BRUCE LOWE AND "HIDALGO."

Otago Witness, Issue 2359, 11 May 1899, Page 36

BRUCE LOWE AND "HIDALGO."

" Milroy " writes thus: "Hidalgo " has recently let himself loose in the New York Spirit of the Times on the figure system, and it is only fair to him to say that the recklessness with which he tackles the subject is only equalled by his lack of knowledge with regard thereto. "Hidalgo " was in Australia a few years ago, and when he returned to America he wrote his " impressions " of Australian racing for the newspapeis. Those impressions were wonderful indeed, and if they only astonished the natives on the other side of the Pacific half as much as they did the Australians, they burely had the desired effect. " Hidalgo ' « uses that fabulous cock and bull story about Bruce Lowe condemning Carbine, and thereby causing the late Mr William Gannon to lose goodness knows how much money in stakes and side bets. "Hidalgo" says he was present when Lowe condemned the colt, and further asserts that Carbine was under offer at the time to Mr Gannon. I have a^letler'in my possession from Mr Dan O'Brie^ tho then owner of Carbine, which explodes "Hidalgo's" statement. It is as follows: — "The statement that I once placed Carbine under offer to the late Mr William Gannon I most emphatically deny. I did not bring Carbine to Australia for sale, but after the V.R.C. Derby a friend of mme — Mr J. C. Jerome — asked me to put a price on him. 1 refused» and placed the colt on Yuille and Co.'s Cup catalogue, to be auctioned after the meeting. I have no recollection of even speaking to Mr Gannon from the time of my arrival in Australia until after Carbine was sold. — Yours, etc., D. O'Brien." So much for that yarn, that has been so often told with the object of discrediting Mr Bruce Lowe's figure sys- v tern. From what I have lead and heard I should say Mr Lowe lievei condemned Carbine for anything except the V.R.C. Derby. He thought Melos was the better-bred cpjj of the two for a Derby, that was his opinion. Thousands of others also held the same opinion, but the fact that Mr Lowe has held opinions that panned out badly is no argument against his compilation of facts.