SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 56

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bt Hori Pome.

MELBOURNE, April 5. TURF TOPICS.

A warning note has been sounded in connection with bookmakers who have betting shops m the city or are interested in the ganv bling that goes on in some of the clubs that have been established there of recent years. It is imderstood that the committee of the V.R.C. intend to take very firm action— to the extent of refusing to renew the licenses of the offending bookmakers.

Several horses engaged in the principal events at the approaching autumn meeting of the A.J.C. disported themselves at Rosehill and Newcastle respectively on Saturday. At Rosehill .the six-year-old Gossoon— Angora horse Ibex won the Rawson Stakes in good style from Cato, Zenda, Sir Leonard, and Cherson, whilst covering the nine furlongs in lmin 58sec. Cato started an even-money favourite, whilst 10' s were to be procured about Mr Mate s horse. ancient Lucknow (by Russley from a Kingston mare) carried 8.8 to victory in the Railway Stakes, of six furlongs and a-half, in lmin 24see, and as there were no less than 17 astern of him, it will pass without saying that the performance was a very meritorious one. Haloya 9.0, Flashlock 7.2, P.K. 7.12, Fashoda 8.4, and High Collar 6.10 were all well backed, but Lucknow went out at 100' s to S.

W. Kelso s three-year-old Fanshawe (The Admiral— Theresa), with only the minimum to carry, sprang a big surprise by downing Acrstsia 8.8, Trenwith 7.10, Famous 9.7, and half a dozen others in the Rosehill Handicap, of a mile and three furlongs. Fanshawe (15 to 1) got home, after an exciting finish, by a neck from the Melbourne Cup victrix, whilst Trenwith was only half a length away third, the time being 2.28 J.

Mr J. C. Williamson tasted the sweets of victory at Newcastle, when Zythos, a three-year-old by Haut Brion from Barley, landed 7.7 first past the post from Phil May 6.10, Chaperon 7.0, and 25 more in the Newcastle Cvp — a mile and a-quarter event, traversed in 2min llsec. Loredano 7.7 was favourite at 5 to 2, whilst Zythos was on the 12 to 1 mark. It was a. splendid finish, Mr Williamson's horse securing the victory by a neck, the same distance separating second and third, whilst , St. Modan 8.8 finished fourth with a sprint . that would imdoubtedly have been highly dan- ' gevous if made a little earlier.

T. M'Carthy's La Valetta (Medallion—Welcome Queenie) won the Stewards' Mile, whilst Abermain (by Cyndus — Hope) proved successful in the Park Stake 3, of six furlongs. T. Kyle steered both these winner*, as also auoiher.

Mr E. A. Connolly, who has a largo nninVr gi hoises ia work at 251e.u1,0.n.e A won a double

at Aspendale Park on Saturday; the Welter Plate with Rustile (a 6 to 4 chance) and the Steeplechase with Antique (Off Colour — Tonia) 10.0, who was well backed notwithstanding the fact that 6's were procurable about him at the £tart. Riistile (a four-year-old chestnut mare by Projectile from Rustle) was bought in Sydjiey by Mr Connolly last season, and on Saturday was in the Aspendale Parjt Welter Plate, of six fui longs, at the minimum weight. She won m a canter by two lengths in 1.17^. j Dahomey (Russley — First Love) secured tha ; Aspendale Welter Purse in 1.19. | Baritone, who has won a number of races for his owner, Mr J. 11. Davis, ha>s been purchased by an Indian buyer, and will be despatched to the land of the rajahs forthwith. The agony is being piled up over the forthcoming elections for the Committee of the V.R.C. in August. Mr W. Reid, vice-presi-dent of the Victorian Owners' Association, i<» spoken of as a certain candidate for a seat, and he will (in conjunction with Mr Agar Wynne) receive the support of the Owners* and Trainers' Association. Over in Adelaide the South Australian Jockey Club, finding the receipts from their totalisators growing "small by degrees and beautifully less," resolved to take steps to arrest the decline. It was recognised that some of the shrinkage in the receipts arose from a scarcity of cash as compared with boom time, when big bettors flourished, but the increase of bookmakers laying "tote" odds and of "agents," some of whom often held more money on a race than the tote, was a powerful factor in the ca.se. A joint meeting of the committees of the two clubs recently met, and it was decided, with the assistance of the police, to remove those persons at Morphettville from the club's enclosures who were found acting as totalisator agents or betting on the nod. In pursuance of this decision, on Saturday the S.A.J.C. stewards ordered to leave the course several men found plyingthe calling of bookmaker. The first few pei> son spoken to by the club's officials left after making a mild protest, but eventually one, George Nelson, a prominent bookmaker absolutely refused .wither to leave or to desist from betting. In thia extremity the aid of the police was invoked, but the constables called; upon refused to act as "chuckers-out." a step m which they were subsequently confirmed by Colonel Madley, Commissioner of Police, who was present. The stewards at once held a meeting, and it is significant that the proceedings were open to the press, in contrast to the uolicy tmrsued in this State, where the stewards of the most insignificant race meeting can and do exclude the press from their deliberations. A deal of mutual recriminations ifollowpd, tlie principal actors bein» Sir Richard Baker, president of the S.A J.C?, and Colonel Mad lev. and the former emphatically and pathetically declared that the club, without the assistance of the police, was totallyunable to vindicate the law. Colonel Madley replied that already three actions for £500 each were pending against the police for acting in similar circumstances, and declined to order his men to "act as chuckers-out." Subsequent r to the meeting, tlie stewards took no' further action, and the books continued to bet "on the nod," and a great many of the public, who had refrained from betting earlier in the day, patronised the bookmakers when, they realised that nothing more was to be done. It will be seen that the metallicians have up to the present gained an unmistakable victory, and much interest is attached to further action on the part of the clubs. In connection with the South Australian Jockey Club meeting in May. the followingweights were declared on Monday : — — First Day — Saturday, May 6. — Goodwood Handicap, of 400aovs; second, SOsovs; third, 40sovs. Six furlongs. — Possum 9.8, Sinnang 9.7, Canteen 9.5, May King 9.3, Verres 8.12, Medallist 8.10, Chattel 8.10, Courada 8.10, -i-athsell 8.9, Equality 8.7, Fortune Teller 8.5, Phaedra 8.5, Billali 8.4, Fulminator 8.3, Cairo 8.3, Baritone 8.2, Miss Peggy 8.2, Sea Kale 8.0, Conclusion 8.0, Mark 8.0, Florin 8.0, Portland Ro3e 7.13, Kamo 7.12, His Eminence 7.12, Sullset 7.12, Naughty 7.10, English Rose 7.10, Silver 7.9, Australian Bill 7.9, Palindrome 7.5, Bayonet 7.5, Lady Hopetoun 7.4, Rose Queen 7.4, Caerleon 7.4, Volscian 7.3, First Fleece 7.2, Troytown 7.2, St. Vincent 7.2, Silvio 7.2, Footmark 7.0, Nita Carlyon 6.13, Sea Foam 6.13, Grey Seaton 6.11, Encounter 6.10, Clarion 6.7, Fiction 6.7, Urgent 6.7, Briton 6.7, Masher 6.7.

— Second Day — Wednesday, May 10. — Adelaide Cup, a handicap of 800sovs; second horse, 160sovs; third, SOsovs. One mile and five furlongs. — Marmont 9.10, Blue Spec 9.7, Avalon 9.4, Possum 9.3, Canteen 9.2, Sinnang 9.2, Orphan Boy 8.12, Sir Rawden 8.10, May King 8.9, Demas 8.9, Irving ton 8.9, Rhansody 8.8, Verres 8.7, Sweep Clean 8.7, Eland '3.6, Cypher 8.4, Phaedra 8.2, Enigma 8.0, Ganymedes 7.13, Billali 7.13, Discussion 7.1.2, Florin 7.12, Bright Pilgrim 7.12, Gunstock 7.11, Ritualist 7.10, His Eminence 7.9, Eoller 7.8, Selum 7.8, Rifler 7.6, Masaniello 7.2, Mario 7.2, Bandolier 7.2, Mont Pclee 7.2, St. Vincent 6.12. Silvio 6.12, Troytown 6.12, Zepho 6.12, Docility 6.9, Van Tronip 6.8, Corral 6.7, Clarion 6.7, Yarley 6.7. Oblivion, who has been racing for some time over in Maoriland, recently returned to Randwick, and has gone into E. Donovan's stable to be schooled for hxu-dle-racing. Chief among tlie improvements completed* at the Randwick racecourse in readiness for the A.J.C. Easter meeting is the enlargement of the official stand, which now contains first-rat-e accommodation in several departments. There is a large, new luncheon room, a committee room, new bars, etc., upstairs, and on the ground level an open lounge enclosure 100 ft by 30ft. The new building is in brick, tuck-pointed^ with freestone diessmgs, and. has a- line appearance, besides providing seating accommodation tor 1000 persons, as against 400 formerly. The conditions of the Caulfield Grand National Hurdle Race and Steeplechase, to be run next August, are the same as last yeai — the Hurdle Race will be worth 1200sovs, and the Steeplechase liOOsov-;. The V.A.T.C. Committee have also decided to let the leading events of the spring meeting stand. The Debutante Stakes (for two-year-olds) will be> worth lloOsovs, the Toorak Handicap 65050 v?, and the Cauifield Cup SOOOso^ «. The Caulfield Guineas of 1906 will remain at 650sovs, and iho Tenth Futurity Slakes (mn At the February meeting, 1907) at ISOOsovs. An alteration has been made in the conditions of the Futimty Stake. Hitherto a turn of SOsovs ha= gone to the breeder of the winner and 25sovs to the breeder of the second. These concession^ have been abolished in connection with the 1907 race (entries for 1906 have already been ta"ken), and ths amount to th« nominator ol the winner will be increased froai SOsovs to lOOsovs, and to the nominator of the second from 25sovs to 50-o\«.