TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, 14 December 1893, Page 29

TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEPPA.

*** Occident, now quartered at J. Allan's stable, is having a fair amount of patronage, and fully deserves it, being a well-performed and highly-bred thoroughbred in capital health and free from hereditary infirmity. I had a look at him the other morning, and found him quite big and lusty and full of spirit. Tempest has been served by him, and will continue racing till the autumn ; and other mares that have been mated with the Cup winner are Sweetbriar (by Daniel O'Rourke), the Le Loup mare Knockbaspie, Illusion, Mrs Mullaney, Mr T. George' 3 Mabel, Red Riding Hood, and a very promising daughter of Natator owned by Mr Johnson, of Berwick.

*#* Allan has altogether 14 horses in bis stable. Eight of these are trotters. This game ip a specialty with J. A , who rides exceptionally well, and is more frequently a trier vjhan some who follow this particular game. Two of the rt cent additions to the stable are Bedale, who was swapped with brother Bill for the whitefaced mare Myrtle, and Hetty, taken in exchange for that fast but unreliable goer Inferno. The stallion Berlin Abdallah is doing a big sea« on. Among the mares sent to him are Frolicsome, Nell, Creeping Jane, Dinah, Kathleen, Magpie, Merriwent, Hetty, Stelln, M'gic, Little Ptt, and Grasshopper. As representing the galloping division, James Allan has Mountain Maid, Francotto, and a five-year-old unnamed mare by Betrayer. One could almost guess her breeding by the likeness in shape and colour to Liberator. Francotte, who I thought had gone into M. Allan's stable, is the property of Mr Clarke, owner of Mountain Maid. This last-mentioned mare had only been in hand a few weeks when she won at the Taieri. Sho was sent down to be covered by Occident, but as she seemed to be likely to stand training Allan exercised his option in the matter and gave her a gallop, which was so satisfactory as to decide the owner to keep her going for a while. What she was suffering from when laid aside was a slight bruise on the cannon-bone caused by a blow from another horse whilo raciDg at Lawrence last year.

*#* What a smash up in the li&t of candidates for the Auckland Cup and Steeplechase ! Of 26 handicapped for the big race only eight have accepted, and of 17 in the leaping event there are but eight survivors. Mr Evett deserved better luck, at anyrate with the Cup. At this distance I cannot pretend to judge very critically the merit of the Steeplechase handicap, since most of the horses that were entered are never seen in the south, and their doiDga are not very closely followed down here ; but everyone who takes an interest in the game knows enough about the Cup horses to be abls to form some sort of idea as to their capabilities, and, so far as my knowledge is reliable, it leads me to the conclusion that the Cup handicap was a good one. But it is more than Mr Evett or any other handicapper can do to make horses sound or to invest them with staying powers, and one may take it that it is for deficiencies in this direction that most of the withdrawals have been made. BoulaDger was fairly treated ; We&tmere had a really liberal allowance ; and Fraternite was absolutely pitchforked in — yet they failed to pay up, evidently because they are not right ; and the dozen light-weights that have passed out in a body would probably not have accepted if lumped together at the minimum. The most important withdrawal is that of Stepniak. I suppose that he also is not quite himself, but even if at Lis best it was no throw in for him to go a long journey to carry 96. I reckoned from the jump that he was a doubtful member to have anything to do with. Of the eight left in, the majority will probably go to the post, and there should be a good race. The Workman and Thame are my selections, with Dilemma if he should be the representative of the Dunedin stable, which will very likely be the case, as Skirmisher is intended for the Derby and the owner will probably, if circumstances permit his eyercising a choice, elect to reserve the colt as fresh as possible for the meeting with Loyalty. Whether Skirmisher will start in the Cup should anything occur to spoil Dilemma's chance is a question on which I cannot offer an opinion — he would if he were mine ; but should both keep right it seems reasonable to suppose that Dilemma will play his game single-handed in the Cup. lam merely giving my opinion, not saying anything I have learned on authority. Readers will please bear this in micd. In any case Dilemma is not a fair medium for pluDging. He is handicapped up to his best form. Still, as a stayer he has a reasonable chaLce. A littlo later on I may have some better information to go on. Meanwhile my fancy is The Workman. Loyalty arrived safely by the Talune, and tie Dunedin pair are expected to be at EUerslie tomorrow. M'Grath has gone with them to ride.

*#* I have heard the story before; but Use Bulletin's stjle of telling it cannot be improve d upon: — " It looked a good thing. Ikey Mo, owned by Foolum, a well-known backer, had been let in the Wayback Handicap, one mile, at 6.10; and the public, scenting a ' dead cop,' had rushed it down to 6 to 4 in a fluid of s>:x. The stable did not fancy this price, f.ud decided to run a bje. To avert eii'-picicii, Foolum rushed into the maiket, and took 60 to 40, seeding Ikey Mo to evens. All the time, however, one of the stable bad been backing the only other horse with a chance for all he could get, and at flag-fail Foolum stocd ti win £500 if Tranto got home, besides being partners with a bookmaker who was lajiDg ]K;y Mo for all he was worth. The race was duly ruri. ai d, true to instructions, lkey's rider succeeded, after a desperate finisr, in losing by a neck. On returning to scale the crowd begun to yell, 'Rub him out!' 'Ob, you stiff 'un, Foolum ! ' &c. Foolum got a bit uneasy, and hastily whispered his jock to enter a protect for 'boring,' which the latter duly did. Foolum then got consideration of the protest deferred until before ths last race, and during tLo interval succeeded in laying £200 to £100 on Tranto for the protest, ss he considered it had not the slightest chance of being upheld. Thus he stood to win 6ome £700 (including his share of the book) if the protest was dismissed. At last the board was hoisted. It read : • Protest sustained.' The stewards had, to a man, backed Ikey Mo."

*^* The Southland Club has not rcccivid quite so many nominations for Iho Summer meeting as the value of the stakes might have been expected to draw, but the horses enltred are for the most pait very fair representatives of the better class among such as are likely to assemble at a meeting of this kind, and with decent handicaps and good weather there is no reason why the gathering should isot be a most enjoyable one. A race as between half a dozen fairly-matched horses is really a prettier Fight, and frequently a truer run contest, than these

scrambling rushes that are frequently seen with large fields, where half the starters are interfering with each other. The club has so far had cruel luck to contend against, and I sincerely hope that this meeting now in front of us will see a change for the better. The club hone3tly deserves a success. Those who attend will find the new course on the East road very much improved. A stand to accommodate 500 persons is being pub up according to a plan which will provide all necessary convenience for the public and the stewards ; a sloping lawn is being laid off, and from this a view of the whole of the track will be obtainable ; so that at the worst the visitors will have a dry foothold, and not be compelled to walk about in the wet ; and other improvements in the way of a saddling paddock and necessary outbuildings promise to fully meet the requirements of patrons. The club is, in fact, making a special effort to ensure the comfort of all who attend the meeting, and this consideration fairly entitles the promoters to expect a liberal degree of patronage from the public. It will, I hope, be my pleasant duty to record in due time that the club^has met its reward.

*** Percy Martin's valuable string are all in robust health at Caulfield, and ready to do strong work. So says the AustralasiaD. Culloden is again in harness after a long respite, during which he has filled out into a fine specimen of a racehorse. As a three-year-old he wore an unfurnished appearance ; at the same time the frame was there, and only required building upon. His massive proportions hardly suggest his being in racing trim for the Autumn meeting, but his trainer is, of course, the best judge on that point. Captain Webb is also in work again, and, like Culloden, is thoroughly sound. Sternchaser has recovered from the effects of his slight injury during the Spring meeting. Bessie M'Carthy is none the worse for her couple of races ; and The Possible and Pounamu may be relied upon to score before the season is over. Another of the improving ones is Kempenfeldt, who, if his joints do not give way under his immense body, will assuredly add lustre to his sire's name. But he may not be seen to advantage for another year. The brother to Loyalty and the half-sister to Bessie M'Carthy are a couple of two-year-olds capable of holding their own in looks with anything in the land. Both are just getting over a slight cold, and are doing nothing beyond slow trotting and cantering. The Autumn meeting will probably see them in publip for the first time, unless, by way of a christening, they are given a run in the Juvenile Stakes at Caulfield on Boxing Day. Namoa is on a visit to Carlyon in South Australia, and old Kimberley is being used by Mr Gollan as a hack.

*x.* As mentioned previously, there were eight men interested in the chief winning ticket in Tattersall's big sweep on the Melbourne Cvp — Messrs H. Wallace, L. Fitzgerald, M. FaUon, A. Currie, E. Jordan, S. Eddie, J. Roach, and C. Kierman. It appears that each of these men, who were mates at shearing, had a ticket in his own name, and now. after drawing the leading prize of £13,500, a dispute has arisen between them as to how the money should be divided. It is said (writes Queensland Sportsman) that Fitzgerald and Fallon agreed to go halves with their ticket right through the engagements, the others keeping theirs separate, and only going in for saving clauses. So far all went well ; but Currie and Eddie assert that an understanding was arrived at with Fitzgerald and Fallon by which they each saved £1000 with them in the event of their tickets drawing the fortunate winner. It is also claimed that Wallace, Roach, Jordan, and Kierman were saving sums varying from £100 to £500 with Fitzgerald and Fallon. It was when the men presented themselves at the office for payment that the discussion as to the division arose among the previously hitherto happy company. Eddie and Currie expected to receive £1000 each on the saving clause with Fitzgerald and Fallon, and the others in like manner expected to receive their "saving clause" money in full. Fitzgerald and Fallon, however, contended that as the consultation was only filled with half the original number they were not bound to pay more than half of the £1000, and then they only acknowledged their liability to Currie. They paid Cunie £500, and Eddie and Jordan £250 each. Wallace was paid £100 instead of £200, whilst Uoache and Kiernan received £50 and £40 respectively. At the conclusion of the arguments, the sweepstake manager, at their request, handed them cheques for the following amounts : — Fitzgerald, £6059 19s ; Fallon, £6249 19s ; Currie, £500 ; Eddie, £250; Jordan, £250; Wallace, £100; Roach, £50 ; Kiernan, 40. This seems an extraordinary division, yet things appeared to be settled amicably ; but Currie and Eddie later on claimed from Fitzgerald and Fallon another sum of money — Currie £500 and Eddie £750— and met with a point blank refusal, and the claimants talk of goiDg to law for the recovery of the amounts.

*£* " Asmodeus " is not so sanguine as some writers about the ultimate success of any of the starting machines. "So far," he says, " the multifarious automatic systems which have been placed on trial threaten no immediate extinction of the man with the red flag. It was arranged for one of the recently invented apparatuses to give a dress rehearsal at Aspendale Park, but the proprietor of the machine was in a plight somewhat akin to the Dutchman and his anchor. He did not exactly leave his starting paraphernalia at home. He had it with him in fact, but there was some! hing wrong with the works, and so the exposition had to be indefinitely postponed. This was a very bid commencement for that particular invention, though, from all I can gather, its inaugural effort was no more unsuccessful than tho«e of the general run of automatic starters. lam informed that at one of the ostracised gatherings situate not more than 10 miles from the classic domain of the V.R.C., one of the ponies expressed his displeasure at the new method of .starting by unceremoniously shifting the machine with his head, a manoeuvre which was accepted as a signal to start. It was declared no race, and as the favourite got home there was of course a terrible hullabaloo. There is no reason why a small field of domesticated ponies should not be started by means of spring gates, rails, screens, or any other of the diversified contrivances which claim to be the only perfect starting machine ; but I very much doubt whether the present generation of turfites will live to see a large field of highly mettled and fractious racers despatched by the same process. If ever it comes to pass that the Newmarket Handicap, Melbourne Gup, or Marib^rnong Plate fields become amenable to the powers of the enterprising inventor, then I sball be prepared to see the box occupied by an automatic judge, and the handicapper, the secretary, the stewards, and even the stipendiary manufactured from the same material.

■"V* Tho Tasrnanian Racing Club's Spring meeting, held at Hobart on the 2nd inst., bigau with the Hurdle Race, for which, in a iield of three, the outsider won. This was Freedom, owned by Me Gaulfc, late of New Zealand. His horse, carrying 9.0, being allowed to get too far

| away, was never caught, and did good time. I Four started for the Tdsmanian Derby of lOO^ovs — viz , Mr Krushka's Amadeus, by Mozart — Saucy; Mr Clare's Music, by Mozart — Queen ; Mr Doyle's Little Me, by Mozart — Regina ; and Mr Aguew's Flying Scud, by The Assyrian — -Wild Wave. Amadeu3 started at 5 to 4 on, and Music was at evens. For a mile Trainor, who rode the favourite, was content with the pace the others were setting. He then passed a couple and closed on Music. The pace smartened as both made their effort, and a splendid race ensued, the pair being neck and neck to about 80yds from home, where Trainor drew the whip to Amadeus, and the latter swerving as he felt the stroke, Music beat him by half a length. Flying Scud finished a dozen lengths away, and Little Me, a mere galloway, was beaten off. The time was 2min 44sec, or 4sec faster than when Strahan won last year, and 3£sec better than the record made previously by Hopetoun in 1890. The Derby was established in 1888, when Chaldean won ; and the other winners in order are Macquarie, Hopetoup, Dunedin, Strahan, and Music. Stebbings, who rode a nice race on Music, was on Chaldean and Macquarie when they won. Music was bred by Mr Sydney Page, and is by Mczart (by Napoleon from Queen Mary) from Queen, dam of Stonehenge, who was recently killed at O&maru. The Spring Handicap, a mile and a- quarter, was won by Assyrian's son Rustic, 6yrs, 9.7, by half a length from Harefield, 4yrs, 8.1, the favourite, Quickfire, 4yrs, 7.3, being unplaced ; the Two-year-old Race, four furlongs, went to Mr Doyle's Melody, by Mozart — Stars and Stripes ; the Steeplechase was taken by Mr J. Tait's Darkie, who went out at 6 to 4, Blackthorn falling and giving his rider (Russeli) a serious spill ; and the Flying Handicap went to Harefield, 4-yrp, 8 3, after a dead heat with Quickfire, 4yrs, 7.5. In the run off Harefield won by six lengths. The amount passed through the totalisators for the day was £1610.

*)<* Somewhat late in the day, Mr George Davis has through the press given his version of how Tim Swiveller was deprived of the Caulfield Cup after winning it. In the first place, he says, he finds it most generally understood that the stewards at Caulfield were divided in opinion, and that the protests against Tim Swiveller were only dismissed by the chairman's casting vote. This was not a fact. The chairman, Mr James Grice, stated publicly that he specifically asked each steward for his opinion, with the result that the decision of the stewards was unanimous, and the protests were dismissed with united voice. Mr Davis then deals with the instantaneous photograph, which was used, he says, to inequitably influence opinion against Tim Swiveller. The positions of the horses shown in that photo were those occupied only 27ft, or one stride and a-half, from the winning post. At that point Swiveller had practically won, inasmuch as the judge's verdict was Tim half a length in front of Sainfoin, and three-quarters of a length in front of Oxide. If the interference took place at the point shown it could not have been the cause of those horses losing, for neither could hope to get up in a stride and a-half. Moreover, when Ettridge, the rider of Sainfoin, was asked by the stewards where the interference took place, he replied, "About from 200 yds to 300 yds down the straight," and Oxide's jockey made answer that it happened in the last 100 yds. Mr Davis goes on to complain that for the V.R.C. to override the decision of the Caulfield stewards on a question of fact was discourteous and undignified. The V R.C. may, he says, claim originality in this pernicious act. "Pernicious I call it because it takes away all confidence. I will not be able to believe that I have secured a race in future by winning it. Other influences and other powers may henceforth stultify the judge and jury of stewards to whom the direct issue has been submitted in the race itself. Here, then, is the poison which, withering up all sense of security, confidence, and honour in turf, management, must mark a most pernicious departure in our turf history. Such is the conclusion I am driven to, and the only remedy that suggests itself to me is the graceful surrender of those unparalleled arbitrary powers which, improperly used, have resulted in this deplorable fiasco. The first step would be to adopt the rule of the Joskey Club of England, by which questions of fact are left to the local stewards, and only disputes as to th.c construction of racing law referred to the appeal court." These arguments are no doubt ot considerable strength — the last-mentioned is one already anticipated in these columns — but somehow or other the idea strikes one. that Mr Davis has rather put himself out of court by his tardy appearance on the defensive, especially after his parade of acquiescence which took everyone by surprise. 1 have a notion, however, that a great wrong has been done.

*#* The attendance at the Dunedin Jockey Club's recent Spring meeting, though considerably below the average of what we are accustomed to at the Forbury, was in excess of l*sb year's muster, some £30 or £40 more being taken at tho gates. There is no reason to take fright or fancy that our crowds are going to dwindle to the proportions of the attendance seen, say, at Kiccarton or the Hult at their minor meetings. For the falling- off observed in comparison with the attendance of, say, a couple of years ago there was ample excuse in the deranging iuflaences of the general election and the keenly fought contest for civic honour?, and if I still had that half crown which, now alack ! is somebody else's, I should be willing to bet it on a return next year to the former glories of the club in this respect In regard to the racing, no one can deny that ib was well up to the average, and figures show this also, tae total number of starters for all the races being 193 as against 153 last year. So much by way of proving the appreciation owners have of the management of the D.J.C The items are as follow: — For the Hurdles there were 7 starters as agairut 1 last year ; for the Maiden 3 against 7 ; Cup, 8, 7 ; Dunedin Stakes, 5, 2 ; Federal, 10, 6 ; Selling, 10, 5 ; Maidtn, 5, 8 ; St. Kilda, 11, 6 ; Tally-h >, 8, 4 ; St. Andrew's, 6, 6 ; Criterion, 4, 3 ; Onslow, 3, 2 ; Spring, 9, 5 ; Musselburgh, 8, 7 ; Tahuna, 10, 11 ; Trot, 15, 16 ; Hurdles, 8, 3 ; President's, 9, 6 ; Novel, 11, 7 ; Glasgow Plate, 4, 3 ; Grand Stand, 12, 7 ; Nursery, 6, 7 ; Trot, 11, 13 ; Consolation, 10, 11. In regard to money matters the outcome was, I understand, a balance in the wrong direction, but it was to a very small amount — not more than some backers would lose in a single day, and probably very much less than the average transactions of the cash fielder.", though I do not thick that their ox^erations were so extensive as usual. So far as I can discover, it is the men who stay at home and take the commissions from the course who really do the most of the business which it pleases owners and other backers to divert from the machine. The remedy for this is not easy to find.

*** "Vigilant" tells us something about tbe hack 3at the recent Feilding meeting. Irish Twist, who appropriated the double on the first day, is one of those animals classed as " hacks'' which are a lot better than many racehorses. He claims for his sire Ingoinar—

one of whose progeny, Hova, cut the mile and j a-quarter record at the VEC, Spring meeting the other day — and for his dam Torori, by Musket, so that he ought to be smart. On the second day it was no disgrace to him as a three-year-old to be beaten when called upon to concede three years and 251b to an almost equally well-bred animal, the six-year-old mare Pihanga, by Feve (the sire of Rangipuhi) out of Miss Consbance. Both Irish Twist and Pihanga are great striding animals showing a lot of quality. __ The easy way the latter secured the two hack races on the second day makes her running in the Hack Flying Handicap on the first day, in which she finished nearly last, quite inexplicable, and the ttewards might very well have asked for an explanation of the reversal of form. Mr W. Hunia's speedy gelding Marama ran in both the shorter hack races, but he was a long way above himself, and although he got well away in both he collapsed when called upon for the finish. The protest against Prioress was a peculiar one. It was that the mare had been entered in the secretary's book as scratched for the Kiwitea Stakes some time before the race, and had therefore no right to start. The entry was there right enough, bub Mr Carr, the acting secretary, had no written order for the scratching, and could not say on whoss authority the entry was made. He simply remembered someone coming in and giving him instructions to scratch the mare. Mr D. Knight, the owner, distinctly declared that he had not given the instruction himself and had not authorised anyone else to do so. Under the circumstances the stewards did quite right in allowing the mare to start, but the incident shows the necessity for a secretary to insist on written authority for scratchings, unless the owner or some authorised person on his behalf initials the entry at the time it is made.

*#* The handicaps for the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting are set forth in another column. In regard to the Cup, it is the acceptance list that appears. For this race 11 have paid up, and eight were withdrawn. The percentage of acceptors is nob so small as to call for surprise, but really ib is a thousand pities that the club did not receive more support from owners in the first place. Nineteen nominations for a £4-00 trotting race is simply ludicrous — or it would b9 so if it were not so exasperating. There would be at least twice as many nominations in the south for a race of half the value. And three only for the socalled Champion of 80 sovereigns. This is positively absurd. However, these are the facts, and the club will have to make the best of them. I observe that Count, who was handicapped in the Cup at 29sec, has not accepted. Little Ben, last year's winner, has 31sec from Yum Yum, and I should fancy that she can give him that start, though the point is one on which I cannot presume to offer a positive opinion. We must rely for our tips on the local authorities, who have some chance of getting information as to coudition and intentions. The pony races have filled fairly well, and perhaps the interest in these events may ensure the club against loss. I hope so.

* # * A Melbourne cablegram dated Monday states that the Victoria Racing Club intend to reduce the stakes for the Autumn meeting by £3300. This reduction is rendered necessary by the comparative failure of the Melbourne Cup meeting, the profit on which only amounted to £3000 ; and had the club not annexed the amounts received for racing privileges, which generally go to swell the prize money, there would have been a loss of £3000. In the year 1888 the profit on the meeting, outside receipts for racing privileges, was £25,000. The stakes for the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup will be reduced to £1000, and the starting fees reduced from £20 to £10. Ido not quite understand this reference to the club having annexed the racing privileges. It should be, I think, that owners' payments were annexed. There is a story afloat that the Cup will be reduced next year to £5000, but I do not consider this likely. If there is a reduction ib will not be by half.

*#* The case of O'Brien v. Stead, which has excited great interest in sporting circles for some time past, came on before his Honor Mr Justice Denniston at the Supreme Court on Monday. The main question at issue was whether the Canterbury Jockey Cub is bound to pay over to the owner of the winning horse in the Challenge Stakes the whole of the money paid into the stake, less certain specified deductions, or is at liberty to retain for its own purposes all the moneys over and above 2000sovs. Counsel for the plaintiff pub in as evidence the depositions of John Marshall, John K'rkwood, Wm. Perceval, Thos. Morrin, and Wm. Knight in support of plaintiff's case, and called as witnesses George Dowse, H. M. Logan, and Sydney James, secretary to the Dunedin Jockey Club for 30 years, who deposed that he had been engaged in drafting programmes during his secretaryship, that he read the conditions of the Challenge Stakes, and that under those conditions the winner was entitled to the whole of the money subscribed by the owners. Rule 4-7 applied to the race as set out in the programme For the defence the witnesses examined were G. G Stead, L. Walker, J. F. Reid, G. Clifford, J. Brabazon, H. Lunn, R. J. Mason, C. B. Winter, and C. Hood Williams. Legal argument was taken nexb day, and his Honour reserved judgment.