TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2272, 16 September 1897, Page 31

TALK OF THE DAY.

By MAZBPPA.

* # * The new racing season opened in Otago last Satnrday with the Dunedin Jockey Club's Hunt Club meeting. There would seem (o be some confusion of ideas in this title, but I believe it is correct enough. In previous seasons this fixture wa9 the Hunt Club's cteeliDg, managed by the Jockey Clnb ; now .it is the Jockey Club's own affair, and so far as I know there is uo undertaking, as in .the case of the C.J.C. audthe Christchurch Hunt Club over the National meeting, to give the hunting men a fixed proportion of the profits,, though, as a vote from the D. J.C. is looked for, it comes to very much the same thing. But these are matters that really do not concern tbe public. Wbat the racing populace asks for is simply and polely a good day's j>port, and that want was f tirly supplied on Saturday. Truth compete me to state tbat most of the rac- s were won pretty easily, but the element of uncertainty was not altogether absent, ft id one thing tbat pleased me particularly was tbe conviction that the bulk of the starters were honest triers. I have a little doubt as to whether this remark c»n be safely applied to the seven-furlong event, but I saw nothing suspicious in tbe other races, and as for the doubtful one, it would no doubt be possible to provide a remedy on future cccufciona by increasing the stake if the finances permit. Thirty-fife soys less the second money is a poor atfeke for the class of horses that usually patronise these welter races, and hence the temptation to tun a bye. If reply is made that the stake is as good as that of the Short?, and that a raising of one would necessitate a raising of the other, my rejoinder is that the circumstances are not parallel, sices tbe Shorts will always bring a field because of this race being the second leg of a favourite double, whereas the Welter horses are a clbbb of their owd, and ou tb/s programme have but the one chaDce daring the day. Another suggestion which I pass on for the consideration of the committee is tbat the distance of the Hunt Club Cup ,OT>gb,t; to be shortened. They are, as a rule, a comparatively poor lot of borees that start in this event. Experience shows that not more than one in half-a-dozen can fairly live ou 1 : the course, and it is i:o fun to see distressed horses Tolling about at the finish, to say nothing of the danger tbat is always present under such conditions, Tho fact is that we do not breed many safe hunting steeplechasers of high claes. Specking generally, those that can be depended on to keep their feet are too slow tor racing at all, and our fieldf, as a rule, are made up of horses of that stamp' and converted hurdle racers whose pace is a source of danger when log fences are introduced. I grant the difficulty of making races to suit horses, but it seems reasonable to suppose tbat if the distances were reduced as far as possible one fruitful cause of mishap would be at least minimised. My suggestion is that the odd half mile of the Cup should be cut off. It was this last balf-mile that brought Comeaway down on Saturday, the horse being dead beat. Xn this connection it may be remarked tbat lots of enthusiastic racing men don't like jumping at all, their objection being the risk of turning a holiday into a horror ; and there are lots more people who, while tolerating steeplechases and hurdle races^in a general way, would very much prefer to see the element of danger reduced as far as possible. The Jockey Club cannot insure against accident*, I am well aware, nor csn it make steeplechasers, but it can do a little to make these events safer by reducing distances, and that is why I give the hint.

*** Taking Saturday's races in order, eight out of the dozen named on the card faced the music, and backers made about equal favourites of Roselyn and Saunterer. The latter proved a complete disappointment. I suppose it must have been his race at Gore last January, when he beat Belraont and got disqualified for inconsistency, that made him so much fancied. On Saturday 1 * form Belmont could have started on three legs and beaten him. Rosslyn, however, ran a really good race. He has a bit of pace, and inherits substance from his dad, Digby Grand, and when Malcolm Allan has h«d htm. at the game a little longer he will probably bo one of oar moat useful hsrdlers. He \

easily outstayed Rebel, and gave the rest of his opponents no chance whatever. Borcisr Lad finished at the head of the badly-beaten contingent, but possibly he might have beeu deprived of that honour had they all been pushing for it.

*#* Venus, the Ttismanian candidate for the New Zealand Cup, appeared iv the KeosiDgtou Handicap and ran really well, thengh unluckily. When the barrier lifted Hipp^nous slewed round suddenly and ran a few yards the other way. In turning sharply he interfered with his next-door neighbour, Venus. That he actually touched her I cannot say from personal knowledge, bub the sudden movement caused Vetius to back a few steps, and ere she was set going the three that had started properly were 30 or 40 yards away. Ifc was half expected tbat she wculd pull up at the paddock gate 6; but Godfrey tcok her on in pursuit;, and the made up her ground so astonishingly fast tbat at half the journey she had gob to a handy position, just in the rear of Lord R^sslye, who was waiting within ea»y reach of Aldershot and Pitch and Tosh. Halfway dewn the baclostretch she closed on Rosslyn, and went with him up to the other pair, who presently compounded, leaving Lord Rosslyn and theTasmanian to fight out the finish. One could easily see from th,e circumstances what the result would be, for Rosslyn had been to a large extent loafing along, and be bad inside position for the last turn ; but though he won, and had a bit in hand, tbe mare ran it right out under pressure and left a very favourable impression on the spectators. I don't say that she would have won had she got away well, but it is evident tbat in an even trial she would have forced (he St. Glair colt to gallop more earnestly than- he did. She" must bs game to figbt out a finish so well after the burst of speed she displayed in the continuous six-furlong run necessary to make up lost ground. All this may be said, however, without iv the least detracting from the credit due to Lord Ro;slyn ag tbe wlmier. Hs did what was asked of him in the most satisfactory manner, and it mutt be remembered that he was carrying a fair weight. Bearing all the facts in mind, his backets in the New Zealand Cup have every reason to be pleased with the performance. Last j ear he made a very poor exhibition in this race, finishing last of the four starters/ This year he won with 'something in hand. ' It may be added that Hugh M'llroy, who rode Lord Roj-slyn, and made a good job of it, was on tho back of the winner last year. Previous results of this Kensington. Handicap are herewith shown : 1893-Captive ... 4yrs 8.4 2min 7Jsec .£2193 18i)l— Victim ... fiyra 613 2min 18 sec £9 Cs 1895— Maremma 4yrs 7.7 2mia 7Jsec £2 18$ JS9H— Hippomene3 aged 812 2min sA^ec £1 153 1897 -Lclr" Rosslya 4yrs 8.8 2min 9.lsec £1 14s Pitch and Toss lasted out this raco pretty well on Saturday. She is only a handful, and will never carry much weight, but this was a fair run for h*r considering that she had done very little strong work, and it may be that before long Mr Gocdnoau will get a turn of luck with her, for I think she stays fairly well.

*** The Winter Hurdles was a repetition of lsst year's race. Belmont hopped off the mark smartly, jumped with such quickness and cleverness that his leaping at the back of the course could hardly be noticed — a trick he has bad given to him by his sire, that accomplished hurdler Border mas — and woo with any amount' to spare, completely burying the opposition for speed. Ulster had been commonly regarded as a good thing for this race until she sprang a tendon by putting her foot into a hole while exercising on the Thursday morning, thus causing her withdrawal; but I am satisfied now that she could not have footed ib with this nimble little horse, who really eeems to show most da*h when, as in this base, he has been up for only a short time. The experiment of placing a Maiden Hunters' Steeplechase on the programme can hardly be voted a success. Three entered, three started, and two came to grief. It was a wretched exhibition, tolerable ooly on account of the pretty jumping of the slow-and-sure Captain. This son of Guy Fawkes is a model hunter, and if we ceuld get together half a dozen euch as he a race between them would be an interesting sight, and none the less interesting because of tho absence of danger. Captain looks like a horse that would never fall if decently ridden. Four granddaughters of Musket and a gelding claiming a similar relationship to the king ot stallions sfcir'ed for the Shotta Handicap, the only candidate of other pedigree being Venus. Qnicksbot II dashed away at a great rate for three furfoDgp, and was then headed by Arline and St. Ouida, between whom tho finish lay, Arline winning with a little to spare. Venu», staying well, finished cose up, bufc neither she nor anything elce had a show with Arline, who was stripped in very iiice condition by Jimmy Ruttledge. The Trot result wan in doubt up to ihe- last few strides. Grant had a rocky ride on Beware, this mare breaking badly in the fi'sS mile. Settling down then to work, she got witbin a few lengths of Blackie at the home turn, and was fast overhauling tbe pony. At the lact both broke, and that was where the doubt came iv. Beware, however, mat) aged to rally in time, Grant receiving a roucd of for the way he handled the mare. As Beware was giving Blackie 19»ec and won in 5.40, Blackie did just about even time, and that seems to me something like the pony's trus pace. Doubtful broke down in the race when looking very dangerous.

*ji* Border Lad and Jaffa being taken out of the Hunt Club Cup, four went to the post. Masterpiece went off with the lead and held it for half a furlong, when Nat ruehed through to the front and piloted the field over the first jump, where Comeaway refused, bub was got over at fbe second time of asking. Nothing further happened until getting to tbe stand dcub.'e (logs). Here Nat touched tbe second obstacle, and landed on his head. It was an awful-looking fall that Mr Wynn-Williams sustained, reminding one of the acrobatic trick sometimes seen in circuses when a man stands on another's shoulders and the pair seem to fall together like one pillar. But to everyone's surprise the rider arose at occe, unhurt, and Nat wss caught after a few yards' cauter. Rebel was close on Nat's heels when the latter fell, and the mishap caused Rebel to run off. Meanwhile Masterpiece took a lone lead ,' but Rebel, who had gone back and jumped the missed fence, went after him so strongly that at the windmill obstacle he was only a dozen lengths behind, and that much ahead of Comeaway. In the back stretch Rebel was closing fast on Masterpiece, when he struck the fence, and this settled his chance, for though he did not fall he had no further fire left, and in going round the top turn he was rolling very badly. Still, however, he battled on, and at last finished six lengths away from Masterpiece. These were the only ones to flni&h, as Comeaway tripped over the hurdle at the foot of the Btraight. Neither of the unhorsed riders was hurt. Jim Cotton received a popular greeting as he returned to the scales, and the compliment was well deserved. Masterpiece must be an awkward horse to ride in a race, for he goes at his fences with his head dow Q , M though he intended to

butt them, and Cotton literally lifted him over each obstacle. Tho Welter was a soft thing for Jaue Eyre. Musket made a bold bid in the first couple of furlongs, and alter he retired the Lawrence, mare found nothing troubling her. We saw three ridors of olden days Ilk the saddle iv this race. James Youog, who »ad his leg smashed when Gazelle ran into a post at tho Taieri some years ago, was on the winner ; Tommy Chapman, who used to ride for Stephenson and Hazlett, had the mount on Musket; and Dun Joseph was steered by Jack Sl 'Coomb, who had not previously weighed out for a race since he won the Suburban Welter on Jane Eyro at the Danedin Cup meeting of 1893, the year after he won the Dunedin Cup on Casket.

*#* The whole proceedings passed off without protect or delay of any kind, and without damaging mishap to men or horses, and the management ' was as smooth, as clockwork, everything being attended to effuieutly and without the leaat fus3 or nois*. This is a feature of the D J.C. meetings. Only one complaint reached my cars, and that was as to the clerk of the course thoughtlessly galloping his horse up the course in the neighbourhood of Little Bob while th*t horse was straggling home in the Trot. Several persons have asksd me to mention this, fdo not t.hii>k, however, that ifc had the least < fleet on the result. The crowd both inside and outside seemed to me to be rather f-m»II, even for the Hunt meeting, where a large muster is not expected. This is of course accoun liable for to a large extent by the counter attraction of an iaterproviHcial football match, and if a further reason is sought for it can be readily found in the club's policy of not advertising tho races amongst the people who could be induced to attend. Our leading clubs generally are prone to be penny wise and pound foolish in this respect, and the D J.C. seems to be shaping a course towards the extreme of chVese paring. So far as I know the programme was not to bo sf en in a single O a^o paper. Where does the club expect to get its patronage from P

*#* Australia's hypocrisy in devoting a stated proportion of the totalisafcor profit^ to charity is keenly satiriaed by the Bulletin : — The" proviso that the Government's share of the 1« ot is to be set aside for the purposes of charity appears in almost every scheme for legalising the instrument, and in almoßt every argument advanced in its favour. It is obvioualy intended as an apology — an acknowledgment that the money is unclean cash from an unclean source, and requires to be sanctified by the pious but misused name of benevolence*. Tbere is no need of apology, and no reason why the 3 per cent, should be specially set aside for purposes of charity. It is quite as bonest and quite as reputable as any other source of inctmp, and the consolidated revenue may take it without any fear of contamination. The chief means by which that revenue is raised are taxes on drink and drunkenness ; the proceeds of the Dale of lands stolen from the aboriginal ; taxes on ditto ; taxes on incomes, including the incomes of tbe bookmaker, gambler, drink vendor, and persons of equally disreputable puivuifcs ; fines levied on account of drunkenness, perjury, brutal assault, obscene language, - theft, and the like— the State actually makes a xeforme out of these things ; also -opium- an-d morphia duties, and' things eqtraily horrible. There is hardly one seurca of revenue which is any cleaner than, and very few tbat are as clean as, the totalisator percentage would be, -therefore the attempt to 7 apologise for the instrument by devoting the State's share of the proceeds to charity is quite unnecessary. The Treasurer who takes Sd in the pound income tax on the gambling revenue of Isaac Mo, bookmaker, and has no qualms of conscience, is a very dull-witted hypocrite if he expects the world to believe that his conscience won't allow him to take 7^d in the pound on the gambling income of the machine which is • only Isaac Mo in an inanimate form, without the 'jewels and the whisky-breath and the blasphemy. A Treasurer, in fact, considering where his money mortly comes from, has no right to possess a conscience. It is even an cpen question if he should have a .'oul. Another weak pointy is tLe proviso, which ! appears in almost all schemes for tbe legislation of the tote, that it thall be used only so many times a year by so many clubs on racecourses only, and only on the courses of clubs which give so many hundred pounds a day in prizemoney. These are more needless apologies for the instrument. Moreover, they are wholly illogical, according to the practice of the State in other matters. The law doesn't enact that drink — which is always quoted as the curse that is twin to gambling — shall be imported only upon so many days a year, by so many .people; that it shall be drunk only in certain places and on certain specific occasions ; or that I no one shall drink it unless he gives £400 a day in stakes, or anything « qually ridiculous. It simply collects with all possible energy its I share of tbe proceeds in cuitoms and excise duty, aud license fees, and in fines levied on the common drunk. If it considers that further restriction is needed, its usual course is to take I a larger share of the proceeds.

*#* Buyers who attended the sale of Mr Jowitt's horses on Saturday at Wright, Stephenson, and Cj.'s yards were prepared (o go to a fair figure for Fulmen, and apparently expected the other horses to be given away. I was certainly disappointed with the biddiDg on the whole. Musketry, tven allowing liberally for his ugly knee, is worth money, for he is standing up to h's work and may very likely win a race or two quickly, while for breeding purposes alone he is worth lOOgs of any man's money. Yet he waß started at ODly lOgs, and 32gs being reached all the voices were eilent. Refugee was another very cheap purchase. A handsome filly of illustrious pedigree, absolutely untried, and just the sort of class to win valuable races, the leadiug stables might have been expected to bo prepired to go to a fair figure for her ; but; 20gs was the starting point, and by guinea bids she ro3e to only 43gs, at which price theWaikouaifci owner, Mr P. Toomey, took her as a mate for the hunter Double or Quits. Mr W. Marshall, of Gore, was able to acquire possession or Slatin Bey, Diablerie, and the two two-year-olds for the total sum of 25gs ; Felina went to Mr J. M'Kewen ; s .bid of 21ga ; and George Smith took St. Gothard, the young brother to Barnardo, at the reasonable figure of 17gs, this likely-looking youngster therefore joining Rebel as a stable companion. The yearlings and unbroken two-year-olds were almost given away. Amongst these I liked best the chestnut two-year-old colt by Apremont out of Charity and the yearling filly by Apremont from Whim. The last-mentioned is a typical Apremont, and promises very well. As to Fulmen, he proved to be the redeemer of the sale. His well-c&red-for appearance and bis doings on the training track set bidders on the alert, and, starting at lOOgs, he went up rapidly to 200ga, after which the bids slowly mounted to 218gs. Tbe last unsuccessful bid was by J. Longblin, who caved in to the price offered by J. M'Kewen. Fulmen returns to his old stable at St, Clair, Me H'Kewea haying gck4 aa au

agent in bidding. I understand tbafc » week previous to the sale the colb could have been bought at 150gs had auyone closed smartly with the owner's offer, but after Mr Jowitb left for Melbourne the price mentioutd was refused. Stockfish was nob*auctioned, he having changed hands privately, going to one of Loughlin'a clients. Reckoning tbe £25 which the old gilding brought, tho price of the 12 lobs was 391gs, or an average «^f about 324-gs. The brood mare Miss Madge also found a purchaser privately, Mr Grigg, of Longbeaoh, taking her at an unrevealed figure.

*** In American trotting circles the idea is growing that it would be more satisfactory if the timing of races were done in viow of the public by means of an electric clock. .A ♦prominent writer says tba 1 ; (he timing of races as now practised is too much of a Star Chamber proceeding to be relished by thd hosts that patronise meetings — the sooner we have it done in full view of the atand, and automatically besides, the better will associations and spectators agree. It is ridiculous to think that at this late date of the nineteenth century timers have the power to announce the times of six heats within a fraction of a second of one another, The r< cords of this seas >n already show tbat/ at ore eastern meeting six heats wen? trotted in

the 2 mm 25scc cI&S9 between 2niin 24^sec and 2m<n 24j|src, whereas it is related by an experienced racing man who was present that there actually was a difference of 7sec in the time made in the various heats, It is of course very accommodating for an association to lei; a horse stay in his class ai long as possible ; but the rules say that for suppressing time men may be ruled off, and (lie rules should be enforced. If rules cannot be enforced, the best thing to do is to so change the procedure as to render impossible an infraction thereof.

* # * Being present at Friday morning's work" on the Forbury, I saw Hippomenes, Marlio, and Sequin at exercise. The last-named filly was noc asked to go fast, but the other pair, after escorting Sequin in a cauter, did a once round pretty fast, yielding a good sweat. Hippomenes had a sort of fancy look about him owing to his having been partly clipped on a middle-line strip. In such gaite he is a plain-looking horse. But, knowing him, I cuu'd see that ho is very well, and so is Marlin. I fancy it; w&s the two d»y»' programme that caused the owner* to reserve the old chestnut for Tunaru in preference to sending him for the K< nsington Handicap — that mainly, and perhaps also the hope of a firmer course, though a* it turned out Saturday's going at Dunedin would have suited Hippomem s. Another useful go.wa* that by Mr M«rcsr'n three. He sent Bcitomart (with a rug on) three times round tho middle track— about 22 furlongs — Black and Red being her mate twice rouod and Blaz*r bringing her borne. The pace was- fast enough to try B itomi>rt>'a staying powers, and I liked the way she hung it out ; besides, |he stood it very well so far aa condition waft concerned, her scrape been just what one likes to see. lam convinced that this mare is training on all right for hevNew Zealand Cap engagement. Another New Z=ala.cid Cup mare that I hwe had the pleasure of looking over and seeing gallop during the week is the Tasmanian Candida^ Venus, daughter of Mozart and Stars and Stripes. She is a lfgbt-brown mare, inclined to mousey-brown ; quite a little one- in regard to stature, but desp in the body, fairly round, plenty long enough, snd small only because short in tho lower legs. These legs of hers, however, are really her besb assets, the limbs being strong and clean and well turned. So far she has done ouly fairly well since leaving Tasmania, and last week .she seemed a bit dry^ in the coat ; yet on Saturday she r&csd very well indeed, showing a fiae turn of speed in her rather ill-advised attempt to pick up a lot of lost ground early in the race, and her nice level action is that of an undoubted stayer. It is impossible to say what her cbauce is in such a race as the New Zealand Cup. Personally I should not be inclined to back her. For all that, she is a very useful type of mare, and she ought to win something before long if she trains on, as there is every chance she will. Her owner and trainer, Me "Dick" Taylor, had a chat with me on Saturday, in which be. said that he intends to stay in Dunedin to train Venus for her engagements. Taylor used to be in Dunedin yea's ago, and therefore feels to some extent at home here. I with bim lnck in his venture.

* # * It might have been supposed, after the recent Appeal Court decision, that no more would be heard about the definition of " a place " for some littlo time. It transpires, however, saya Sydney Referee, that after the racecourse being absolved from the scope of the Betting Houses Suppression Act, the law, as laid down by the Matter of Rolls, suggests to personi interested that if a racecourse is not a " place," rjeither is a lane in the city. This contention will be pronounced upon shortly by the Supreme Court. The other day, at the Central Police Court, a layer of doubles was fined £25 for doing business in a lane off Market street. Mr Sl&ttery, who defended, pointed out that the. defendant' was uot sole user of the lan&, which was, in fact, -generally used by the public, and he bad no exclusive right to it. He argued that an open enclosure w«s not "a place" in the way tbab "bouse, office, or other piece" should cc construed. The magistrate convicted, but put several other cases back for eight weeks, as a case will be stated for the Full Court.

*#* MrD. Heenan now advertises particulars concerning his two trotting stallions, General Tracy and Honest Wilkes, and I hsva much pleasure in supplementing the announcements with a few remarks which can iv good faith be of a commendatory nature. While in Chcistchurch recently I saw Wiklwood, Priuca Imperial, and several other high-class stallions performing in public, and tho opinion I formed", in common with the majority of the, crowd who attended tho Show grounds, was that General Tracy was the daddy of the lot for staying. Standing in his box he certainly seems to want a little more length of rein to comply with our ordinary notions of beauty in a horf-e. This, however, is his only defect from a picture point of view, and when seen in motion the defect disappears, for he stretcbea out in a fine reachy stride, gets well over his leg?, and the secret of his staying is that he has plenty of room inside for the vital organs, and trots with very even action. In other respects, also, General Tracy can be honestly praised. He iv a young horse, just comiDg to his prime ; he is a good wholesome colour ; and he is symmetrically built, his powerful body being supported by a splendid sot of legs — muscular in the thighs and clean ia the bone. I am sure he will get valuable stock. Honest Wilkes also is a performer, having the decent record of 2tnia 31^-sec. He was bred at Mr J. J, Miller's Bayswater stud, Victoria, from stylish American stock. The idea is, I understand, to give this horse only a few mares this season, so owners who desire to make engagements for his serrioei should do so at once.

*«* The Au»tralian Jockey Club's r*oe« began on SftUrilajFt Tbecfl in *r*cti«ttlr bo bettin*

hern on ibis meeting, but the results 0%, th€ racing are read with interest, particularly with regard to the doings of horses that are lik«ly to take part in either of the two Cups— Caulficld and Melbourne— or the Champion S bakes. So far as the first day'e events are concerned, it is sufficient to barely mention the results of the miaor races— that Alaska, a >oa of Normarrby, wou the Hurdle Race ; that the Trenton filly Zitella pulled off the Trial Stakes ; and that tho Clan Stuarb horse King Cloris beat Mr Hordern's El Norte (by Nordenfeldt) in the Kensington Handicap. As to the Derby, three Carbiues were among the four runners, and they secured the places, the beaten member being Patriot, the colt sold last season out of Dan O'Brien's stable. Amberite started an odds-on favourite, and easily outstayed his opponents, winniug pretty well as he Irked. Previous winners of this race are thus shown .—. — ]S°o— Gibraltar, by Grandmaster „. 2min 39sec 1891— Stromboli, by Chester 2min 41sec 1892-Camoola, by Chester ... „. 2min 40sec IS9:>— Trenchant, by Trenton „. 2min Slaec 1894— Bonnie Scotland, by St. George 2onn 44sec 1895— Hob Kay, by Welcome, Jack ... 2min 41aec 18.96"— Charge, by Carbine \ ,. ... 3min Msec 1597- Amberite, by Carbine 2min 45sec ' The valuable Epsom Handicap resulted in the upsetting of ail the fancied horses, by Robin Hood, a candidate whose name was never mentioned. More important, however, as throwing lighb on future events, was the issue of . the Spring Stake*. This was supposed to be>a good thing for Cuil ; but the Engine-bred Po»itano, son of Sfc. Si mow, hod everything settled at the distance, and won by three lengths in the fast time for a mile and a-half of 2min 36Jsec. Pot-itano was knowu to be a good horse, but the general notion was "that handicaps rather than we'ght-for-age suited him best, and another reason of his starting at such an outside price as 12 fo 1 was that ho -could not be induced to display any form on the training track. He is described an the most indolent horse ever seen at Randwiek.

*** Mr Peter Grant, of tho &vm of Barnetfc and Grant, feeling aggrieved by the it>c"ußion of bis name iv the published lift cf disqualified persons, 'consulted a lawyer, and they went so fur as to take preliminary steps in an action against the C J.C. and the Referee jointly, claiming £600 damages, Mr Grant does an extensive business, and his good name is worth keepiug, and he objected to being classed with the mixed company in the list, arguing very naturally that bis disqualification was not for any act of which lie has cause to be ashamed, but simply as a punishment for lajiogtofcalisator odds, ana thereby breaking a rule which he considered w.->s not binding upon him. I kuew of the legal proceedings last week, but I was also aware of something further — namely, that a settlement: was possible, wherefore I said nothing about the matter, Tbat expected settlement: has now come about. "Ptter" culled upon roe on Monday to say that he was no longer in the position of a prospective plaintiff, as tho parties on tho other aide had agreed to withdraw his name from the list. It is almost » pity in oue way that the case is eettled privately. lam lo advocate for litigation. for litigation* sake, and I don't begrudge Grant his triumph — on tbe other hand, believing bim to be a very decent man, I am pleased troth a personal print of \iesv .that he has won,. But^ there is a principle involved,. ; and it is the breaking 'down of this principle -that is to< be regretted. The point is tbia ; Peter Grant ha* got his name taken out, bub how about -the others who' are in eiraiUr case ? Can theyigefc out also P And, moreover, if one or till can escape inclusion in the disqualified list, what is the use ot having eucb a list ?. And if the list is- abolished, what other penalty csn be substituted ? Ifc is iv view of theae co»siderations that I say it wouhl hive been better in the intererts ot the turf generally. if the case bad gone to trial. Yet, on the other hand, no newspaper can be fairly expected to stand to be shot for heavy damages and costs in vindication of a public right unless it has a fair backing. My own notion iw that the Canterbury Jockey Club, as the body that originated tho publication of the matter objected to, ought to have volunteered to defend the case on its merits and thus settle for good a qucctiou which will probably crop up again and cause more vexa; tioa.

*#* Goodwood's leading races at the July meeting are reported in this issue — or, to be candid, there is a condensed report; given from the Eciglitth papers, a eource from which I, of coura?, draw for the comments which now follow. Notwithstanding the small stake — the added money being 300sovs only — the Stewards' Cup invariably attracts a good field to the post, and this year's inusLer was no exception to the rule. Tweufcy-three runnsrs were only one less than in 1896, and the spirited speculation which tcok place was proof that the race has still a strong hold upoa the general public. Odd 4 or. 6 to 1 were laid against Imposition, but the winner turned up. iv Amphora, who, starting at 100 to 8/ won easily by two lengths from Lord W. Bereaford'a American' colb Diakka, ' The winner's lime was lmin 15 4-Sfeec. The fastest record is Marvel's — lmin 14- l-ssec in 1890. Paladore, winner of the Richmond Stakes (for two-year-olds), is by Ayrshire -out of Palisandre, by- Bend Of from Palisade, by Albert Victor. In fcbe Goodwood Stakes, 1 the long' distance handicap of the second day, the Royal colours, were carried by the Prince of Wales's Glentilt, who started an equal favourite at 9 to 4 with Nouveau Riche ; bull whereas the latter finished last, Glentilt could ouly fill third place to Gluten and Eclipse. The winner, ridden by K. Cannon, ran a very I game race, and ° although tbe verdict in I Giutea's favour was a length, Eclipse made a bo!d show, and kept the winner on the stretch to the end. Gluten was bred by his owner, W. G. Stevens, for whom last year he won four races, but tbe-Good-wood Stak- s is the firat event he has wou this year. Four runners were all that could be mustered for the Cup, despite the increase of; stake. The race, says the Sportsman's special, was anything but a truly run one, for they went at a Bnail's pace for at least three-quarters of a mile, and then (Hkdene turned on the pace, followed by Labrador. It was really only a mile and three-quarters race, and after Labrador bad settled O&kdene on turning into the straight, | and Greenlawn was in trouble, it only remained for the Duke of Westminster's horse to stall off Count Schomberg. He looked like doing it, too, especially when the difference in weights was considered, but the Iriih-bred one came out with indomitable resolution at the finish, whila Labrador had no extra effort, and so the favourite scored in gallant style amid considerable applause. Count Schomberg waß thus returned the winner of the Cup for the second year in succession. •' The Count " has done particularly good service for bw owner, who gave 3000gs for him in February 1896, for -over hurdles and on the flat he has proved himself equally good. In the annals of the Goodwood Cup we have to go back to the years 1C49 and 1850 for an instance of its being •won by the same animal more than once. In the years referred to Lord Stanley's Canesou was successful. Champ de fijars, i winner o£, the Prince of Wales'fl. Stakes, w by, 1 MwtUjKttoa (ion o£ Bead Ori konx JOmtuiaL.

Marie, by Hermit from Princess Mary 11, by Toxophilite ; and Vanloo, who captured the Fh.dou Stakes, is by Saraband (son of Muncaster) out of Vanda, by Camballo— Baroness, by Mentmore.

*#* The Palmerston Club's meeting was held last week, ■eight members being present, Mr R. Ewiug in the chair. The report contained the following clauses : — "The receipts from all sources amount (including credit balance at bank) to the sum of £252 12* Id, aud the expenditure (including some £32 past liabilities) to £260 17s sd. By adding the overdraft, £8 5s 4d, at present due to the bank, the past year's expenditure is shown at £269 2s 9d, a debit balance on the year's transactions of £16 10a Bd. The totil outstanding liabilities, including overdraft at bank, amounted to £20 9a 7d, and j the assets £32 ss, an excess of assets over liabilities of £11 15? sd. By deducting the properties, valued at £20, the position is that the Blub starts the year with a debit of £8 5s 4-d ; but when available assets are collected, and the members' subscriptioas now due paid, the position will be reversed, and the club start with a I clean balance sheet, and your committe anticipate that with careful management and economical expenditure they should be placed in the proud i osition of presenting a balance sheet at next at nusl meeting with a satisfactory credit." Mr R. Ewing was re-elected president; Mr H. O'Neill vice-president, Mr R. M. Robertson auditor; and Mesjsis M Allan, E. H. Cla*k, D. M. Pindlay, P. A. Keddell, J. Koighfc, B. Lefevre, J. M:-M'Kenzie, W : Kay, Q. Searle, and J. Sloan the General Committee. A meeting- of the committee was afterwards held, when the following appointments were made: — Treasurer, Mr W. Robertson ; secretary, Mr J. j T. Gwynne ; starter, Mr W M'Kay "; judge, • Mr R JBwing; clerk of course, Mr W. John- . etou ; clerk of scales. Mr J. Sloan; timekeeper, { Mr _K. Riddle ; handicapper, Mr G. Dowse. _ j

*#* There is something to be said on both Bides concerning the dispute between the Tahuoa Park Club and the Pnlmeraton Club For the right to race on Boxing Day. Taking first the case as attited for the Palmerston Club, it amounts to this .- That this club has appropriated the date and will suffer if the other club steps in as a rival. It nan bardly be disputed that tbese propositions are weighty. But ou the other hand the supporter* of the Tahuna Club argue (1) that Palmerston ha» onlj of late years fastened on to Boxing Day, having raced thereon but three times, wherefore lhe claim to Boxing Day is not "of long standing ; (2) that mo»t of the horses which have in that period raced at Palnvrston belong to it* own and o'hrr districts outside the town, the exact number of Dunedin-trained borees that have competed at Pulrnciston in the threa years being, I believe, 17, by a precise count ; (3) that, therefore, Palmerslon can still go on with its meeting on Boxing Day with much the same horses as it has been used to ; (♦) that if it is not satisfied to do this the objection must be that it wants, not the horses from Dunedio, but the men — a claim which can hardly be supported as against the claim of a town club to retain the patronage of its own people; (5) that the Tahuna Clnb is desirous of maktog a progressive movement in regard to trotting, thui» fulfilling its legitimate function, and that in order to carry out this design in the general •interests of the sport it must race on a holiday, the alternative being to muddle on. in the • same old way with small stakes that will not attract the best trotting horses; (6) that Palmerston is too far away from Dunedin to be .recognised as a suburb, and that any assumed right to Boxing Day is inferior in validity to the right of other clubs that at aDy earlier period claimed that date. The question has" been referred by the Palmerston Club to the Trotting Association, and this body hiving requested Tahuna to select some other date, a reply has been sent giving reasons for hanging on to Boxing Day and requesting the association to he'd a special meeting to consider the matter. It aeem» to me that if the consideration which the importance of the subject demands l* b h - o»ed by the delegates upon the dispute fche.i will see a great amount of force in Tahnna's arguments. The delegates from the Tahuna Club are not likely to forget that the Canterbury Trotting Club races on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, unmindful of the trotting at Ashburton and Tinwald, *nd yet so far as we know theie was never a suggestion of blocking the town programme. In this fact there is abundant precedent for leaving Tahuna alone. The question must be approached from the standpoint of the general interest. Palmerston cannot hope to build np trotting to the level it ought to take, nor can any one of the smaller clubq. The task must be done by a town club. Tahuna sees its duty, and is prepared to discharge it, and those who thwart the progress of the sport will be taking a serious responsibility.

*a* The Supreme Court decision delivered , on Monday by Mr Justice 'Williams is, of course, a source of exultation to the bookmakers. Naturally enough, in their pissing skirmishes with the club* they like to win. Even when it is a small stake they try very earnestly to catch the judge's eye. Aud tlm particular decision in of importance in a way. It lays down a rule that will doubtless be recognised generally — namely, that when criminal proceedings are taken under the Police Offences Act there must be first the trespass, then the warning, and then the refusal or~f he- neglect to leave — all these thiDgs being necessary before a man can be successfully prosecuted in this way. The judgment also says that a wammg on one day does not apply to another day unless the trespass is continuous. In these respects the -warning given to Robert Price w»» insufficient, wherefore bis conviction is not sustained. To that extent the club has suffered defeat. But the judgment goes no further iv that diieetion. It may be argued, indeed, that while the club has lost this particular case it has gained the far greater advantage of learning how a man may be sufficiently warned off, »nd we may be sure that if the •ccasion should arise for another prosecution tbis avenue of defence will be found tffectually barred. The occasional chastenings sustained by the clubs knast surely be teaching them something about the requirements of the law.

*#* A word with reference to J. Longhlin's license, in order to clear up a misunderstanding. It is reported in the Referee that when lioughlin's application for * license was under ■consideration by the South Island Trotting Association it was suggested .that, as the Dunedin Jockey Club had held over his application for a> trainer's and jockey's license, it would be Advisable for the association to reciprocate and ado likewise until they knew wbafc the D.J.C. did, and tha resolve to grant the application Was only corns to bj .the association •fter it had been pointed ont that a license eonld always be revoked. The D.J.C. has a regulation against granting a trainer's and a jockey's license to one person, and it was owing to Loughlin having applied for both that the D.J.C. held the application over for further consideration. Thero never wai any question

of the man's fitness to hold a license. I understand, by the way, that there it tome talk of amending this regulation, and probably that is the reason why the application was deferred instead of being simply declined. Auy way, Loughliu Is sure of one license or the other, even if the two in combination are refused.

•*** San Francisco Breeder and Sportsman says : George Van Gorden, recently returned from Mexico, tells that the frequent wins of Lulu Pry, an Indian Territory mare belonging to a man named Suggs, were not on the level. A valet w»v observed slipping a lend pad to the mare's rid»»r on the way to the Ecaleroom, aud the judges merely warned the boy. In the next handicap it was discovered that the rider's cap contained 151b of lead This was. dropped soon after the start was made, picked up by the valet, and handed to the jockey, who made his weight with it. After the expose of this, the Californiaa bred horses begun to wid, and Morgan G. »nd' Scimitar were poisoned, the latter dying. The Government investigated the matter, and found carrots to bo fed to the horses scooped out, and sufficient arsenic iueerted to kill all the animals at the track. The owner of Lulu Pry was arrested, and is now in gaol.

*** Let it be noted, as a matter of fair play, that though the Dunedin Jockey Club so far relaxed its prohibitive regulation against bookmakers as to allow leading members of the ring to enter and remain unmolested on the Forbury course last Saturday, the totalisator takings reached a higher total thin at last year's meeting, though a reduction might have been expected considering the smallness of the crowd. If the men to whom I am referring did a bit " on their own " they must have made it up to the machine by investing according to their individual fancies. I rather incline *o the belief, however, that they appreciated the action of the Jockey Club and stood off business altogether. Anyway, I can conscientiously say that I did not hear or see a single bet made by or with them

*#* Fleet Admiral did start in the South Australian Derby, but failed to get a place. He was lame before the start, jet his p»rty professed to be confident. "'Norwood" writes: "Although distinctly lame when seen in the paddock, Fleet Admiral started at 5 to 4- on in the totalisator, and backers were in a quandary an to what was next best. Fleet Admiral was kept trotting about the straight for some time before tb< race, and threw off some of his lameness When the barrier .lifted he moved off very short, but, contrary to expectation?, kept a good position The race was madefairly sound, with a view to finding out the ! favourite's weak «pot, and although Fleet i Admiral's backers were on good terms with j themselves at the half-mile po3t, he was beiten i directly the straight was reached, and began to ' hang. He pulled uj> s'uhtly lame, bufc not a great deal distresses ' Goodwill, the winner, made all the running, and won a fine race by ha\f a length from Lord Salisbury, Thunder King a neck behind, Fleet Admiral and Taliesin together seven lengths away. The dividend was £3 15s.

*** South Canterbury races are to commence to-day. For the- benefit of thosfe subscribers who get their paper* early I give my tatest impressions as follows : — Huntvrs' Hurdles, Rosslyk (who hag 7lb penalty) or Boueen ; Maiden JPlite, Folmen ; Cup, Britomart ; Welter, Arquebus ; Hurdles, Belmont (he has 71b extra to carry); Flying, Foxsien. Britomarfc and Black and Red were taken up on Monday, and both may win At the meeting, bufc Britomart is my fancy for the Cup. The club ha* decided that for this meeting bookmakers be licensed at a fee of £3 3s per day inside and £1 la a day outside, to lay straight-oat odds ; the club to give them no guarantee of protection against others who do not pay the license ; each licensed mau to display in a prominent place on his clothing a notice that he is licenced by the club ; should any licensed man be caught by the police laying totalisator odds he will forfeit the amount paid for the license and be ejected from the course.

■•V* The Canterbury Trotting Club is desirous of having the Bed of Ston-e case reopened, their wishes being expressed in a motion which was carried at s meeting held last week, and may be found in our Christchurch correspondent's letter. The points of the petition are that additional evidence is procurable and that the association's vote was nor fairly representative. I understand the Trotting Club to say further that its wish is to let the protest die down so far as the re'erence to incoßS'Stent running and jostling is concerned ; but possibly I have not srasped the correct-meaning of the motion. It is rather obscure