BETTING RULES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 54

BETTING RULES.

Some time ago the secretary of Brisbane Tattersall's Club wrote to the editor of London Sportsman for the correct reading and intention of the Quensland betting rule No. 6. which is similar to rule 14 in "Ruff's Guide"— viz., "Money given to have a bet made shall not be returned," though the race he not run." The questions were: 1. Is it intended literally to mean that money given for the option of a bet, or paid to a commissioner to secure bets, is lost, without affecting the bet itself? 2. Does it mean that bets made on a race that is never run are lost by the backer? Members of the Brisbane Club contended that the rule had the latter meaning, and as it was possible in Queensland, where heavy rains and floods occurred, for races to be abandoned, they regarded the rule as unfair, and had brought forward a motion for its abolition, but postponed it pending the receipt of English expert evidence. Attention was drawn to an article in the Sporting Times last December, in which the writer commented severely on the fact that backers lost their wagers over the Manchester races through stress of weather. "Now, was it on this rule," asked the secretary of Queensland Tattersall'e, "(hat layers claimed the bets? If not, which betting rule decided the noint." 3. If the rule mentioned is abolished, will it affect

rule 13 of Queensland Tatcrsall'-s, which reach: "Ail bets are play or pay, unless otherwise specified." 4. What is the exact definition of play or pay? After dealing wiih the whole matter at considerable length, the editor of the Sporting Times answered the questions as follows:— 1. Givin» money to have a hot laid has nothing to* do with the bet itself, and must be paid no matter whether the race is run or not. 2. Bets made on races that are not run are void. 3. It would not aftec. P.P. bets. ♦. Play or pay means that you run all risks of the horse starting- or not, subiect to above reservations, as to the animal being dead or scratched, or his nominator dying, or the race being declared void.

HIGH-PRICED THOROUGHBREDS. ■He payrant of 1750 S s for a yearling m Australia caused me says "Phaston ) to go n search cf particulars bearing on previous high prices paid for youngsters in tne colonies. Though the list of four-figu£> purchases reveals that some, terrible disippointnwPts appear m their rai *«• ?« some brilliant gems arc included tn«c, n The queen-libe Pctrea, who was known as the Kin? of the Rins -Mischief fWy, was WlTat 1550,, by the late Sir William J Clark*. If I mistake not the late Hon. James White was the ««* «"> *° piy 20GOgs for a yearling. That was the ml he paid in 1881 for the colt (Segcnhoe) by Maribyrncng from The Fawn. Segenhoe played his be,* card at two years old, but still he must have won back has purchase money. Two years later the late Mr \. F. Smart paid a like sum for a fullbrother to Segenhoe; and, remarkable to relate, he, like his relative, was a s.gna failure after two years old. Several year, then eJaused before 2000 as was agam found on the slate, but at Wellington Park in 1890 Mr Spencer Gollan paid 2025g* for tho Nordenfeldt- Frailty colt Momquetaire. Th™ was another unfortunate purchase, for T <3o not think the then Hawke « B«y sportsman got a khmjlo raw out o f I h« •»**- priced purchase. The late Ml- W. R. Wilsoa had howewsr, much better iuck.w.th H«voc, a fill-brother to Mousquelaire, for wnom he iDaid 2?,00-s in 1892, as the son of Nordenfeldt credited him with the Australian Cup, and, but for an accident, he might also have won a Melbourne Cup It » generally supposed that the price (ZZ^s) paid for Havoo is the record for Australia but this is incorrect. In 1891 the sum ot 2300gs was paid in Victoria .by Mr A. Ch'rnside for the Nowminster— Primrose colt who, under the name of Lord Randolph, proved a perfect failure. I have another"" Httle list" (says the came writer), which includes the "thousand pounds, which is very much more pleasant reading. The Musket—Sylvia colt who, under tho name of Martini Henry, won fame for Auckland by capturing the V.R.C. Derby and Alelbourne Cup was purchased privatply by the late Hon. ' James White for 1250es when ho was seven months old. and the New South Wales sportsman made no mistake when he bought the Musket— Onyx colt Nordenfeldt at auction as a. yearling for 1200s?s, for he carried the "blue and white"' jacket to victory in two ;Derbys, and proved himself a higa-c!as3 weight-for-age horse. Mr S. Horderu paid 1050gs for the Castor— Necklace oolt Cravat, and he, no doubt, was a speedy customer; but the investment of 1575gs in the purchase of Astronomer, the son of Ca3lor and Frailty, by the samp gentleman, proved a very bad speculation, as he was a pronounced failure. The Abercorn — Copra colt Coil, who credited Mr W. Bailey with an Australian Cup and several other good races, was bought for lOOOgs, and Mr G. G. Stead secured a bit of a smasher in the Hotchkiss — Rose of Wellington colt Royal Artillery at 1400gs. Lancaster (by Hotehkis-s — Frailty) cost ]000gs, and though ho was a failure at three yearn old, he scored a weight-for-apre honours at a year older, and though his party lost a ton of money when h© failed to gain a situation in the Melbourne Cup of 1900 under 7.10, he won more_ than his purchase money in stakes. Emir (by Wallace — Emmie) was bought for 1000?s. snd though he has hardly fillecl the bill in so far as predictions in his favour are concerned, it can be said that he is a good weieht-for-age hor=e. Hongist (by St. Leger — Hilda), at 1050gs, and Monoform (by Hotchkiss — Formo), at 1200gs, have to te mentioned as a brace that signally failed to pay their way, but still it is but fair to ctate that an accident that befell Hengist at two years old practically settled his turf career.