as Mr Murray- Aymley gave an excellent exhibition of tip-top riding. We i may add here that Messrs Mason and Roberts had a totalisator at work, putting through £639 during the afternoon.

*** There are 16 entries for the Canterbury Gup, New Zealand's champion raoe. This is capital considering that in respeot to this event the entries are not taken several years in advance with the idea .of forcing owners to enter as many as possible. It may be reckoned that the owner of every horse entered has a pretty fair idea of what his moke will be called on to meet, I think it will ba confessed that the race wear? a more open inspect than most Canterbury Oaps do, aad that until we see the form displayed in the N. Z. Cup amd the Derby no man can pretend to call this a one-horse event. Oruohfield is, perhaps, the only member in the list whose nomination strikes one as ambitious. If he can have any show, what a " dead bird " he must be for the N. Z. Cup. My notion about this event is that it will be won by the Derby winner. Bat whioh one is that to be ? The hesitation that naturally precedes even a qualified opinion shows how open these Canterbury races are this year.

%* It may be as well to warn any crookedminded people that may be left in New Zealand — that is if we;bave any sueh — that they had batter steer clear of Victoria if it's trotting that they're after. The Wedderburn stewards have disqualified for two years a man named Ball and his horse which was entered aa Skipper and turned out to be Fidget ; and in complying with the request for endorsement of the punishment the Victorian Trotting Club passed a resolution to the effaot that in Bimilar cases where fraud is proved, stewards should mete out no lighter punishment than disqualification for life. If the V.T.O. really mean to make it a life job for ringing in they will earn the thanks of their constituents and do the sport no end of good. *** "Vigilant" was permitted to inspect Mr Gollan's horses before they left Wellington. He says that Tirailleur, never a beauty, has not greatly improved in looks since be was ft three-year-old, and there is still that angular look all over and leanness behind which were his characteristics as a youngster. Where he gets his galloping power it is difficult to say. However, Tirailleur, in spite of hiß lack of beauty, has proved himßelf a great 'horse. Tiraillerie is of quite a different stamp. She has •• galloping " written all over her, from her racing-like head and neck to her baautifully let down hocks and muscular thighs. She is a fine upstanding mare, showing a lot .of quality, and good as she has proved herself already, she ought to prove better with age. At present Martin is rather anxious about her, as she has a auspicious swelling of the nature of a wind-gall on fe? mrr n r£ at i or £r!?, g iv . Bfc above the fetlock joint. Mr T. H. Hill, who examined it, said he did not look upon it as anything serious. Sternchaser is one of the Orackshot sort ; in fact his great muscular development behind strongly reminds us of that horse. He is a great raking bay with a blaze face and one white leg, so that there is no mistaking him when once seen. Looking at him, I should ?ay he was at least 16 hands already, but there is nothing of the overgrown baby about him, for his massive frame is so well furnished that be look's more like a five-year-old than a colt barely three years-old. In my opinion this is the most valuable animal in the team, and should he turn out as good as he looks he will go very near winning the Victoria Derby ; and if Mr Gollaa should have

the big luck to win the double, Derby and Cup, I think it will be with Sternchaser. Renata bandies well, and beara evident signs of having done plenty of strong work.

*** Dealing in a chatty article with memories of Asoot, the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette Bays it was thought that the 22 that faced the starter fjr the Royal Hunt Oup at the last meeting, when Laureate II scored bis sensational victory, formed a tolerably big field. But in 1864, when Gem of the Sea carried off this trophy, there were 34 runners, and thrte yeats previously, when Canary won, there were 37, while on more than one ocoaaion the field for this gambling event has reached over 40. In 1864, the ory of "follow the Baron " had just begun to be popular, and this gathered strength from the easy victory of Hippolyte in the Aaont Stakes. That rioh prize the Prince of Wales' Sfcakeß witnessed the defeat of Count Lagrange'a grand filly Fille de lAir, by the beautiful Ely, as he was called in those days. Of the lot that went to the poßt for the Royal Hunt Cap, a three-year-old called Evelina, with only 6.0 to carry was served up hot at 4 to 1, and heaps of the competitors were fancied in front ' of Gem of the Sea, who, starting at 40 to 1, and ridden by Harry Grimahaw, just defeated Mr Merry's Crisis by a neck, A well- known bookmaker, who used to pencil to small amounts in the "ruins," as the then waste gronnd in Farringdon street used to be called, got hold of the " Gem " by some means, and he never looked back afterwards. If memory serves us rightly, he took all the 50's to 1 he oould gefroff thelistß on the morning of the raoe— there was no s.-p. betting then— and he could hardly believe the " tisßue" containing the result. For a while he took_ a complete rebt from raoing, acting uador the advice of a medical man, and we afterwards learnt it was a near thing whether, while winning biß money, he did not lose his reason. However, he aoted wisely, and by careful attention on the part of his wife, and change of scene, he soon got all right again, but he was never the same man as before. He put his aon in a big public house, and he is now one of the most prosperous victuallers in London. The Gold Cup, about the period of whioh we are writing, used to be a raoe of the first water. A thousand pities it seems that so grand an event Bhould be reduced to the puny dimensions witnessed on the last oooasion. In 1864 there were nine runners for the trophy. They included the third in the Derby and the sensational winner of the 1863 St. Leger, Lord Olifden, who finished nowhere, the race falling to Scottish Chief, the sire of the now celebrated dam Thistle.

%* Tne following year, Gladiateur's, saw Royal Ascot in great form. What glorious memories of the horse and his rider, exclaims tho principal spotting writer of that day, belong to the classio turf of Ascot 1 Memories such as Pindar of old would have celebrated in some immortal ode, even aB he sang the triumph of the Royal Hisro on his stead Phrooicua, the winner of the Olympian orown. Sinoe the days when Master Jaokey carried off the first Ascot Cap rioh indeed are the associations in connection with the racing cracks of old. What a race the Cap produced when Oamerine and Rowdon ran a dead heat, the former with Sam Ohifney up just doing Jem Robinson on the latter in the final run off. The Royal raoe in '65 also produced a dead heat. The field, it is true, was small numerically, but what quality was represented—Ely, General Peel, and Fille de lAir ! The last-named pair were equal favourites at 7to 4, with Ely next at 6to 1. Oustance was on the latter, and George Fordham bad the mount on General Peel. The race produoed one of the most exoiting finishes ever beheld at Ascot or elsewhere. On entering the straight the other three competitors were done with, Ely was on the rails and General Peel in the centre of the course, and£ amidst unparalleled cheering ani uproar, ths two were left to try conclusions, just as Buokstone and Tim Whifflar had done two years previously. Horses were giants in thoae days. Ding, dong, went the demon George Fordham at General Peel opposite the stand, and gamely indeed did Lord Glasgow's horse respond ; he caught his opponent in the very last stride and made a dead heat. In the run off Fordham saw the tussle had taken all the steam out of his horse, and when he found he had no chance he dropped his hands, and Ely went by the post a 12 lengths' winner.

•** The Hunt Oup that year brought out five-and-twenty runners, and the favourite was supplied by Mr W. Morris, one of three brothers, well-known bookmakers, who occupied a high position in the Ring. Henry Morris, tho third and youngest brother, who is still alive, used to be entrusted with the working of the French commissions, and he got Count Lagrange wonderful prices about Gladiateur both for the Guineas and the Derby. The Hunt Cup favourite was Union Jack, ridden by Custance, with Mr W. Robinson's Gratitude well backed at 100 to 15. They finished first and third, the latter being the winner. Gratitude was heavily baoked by certain members of the Stock Exchange, and a prominent tradesman in the city of London owed his first start to certain very straight information he obtained about Mr Robinßon's mare. It happened in this way : A firm of stockbrokers in Threadneedle street were, about a fortnight before tho race, bringing out a certain public company, and for the purpose of getting off their prospectuses expeditiously had engaged temporary offices in a large building, then rented by the Oredit-Fonoier, where a staff of clerks were employed in folding and posting. One afternoon Mr O. a principal in the house, went into the room io which about a dozen young men were engaged, to see how the work was progressing, whec he had occasion to refer to some memoranda and confer with the clerk in charge. Having finished his instructions Mr O. departed, but he had left behind him on the desk a slip of paper, the purport of whioh "Verdant Green " oould not help noting. He was not much of a sportsman himself, but he bad a keen sense of knowing when he was on the right track for making a bit. He felt assured that whatever was good enough for Mr C. to do, whether in buying or Belling stooks or shares, or in backing racehorses, waß also worth his own little bit. Now Green bad never bad a bet before in his life, he had dabbled on the Stock Exchange, and that not to his disadvantage. How oould he go to work without letting the oat out of the bag ? Gratitude at this time was quoted at about 20 to 1, a fiver would bring in £100, a tenner double that amount. In the end he consulted a trusted friend, and a tenner each way was invested on the mare with Valentine and Wright. The winner of this nice little bet ultimately became a very big stationer, and employed many clerks of his own. There may be a few reading these lines who will be able to recall the whole of the circumstances to mind.