THE GRAFTER'S ENGLISH WIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2410, 10 May 1900, Page 38

THE GRAFTER'S ENGLISH WIN.

The City and Suburban result has set the snorting world talking. Brewer trains The Grafter, who won. Brewer also trains Mr H. Oxenham.' s horses that are in England. One of these, Syerla, was given to Mr.Oxenham as a good thing, and he backed her, having not a penny on The Grafter. All the«e are very ordinary circumstances, aiid perfectly compatible- with straight running and candid advice oti the part of Brewer. This trainer, we may suppose, had two horses fit to compete in the race; he so advised each owner; they both had a start, and one got home— the one that Brewer fancied less. That may be the case so far as we can learn by the cables. Certainly The Times &ays that The Grafter c running was peculiar, but we don't yet know that reasons are given for the statement, and if they are not, the criticism goes for very little. The running of many horsea is peculiar in the sense iliat it cannot be explained, yet is quite hones,!.. One significant fact to my mind, as agahistr the presumption of doubledealing on Brewer's part, is that Mr Oxenham does not insist on his horses being removed to another stable just now. He is going to wait till he gets to England; This is manly. He" wants to hear Brewer's explanation. ■ With some owners this postponement would not count for much. They might be standing in secretly. Mr Oxenham is above that sort of thing. He enjoys the reputation of being a bookmaker and a gentleman. Nobody has even suspected- him of swindling tlodges or of countenancing turf chicanery. He goes to England with the cleanest of records, and, though I for one am not in favour of lie bookmaking system, I am pleased to add my very humble testimony to the unanimous voice of the Australian press that H. O. is a jolly good fellow in the most thorough sense of the phrase. He says he -is leaving Sydney because of the A.J.C. rule against betting offices. Well, I hope the rule will drive away come of the others, too. If it does not, but simply Flops short in itp effect after clearing out'suoh a. man as Oxenham, it will be voted to have done more harm than good. Prior to his departure from Sydney to take up his residence in. England, a large gathering of the sporting fraternity presented Mr Oxonham .with a sovereign purse and a handBorne address expressing regret at his leaving, and eulogising his manly and honourable 3porting career. Mr Crick said there was a feeling that Mr Oxenham had not been properry treated by the Jockey Club, fie objected to Star Chamber influence \\ ith regard to a man whose life had been as honourable fys the lives of the men who were fulling the strings behind the scenes. It was the intention of members of Parliament to inlrodi'ce a bill which would clip the wing,, of the club. '