THE OPPORTUNITY CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2541, 26 November 1902, Page 46

THE OPPORTUNITY CASE.

After being hung up since the beginning of February laet, the prot&at against m« mare Opportunity, on the grounds of being an alleged ring-in, was finally settled last week by the Tuapeka Cou'uty Jockey Club, and tho mare and her owner iMr JF. G. Hore) were disqualified for life, as. the club be-hc-ved the mare to be identical with the mare Blossom, who raced, at Auckland, Takapuna, and Avondale during the season of 1899-1900. It is said the. mare originally came from Sydney, where flhe was a- well--known competitor at the pony tracks, but at the time of wirting the full particulars of the evidence are not available. It will be remembered that, after racing on the goldfields circuit with 3 great deal of doubt being entertained as to her bona fides, Opportunity was finally protested against at Lawrence, after winning the Publicans' Handicap, by Mr F. Ferris, whose mare Lady Torrent ran second in the race. Lady Torrent also ran second in the second race won by Opportunity at the same meeting. Racing undei the name of First Chance, tihe mare whe has been placed under the ban made her first appearance at the Alexandra J.O. annual meeting on December 20, and won ft handicap hack race of £25. At the Cromwell meeting on December 26 she ran second to Wlaltstei in a hack welter, and on the second day of the meeting she won a handicap hack race of 20sovs. Into first win Opportunity was sent out third favourite on the machine in a field of seven, and m her win at Cromwell she carried a P° un « less on the machine than Tufto, who started favourite. In a hack welter on the first day of the meeting she started a hot favourite, and was beaten by a head by The Maltater.' At the Vincent J.O. .annual oa January 1, th« mare raced as OPP Ol^^ (late First Chance), and m her only stert at the meeting finished third in a mile hack race. She next sported silk at the Xaseby meeting, an' "tart^d twice without winning. In each of her races she started icoml 8 favourite. . At the Tuapeka JO. annual Opportun.lv started Ihree times, and won twice. Her first win was m the Publicans' Handicap, of 30« m, and , in *." race started equal favourite with Ihe Maltster Opportunity romped home four of 20sovp, four furlongs, she won by half a length in 48isec, after getting badly away at the start.