TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 31

TALK OF THE DAY.

Bt MAZEPPA.

*■#* Two questions brought before the D.J.C. Committee last week were discharged from the business paper because it was found that the committee had no jurisdiction, the points at issue being simple questions of foot that had been adjudicated upon by local stewards. I was fully prepared for a decision of that sort in respeot to Mr G. M. Bell's appeal against the Gore stewards' disqualification of Saunterer, since the question of whether that horse did or did not run stiff on the first day could hardly be anything but a question of fact. It ia one, also, in which Mr Bell seems to be in a decided minority. No doubt he honestly believes that the disqualification was unjust — all who know Mr Bell must ba satisfied that he would not move a finger in support of any cause unless full persuaded in his own mind that ib was a caufie that deserved assistance — bub in regard to this Saunterer matter I can find no one who takes the same view as Mr Belli and from the accounts that reach my ears I cannot avoid coming to the opinion that Mr Bell is mistaken, and that the stewards' decision was warranted by the circumstances. The other appeal summarily disposed of by the D.J.C. Committee waa ti.-Rfc which Mr Ellis brought agaiosb the Wyndham stewards' action in dismissing his protest without taking evidence. Tto facts alleged were that in the Wyndham Han&tatp j Emmelioe found hersslt blocked in tb* Jtni^ht 1 by Misaflre. Mr Ellis thought that V^^oU- »

me was wrongful, and protested. The steward* declined to take evidence, and confiscated the deposit of £2. Mr Ellis thereupon appealed^ The Wyndham stewards, asked for an explanation, said they saw what happened, and were oil opinion that no cross had taken place. This answer settled the matter' so far as the metropolitan; was concerned. The D J.C. could not go anjfurther, seeing that the Wyndham stewards asserted that they had given a decision on what; was a question of faot. On full consideration £ am inclined to think, also, that the stewards were justified in acting as they did. Certainly there is no rule compelling them to take evidence, and it is as well that there is not, be* cause if suob a rule existed it would imply that evidence was the one thing to bs relied apoD, and everyday experience proves that this is not the best testimony in reference to matters that can be judged by the eye. I would sooner by far trust to the observation of the stewards.

| *#* Comparing the list of weights for tha Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup, aB published in Melbourne, with the telegraphic message, I find but one error— viz., in regard to the weight of St. David in the long race ; he has 7.8. The Sportsman's editor makes a ehort comment on the handicaps. As far as can be ja'dged from a cursory glance, he says, the weights appear to be framed on an equifc* able basis, and although one or two owners ara ; eomplainiug that their horses have a- few pounds too much, nothing can be picked out as thrown in. The top weight, Hopscotoh 10.5, is not ont of it by any means. Hova would also have a chanoe despite his 10.2, but may not stand a preparation. Vivian 9 13, good j Sydney judges s»y, is a stone better horsey than Lieutenant 9 12, and on recent form must be ; clarsed with the dangerous division. Bloodshot 9.10 was looked upon as a champion sprinter in Now Zealand. His chances must not be ignored. Ayrshire 9.5 ran fourth in the Standish Handicap with 9.9 after obtaining a, bad run, and as the good-looking gon of Dun- ; lop should improve, Mr J. Redfearn has *n j excellent chance of adding another Newmarket ! Handicap to his list of victories. I like nothing particularly well further down the lht until we come to The Farisienue 88. Mr S. G. Cook's. mare has more than onoe proved herself smart over tb.it course, and will run forward if fancied by her popular owner. Gydnu* is not crushed with 85, nor oan*Emon-n»-Enuck's owner complain of 8.3, the brown horse having shown good form down the straight. Carlton : 8.3 is nicely placed, and will one day win a 1 good race for Mr Tom Hales — perhaps the event under notice ; it is quite on the card*. Precaution 8.2 has gone up for her record-breaking, six furlongs under 6 7, and I fancy one that, finished behind her on that occasion — Gozcczar to wit — will beat her this time. Wollomumbi, Cartridge, Sortie, and Reka are a pretty warm quartet, and may be relied upon to ke?p up the N.S.W. end in good style. Sunbury should run forward. Wait-a-bit 7.11 is a remarkably fine hone — one of the best Malun has left us, if I am not mistaken, and we know he can gallop. Pilatus, Orient, Solicitude, and Re-. ! minder may prove the best of the others. While not in love with anything in particular, I have selected the following half-dozen from which may come the winner :—: — WaitAa-bit Vivian Gozoczar Ayrshire t The Pakisienne Mr Wilson's Elect : Bloodshoti occupies "pride of pl»ca" iv theAustralian Cup with 9 9 — lllb more than he carried into second pluoe in the Melbourne Cup. There is suc'u a moderate loi engaged { that the New Zealander has an undeniablechanoe with all his weight ; bur, at the came time, it it probable the stable will have a better I representative in O'Trigger (9.0), one of the I few genuine stayers in the race. Preston is ! nicely placed with 8.7, and if Fadladeen is the | horse his admirers assert, 8.2 will notr prevent, the £on o c Australian Peer winning. Recolute c.nd Damien, both on the 8.2 mark, are a dangerous pair. If not troubled with his poor - feet, Resolute will probably show that there vf at good reason for the heavy support awarded him in the spring. The St. Albans stable hare another worthy representative in Cydnus, who is not crushed with 7.5. Wait-a-bit, If he oau stay — he is stoutly enough bred--will carry his 6.12 into a prominent position. Reminder and Blaokwood are alio lightly weighted candidates from which danger may be apprehended. The best, halt dozen to coy idea are :— Pkkstok Fadladeen Resolute Damikn O'Trigqer Wait-a-bit. '

* # * Tb.fi superior racing tribunal in Victoria, . the V.R.'C, has tackled in earnest the questionof ensuring to riders the payment of thi/ir fees.. At a meeting held last month it was resolved, on the motion of Mr W. H. Croker— " That no jockey will be weighed out for any race unless the amount of his riding fee, as for a losing mount,' in such race shall have been previously deposited with the olerk of the scaleß. The balance of the fee to which the jockey' i.yill be entitled, as for the winning mouDt, shall be de--ductod for the stake and paid to such jockey." This regulation is not to be held to apply to owners who have a special agreement with their riders, who may, of course, be apprentices. The new arrangement came into force at once, and as it is also in operation in England, where it is said to work well, New Zealand has a lead given to her if she desires to execute a similar reform. It ia » step that I think we ought to take. Racing custom requires that riders shall present themselves properly equippad and clean at the scales, and the law of the country demands of them, equally with others, that they shall pay their way. How on earth are our riders to comply with these requirements if: they cannot collect their fees ? Besides, we talk a deal abont the need for straight riding, and if there is one 'thing more than another . that acts as an inducement to keep square it is. the feeling of independence that proceeds from the possession of a little cash. I feel satisfied that the rale would work satisfactorily in this colony. There is no harshness on decent . owners, who pay under present arrangements. The ones who would feel ib are those who either through dilatoriness or a desire to "best" a boy continue to pub off the payments, and such men need not ask for sympathy. The exempt* ing clause in regard to owners who have agreements is, of course, a neceisary provision, say. . ing all complications ; but if New Zealand doea commit herself to the improved plan, I should like to see it made indispensable to produce the agreement at the scales in every case. Thia would be quite a simple matter, and entail no hardship on the owner or trainer as the case might be ; and the need to exhibit an agreement would tend to cause these matters to be more generally reduced to writing, which in, itself would have a benefioial effect.

* # * "Ranger" supplies particulars whioh^ make it plainer than ever thi^t Sir Bevj», flaked the Derby t X wat, on the top of the •tand, he says, when the nag went down, and one horse .was left some lengths ,beWnd> . lm ; fw>4. tho rider hardly Beemed^to realise that &- t

was a start. one out of it already," 1 observed a man on my right to his neighbour. "What is it?" ""Why, it's Sir Bevys," was the reply. '"Oh, poor George," said the first speaker — " no Derby for you to-day," as indeed it looked ail 100 to 1 would be the case. I don't remember if it; actually rained during Ihe raoe, but- 1 remember that the sky was bleak and bleary, and the day so dull and dreary that colours were not easy to distinguish. No one gave a thought to Sir Bevys and Palmbearer toiling along behind the rest of the field. All eyes were for Cadogau, Falmontb, Victor Chief, Chanbert, Rajou dOr, Ruperra, Visoonti, and others, who ism home under the lower rails in the orthodox «ay One after the other they compoiu.ik-d in the sticky grcuad, the light-limbed shelly Visconti, who skimmed over the mud, coming right through his field by the Bell. And, what is more, he looked like winning in a canter until all at once a dark blue jacket came with a rattle close against the stand rails, followed by another of a rose pink hue, and Visconfci n^.ver being able to go the pace iv the mud with the other pair, Sir Bevys and Palmbearer, who were on comparatively sound going, two of the worst animals in the field thus contrived to ran flrßt and second in one of the mofrt unsatisfactory and falsest run Derby s ever kuovru. I often talked with George Fordbam about the race, and iv that nltrsconfidential style of many nods, and winks, interspersed with innumerable *'don:t-cher-knowe," which was co peculiarly his own, he usually gave me somi such accouut as the following of how be came to win his race : — •• Well, don't-cher-know,." he would say, " I ( didn't get off, don't-cher-know, but I thought I might just us well ride home out of the mud, J don't-cher-know, aud so I did.- Then the ! others, except Old Johnny, they didn't, and . tbat stopped them. I heard the old 'un clicking away behind me, don't-cher-know, so 1 k»pi; going on and got homo."

* # * Vindictive, son of Vengeance and Duster, and therefore a product of the Maid of All ' Work family, won the five-furlong' race with ; which the Caulfield -meeting on the 16th ult. ' opened. He quite ran away from his opponent!. Orpah, closely related to Gipsy Grand, ' finished third. The running of Key. who carried her owner, James Hayes, did not satisfy , the stewards, who after investigating the case ordered Hayes to stand down uutil May 1 next. : Brewer's mount in the Hurdle Race, the S&r- i dius gelding Cornalla, started first favourite, ' but smashed iDto the first obstacle and broke bis knee, Brewer escaping injury. The winner turned up in Agent, an ins'gniflcautlooking son of the celebrated horse of the same same. Mischief, a daughter of Commotion j and Lady Teazle, was most in demand for the Anniversary Handicap, and won comfortably. The Adelaide horse Motala accounted for the Steeplechase, and the pony Lottie beat the more fancied Melema and Lilith in .the Toroonga Handicap. A great rumpus aroce over the Selling Raoe. Raak and Ilium went out equal favourite?, and both gave their backers a disappointment, as Raak got left and Ilium was beaten a neck by Want&gong. The crowd hooted Ilium, evidently believing that she had been " dead." Amid the disorder Mr Yuille came forward and offered WanUgong at auction, this horse being bought > in. Mr C. Fairbairn then claimed Ilium, and ' nhe was put up and sold to .him for £120. "While this was going on the stewards were considering the alleged stiffness, and when the announcement wai made that Ilinm, her owner, trainer (R. Mitchell), and her rider (H. Marshall) had been disqualified during the pleasure of the stewards, Mr Fairbairn found he had not secured a very good bargain. The Sportsman's rpeoial says that the V. R.C. rules do not deal with a case like this. The stewards ' bad no option but to sell the mare when | claimed ; and Mr Fairbairn took a certain ! amount of risk. Still, it is hard lines that the purchaser sbould fall in. Of course, if satisfied of the bona fides of the sale the V.A.T.C. can remove the disqualification of Ilium. Personally the writer is inclined to doubt that Ilium was really the dead 'an many people suppose. He watched the raoe carefully, and noticed that Marshall handled the mare in anything but an artistic style, but saw nothing that would lead him to believe she was deliberately pulled. However, although it is very hard lines to be disqualified, if innocent, there can be no two opinions that Mitchell brought the trouble on himself by putting up such an inexperienced jockey. _ j *** The Tapanui Club's s-uggestion that the ' metropolitan delegates should move at next conference the amendment of the rales in the direction of paying stakes the day after the races is one that commands my hearty support. I cannot see any objection to the proposal. A club that needs the 15 days 'of grace now allowed, or anything like that time, must be I tinder suspicion in regard to financial sound- , ness — probably has been giving " tick " to bad marks ; in any case, unless under very special circumstances, it is open to the reproach of •haky financing and unbusinesslike practices, end this sort of thirg ought not to be encouraged, as it is at present, by a fortnight's latitude. A club should be able to see its way to carry a meeting right through without waiting to oolkct afterwards from persons to whom it 'Jim given credit. Otago is not in this respect a sinner above other districts in New Zealand. X believe that as a rale the payments are promptly made. But there ought to be no exceptions. Owners have a right to " spot cash " when they are lucky enough to win. To some extent, of course, they have the remedy in their own hands. They can decline to nominate with clubs that are slow in " parting." This, however, is not desirable. It would be much more pleasant if all our clubi were managed on strictly business lines. I notice that the D. J.C. Committee respond with a suggestion that the days of grace be reduced to seven. This would be an improvement ; hut really I don't ccc why there should be any c(elay beyond the actual bime required to set out the accounts and draw the cheques.

%* One of the writers in London Referee takes up arms against the spoil-tport party in khis wise : " If the clergy are to help the antigsmblers to atop sport, can they be surprised if they alienate a large slice of their constituency ? A. punter said to me, when the subject was being discussed, ' I am afraid that the vicar will xnisi my Christmas cheques. He is opposing pport, and I must find another almoner, though Bo long as the deserving poor get the benefit; of the money I don't much care.' Anyone who has not been thrown much into sporting folks' society —I mean professionals — could scarcely credit their openhandedness. Subscription lists prove ib to some extent, bat they do not talk of one tithe of their charities. I suppose I shall get myself into trouble— and a big Manchester firm, too but in tH« fonr>'.o i<m I must" qnot" an Incident that e&iu« lo my owu knowledge a ie<v days' ago. ' A member of a very large home, when I asked him how business was, said, ♦We've had one good line, to-day, and ready money, too ; but we expect it every November meeting when Mr Fry comes down her*.' This tegular customer had given his annual order for £350 worth of blankets find, other flannel staffs

I to be distributed at Christmas, and, as I happen to know, olergy are his almoners. Ought our spiritual advisers to turn against suoh benefactors, and all to please the whims and fancies of a set of bigots P Surely they have more to lose than to gain by going over to the enemy."

*i}* The Canterbury Jockey Club's Summer meeting will be held on Saturday of this week. No opportunity is given to the weekly writers to come to a fully considered judgment as to the probable results, «iuce the acceptances are not duo until these papers have gone to press. All, therefore, that can be done is to guess at the witiuers. In the Hornby Welter 1 take Jewel, Fre nohy, and Bimetallist as a likely trio, and the lsst-mentioned may win. The Middle Park Plate, six furlongs, comes next. The weights, if my calculations are right, will be as follows : — Marquis of Zetland, 3yrs 9 0 Gold Medallist. 2yrs 8 3 Multiform, 2yrs 7 12 Ooldleaf, 2yrs ..-. 7 7 Argon, 2yrß ... ' 7 4 Oa form one would pick Gold Medallist to win, but Multiform, in tho tame stable, is nob to be despised, and if both start, and tho olub does not adopt the method of bracketing horses the property of o%e owner, my advice to backers who have no special information is- to put a trifle on both these colts and be careful not to go in for plunging, letting those who'are in the know have the full benefit of their knowledge. It is impossible to pick the starters in the Midsummer Handicap, let alone to speak , with confidence as to the winners, therefore I with some reluctance fall back on Skirmisher as J a pretty sure starter and a certain trier if he i does go the post. At the same time I have : very little faith in him. Two very likely candi-rtato-8 in the Craven Plate ar^ Bizarrn and Telenaet'-r, and I les uothiug more worthy of an investment in the Lyttelton Plate than Choroid.

*»* An original idea has been propounded for preventing dishonest racing Ido not know where the notion had it* source, but no one will be hurt if we assume that it comes from America. The proposal reads thus :—: — "Hitheno, owing to' th*» s'ze of the ordinary racecourse, it has been k matter of impossibility to keep horses aud riders in sight during the whole of the journey, and consequently accusations of unfair riding, &c., could never bo decided by the stewards from their own observation, but a mass of more or less involved and. often contradictory evidence has always had to be coneidered. Now, however, it i* proposed to run a Muall motor carriage, containing the stewards, alongside or close behind the horses during the whole time of the race. It is said that by running the car on the rails and gearing it sufficiently high it could be made to keep pace with the racers, no matter how fast they were going. Furthermore, it ia clwraed that yet greater advantages would be derived from the adoption of this suggestion, since a second oar containing reporters might be allowed to follow at a short distance behind that of the stewards, and thus the sportiDg public might have every feature of a great race minutely and accurately described." Would it not answer the purpose with greater certainty if the staff of officials were sent up in a balloon ? The view from, say, 1000 ft overhead would enable all hands to see everything.

*** The upshot of what is known in Melbourne as the Patricia «candal is that a man named Benjamin Nathan has been relegated to obscurity. The Sportsman gives a brir.f history of the case. Patricia, in a poor field of seven runners in the Jumpers' Fiat Race at Aspendale on May 5 last, opened in the betting aTred-hot favourite for the race, a position to which she was fairly entitled ou her form of a few days back, when she finished second to the slippery Culzeau at Caulfield. Suddenly the market changed, and Wellshot, heavily backed by Mr B. Nathan, deposed the mare and started at 5 to 4-. Patrioia with equal abruptness receded to forlorn odda, and even before the flag fell the crowd was so demonstrative in its admonitions to the stewards and the rider of Patricia that it was generally anticipated, even at that early stage, that an inquiry would be held. These anticipations were more than realised. Johnson, on Patricia, apparently kept a steady hold on the mare's head, and the stewards disqualified the trainer (Wallis) and the jockey (Johnson) each for a period of 12 months. After undergoing a few months of their punishment, Juh-t-Bon and Wallis applied for a reduction of their sentences, with the result that Mr Benjamin Nathan was implicated. After a series of adjournments the V.R C. committee brought matters to a head on January 18, when they arrived at the following decision :—": — " It is proved to the satisfaction of the committee that Benjamin Nathan has been gtrilty of malpractice in connection with raoing arising out of the circumstances aB to the pulling of Patricia in the Jumperß' Fiat Race at Aspendale Park ou May 5, 1896, and the said Benjanaiu Nathan is disqualified and declared to be warned off, and is hereby warned off, the course at Flemington, . and any raceourse or place where the V.R.C. 1 rules arc in force."

\* Mr Dowae'a handicaps for the Hurdle Race and the Stewards' Welter, to be decided on Dunedin Cup day, appeared at noon on Monday. In regard to the jumping race, it was of course a foregone conclusion that Clarence would appear at the top of the list, and, remembering the way he walked in at the end of two miles and a distance at the Forbury in the spring, it is not unfair to now ask him to put up lOib extra, making his impost 11 10. Belmont, second in the spring raoe with 10.5, is now lowered to 9.12, bo that there is a 171b allowance by Clarence for the beating. This should be liberal enough to tempt Belmont to another go if he is at all well ; though, when it is considered that on the third day of the Spring meeting Clarence carried 201b more thau Belmont and beat tbe latter all the way, Belmonb's chance at a difference of 261b is seen not to be that of a chuck in. I think that Mr Dowse has handicapped this pair with conspicuous success. Lobo, too, teems to be nicely weighted as compared with Clarenoe. When Lobo won at the Spring meeting he was receiving: 171b from Clarence, and the latter, who finished second, now concedes 61b. Six pounds do.s not seem veiy much for a decisive beating, but the race that Lobo won was at a mile and a-half, and the coming race is two miles, which, so far as we know, is more Clarence's distance than Lobo's. Possibly, however, these three may be beaten by Ilex. This horse so far has not done enongh to warrant his being very heavily weighted, but be has what many hurdlers have not, a bit of brilliancy about him, and if he cm get the two miles he will jmt about «yin this race, for he has a handy impost Rebel cannot, I think, win in «. truly-run race, though be it noted that he is » thorough stayer, and anything going wrong with the faster horses would j give the old horse «■ rare show with his 9.13. . Silverstream possesses pace, but has not yet 1 completed his education as a lesper. The ' Stewards' Welter candidates are a rather poor j lot when Marino i« selected for the post of honour at the head of the handicap, and I fear

' that the field will not be a. bit stronger in point of quahtf " than it seems to be, a* Hume of the likely-looking member*, such as Victim and Stimulant and Emmeliue, have been duing a lot of racing lately, and possibly may not , strip quite at their best, for I notice that horses very often come back a bit sore from country meetings. One or two of the calculations in this handicap appear to be ft little hard to understand. Bimetalliet, for instance, is surely a better performer over six furlongs than the most of those that ara near him ia the list. Nevertheless, I think that, on the whole, Mr Dovrfe has produced a good handicap — a clever one in many respects — and I feel uneAsy in suggesting just yet what are the most dangerous candidates, though for choice I should say that B ack and Red, St. Ouida, Bimetallist, and Rancour are as likely a quartett as could be at i present picked.

j *j(* " Javelin," of the Leader, writes : There ! is a .sufficiently strong element of new blood on the V R.C. Committee to justify the racing public in looking for a. prompt aud strongly j organised endeavour io break' through the ridiculous and short-sighted prejudice which has hitherto blocked the passage of the Totalisator Bill. Recently the headquarters tribunal has had its hauds pretty full in dealing with • the Itfhruaclifces of the turf, but when they are done with the one fixed object of tho committee should be to have the totalisator a* Flemingdon before the close of this uewlj-born year. Ibis is about how the' profit; and loss account would read at the end of a year or two : — Profit : The ' Melbourne Cup being again made the biggest ' added money stake in the world, every other event largely increased in value ; legitimate odds for backers; "triers" replacing "dead 'uns," and the geueral raising ot the morale of the turf. Loss .- The shady tringe ol the ring , and of a sra^ll army of rogues and VHgabonds who do the dirty work of the niropeoi and ropers who have too long lived by guawiug at the vitals of sport.

! # # * Fine weather was experienced on the first day of the Tapanui races. In the President's Handicap Ecnmeline got, well a\v<y, and won all tbft roid. Ivy led iv the Diswioc. Trot until three furlongs from home, v/bbn bl'.p. w*h I steadied, and this seemed to give her the sulks, i as she would not trot afterwards, and C*thie won easily. Campbell was never in the least , trouble in the Tapanoi Handicap. Miss Colling got to the front at half-dietance in the Trot, but ' would probably have lost the race if Native had not broken 120 yards from home. The Grand fcHand Handicap was a funny raoe in some respects. For one thing, there seemed to be an endeavour to do a bit of blocking; but the chief peculiarity about the running was the '• good form shown by St. Patrick, this being in marked cont-ast to his miserable failure in the President's Handicap earlier in the day. The stewards very properly upheld the protest alleging inconsistency, *nd awarded the stake ,to Lady Lear. Strange to aay, however, St. ! Patrick was permitted to start again the fol lowing . day. 'I his does not seem right. If the •' inconsistency" waBSo serionß aßto justify i disqualification— and from what I 'hear I think | it was — the horse should not have been allowed to start again at the meeting. The race in which he ran on the second day was the Stewards' Handicap. Red Lancer led for three- furlongs, but shut up before the finish, the result being a win for old Stockfish, whose lameness at Tuapeka must have worn off very quickly. This race, by the way, was run in ! heavy rain, and probably this helped Stockfish ' and operated to the disadvantage of Red ' Lancer. It certainly upset expectations in several respects, and thinned out the fields. In the Flying Stakes, four furlongs, Blaok Pearl somehow or other hung at the post, and even then ihe nearly won. The Final Trot had a ridiculous finish. Garryowen, very injudiciously ridden, got pipped on the post ; when he ought to have won with heaps to ! spare.

! *** Wellington, Christohurch, and Inveroargill have coutributed to the nomination* for the Tahuna Park Trotting Club's meeting to be held on the off day of the Dunedin Cup festival aud the following Wednesday, and our local stables have sent iv all the nominations that , could have bsen expected, wherefore I regard it i as likely that we sball have » '* boom " gather- ! ing. The olub is a live one, bent on fulfilling to the utmost extent of its ability the true inte- ' rests of trotting, which, firstly, secondly, f thirdly, and lastly, consist of good management aud a determination to make the sport ] honest, aud, moreover, the half-mile track is the I best one in the colony, available in any weather. i I really don't nee- why Otago should Dot take a i very prominent position in regard to this sport. Much depends ou this meet'ng. The Tahanti Park Club will no doubt be prepared to launch out with big prizes when ifc can see it* way clear, 1 There are in the whole 263 nominations, so that j the outlook is very promising.

' *#* An exchange states that Loefler, th« American wonder, is dead. He possessed the marvellous gift of inspiring his patients, nc matter how savage, with confidence, no that ! while they would shrink from and almost ga mad uuder the treatment of other ptoffßsors, ', they were in his hands absolutely docile, and ! quite willing to let him do whatever he wished, i No Loefler story is more itrikiug than that of J the Derby winner, Hermit, whrn in his old age 'he came under the professor's treatment. The American, who certainly posiessed. some hypnotics power, as he was a most m^stti.-ricsubjec! j himself, told Mr Chaplin just what he could ' aud could not do for the old horse ; perfoimed an operation, with a view to completing it three j years later, and when he went into the aged i etallion's box after that interval, found hie ■ patient bo reminiscent of the previous acquaini aueeship that he lay down exactly es he did when operated on before.

i *£* "Reginald" writes that since the openi ing of this season quite a crop of horsn fatalities J have occurred over jumps at Caulfield. J. 0.1 , ■ Waterloo, Latrobe, Defiance, Silverbeet, Sit . Henry, Aringa, and Cornalla have ended theii j days through^accidents on the heath. Of these, , J. 0.1, and Waterloo only met disaster while ; touriug over big timber, the remainder beiug j killed in hurdle races. That first hurdle in th« straight at Caulfield seems to be a very unfortunate obstacle. It claims as victims from the above lot, Silverbeet, Latrobe, Defiance, and Cornalla. It is not that the jump is b&dlj placed or anything of that kind. It is as well situated as it could possibly be, since there must be a hurdle thereabout ; but what makes it likely to cause trouble is that, in addition tc being the last obstacle when the horses arc nnder lull p-essm- and tiring, it is also generally the first to b * crossed before places have j been properly settled in!o.