TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2289, 13 January 1898, Page 31

TALK OF THE DAY.

By MAZEPPA.

*** Mr Sydney J»mes has addressed the fallowing circular to country clubs within the Oiago jurisdiction :: — •' Tho attention of my club has been directed to the congested state of the unpaid ferfeit list as published in the official calendar. There is no doubt that this list is very much longer tban each lists in the Australian colonies, and that this has been brought about by cluba receiving entries and acceptances without due care as to the payment for came. Ely club 10 aware that, notwithstanding the

rules of racing, it is difficult to carry into effect a hard and fa&t rule, but wishes to impress upou club 3in it 3 district the advisability of being more careful iv future in this respect ; and would draw attention to rule 66, sub-section 2, by which it will be seen that it is optional to metropolitan clubs to -allow publication in the list without receiving an indemnity from the club forwarding same for publication." The bad practice which has grown up in connection with the forfeit li&t requires a prompt and stem check. A large percentage of the postings that take place ought never to be made — they would not be if secretaries were to carry out their own rules and decline to recc-ive nominations and acceptances that are not accompanied by cash payments. The custom, unfortunately, it to beg for entries and to scheme for the attendance of horses; and owners, having the mafefcc-r hand, have been allowed to practically make their own arrangements about paying, a common thing being to tell the secretary to deduct the fees from Y»ini,iiigs. I don't say thst such loof-eaei-s is invariable, but it is certainly quite usual, and I make bold to say there are but few secretaries who literally and religiously stick to the provisions of thdr programmes in this reepeot. It would be perfectly safe to Bay tbad half of the postings arise from irregularities of this bind, and it is clear thai this is an abuse of the forfeit list. Mr Jimea haa in no way exaggerated the evil complained of. Oq the contrary, he states the case in studiously polite terms. I hope, however, that the response will not on that account be the less prompt.

*V* The Bed of Stone case has at last come to an end — so it is hoped, at any rate. Everybody is heartily sick of ib. The various stages may bo thus stated :—: —

August ID.— The race. Mr T. Coitou's Bed of Stone, 153 ec, ridden by her owner, c.mie in first for the Fiual Handicap, of Ss^ovs, one mile, at the Cvnteibury Trotting Club's meeting, her tune being 2inin 37 l-ssec. Khe won by a k-ugth aud a-half from Mr Amler&oa's Linda, 15sec, ri'Jden by T. Price.

August 13. — Protest against Bod of Stone, alleging jostliDg and inconsistency. Consideration of protest was partly heard and theu adjourned.

August 18. —Stewards of C.T.C. met to onsitler protest. At this meeting Price set up another ground of objection— viz , that Bad of Stone was ineligible for the race, because she was on the forfeit; list at the date of entry. The stewards, knowing thU further protest was to be made, had in the meantime taken advice from a solicitor, whose opinion was that the mare was not qualified to compote The stewards, accopting this opinion, unanimously cli-qualified Bed of Stone on the giound of ineligibility, and adjourned sine di-e eoimder.il i"n of the protest so far as the allegations of jootliug and inconsistency were cou'-erned. The decision was, further, that the money invented ou Bed of S'one be returned. Cottou forthwith appealed against the decisirii.

September 3—l3 — 1 ho Trotiing Association considered tlie appeal. It appeared from the evidence that the amount for which Bad of Stone was placed on the forfeit list by the Greymouth Club had been paid to Mr Rattray on tho afternoon of nomination day for the C.T.O. meeting. Mr M.'Leau moved — "That a* the mistake of allow-in? B--d of Stone to run was the fault of the club, the appeal be upheld and tha O T.C. instructed to pay the stakes to Bed of Stone." This was seconded by Mr Myers and canie-1 by four vote 3to three. For the motion : Afeiers M'Lean, Myers, ,Chadwick, and M'Namara ; against it: Messrs M'lnt>re, Fuchs, and Man*. Tfcree other delegates present did not vote, nor did the president

Sept< mber 10. — Stewards of the C.T.C. met and resolved to ask the association to reopen the appeal caee on the grounds (t) that additional evidence could be got, and (2) that the Trotting Association's vote was not representative, threa members failing to vote and three being absent. September 26. — Tiotting Association met, when after aigument the vice-president (Mr M'Lean) ruled that the case could not be re-opened.

October t5. — The Trotting Association decided to hold a special meeting to consider the case, this decision being the outcome of a requisition from nine delegates.

Novi mber 3. — The Trotting Association met, and the requisition was discussed, and the president ruled that the case could not be leopened. He qno*-ed Rule 4, to the effect that all clubs &übscilnns to the association agieerl to abMe by aDy decision arrived at by the association, .such decision to be final.

Noveinher B.— Stewards of the C.T.C. met and resolvtd, only one dissenting, to submit the case to the Colonial Secretary.

Ddci mber 1. — The t rotting Association met and refused to pass the programme for the C.T.Cs race meeting uniil the club complied with the rule& as to abiding by the asatciation's decision, as to the payment of the affiliation fee, aud as to the forwarding balance sheets to the association.

December 11 — The C.T.C. met and received the Colonial Secretary's reply, to the effect that the cl'ib should abide by the decision of the Trotting Associaiiou in leference to Bed . f Stone, but that the association exceeded its duty in declining to pa^s the club's summer programme. The club then upon roolved — " That the instructions of the Colonial Secrptaiy as to the ruling of the association in the Bed of Stone case be accepted." A letter was leceived from Price intimating that if the flub paid out on Bed of Stone without first considering his protest on the ground of inconsistency ho would appeal to the association. It was therefore decided to hear this protest on the 20th December.

December 13. — The_ C.T.C. retubmitted its programme, to the Trotting Association for approval. December 15. — Delegates to the Trotting Association urge the presdtfent uot to i ass the programme, as the associition's resolution had not been complied with.

Same date — Colonial Secretary telegraphed to the, president of tho Trotting Association the opinion that the C.T.C. should pay out on Bed of Stone at once. The protest on the ground of inconsistent running seemed to have been abandoned. Even if it bad not, the proper time to consider it was when Bed of Stone was reinstated by the association. December 16.— President of Trotting Association declined to pass programme at ouce for reasons stated, but offered to call a special meeting of the association to consider the matter. December 20.— C T.C. formally dismissed Pi ice's protest without hearing further evidence, and resolve I to pay out ou Bed of Stone, but Price gave notice of appeal, so the paying out was intercepted . December 21.-C.TC's programme passed by the president of the Trotting Association. December 23 —Colonial Secretary declined to grant a peunit to the C.T.C. peeding settlement of the case by the association, but on the president pointing out that the earliest opportunity of considering the appeal would be at a special meeting of which seven days' notice had to be given, and on Mr Rattray representing that the matter was uigent, the Colonial Secretary relented, and on

December 24. — The Colonial Secretary granted the permit.

January 5. -Trotting Association met and considered Trice's protest, when it was decided by seven votes to five that as on the face of the evidence there is no action of fraud on the part of the rider of Bed of Stone, and that as the evidence is to a certain extent contradictor, the appeal be dismissed.

*** Thus, by means of a tortuouo, ill-lighted, and not particularly well-drained tunnel, the parties to this celebrated case at last get to what I believe to be a fair decision. It is not my intention to discuss the whole matter. To do so would be wearisome, and nob profitable. There are, however, one or two questions arising out of the affair that demand notice. In the first place it appears to me wrong to allow an amendment of the grounds of an appeal. Cotton was first charged with inconsistency and jostling, and, assuming that he prepared him-

self to meet these objections, it was hardly .tho thing to corner him up on the question of eligibility. Potsibly, in this particular case, Cotton may have been apprised beforehand of the new objection. Again, he mightn't. Ido not know, nor for my pm-po3es is it necessary to discuss the point. lam contecdiug for a principle, and m*intain that it is bad law, and against all judicial procedure, to set up ona cause of action and thtn plead another. Such a practice will not tend to just administration. You Bee, if it ha lawful to interchange grounds of complaint, we may in the next ease find a serious charge abandoned and a frivolous one set up. Sach a thing is always possible if the object be to ciuso d?l*y and gain time, or to simply vex the opposing party. „ IVIy argument is well illu-tcated by this very case. The charge of inconsistency when at last faced is said to be not proved ; the charge of jostling disappears, and is dropped, presumably, because it cannot be sustained. If this investigation had taken place iv August witk the same result the whole matter would have been diposeJ of at once, and a great deal of expense, end worry, and ill-feeling saved.

*** The next thing I wish to say is that whatever the rule may be — I am still without a copy of the Trotting Association's rules to guide me — it is indisputably a dange-rous practice, and one the principle of which can hardly be defended, to permit the secretary of one club to receive money due to another, and then assume that tha horse the subject of the payment can be taken off the forfeit list. If the rule» permit this being done, the rules are bad. The teefc of this is as plaiu as a pikesta-fll. Let it be understood that a horse which is on the Forfeit list can bo rehabilitated at the last Element bj the simple p-oc*sß of slipping the cash into the hand of the secretary whose club is receiving nominations, and who among out owners are likely to bother about paying up promptly ? If, on the other hand, owners realise that they have to make their peace with the club thai they have offended, and that if they do not do this in planty of time eleventhhour penitence will not save them from the penalties attaching to their default, and you have at ouce a leverage compelling promptitude and really making the forfeit list what it ought to De — a thing to be dreaded. And, above this consideration, it seeni3 to me unwise to play fast and loose with individual clubs' dignities and rights. At the very least, a club that pl*c*s a name on the forfeit list has* a right to be apprised, if not actually consulted, before another club takea that name eff the list. In this Bed of S'oae case it was a big club that received for a little club. Would the practice hold good under reversed conditions if a lu-tl© club received for a big one ? I am clear that our trotting administration wants a tightening up in this respect. The precedent in the Bed of Stone case is mischievous and unquestionably wrong. lam also satisfied that the Trotting Association is making a rod foe its own back by adjudicating upon matters of fast. Racing clubs wisely steer clear of this error. They assume that local stewards are the best judges of fact, as, indeed, they should be. The- proposition is a simple one, easily understood, and I need not labour its advocacy. The best argument I could adduce, if argument were necessary, is that appeals are becoming very common — so common that it will sooq be entirely unnecessary for stewards to hear protests at all. This is the shortest way to discourage stewards from bothering their heads about complaints that are brought before them, and once that doctrice is folly established, th»t stewards are; nobodies, the association will have its hands full.

* ¥ * Three other appeals were also disposed of at this meeting of the Trotting Association. In regard to the Stonewall Jssckson case it may be pointed out that at the time of the original protest the assertion relied on was that if the horse started before its time the one in front of it in the handicap must have also got off too quickly. I understood thftt that was the defence by the Stonewall Jackson party. On the appeal the case for the appellant was that tha starter gave the usual signal of dropping his hand. This seems to me to be shifting the ground taken up by the S. J. party. I say nothing about the merits of the case, bat draw attention to thia variation of the plea as an example of what seems to me to be loose procedure. In these inquiries the pleadings ought to be explicit aad definite instead of wobbling o-bcub. The Stirling Lad appeal w<ts dismissbd. I know enough about this m'atber to be justified in commending the decision arrived at. Stirling Lad is a perfect brute when he likes. Prob*b!y he was spoilt in his early days. Sometimes he will trot as kindly a& possible ; at others he starts fighting vrith his ride? from the very jump. At Tahuna the other day we saw him in oae «>f his ueruly mcode. He did the fame thing at Chrtebchurch and lost his party their money. The owner thereupon saw the stewards, explained tha situation, told them that they were going to h*ve a try in the last race, and asked if the stewards were satisfied tha« the pla-yiog-up was not the rider's fault The stewards replied, I understand, though of course the reply was unofficial, that if th& horse won ihe other r,ace they would Hot consider themselves entitled to interfere. Stirling L*d did race, and he won ; then came the protest-, and it was dismissed. Under tht-ee circumstances the appellant had only one chance — and that was Buckley'*. The other appeal was from the Tahuna decision disqualifjiag Rex and his rider Kirton for jostling in the Dash Handicap at ihe club's summer meeting held on December 27. In tbe absence of evidtnee in support of tbe appeal the_ decision was unanimouslj upheld. Tbe as?ocia.tion cculd, of course, do nothing else. Kirton's failure to send evidence in support of his appeal musS be taken to mean that he abandoned the appeal.

*** If so, I think he mude a mistake. I don't believe in appeals on fact, but so long as they are allowed it is legitimate to make tbem on a genuine case, and I think that Kirton's was genuine. I saw the race, and was standing in a very good position to notice what happened, beiag near the starting machine, on the inside of the track, and from what I saw my vote, if I had had one, would have gone with the three stewards constituting the minority, who said they could not see any jostling. To begin with, it ia rather strange for a horse that is overtaking, as Rex was, to be accused of jostling. Interference is usually the fault of the horse that is ahead or of one that is abreast, and Rex did not get abreast until a couple of strides from the poab. Moreover, I feel morally sure that Rex did not go oa to the grass, as alleged. Tha edge of the grass ib not straight-ruled, and Rex's feet may have been on gome of the protruding blades of grass, but at no time did his body get off the track — not so far as I saw. It aeemed to me that Rex swung into the home stretch astern of and inside Leo ; that half way up the straight Rex practically gave up, but, seeing a possible chance of squeezing up on the inside, he made a dash For it, caught Leo on the hop, and just pipped kirn on the post. If Rex had pulled to the outside in the home stretch he might have ran » risk of fouling Colonel or some other hone coming up from behind, and certainly would have broken

■ -t — the rales. Sis only show was to take the inside berth if one offered. The chance did occur, he made a dash for it, and won. Granted it was a clo3e shave, but I did not ccc any unfair interference. Evidence of this is found in the fact that Rex was able to finish on the right side of the post. I think that the Tahuna stewards, with every desire to be fair, gave a wrong decision on tho facts. Bab since Kirton did not prosecute tha appeal he could hardly expect a verdict. I may add that undoubtedly the stake has gose to the better horse. Leo could have stalled off Rex'd challenge if the ran from behind had been anticipated. That, however, was not part of the question before the Trotting Association. In horse-racing ib is perfectly allowable to effect a surprise if you can do it lawfully.

*** " Phaeton " thus describes the race for the Auckland Cup :— When the horses took up their paeitiocs at the post, it excited some comment to see the two favourites some diitance behind the barrier, and when Mr Cotto slipped the tapes they both got off badly, losing fully a dozen lengths. It was not anticipated that Nestor, with his heavy load of 9.0, would be requiced to take up the role of pacemaker ; but that is what happened. The big chestnut hugging the rails was forcing the paca over the first 10 furlongs of tho journey, and he was firsb to make the home turn, but he was clearly in trouble when their haada were in a line fox home. Seeing a favourable opportunity to get up on the inside with St. Paul just as the field ran into tha straight, Cfcaafe succeeded in gaiaing an advantage at that point with the" favourite, and as the little bay began to make a bee-line for home, and had attained a threaleiigih.*' advantage when they reached the Derby stand, it looked all right for his large body of admirers ; bat just as the favourite got to the centre of the main stand it was plainly seen that Antares waa catching him. Sticking ta his task most gamely, and finishing as straight as an arrow^ Antares got to St. Paul's head in the last three strides, and the favourite, evidently feeling the iff^ct of lm heavjr load, tiring perceptibly, Antarcs crept awayi and won by a short half length* On several occasions preceding the Cup contest Antares had pleased his connections, and an effort was at one time mads to back him p,t 1000 to 50, but that price nob being forthcoming, he was not supported to any extent with the ring. Antares was bred by Mr Morrin at Wellington Park, and when sold as a yearling he realised 130gs, being knocked down to Mr T. M'Evren. He subsequently passed into the l'ssee&hip of J. Chaafe, foe whom he won the Takapuna Cup. Some few days after thai event he was transferred to Gr. Wright's establishment, the latter purchatiug him privately, so ifc waiaaid, for 300ga. The colt met with a slight accideat just prior to the opening of the A R C. Autumn meeting, which caused him to be invalided, and this mishap prevented feis hiring started at the April gathering. Ia the follovriHg July negotiations were opened up by a well known Aucklander, acting ou behalf; of a 6i-"bori!e syndicate, for hia purchase, and the matter was thought to be closed ; but after a lot ef bacfeiug &nd filling, the business was declared off. It was then that Frank Maomanemin advised Mr Green to open up negotiations for the purchase of the son of Cattor, and the horse being eTeatuallysceured ab £275, he was transferred to new quarters at the young Auckland traiaec's establishment.

*** The Canterbury Jockey dub is to be c*lled upon to say " Yes " or " No " to a somewhat important question — namely, whether pony - racing is governed by the Rules of Racing. The point cropped up at Tinwald. The winner "of "the Foay Race there was objected to, on the ground that it w*s trains! by an nnl : ceaaed person. So far the O, J.C. h»s taken no cognisance ot either trcttiug or p'.-nv-raciog. Therein the practice hss differed frsuo that of other metropolitans. The Auckland Raeiug Club not only takes notice of ponyracing, but ba» such ovenfes on its programmes, Th& Duuedin Jockey Club has also had ponyracing an programmes under its control, and until lately ifc haa »lso koked alter trottisi^, eurren«!t?riDg this control with more than a little relucianee. Maybe it would have besu an advantage to racing in general— l mean tbe three branches of the sporfc — if the metropolitans- had all taken an interest iv trotting and in pony-racing as well. That, however, is a consideration thM> is oub of date. Trotting is entirely disse-vered from metropolitan supervisio and now st&nda under the control of associations of its own th*fc ara making rears or leaa s muddle of the business, bat no doubt arts strir« ing to do the right thing and evenfcn»lly will succeed. The question now before us is whether pony-racing is to bfl erectod into r separate department. Trotting men won'J have anything ho do with it — they oasnot, a* ? wholn, since most of our trotting tracks aru \\w suitable for pony-r»citig — and if raeiiig metac politfen cluba also gay that pony-racing ia non< of tbeir business the promoters of tha midgef contests must either m»ke an association 'oi their own or become freebooters and outlaws Ib is hardly to be conceived that this latfw, alternative w&uld be tolerated. To do so. would mean that in a. programme the majority of events on which are supervised with the closest strictness there would ateo appear events in respect to which everybody would do as ,ha liked. We should alao have pony meetings .of the pandemonium order springing up here, there, aud everywhere. The C.J.O. has to say by its decision whether these undesirable results are to be produced or whether pony-racing is to hi an orderly spoefc. Surely there can hardly be a doubt aa to what the reply will b«. The C.J.C. may nofe like pony-racing, but it o»n scarcely set up its likes and dislikes as agaiusfc the general good. The rales are silent on tha point.

* # * An attack of coughing prevented the Aus-tralian-bred Merman from starting in the Liverpool Cup, but, remarks the Sportsman, though a conspicuous feature in connection with the raca was thus removed, the field comprised many horses of good class, and the 15 runners formed a party one in excess of a year ago. The latest move was in favour of General Peace, who ran prominently in the Cambridgeshira, and was fully expected by his par by to roakn an even better show at Liverpool. This he did, and, thanks to the way in which he led his field from the start, left the contest almost void of incident to the finish. That was exciting enough, however, as from the distance Chiselhampton desperately disputed the verdict, and a dingdong battle ended in the defeat of the three-year-old by a head, with Labrador filliug third place. The victory wag received in hearty fashion, and the occupants of the Knowsley box were loudly chtered on the hoisting of tha winning number. Chisslhaaapton has been a rathoc uncertain customer during the- season, and bid success had not been generally anticipated. Ib will be begrudged by none, however ,^nd affords Lord' Stanley comp&nsation for the disappointment of a twelvemonth ago in connection with, Birckrod, who, it irill be remembered, fell duEing the race, and was the cause of the serious accident to T. Loafeee that kept him oat of the saddle till July. Chiseihampton was purchased as a yearling by Lord Stanley from Mr Simons Harrison fox 500gs after he had n^ssad thttttftt

the ring unsold at the Newmarket July sales three ye&rß ago. Mr C. Feck had first refusal of him at that price.

*** Five hundred is fehe estimate of the number of persons present at the Orepuki races on New Year's Day. The meeting was held in a paddock belonging to Mr Printz. Small Helda were the order of the day, and most of the races were won easily. In the Hurdle Race Wo of the candidates, the ancient Cathedral and Thelma, ran off the course, and Balfour ■was left to run home as he liked ahead of Satyr. Keep won the Maiden Plate all the way. Boko tried to force the pace in the Cup, but was overtaken by Billy in the second round. Boko persevered, but Billy held him cafe for pace, and the result looked like a foregone conclusion, when, to quote the Wettern Star, "as they neared the judge's box Billy's rider looked round. This caused the gelding to swerve, dismounting Nicholle, and Boko won." Matamata, the twelve-year-old gelding by Apremont — Spsargrass, drew awsy in the last stages of the Flying for an easy win. Billy waited on Scamp in the Ladies' Bracelet, and smothered him at tho finish. Matamata wss unable to concede weight to Bilfour in the Miners' Plate, but in the next event, the Novel Kace, the old chestnut fought out a fine contest with Cathedral, which ended in the discomfiture of the latter. Satyr easily outstayed his opponents in the Consolation. It will be noticed by the report that four of the horses at this meeting — Matamata, Thelma, Satyr, and Scamp— were made to race three times during the afteFnoon. I enter my customary protest on their behclf. Three races in a day is too heavy a task for any horse, and, ts'mce some owners don't eeetn to realise this, the Racing Conference ought to take the question up and give our dumb friends by law that protection which one would have thought they would get as a matter of fair play.

*#* Owing to the heat Caulfield was not overcrowded on Boxing Day. For the Welter Handicap Olaf headed the quotations, and the speedy Malua gelding won cleverly, after always being in a prominent position. Olaf, one of the team disbanded through the disqualification of A. Ferguson> is, says the Sportsnan, an irritable, anxious customer, sweating profusely fcefore the start, but there can be no question about hie sprinting ability. Ballarat etood Chit Chat for the Hopetoun Cup, and the eon of Neckersgat was always favourite, though Mconlyong waa in little less demand. Chit Chat won all right, but he wbs probably just a trifle locky, ss Mconlyong had anything but a smooth passage. This notwithstanding, sbe was mowing the leader down very fast in the last half furlong. She got clear all too late, however, and her game effort only brought her within a length or bo of Chit Chat as the judge w«fi passed. There was an ugly-looking f«l! at the home turn, Sioux, Nevertire, Seagirt, and Devon eomiDg down all of a heap. There was a lot of uneasiness for a time, but it was soon ascertained that the accident was not nearly so eerious as was at first feared. Both Leek, rider of Devon, though bleeding from a cut io the face, and Moran, Seagirt's pilot, were able to return to the enclosure without Resistance. The other two, Callinan and Rolfe, the riders of Nevertire and Sioux, did not get away so veil, Rolfe having an arm broken, while Callinan was knocked out, and had to keep quiet for the rest of the afternoon. None of the horses seemed to be hurt, and, altogether, the participants in the scrimmage got pretty well out of an awkward place. Dairymaid is a shapely, , muscular daughter of Zalinski, and she is sure " to be heard of again.

*** The opinion I hold as to the necessity of reforming our trotting arrangements by giving the good horses a show is evidently a belief also with other writers. " Atlas," of the Sporting Review, says in his comments on the first day of the Auckland trotting meeting : — Friday's programme was devoid of anything approaching a class trot. Even the Maiden Trot, which in other parts of the world is competed for from the same mark, was a handicap. The resnlt of this is that the meritß of the horses are not rewarded, and anyone following up trotting as a means of living would be a fool to give more than a score for a trotter, becaus-e fey the handicap system he would h&ve just the same chance of winning as the man who paid £500 for a standard-bred horse. It therefore cannot be argued that the handicap sygfcem encourages the investment of money in the purchase of a good horse— it has quite the contrary effect ; and when writing lam reminded that Albert Victor was purchased and brought from America by an Auckland resident at considerable expense. But after he had won a paltry race he was put on a prohibitive mark, and for the purpose of racing waa worth no more than a crock in a baker's cart. No wonder, then, that owners and drivers avoid showing form until they have what they consider a certainty. A close finish is what they skilfully seek to avoid, and hence it is that our handicap trots very frequently resolve themselves into a most uninteresting procession.

*#* The Hon. H. C. Dangar, chairman of the A.J.C., has been advised that the chestnut gelding Lfonidas, who was bred by him, has won the Viceroy's Cup, run on Boxing Day at the Calcutta meeting. The geldiDg raced in the Hon. H. C. Dangar's colours in New South "Wales, and won, when three years old, a Welter_ Handicap and the Rous Handicap at Randwick. Leonidas is now five years old, and is by Gibraltar from the imported mare Lady Spec, by Speculum. He was cold a few months ago at a high figure for India, and was entered for the race under notice as the property of H. H. Knar Sahib, of PaHala, who also nominated another Australian in the Newmarket Handicap winner Carlton. Other Australian borsea entered were Jock o' Lantern, Tom, Idolater, Courallie, Cleric, Never More, and Monastery. The English horse Sprightly, who won in 1895, and again in 1896, •was also engaged, and would probably start favourite. Gluten, another English horse, bought for the express purpose of winning this race, may also h&ve been a competitor. Word came a little while back that he was in a bad way, but a recent Indian paper said : " It now appears that what was wrong with Gluten was a severe chill over the kidneys, and it is lucky that things are not as bad as they were at first feared to be. The horse is now getting better and eating well — in fact he has always been a rare trencherman ever since he has arrived in tbe country, and it was this which saved him when his seizure brought him to such a low ebb. He was accompanied by a man from Newmarket, but as the gentleman was a bit too Fond of gazing on the nut-brown when it was gamboge, the man throve exceedingly and the home did not." Leonidas was not at all fancied by the Indian writers. They said that he did not look like a racehorse. The race was run ever a mile and three-quarters, and the prize was a cup of £100, presented by the Viceroy, Red 15,000 rupees from the race fund.

*** BDglish racing men do not like the style fit riding adopted by the American jockey .»♦ Tod " Sloan, but he keeps on winning all the

same. At the Derby meeting in November Sloan won the Nursery Stakes on Ocean Rover and the Quardon Plate on Drace; while at Leicester he won a Nursery Stakes, beating S. Loates by a head, and further proof that his results are appreciated though his methods may bs criticised is found in the fact that the Prince of Wales employed him to ride Little Dorritt at Liverpool. It is commencing to dawn on his critics that he can "ride a bit," even if his Beat does differ from that of Cannon, Wood, and Co. London Referee declares that at "the present moment we do not think we have a more popular personage on the turf than little Sloan. If the American goes on doing as well as he has been doing we chill probably have a school of imitators spring up. His method is superior to the English, but only prolonged experience and a comparison of the two styles can determine which pays better. Sloan has become such a favourite with the racing constituency that he now has a strong following in the market, while his services are much sought after by owners and trainers. Whatever may be the merits of his style, there is no gainsaying that he possesses the art of jumping horses off quickly and also keeping them going straight, which 13 more than many can do. It is said that he will lay himself out next year and go in for the best returns in winning mounts. If so, he starts with a great pull, as he can ride boy's weight and cau command a far greater number of mounts than any of the top-sawyers."

*a* The Rangitikei meeting went off very pleasantly. The racing was interesting, and in come cases productive of close finishes ; the weather was fine ; not a protest was entered, the stewards being called together only once, when wanted by the photographer ; and the totalisator investments reached £8837 — v.v increase of £689£ on tbe total of the previous year. In the Flying Handicap Sedgebrook was tbe victim of a bad start, and it was a great performance on his part to get through. Sultador was never headed in the Hurdle Race, and as on the second day he was giviDg Hedberry only 4-lb for the beating, it was no wonder that he won again. Plain Bill must be a regolor smasher in his class. After winning the Hack Hurdles impressively on the first day, they loaded him up with 12 13 on the second day, and he won again, rompiDg home an easy winner from four others. There were five runners in the Cup. From a good start Quiltiri was the first to break the line, and pa-sing the stand the first time round he had a length's lead of Light, Irish Twisfc, Lorelei, and Zanella following in th*t order. No alteration took place till about tix furlongs from home where Twist displaced tbe leaders, but he had to give way to Lorelei, who entered the home turn with a length's lead. Once in the straight Twist made a gallant effort to cttch Lorelei ; but lack of condition told its tale, and the offort proved futile. About a furlong from the post Zanella, who up to this stage had been la-t, made her ran, and passed Irich Twist, but could not get up to Lorelei, the mare passing the judge's bo:c with a clear two lengths' advantage, Twist- a length behind Zanella, Quiltiri fitth, and Light a very bad lnsfc. Monte Carlo with 7.13 won this race in 1894-, taking 3min lOsec for the mile and three-quarters and paying £2 ds ; Irish Twist won the next year and paid £1 9s, his weight being 7.12 and time 3caiD 13 4- s*ec ; the 1896 winner was Queeosborongh 6 13, who Wok 3uain 13* ec and paid £5 16b ; and laet year Blarney won with 81, hia time being 3min 9£sec and the dividend £9 9 j , Lorelei 812 beiug favourite. This year the distance was shortened to a mile and a-half. For the Greatford Stakes on the second dny Lorelei was put up 111b ; but this did not stop her. She is evidently in great nick, and it will almost be a pity if further use is not made of her condition to rt>ce her a little longer this season instead of reserving her for the stud. It adds to the merit of her performances that the ground at Rangitikei was as hard as asphalt. This shows her to be sound in the legs.

*#* Sportsmen in the Taranaki district" have been having a rather serious and angry dispute. The passing of the Patea Club's programme for the current year by the Taranaki Jockey Club had been made contingent upon the PftteaClub paying the jockey Stevens £15 as compensation for the loss he sustained through the action of the club in disqualifying him. Messrs C. Symes and T. B. Hamerton were appointed delegates to wait on the metropolitan club on the matter, but they reported to the Patea Club that they had no recommendation to nuke, Mr Hamerton, in presenting the report expressed a wish to resign his office as clerk of the scales. Mr W. Wilson re-igaed the office of judge, as, according to the newspaper report, he would not hold office or membership in any club under th« jurisdiction of the Taranaki metropolitan, the members of that club being either ignorant of the rules of racing or wilfully misreading them — he thought the latter. The treasurer, Mr Nairn, resigned and left the room after stating that he bad made up his mind that as long as the present Taranaki Jockey Club remained the metropolitan club he could not be a member of any club under its jurisdiction. He would also have to sever his connection with the Egmont Racing Club on the same account. Other members spoke in strong terms of the matter, but eventually, in order to Bave the annual meeting from bHng knocked on the head, a motion to pay the £15 was carried. According to the report in the P<ttea Press it is evident that a very core feeling existed among the members of the local club. The resolution arrived at is. however, regarded as a settlement of the difficulty, and the Patea meeting will take place on Easter Monday. Mr R H. fitolan has filled the vacancy as judge, and Mr G. Williams takes the treasucership.

*#* Not a few people went to the Adelaide course on tbe 18fch December, writes the Sydney Referee's con eppon dent, because it was tho first meeting held since the passiDg of the new Naming Act, which suppresses totalizator commission agents or betting in any form other than through the legalised machine, the totalisator. The passing of the Act made a clean sweep of the ringmen, and the committee of the A.R.C. seemed, in common with other clubs, to have come to the conclusion that the voice of th« bookmaker is to be heard no more in this land, or at least not for some time, as they had uprooted the enclosures in which for some time the ringmen h&ve been wont to bet machine odds to the injury of no one. Curiosity was felt on all sides as to how the men of the pencil would regard the new state of things. It was generally understood tint one member of the ring had taken legal advice. Well, when the time came, the ringmen could not be seen as a body, but one mm took uy at the outset a prominent place in the Derby stand, and announced hio willingness in no uncertain tones to take investments for the totalisator. The Commissioner of Police, the crown solicitor, Inspector Sullivan, Detective-sergeant Hampton, aud several detective? were on the ground. At the initiation of the bookmaker's proceedings the public seemed somewhat diffident about passing their money to the totalisator agent — the ringman—but as the latter, who is a member of Tattersali's Club, met with no interference from

the posse of police on the ground, they grew more and more confident;. Two men who, it is said, had just reached Adelaide on their way to West Australia, commenced to bet and the police stopped them ; and at the Police Court both had to pay for their temerity. The Commissioners of Police, however, did uot interfere with the member of Tattersall's Club, who issued a ticket to investors bearing the words, " To iuvest in the racing club's totalisator gratuitously, and in the event of the above horse [the name was written on the ticket] winning the above race [the race was mentioned on the card] the dividend thereon will be collected and paid over without any deductions." In all probability this will form a te3t case. Sach disinterested kindness as the card of the ringman sets out is rarely met with in this world, and should the case, if it comes on, end in the victory of the metallician, no doubt at future racing fixtures other equally philanthropic bookmakers will follow their comrade's example

tfjf* Opunake, a nunny district south of Mount Egmont, made a splash witih its rsce meeting on New Yeai's Day, the attendance constituting a record, and the sum of £2589 passed through the machine being also a record. Whether a good sign or a bad one, the fact seems clear that racing men up north are more enthusiastic about the sport than we in the south are, and more given to betting. One explanation of the fact, I suspect, is that the horses at minor meetings are more of a class than we get at the southern meetings, wherefore the winners are cot so easily picked. Concerning the winners at Opuuake, I notice that Adam is a son of Costor and The J'lt, the latter the mare that ran so prominently for a mile and a-quarter in Adamant's Dunedin Cup ; lhat Thelma and Fox are by W.ugnard, Ciusoe by Cmiser out of the Sator mare Satoria, who comes of the Traducer famiij; Nipa Pu fa by the expatriated Foul Shot, Telephone by Billingsgate. The Hurdle Race produced an ugly accident. Claytosi, G-->oleen, and Mahoe fell, with the result that Clapton bad his neck partially dislocated and Cook, rider of Mahoe, received a sevßie shaking. Under theae circumstances it is perhaps advisable not to lay too muoh emphasis on Adan ( 's win, though so far as I can makp out he would have stood a good chance i»i any case, and, luck or no luck, he is the first of the Castors to win over the little sticks — at lea^t I think that is the case, though I speak from memory.

* w * At the A. J.C. meeting, commencing on Boxing Day, backers commenced weU by getting home on Here-ward in the Hi.rdie R"ce. This son ot Andover rapped the fences v bit, but got over all right, and will probably win again ere long. Of the starters for the Villiers Stakt s, a six-furlong handicap worth 250.50v5, two were backed spiritedly — namely, ' ochu-l's daughter Loch Marie, syrs, ridden at 8 0 bi Cook, and old Wakawafrea, who with his half-stone penalty bad to carry 8.6. Nothing else was wanted, and plungers were well on the mark, for once in the straight Loch Marie easily acquired the lead, and, having all the others settled below the distance, the black mare ran in the easiest of winners by four lengths. Second place was gained bj Mecca, the three-year-old son of Abercorn and Moonstone, carrying 7 7 '' WVka " wss nowhere. Loch Marie did the distance iv lmin 15-cc — pood tim<\ but not the record for tae race, ss Ordina' cc is credited wi'h lmin 14sec in the race of 1895 The A. J.C. Handicap, of 200-ovb, one mile, found the talent all astiay. Most of the money was on Mar<-chal Niel 10.7, Say!es9 0, and Betsy Prig 8.10, but the only one of th- trio to do well was Sajles The running was made by Ace of Diamonds and Volador Sayifs joined them in the straight, soon had th«m beaten, and looked like succeeding. Then Australian got through with a nice run, and wearing Sayles down, defeated him by half a length. Tc» winner is a five-year-old gelding by The Au^traliin Peer from Red and Black ; he was carrying 10.3, and ran thf mile in lmin 4-4-sec. There v»ere two races for two-year-olds. In the December Stakef, five furlongs, Lady Mostyn, the Rfaribyrnong Plate winner, bad 101b penalty, and was discarded by backers, who went 'or E^aex (Sweet William— Myall Queen) and Luckj Dog (Martini Henry — Uralla) and went down, for thie pair was tne last to get home. Tbe lace was won by Mr Thompson's filly Picture, one of the Duckenfiold Park products, being by Rusfley out of Queen's Hrad, by YaHendon from Gazelle, by Magu«, this youngster getting home a length and a-balf in front of Nevada, a son of Carbine and Sierra The Nursery Handicap also caused a surprise, as iv a fine finish the stake went to the neglected Spark, a gelding by Sir Mod^ed's son Antseus out of Mondaine, by Lochiel from the Albany mare La Mode. The Summer Cup was a great conteat between Tornado and Old Clo', both hard ridden all the way up the straight. Tornado stood his best, and won by a head. The winner is by Cadogan, who used to etaad in this colony, out of Avalanche, by the Flying Pieman from Aye Maria, by Hermit.

*** Glenore won his three races at PulGaerston with the greatest ease. It certainly cannot be suggested that this was a task which g*ve him any trouble. Ye*;, having set out to c*ll attention to these cases of three runs a day whenever they occur, I make no apology for mentioning GHeaore's experience and once more condemning the practice. If the custom became general and the public came to regard complacently the running of a hcrae as oftee as it could run, we should fiod much cruelty perpetratfd by greedy and ignorant owners. I may say straight out that in this particular case there i«. no suggestion that George Robertson overworked Glenore. His horce had practically nothing to beat. But this fact, if allowed as a plea, would oartainly lead to abuse by inconsiderate owners, and it might be a very hard thing to prove whether in any particular c-ife a horse was or was not able to accomplish without cruelty the job assigned to him. The only safe procedure is to have a rule for common guidance, and the only rule I can think of to meet the case and efficiently safeguard horses is one prescribing that under no circumstances shall a horse start more than twice in any one day. Tbe argument that arose as to Glenore's weight in the Flying was caused simply and solely by the ambiguousness of the programme. There wss a general provision that a horae winning a handicap of 20aovs or over should carry 7/b extra. Under this Glenore clearly had to put up 71b extra in the District Race. This he also won, and the question then arose whether, in bbc Flying he had to simply carry the 101b penalty provided for the winner of the Cup, or the 101b penalt, plus the 7lb extra. My own opinion is that the frame) 1 "! of the programme did not intend to make a 17lb penalty lor the Fijing. That, however, is only an opinion. The wording of the programme leaves the point open to dispute, and uo doubt it was safer for the owner to put up the double penalty. No harm waa clone, as Glenore won all right. But thf incident should impress upon clubs the need for great care in drawing up the conditions of reces.

*** The Hastings course was hard biii iv good order for tho Summer meeting, and fast time

was the rule. Tire 1 looked well when stripped for the New Year Handicap, and with only 7,10 to carry aud but three second classera to meet he really did appear to be a good thing, wherefore the public made him a warm favourite ; but he ran unkindly at one part of tho race, and as there was no time for loafing seeing that Nigutinga'e did the mile in lmin 44sec, he got beaten by a neck. This Nightingale is sister to Lady Somnus, by Somnus— Plover. In the Summer Handicap, a mile and a-quarter, on the second day Tire had the light weight of 7.6, and he took the lead almost at once. At the stand he was a length in front of Golden Plover; the other starter, Defiant, who had for a three-year-old the fairish weight of 8 2, lying third. The pace was slow until the back of the course was reached, when Defiant ran up alongside Golden Plover, and the pail' went in chase of Tire. He was collared at the entrance to the straight, and the trio raced half-way down the straight, when Tire gave way, and Plover and Defiant came down locked together, the whip and spur being freely used. The public gob excited, and cheer after cheer went up from the stand as both horses struggled along, and it was only when the judge had given his decision that it was koown that Golden P'ov- r had been beaten by a short nose by Defiant. This was a decisive licking for The", and poor form for a ■horse that was not long ago deemed good enough to back for tbe New Z* aland Cup. His cha.uc» came, howf.ver, in the last event of the meeting, the Giand Stand Handicap. Let off with 7 9, he ran through the fi^ld under pressure ffom almost last place, aud got home by a no-e from Gold Cup 7.8, doing the seven furlongs in ltniu 29*tc, paying £10 17a, and in some measure redeeming tis character, though for so wrll-brc-d a bors« — Medallion out of Florence Mftcarthy — he miwt be deemed to be a aiost unreliable member. Hi 3 stable c irupanion, Tir*nt d'Eau, did much better. This three-y«'ar-old quite ran away with the President's Hand'cap, leading from end to enii, 9 and covering the mile and a-half in 2.38. This performauce so impressed the h*ndica{<p<r (Mr Heary) fcha*- he clapped 9.0 on the son of Tirailierie for the January H<vi.dicap on the second day. Captain Rui-et-D's Tigress, by Dreadnought — T-gridia, proved hertelf the mistress of all the othf r two-year-olJa at the meeting, winniug on each occasion and giving away lumps of weight; to her opponents.

*#* The Auckl*ud meeting is desctibed by D'niedin visitors as quite the best race gathering of th" season. The people rolled tip in great numbers, making an attejid^uce larj^-r than that of Rkcttton at the N w Z-a'aud Cap m< eting. A feature of the fixture was the great muster of ladie? and th^ elegance of the -dret»>es paraded on the lawn and the flowerdecked reserves. It was also noted thit the crowd generally were bent on pleasure which they did not mind paying for. Tiis: caterers did a roaring traoe ; the betting men vuire kept bu^y, though leaving a considerable vjlurce of wagering for the totalisa'or ; and it may give come idea of the way things were c&rii<=d "R to mention that a man who bid up to £322 for the cards, determined to buy at any price aud ape wha th'-re was in if, seemed to be quif'e "-atisfi^d with his venture. A« for the racing, A*<t*rtifi' win in the Cap is loyally regaided as distinctly lucky. The peopl« there are beginuiog to ditlike the Colors, and they wiil bot stand Hilda's son as a good horse. St. Paul, they say, ought to have won, and would have done so if youi-g Chaafe had been satisfied to let the little bulldog k<-cp pegging away, ius'ead of which he stait^d to ride him when ther? was vea'ly no danger, and thus took so much out of the horse that when AntarsE challenged St Paul was leffc tvith only half an answer in linn. If St. Paul ha r l won the divideud would have boeu £3 15s The pr"c-s in the mael-iue about ih«- ott-er Uo-?e3 were : Day Star, £5 3* ; Wainku, £5 7s ; Nestor, £8 7s'; Coronet, £9 19 >; Favv-aa, £10 ss; Antn'es, £16 3-; An.ta £28 7s; Panoply, £31 16s; Canopus, £57 18- ; and Pyroxylin, £78 4s. The explanation of God Medallist's defeat in the Derby seenas to be simply that he hsd not been trained for th* 1 distance. Multiform was tv be the stable's Dt;rby representative. He, however, went gone, and after thst Medallist had to do his besfc, l.ub the time was too short to fit him for the long journey. That, at any rate, is the people's guess, aud Mason would probably s*y thfi same thiftg. Gold Medallist wai certainly well enough, this being proved by the way he killed all hia opponents in the Royal Stakes. Oae want, and one only, the visiters prefers to have discovered in fcfce Auckland arrange meats. A good weight-for-age race should be placed on the programme in order to solace the best horses, whose owners fear the handicaps.

*** Ru-iaaahanga, winner of the Wairarapa Cup, fairly beat King's Bowman for pace in the last couple of furlongs, and finished the mile and a-half in a tick under 2«ain 39^ec. This is a capital record for the Tauherenikau track. When Rytifa won in 1891 the time was 2min *B«6C, and th« mare, smart enough to win at Dunedin, was run to a Jeng'h in a fairly well contested race. Coiner, who won in the next year, occupied 2aain 43J-sec The distance after that was altered to a mile and thre -quarters and a mile and! seven furlongs ; but last year it was again made a mile and a-half. and Sea Serpent took 2min 41sec, which stood as the record for the distance until Ruanaahanga's race. I note, by the way, that King's Bowmsn with 8 3 was only third last year. On this occasion, carrying 6ib more, he was second in the faster time. Mr Taacred evidently had his horse pr*-tty well, and no doubt fancied his show. Tbe ground on which he claimed the stake as a matter of protest was this : Hercock, rider of Kuamahanga, etepped off the scale in order to fetch his bridle to mike up weight. The stewards dismissed the protest, | but it is understood that the metropolitan club |-is to be asked for a ruling on the subject It I seems pretty plain that the handicappe? made | a mistake in awarding King's Bowman only I 8.12 in the Racing Club Handicap on the second day. There was a growl about it, and all the other horses but one pulled out. This in itself would not carry conviction to my mind. I have before now seen an owner scratch his horse in a fife of petulance and repent a minute \ afterwards. But there does seem to have been reason for complaint in this instance.

*#* The scorching nor'-wes'er felt throughout Otago on New Year's Day wag partxularly fiVrce on the exposed pnd shelterless racecourse at Roxburgh. Some, guessing what it would be like, i.tayed away. That ii the popular explanation, posfibly true, of the compar-Uivuly am\ll attend nice. Mr Bain's starting gave satisfaction, aad the handicapping of Me sera A. Young, T. Louden, aud A Gjrdon worked out fairly well ; and Mr P. J. Dunne, as secretary, wss admitted to be the right man in the right place Welfare easily beat hio opponents in the Maiden Plate ; and Kuox had a einaple task iv the Maiden Trot. The ve'esran Biizzard, now 11 years of age, had a run in the Jockey Club Hand'cap, bu'j had to give way to the younger pair, of which Saturn proved by far the better at the weights, having been brought to the posb in capital condition. Claremonfc. another War-

rington-bred member, and, like Blizzard, Sk casi;-ofiE from Goodman's stable, competed in the Hack Race, and was honoured with top weight. Tins was a well-contested race, three of the four starters being bunched, Waik&ia getting home with nought to spire. Ivy II took the lead almost at once in the Open Trot and kept it, winniug with something to spare. Saturn carried his extra weight in the Flying without making any trouble of it, and could have recorded a good performance from a time point of view if he had been pressed. The last Trot found Ivy II fini-hing with a strong lead, but she broke before reaching the post, and waa still breaking as she passed ifc, wherefore the judge gave first place to Patience, and this decision was endorsed by the stewards, whereupon there was some talk of Mr Todd appealing to the Trotting Association, but whether he has actually done so I have no j heard.

*#* Georgie Sharp, considered a. really good thing for the Matakanui Handicap at Vincent, went amiss, her filled leg failing her while holding a handy position in the race. The £70 Trot found Haymaker leading well into the straight, where Blackthorne got up under pressure, only, however, to break and retire, leaving Haymaker to win. Beauclerc, the Cromwell Derby winner, had & comfortable win in the All-aged Stakes. Most of the races, in fact, were settled pretty eaaily. One of the exceptions was the Welter Hack Race, in which Lightwing, ridden by H. M'Usoy, got home by only a head. The report to the Mount Ida Chronicle, .for which I am indebted for these facts, states that after this race the stewards called the rider of Lightwing before them, and besides tiding him £1, cautioned him for foal riding in the race, he having run Lyra off the course. Tho attendance of the public en the first day was rather above fchs average, but the investments on the totalisator fell £500 short of those on the first day list year, a falling off accounted for by the fact that bookmakers were doing an exce'leut business. On the second day the fields were rather poer, in two races only two starters appearing, but bookmakers w«re on this occaibi«.n checked, with the result that the investments on the machine were about r-qual to those on the Scat day, although the riumV-r of starters w^s so small.

*** The Sydney writer " Mihey," referring to the December S'akes, aaye : — Picture belongs to a f amity that has been in evidence for many years in Australia, and old-t'"njer« will no ckmbfc reistmber her di»m (Queen's Head, by Ya' tendon), who mcd to race in Sir Hercules It •b-nsoii'- colours ; and tbey will ats > reniernfcer ber (Qu;m's He*d) brothers, Reprieve, Burvrood, and Respite, and her sister Pardon. All these good"racehocte3 were bred by the late Hon. E X Cox, at Fcrnhill. Bur wood ran on till he was 12 or 13 years old, and in his old pgp he ran e<ean away wi'h TattersaU'a Cup. Repiie-ve wa& the gresb stayer who once ran the mighty Dagworth a dead heat fer the Randwiok Pla'e, ovar three roil<--s, and was beaten a short head in the run-off. Respite was a very fine-lookiug horao, to whom the crack of the day (Diu-e'oin) once tried, at Fkmington, to give lOib ; but Picture's undo carried W. Yeoman? tu.me the easiest of winners. And Pardon won many a good race, and did yeoman service for Firs-t Kii'g ia his ba^.tlf s with Chester.

*#* There is notbiag very gorgeous about the list of nominations for the Wellington eieei-ing. Tfeey are respectable, and t hut is all. As for the Cup, public opinion gays that one of the top weights will* win. Without disputing this I may point out that we do not yet know what Sfc. Paul will carry. He is liable to be rehaudic^pperl, and w hetfcer he i« so dealt with has not to be declared until the 14th intst. Also it tcay be remarksd that Haria has been showing great form on the West Coast, and with his reasonable weig'it he ought not to be cavalierly ruled out. Hi-3 form at Christchurch was evidently all wrong. Wright's people wonld not have hacked hi pa for the New Zealand Cup unless he had shown them something better than that. If he should be coming back to the galloping power he di-<[l*j-ed ar Auckland when he was rushed for the New Zealand Cup he may be mighty daogeroud for this Wellington Cup I intend, at any rate, to keep my eye on this joker. The others will need to be at tkeir best to beat him, and who can be positive either that St. Pnul will keep his condition or that Uniform will strip as bright as he did at Duuedin ?

*** Heddon Bush races, followed by sports, were held on Mr P. Ryan's grouad. Mr D. Clarke acted as president and starter, and Mes»rs W. Macintosh and J. S'attery divided the secretarial work. When Nero won the Hurdle R*ce he w*s protected against on the ground that his rider (M'Leod) was a professional. The stewards overruled the protest, as M'Lood had been told that he need not carry the 71b penalty. A protest was also entered Bg«in«t Vinerag in the Maiden Hack Race, aqd the stakes were impounded. The result of this protest I have not heird.

*#* Gipsy Grand has been purposely kept light at E!ders,lie in tbe hope that he could be put into training again at the close of the covering season now ending, but I understand that, doubt being expressed as to whether this fine horse would stand work jast now, he is likely to remain at Mr Reid's stud farm nnd do a second s-ason at the stud. Mr Goagh (" Warrior"), of Melbourne, has sent across to the owners a numbered pedigree ti»ble tracing Gipsy Grand's pedigree back to the last century. This is a useful compilation to exhibit with a stud horse, and it is also a neat and pretty example of penmanship.

*** There was a splendid finish between the three placed horses in the Summer Handicap at the Greymouth trotting meeting, and Dewdrop's steadiness eventually landed her a winner against the more speedy but less reliable Minnie May and Black Oats. A couple of thousand petsor-s attended the meeting, and £2783 went through the machine. This betokens good management. The G.T.C. began in a very small way, but thanks to a few enthusiastic friends, of whom Mr Hungerford deserves to be specially named, the club is now prosperous, having gained the confidence of tho public. That is the secret of success in racing. Before the next New Year's meeting it is propesed to lengthen the track and make other necessary improvements to the ground.

*#* A meeting in connection with the Waikaia Hack R-ices was held in Bell's Hall on Saturday evening, Mr T Blackley in the chair, at which the following officers were elected :— President, Mr A. Robson ; vice-presidents-Messrs A. Christie, John Mack, Hugh Sproafc, and J. M'Lean; stewards — Messrs H. Sproat, W. Farailton, J. Mack, A. Christie, J. Hardm&n, J. Davidson, J. Bennett, C. Bennett, T. Blackley, A. Robson, and W. Christia ; handicippers — Messrs J. Hardman, J. Davidson, and T. Blackley ; starter, Mr J. Hardman ; clerk of scales, Mr C. Bennett ; judge, Mr A. Robson; secretary and treasurer, Mr W. Christia. It was resolved to hold the races on Friday, thtt 4th of February, 1898,