TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2523, 23 July 1902, Page 49

TALK OF THE DAY.

Br SEN'TIXEt.

THE TOTAL.ISATOR

At the opening of the unnual confer once of tho New Zealand jockoy dub, the chairman (Bir George Clifford) delnered an interesting address on the state of the turf in New Zealand, and after congratulating tho conference on the continued prosperity of the turf :md of the capabilities of the colony ss a breeding-place for horses of a high standaid of excellence. Sir Gooige proceeded to point out the various remedies which had been made or which were contemplated in turf legislation It is pleasing to note that the Distressed, Trainois', and Jockeys' Funds are to receive attention which should result in these funds being made more useful to tho?e for whom they were formed. The work done by tho Appeal Court was alluded to ard fa-vourably conimeuted on, »nd after S>r George Iml expressed the hope U.at racing c!ub< would \oluntarily do their best in establishing races o\-&t a fair distance of ground, hc^ alluded to the agitation against the use of tho lotali-ator in the- eclory. Sir George e'nimed thr.t thf toia'i'.ator had almo-t wiped the bookmaker out of existence, and had elevated and purifiod the bporfc of racing. It is true that the totalisator has l>een the means by which jockey clubs havo been able to give large stakes, and so have caused an elevation, but that is the only c!e\ation that the totalizator' can lav c!ann to It has not elevated the. mora'-= r f tho rating wcr'd. By tin-. J i\n not menu that the morals of tlio racing world arc. in an alainirngly bad itate of repair On the contrary, in my OFfciiTjation tht* moials of the racinj? world com]>arc favourably with fomrncioial or any other brand of morals. If tho turf is in a healthipr condition to day thnn it was 20 years ago it is only because moplp will not tolerate to day what they "'stood" in the dark sge a , and rot l^cau^c tlio iotalisa t^r ha 3 tome into txi>tonce. Tl;."> numbci of race meetings b n s multiplied a-^a.n an 1 a^ain, aiid people nowadays fee onoujjli racing (by means of cheap fares, et<.) to give them a good insight into game While tho world has been progrogjiiijj in other respects racing lias not stood £till. P-oth the onlookers mid tho aon\e follown-, such as O'.vncr?, ti.tiiiers. i ideics, piofessiciin] backers aiid owner.', and bookmakers, havo become cleverer at tho game. And while I would not maintain that t'i& inoial lono of racing has improved, there is no doubting Dial; racing men are ele-vorer at concealing their little peccadillos. Things are not don« so glaringly nowadays, not because men are moro> honest than they w-ere ,1D years ago, but bo-cause there vi a gi-eater chance of punishment. Nowadays people nre honest lx>cause it is the be-^i. po!icv ; but the-ir honesty is occasionally judicially teinpovod with dishonesty. If a person see^s a chance of bringing off a little " affau " without dt-fovory and no chance of } unishment, ho dotri not he*it«te long, and there aio a^? many "byes" run to-day "to tlio scpiare inch" a? thoje wc:e 20 year* ago (If that I am sure, although I cannot boa .t of a2O years' racing experience. If lat ing has been elevated where the totalisator is in use. so also has it been elevated whore, it is not used Candidly, I co not belio\e that racing clubs we-ro actuated by any ( -eiit<> of moral light when thov excluded bookmakers from laoocourscs. but rather to pocket the revenue derued fiom the totah s>ntor. Thov triecl to kill off the bookmaker not l>ocaiise the latter may havo possibly contaminated tho sport by their presence on a racecourse, but bccatiee the piesonce of bookmakers possibly meant diminished tot.iU o.i f!ie rnachiiie. Instead of dirn'mshiucr the mi!n\>er of bookmakers it ha^ increased thptn. Tii« t^roifii'ient; fielder*! of the colony aro debarred from pome racecouiocis, but anyone who attends racing continuously throughout the colony knows that if the loading mou are not present there :u - e plenty of 6:ual!er fry who tako their place JJy excluding: our lc.dmg bookmakers from racecourse* I am positnc that lacing clubs have created dozens and dozens of bookmakers who, under different < ircua^tance^. would never havp bee-n brought into o-vi^tence-. There is no doubt that the lotalisutor has conferred many benefits on mcpi™ "iho Dirblic apunrrntlv like -t. n«id v~n it fr^elv. The vondtr i-> that thov me • ontont to pnv c o inn' h for their vhi-t!p. If tlie total'sator u:i^ pboh-lit'd it v. ould do racing a arent <iea' of ii ■jii i v mid atint hunduds <>f men who dcp->). 1 on iac-i»g ducctly or indirectly for ,i livi'ig. T^rg' ntud^ h..\e be"ii (reat'-I and become wo'ld-famtnw by t!io stock bied on t'-.om, and thp=o •=tu-!-., ra< ehoi ]>unrois. trotters. Ki\e. pirir,loyinent to hundreds of men. T!'O to f ahbator ha a ?i"at!y as^i«to.;l to bring f h)s a!)oiit

T'- pr>^ <* •"<» Jdi-a of the liunilnT cm))lov('(l directly it is oi Iv nei-ns-ai'v to tlml last sci^on thcrp wer^ lict ii~i>i! < losa on n. thousand tramei=. ricior-, :\nd :'pi>roiiuco«. 'J lif r f» is no mention of h-lps. ett , a- hioh '.Aou'd make p con- idci.il'lo ad('ition to ihe- b~t- Racinp: i- i bi'siu ■>>« winch em pi'.ys in Now Z^a'and r>. va-t number of inon and if tho to»nlivUor i" rc^pcn-iblp fcr this by all means lot i< cxi- f But I do not beliovo. the totalizator n an elevator of inoials. but the good it has done jiidtinea iK uso. There ar" many reformers who would wipe it out of eMstonoo, hut judging by tho utterances of the°e rr- former? they aie beautifully iinonuit of the go-'. nine lx-nofit- of rnoing. They only **<* the evil nd*» of tlie shic'd. li"t theso reformers turn their at top'io'i ol«ov. hero, w'ler" possibly thov may co more tjood Tliore is plenty of scope m orh->r diroction=. and lot the puriiioation of the turf he work*."] (;ut by Th»» <otah-»dtor has its goo' 1 a'ul ovil r i<le. ,-n<J ha- m?ny cnpin'o-. Tlifsc lattoi emild ho sro'itlv reducori in P't'.nb^r* if clubs dropped their pTCcntasje, lico"s->rl i "-.pn ' all > book i n aV"M, anil tl.r'itjht more cf pf rt mv! 1 "■■.<» i c in-tc ' no total'

THE NA'IIONWL WEKJHTS.

Prompt! y en tmo t!'i> w fights foi i!' • Cantci'mry .lo<!vi3 ('lub'i (Jrni.d Nation Is ha\e n:a<!i> th- ir .>j'p-\ir»rcc. ai 1, a = r r us nil bo f*. ar.L-d. ha\e b"v.n well l i'i\^ 1 In mow of 'J ho (iiurd'i n.i-t d"oii>., I,^ well entitled to t:>'_> pnt 1 " of place at t).-» kciwl oi tha Grcacl Jsatiounl ?tc-.rlccliLi.c

handicap. Two years ago he won cleverly with ICkt 61b, and last year, after appearing to be hopele«oly out of the race, about a mile from home, wih 12 2 on his back, ho ' put in a great run anc l finished second to Gobo. It appeared to me that had he been made more u?e of in the earlier stages of the race. The Guard could not ha\e lost. He won the Wanganui Steeples when in receipt of 111b from Moifaa. and now the latter receives 81K Judging by a description of the race, The Guard won with a great deal in hand, but 191b appears a liberal coi.fc-sioa for the beating. Lochade \sas receiving 2.4 irom The Guard in the race, and finished ppoond. and now he is in ree?ipt of 5.5, but I would .'ooner stand Moifax to bear The Guard at Riccartnn than I would Lockide. At Wanganui I'l.iin Bill was leceiving 1.3 from The Guard, and at i'ircarlon he will meet him at a difference of 2.2. After Plain BiTs display at Wellington, by which lie appears to have ic-g-uivcd some of hi» old fomi, his chance at Riicßiton i s not a s,mall one. The (Juaul won c?-i!v" .11 Auckland with 12.3, and was rfit'ivin^ 71b from Moifaa. The latter foil when racing with The Guard at the t.ul end of thr> jcpuncy, and now Moifaa rac;s liihi q.i 151b bett-er terms. The Guard Jia a a ,higli]y creditable list of performanevs against him name, and altogether lie is no v gr.ing a fair amount of weight to tho-e wlioin hr. lias 1 ?nttu; st'll, he \-> a con^iite it {.•orformcr, and, with all Iv» weight, 1 c»ncidtr he luis a gccnl i har.ee in the race liijdcr noiicc. Aloifr^i had 13.6 against hi=> name l<tst year, and has now 12.8. If he c-ould display at Rioearton ue.xt month the form that earued. him the 13.6 which he carneJ last year, he would give anything in therace a good go for the prize. Until he ian off in last year's race, he appeared lo make ligi.t of back-breaking burdens, and as ho looks a« strong as a castle, he is a horse that his prpsent weight should not seiiously trouble. C'avaliero and Cannongato eacli i-e-(•.•ive allowance for the beatings bestow-'d on tlu'-m by The Guaid, md shoukl -all thos-o who figure from list up m the hnndi<vp go to the post, a groat race ehould Ik; witnessed. Gobo v. on laU year with 10.'), and has row 11 13. Tfe I'a-. fallpn peveral tim"« thi^ season, and hh-^ now 10!b niore ' th:Mi h-e v. on. with at Vr'ellington. B jth to i stand \ip, I would prefer Plain Bill to him ' at a 131b concession. Roller ran a good horse last year with 101b more than he is a a ked to carry in the present rae°. Ho w?s going as well a* anything in the race ur>til ■ lit- 'truck hooulv at tho Kennels Joublo-. j 1 i-onsiider him a lr>r=e likely to get ovor the c'mnriy, and wo;i3d as soon stand him a-, ai.yth.ng in the ICLt division The bc~-i of tho 9-4 lot appear to me to be Tho Swim!- ! iner, Rowlock, Ihe Phantom, and Pipi. 1 Mtraybird is a gco-1, consistent performer, but about two and a 1 alf miles is the length of hi< tether. Huku I would take as the bc»t of tue hurdlois fngag&d in the rrave.< y e. Rowlock gained a hest of admirer* by th& way he ltneed at last year's meeting, and c !)ould he go to the post, would have pleiuy of supporter?. On search. ng for the pr ibable winner, I expect h'm to come from the following si\:— Tho Guard, Plain Bill, Moifaa, CaMilie-ro, Caunongate. :>nd Roller. Jn the Fui\lles the handicapper has jtartc.l off with Oavaliero at 12.9, and this should not make a great burden foi the son cf Cuirassier. He is as bri'liar.t a hurdler a.6 rue could \vi»h to see-, and there ha 3 boon few better seen out in the colony. The form of those who appear to have the be&t credentials i^ s-o rtcent that it dois not i. - quiro recapitulation heie, and v.ithout wading througp tho 40 odd hor r es engaged in tl.e handicaps, I take the follow iug halt dozen to supply th>? .wnnei : — Ca\ ahcro, Battleaxe, Royal Conqueror. Duiulas Huku, and Kaluivvai. Of the other-,, Loijj: Tom. • v 'urrej-, and Reliance appeal to have <i < hance. In the AVinter L'up. B'azt".. Coia Lynn. Fleka ( Glcnala-dale. Bill l'ci'vin-, a ■ •■ I Scotly read the best to me.

A NEW LKJHT OX THE DERBY

The defeat of Sceptic m the Ditlij \\a? a git»at blow to tho great B. P.. and en hi r form pnoi to tin- lace, the n.aie looked to ]ja-cO;T a groat chaiif I'lu mojontv<>f tip=tei>, went for the marr*. and

■"Vigilant,"' of the Kporisiran, sai-l m li -. fin.ft election that si "was ldlo to look lvi thei- tor lh& winner." Scpptto did not ooiiip mro the betting on the Dei by to a::y great extent until after her good bliOMing m the Lincolnsl>ire llrndunp. In faef, h<M na're «a- not mcitioncxl in the- market quotation* on the race- until after tho a.bo\c rutv ijui oniuv. how-o\ir. l- reported to have ink"! -ome long shot- about the flli\ hr-Cow lit-.-form was exposed. After her w\u i,l i'.i* One Thou s and (Jiuncas and r lu<i Tiiou-nud (iti'iieui. v.oight <. f mon<~v qi"i\lv fount .Sceptre into th.> po-ition of l)i il>y f.i\ mi if, and l -hc* v,n* i,f ■ ,t ou-t.,1 f r oai iii.it ]>' *it'< n af, r'\.Ti'- Hv lv. - r ex !>.i i<i - f<> iaid it i- ]r ■]'.■.! tut S'_.|>t-i.> hid to h. -: |,| .1 ..i 1" r uoi'c ouii'.; t i dii<» of h<-i 1 j- U\\ nj, :iiiM ju 'vi'"4 by liai'i"!.; I ( pot , , tn.. i .:,.'- iiaiii'i 1 -i-<'in>-(! mi ,i>i'"<'. to i».ir lii i>i ,i lt s it i- \\ lii'ii lie nil -<>(1 th(> Dfll-y, ,M<l M oil tht O.iK, in a i-ii.ur. it lookinl ii-, jf Ijr mi»--hort of uoil: nii^Jit h-j\e lie d un-'thmg to do wiMi her riif'-'t in t!.<> ("cm mo i:i(". Sceptre <■..!<< lira* i i t'.e Der l •• n c|ii.iri< l of .i ini'f> from lio:ii(\ ;.nd ni.i-hi- I l"iiiin Ji> (iirx OaLs <-he W.I, t(, 1... i•. .1 • !, i.; ;,. -1 blinkers, to prevent \\< r p-i/u.^ .ibo l \ '•! h wai i-,nd to haw* boon one (.in-i* \\h\ t' c fi'iy did i.ot race m the U< 1 1>\ a-, v.ell i> v.i^ < oii'i'Ji ntly «'\p < '< ' I'i.t t'u" <■< •;>f l i s ."•» b'i>-v wit'i S"M>in' .ui'l. ivntiii^ < i> fie i-i-i.-ii-t „f (he* <>;<U l)a\ • Hr.!»i. \*,, •." itu* }-ii(Tli-h <vri. -poiu'.'nt ( .f t:,,. ,\ii !ra i li-ian. h-'.u' '•Srppt"f*'-. v> i fi'r'ii.iiit » .\ r> m I all ro^i)-^ N a urt'a! lontrv! ;o hoi fcrin m ' \Vo.Jne-d:»y. .mi' it on - ■■'i.'P^oi Iluit 'I i 1 c l Oul'l IKiW (>M«.|lv bl'it (zhl-s -tlH', roi eidej-fd ;it I'oid<% rji t :to a~ yood a.-* I-ingln>^», who v:< 4 tliLMi s«Htiiid. r L it- only oxp'an.ition imo C'4U cm i-i thsil filii' - imp ]>ro\ i-rbially fic-lo'o. and lhat Kati'l.ill n nirht in liv \ic\v tl at in tln>*i)oil>v ~l'<"' <'<m 'iu« d a.'lt-r t'.>f fir.-t half-:. ul.' fo t.ske hold • f ! ■•'• Ijit cr t,n\c Ik r true* running m «in\ v.;iv That iho iraii.n <if \\'\v di'fi'nt w a-- t' .it c ' - f i anno! -<i\. tf l p«»Iy stat<Hl afn r thr* l)i>ib'- rjiiiiot hold WHicr at all. Ul-. 'lii> won lo <lav wjt^ o-a-r-. wnii ilie t our-i- :if'>»r th" p-^i rmj r-iu. ill mi:rl> lif>.i\nr cov.dit iffl I'*o Oiiki w?-. ciV id»v] on .Tun >f> ii. 'l t''i> I. it -I iH'\\» i«:k!-. si'Mi<-»i loiial w!'.i.'!i I '\<,i.'\' a r uuv i'ot !.-"•<• s.i w hf n fin t'ur'- d^v lopun-i'i i ar>> to liavd. ai tlin "r- t "l>l.» loin" \\...!d hirdlv !,a\c i ,„.,, . lf .,i c,:p>,t ,i, t M-'-ippt of -i,h no. 11.11 1.1' 1 v ulc ivfi"-t V"'. V ( ,i). i^lfwrnn) t • > t'l^ i S.HI ]■', i-'wo ChroDK '.f> (l.tcul .li'l'^ 17 . )i^: •■ Kniri i- Ti <\•\\ it i„p i.of'-'l fi! f , wntp-r ip tho T.-I'T'ih tli- ii'inii; il.-('toi l.('to- tl'.it tiio woild i -^o>. in X* n'm.' c<] I'llo t'.O rrr->ti^f 11-lf -ru.' ! •.- I -'orv -\S ni\ -n't i.r.tl n r H !"•, -1 1. D i.v won h.Viil Pafiii'. in 1 in vi L f- .ji'' Su'm'i n orv,l, a-= r, 1^ nn.. tho f-M.in.i> -,f il,. io in a il.-rvl.lv =lio.t in i. oofimto 70 Tro-vrlvnn jtiYi SievK-r losf half a miilion when Scisntr^

lo=t the Lincolnshire Handicap, the first great race ot the present English season. Common report said the plunger went broke. Then followed an offer by Vanderbilt of 200,000d0l for the filly, which Sie-vier for some reason refused. Trevelyan declares the English bookmakeis stood to win or lose £1.000,000 by Sceptre's victory or defeat, and that the opportunity was prodigious for someone to make a big- fortune by th© filly's defeat. Continuing, he says : 'It was a prodigious opportunity to make a fortune to an absolute certainty, and assuredly there was no past episode in the- career of Robert S. Sievier. ox-actor, ex-bookmaker, and gambler extraordinary, to make any one suppose he would prove such a gilt-edged, high-class, and honourable sportsman as to turn up his nose at the goods the gods had strewn in hia path.' The race was won, and Sceptre beateu. A few days later followed the ruling off of Sceptre's jockey, Ranjdall, the son of a wealthy British manufacturer. Randall was presumably punished for a later performance, but Trevelysn declares the real cause was the defeat of Sceptre."

UNANIMOUS HANDICAPPING

Prior to Mr Mainland being appointed to ihe position of handicaper to the Victorian Amateur Turf Club he often posed as p, handicapper's critic, and several times had •a '"tilt" (per medium of the press) at Mr Dakin's (tho V.R.C handicappcv) work. By hi;- lvcent compilation Mr Maitland has proved that h's appointment was, so far as Ciiu bo judged, a lianpy one, and that in addition to criticising a handicap, he can also compile one. In the part it xvve sometimes s?.icl that tho principal weight- adjustors of Victoria compared notes, or, at least, had a friendly discussion as to the merits of ■different horse* Consequently there was seldom noted any great difference of opinion when tho weights for the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups ir.ad& their appearance. When Mr Maitland was appointed it was said there w>ould probably be mere independent ha'ad'capping in the future, and that there was small chnnce of Messrs Dakin and Mo,'t!.\nd comparing notes, etc.. ?£ Urn feeling existing between these gentlemen was not noted for its cordiality It is, therefore, the more creditable to both tho weight-adjuster* mentioned that the handicaps for tho Caulfield and Melbourne- Cups should be so well received as they generally havo been by their many critics. Both the handicaps may be said to mutually reflect credit on their compilers, and tho Melbourne Sportsman his tho following laudatory notice, of the weight adjusters' efforts: —

'"When two acknowledged^ experts agree independently on an}' gi\en ijoint, tho verdict must be> as near light as possible, and Messrs Dakui and Maitland are so much in a n eord with eac'i other in their spring han d'eaps that outsido critics cannot find room for fault.

"E\ en a haid iright err in such a matter, but when two such ttrike the same figme«, as it were, acting right away from cno another, the productions must be uncommonly close to perfection.

"It has b<?en* argued that there is no science in handicapping -b'.iat it must, to a great extent, rreolvo itself into gue=«>work. But it ie difficult to agree with this ifckoning.

'"A man who makes a spciial study of any work, or any art, must, m that particular branch, be the superior of others, who only see the thing on tho suifaec

'"Thus a conscientious weight-adjuster, h-o who Uav&> no stone unturned to fathom 'fo'-m.' 13 moie likely to strike a ooireol estimate than hi<j critic, who rathe, into hrcunieut without much thought.

"Ai-yhow, hpie we have two lots of impo'l*. moulded by two different hands, with the material much the same in either case, fitting in with each other all round, almoffc to n pound, and, cs said, this in itself is mi/to .-umcicnt to show that both the I'lei ini'fion and C.mlfi.-ld adjustments aio to good, as handicap 3 go, as to defy criticism.

"Tt sometimes happens that discrepancies in handicaps, fuvr-ed by different minds, aio -o \ery wide as to loave some doubt n = to competence on cit'ic-r oi" 1 pair of shoul- <.' <»r-< or thr. other concerned

"W'lirn oii-i n?rtii u'ar hov^o i, rat<xl at a -tone hiKii'T by < ii r > wan thtsii the other, tl.crt* mu-l 'be a I'ijr filimdr-r on <mc «i(Je or the other : ai d thi > is the sort of thing that ocr-anionallv confiont, us. "With this in mind, it is rrfre-hing to turn to the Cm h-^Ls, from wln'li it can be seen that handirnuping is by no mr:'.!i* a lo«t art in Vioto' i.i ju-*t yet " L I! HEWITT RiITTRXS FROM AUS'IKALFA. The well known hoi email L. IT. Hewitt a^li^ed fiom M< lbourno by thii wck's boat i.nd came on from Invercarßill by ye<-ter-flav' p\j,rPs-i. I-)m ji>gt h:s eojouni in Au ci.a'i.i l.c ouly flonii'-d *'lk one<>, aii'l thai, was in S. dir\. " H'\\i (t w:\~- pic=ent sit the V II C " (Jitr.d Natioral nnx-hii'^. niid ii>fi riiiP'l n. i- th,:t Biitfl'-ax- ran v good hnr-o for o\ei livi milt <n t" 1 Gi.inl National Huidh", lint had not been lorg enough m A'icloria to gi\o \isilors t-i F'.onii'igton a tut.- of his 1». -I form. Battl<u\-e fened v. .-!!. and out r.imp'd m.mv of tho fl"ld who nrrc raciPl with h:in m tlio fii =t f!i<;h ( f'.irii' T ti.e oarlu-r t-ta^o-. cf iho r.ic c. After l.dn-r u.-H for nai l« i jii-to^ IJ.ittl. «t\o'« r OM-Ijiio'i laiVd him. aii'l he died out of tho --i.ntoJ Ilewiit io en to f'hrisichtirf ii ti d.jv. :-ii'' dnri,;^ tin- forthcoming I'-ai-o'i will ai/i"i. :<ci a-< premier horseman for M" G. G Stc.-l.

Mir.Li-ns si'oirnxc pamphlet

A r,)iiv (J A!.- / .! M)ll«-r» Sporiiiig P.-.Tp'iU't i- to li.i mI, and i-, :i j u^ual. found to be l-iiinf'i! of nialtor which form- inter f-tuiir roadni'j: to sport-uu n and nlhlete'. The, Pamphlet ha-» bee:i c on-it'oraSlv . onlar^ed. and tlie fu' 1 pcrfr.nnanc'"- of all th" hor>es engjige 1 in the Caulfiold and Mclb'.urne Cuns, in addinon to tho-e engaged in classic i ."Ps, nre \ oi> The tinn* records fir rat ing. trotting, and atiii' tic< hive boon brought up *•> rliite, and the Victorian AtM< tic \j' a n 'iio i idf.. aic inserted in the i ■\olume u'l'lcr in tiee !>• i<.-ii'nsr hi 9 Pamplilet Mr MilVt c')iif( r- -i boon ot: sport« ny n. a! il 'io >|nr t^ li' nrv woui'i !io co:n p'('o v.illo,- it. r J"!i" illu-h-»tioii>! t!,j- voar ('ii 1 -!''. rf i-hoto^ of R(\oniie. Hau'iillTf, ' Mr (J \ Jlmr (i lid.ru pi on .'mvit i - vprinter), I h C. . ii'iin, and Don WulWt (tho j V, ( It 1.0- !' t \"C !l t). j