IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 55

IN A NUTSHELL.

— Nominations for the !^apanui meeting are due" on the 23rd insft — Bieration will probably make Ms next appearance under silk in Australia. — Master i>elaval has been entered fox the V.R.U, and. A.J.C. autumn meetings. —^ ilie Southland, Racing Club ma<le a profit of £bb'i 011 ns leceiLi. s^imma iueeiing. Emita,- a sister _to "ifiroix, tfefeated nine others in a. Nursery Handioap run at Randwioic on Boiing , Day. It i» reported that Mr Dan -O^Biien has left -for Australia-, and .intends -taking up a permanent residence there. .. — A compiimen'tary iK?lcet ior the Ta/p<nmi Racing ■ dub's meeting is to- hand, .-and ' acKnovvledged- with, thanks. ! — Tne, trore Racing oiub batte decided; to j expend, a sum ot iKisovs on furttier treei planting oil their- -qouxse. — The Auckland. Racing dub received £2180 in boosnaakers' f«ea» during the xeoeui auinmer meeting; at USAiexskei. . . , Sit. aim-oil's sweis. nave, won 15a "since 1853. , The tribe has 'thus a, Tret-y solid reason for its popuJArity. with -breeders. — The numlbar 01 Irrac-bred'licases which won on the-Jliiiglisit turi of -1397 2LB. They captured "tfiJs xacea, -worth £132^568. i . —^The. Croie Racing, Club na,ve received I exce-lient emtnes tor their surunsar meaiairig^ j wKich ia set down lox the- £2nd and -23rd' ' inst. -"-'"- I , -r-'The Ashburton County Rasing dub in-r tend, giving aiway 750sovs an sta-ises a% their j next meexing-, which, is dated for .May 12 ! and. 13. . 1 L. H. Hewitt had 165, mounts during" his tirfiit season on Ungli-sn. turf, and steerea 15 -wianers. He- -was second ia 22., races and " -thira m- 16. ,- . " . — i'hfr Lumsden; Hack. Racing Club intend I holding their annual; meeting on Tuesday, ' Pebruaars 4 wiieir an eigiit-item programme ' wiii 'be. decided. s-■ . - ". - I -,~A. -pony and galloway club ,hae^ been 1 formed: ,at Wellington; and. it will commence racing oa February 2 on a coazse being constzuctecl on" Miramar Park.- ' "- — 'i'he. Centuxy "Huioie itace, winner. Mahoe -i»!;«ogaged in a. "couple of liadc events at ' -tna- K-arioi "no-tote- "meeting, to be-'dield in: -the' -i'icith, Island iiext naontiL, --' ' ~ won. tne. A.J.C. -Handicap.,. 14 miles-, widen, -was ' .on the Bomngr Day •progyanime d-ecided -at Band wick. .He carried 9 JL/ and won comfortably in 2min . \ -,—, — Petrovna is evidently going Is> be con- ; verted '-into a stayer, as she is engaged in boih; the- "journey" xaces ait. Gore, bait does not dairm any other engegeament at tbe meeting. , - , — Though Powerful, the full 1 brother to Seahorse, - was looking in excellent health when submitted to auction last .week at - &lenoxa Park, he was allowed to , go- at 40 guineas, , ~ . I—A.1 — A. .monthneni, to ooatl £8000 is -to ie" in, one of the Chicago, paiks to- a? trotting^ hoxser'neined Ike Cooke. The'nioii-ey* was „ bequeathect' ior'- thia '; purpose by the , owner of ihe- horse..' ", -.- - -"~ - ■ ' X )-r Carbine'a^ greait son; Spearmint T ~- wJTmer'of -the "Derby- and P : rix _oir Paria, ■ is advertised k>, stand in Ireland- next season I at 250' guineas -a'-inare^-an '" unappioaohedr \ 'record fee, for^-Treland.-- . - ~-i -. - r *-' — The Tuapeka Ggumty Jockey Club, hold' th«dr^ , annual" meeting on -"Wednesday anii '.Thussdagr* of this 'week, .and. if is understood , that a number of v Dune-din racegoers Intend 1 being, present at the gathering. - - -, ,-i\ — "In jt^- sporting law" suit ixieS. -in 1 "Rl7ig]if*b. -- /^^nytrft recently, it^ cam'&'Out in^ .evidence that "Mr D. Fabar, exowner ol,iPbrymelus, won £10,000 on" a small race-^.^taxf-ing price over his horse. iSaitpefare. . "-^ — - St.' FruSqujn, .broitHea: to "San Francisco,, sired winnexs of £23,341,. during tiha xecently .closed English season, -and this, amount places him within £42 Cif Gallin'ule, wito, is at the head of th&'-Kst of -winning stallions. iS " I t- Friday, n-eat is ■ nomination day for the I Dunedin "Cup, of ~ 400 sow, -Publicans'; Handicap, of "aOOeovaj D.J.C? Handicap, of .250sovs, and Anniversaay Handicap, of - 175sovs. . General ..entry -day' ' falls on iba 24th inst. " - — Pefizroynai was 'booked 'to leave for Wellington this week," and is theref ore noir likely to-be seen. 'out, at" Gore. ■ Cross- Battery, Sea King, atfd Lapland axe amongst tire Christ-" church, -horses' likely to race at WeTKngion. — The Gore Racing - Ciub - Tiaive . decided' to* charge £16 for the' privilege of -betting -at their summer meeting. This- charge spgEes ' to 'both enclosures^ „and ( each book-^ maker ia to be allowed 7 a ' clerk -with extra change." , • An English .writer reckons trfat. to keep a- xacehoxse in -even moderate condition ia England "with ., proper attendants, costs £32§ a year. With. ..entries and travelling .fees Jha coat-, of couarsa. is , considerably" rnczeasecL ' ' ; -~ ' " — Suttee, who has been displaying -winning' form on the^Wesfi Coast, , ls out of Flwine, . a naif-sister to TreadmolL Hex sire^ "Tyxarihy^ was ' got ,by Beaucl-exc (son' of BQsicxucianj, from Queen -of {he. Isles, a' grand-daughter j of Newminster^ * - _ v - ■;. *— William 'Day," ~» celebiated English, txniner, - an<£ a. writer of books, is still alive and" heairty, Mr Day must be ai very great" age, for 4ie_ 'rode the winner of the Ascot > Giold 'Cup,, 'Giey iaa: _,'back ,«s 1838—70 yeara'ago-. —Mr W. J. A. Clay, the owner of St. Joe, left .by -this -weekfe. boat ibr Hobart, where -his - hoiso 'ia eagaged in *he. Hobajrt Cup. Mr day -will also: visit Melbourne an& Sydney, --and will be absent from JSew Zear land for- a*bout thiee months. ■ '' . - .—•The Special Cranmisaionex" of {he London<~Spoxtaman has bought a motor-car. We understand that .it comJeal of Jthe Uo. 3 family, and has in .its Bruce Lowe syatean * three strains of Aagyll, two- o€ .Daimler, and one each of Mercedes and Darracq. — Sporting : Tiroes. . . — The well-known English breedei and j sportsman, Sir Tattoa Sykes, is another > visit, "to. Ausrfcralisi. Sir Tatton Syies is the proprietor of the Sledroere Stud, neer Mai- I ton, Yorkshire, " noted as the birth-place o£ I many 'famous hoT&es. He toureS New Z.ea.-_ land about three years ago. .—. — The beautiful Soult — Dx«amlan3 colt fetched -the highest price at the Cambria. Park sales, - Mrs -Coombe (saya the Judge) ) pluckily outataying Mr Stead, .who 'stopped at 600 guineas. If he is as good 1 as ha -looks Mrs Cocnn.be should not have- paid too miichfor him.-at 625, guineas) , 4 . — Among i- the' winners- «t -the -Lucknow (India.) meeting" recently was the English-bred horse • Sermon, .He carried 10.4 in .the Calcutta" Plate, .and le«t^ all -the iway , Tfie Australian horses,- Metal Boy, Lady MstaLr and- Ruetile were among the starters. The. wfenci- rail the five -furlongs, in -Ijtitti 2seo. ' : " The Sbult-Sprite col*, wihicli sold: :at '860 guineas" «t _.'Hie Cambria Park s-tad sales, was purchased on I>ehaff of 'Sir George Cliffotrd; although that gentleman's same did ; not, figure amongst tha list of buyexa." 'Sprite j is^by Djrwidinough.t from TSHlock; by Noxd«nieldt fxom EMLn, by Musk«t from Sylvf«(» -the dam, of U«xt£ni-Henri. . — Many English papers are still opposed to- the starting- gate ' and. standing starts, and the same feeling exists in America. p~™* tima back. Pij W % .Q. Macdonal^, «£ '

t Geraldton, JSTorth Queossland^ invented a I movable starting gate ikat allows a 60ft walk up for horses, but his Sydney agent failed to interest Sydney men with the innovaI tion. ! — For the privilege of bettinr against the toalisa'tor ,during fha fcur fis».. of tie big W.A.T.C. summer meeting bookmakers were charged 70 guineas for graadstand -enclosure and 30 guineas for the fist:". Quite an acmy applied tar registration. The chaarge for baxting at RaDdlwick, where there is no tatal.issttorf Is iT,6 per year, on? absut 15a a. day. — It -is understood that two "bookmakers will. pay tihe fees of £30 per ctay, -whioh is. to be oha.Tgßd iar the privilege of betting at the Tuapeka County^ Jockey Club'a meet- ■ ing. The m©tropolitan dubs should new have ] .reasonable - grounds for petitioning Parliai ment for permission bo quadruple the fees , wWch axe_at present the mszinrunx allowed under the" Gaming Act. \ — Not many -racing men. nowadays- are apparently able fca grasp the irony of Admiral Rons when he said that he legiaded the luckiest horse in,, a iac_e as~ the second. [ In, a31 r cases 'thjere Is "an excuse, ™,c*fa. for I'himi,- but .never for. the jockey. It was.-.Huxtab-le,, "though we Jiave hieaid the remark attributed "to oili'eis, who said to, the Duchess I of Mcsntrose, "I could* - not .come without ", the 'orae, your Grade,." "" I — I3lev«ition i« » pi;oSb>ble visitor to Aotsj txalia, -and he has displayed such meri1 torious' f orni up to date, that it would be ••. a. good" idea, to send ils ctam xcrosa on a visit -to San Francisco. The- was not handicapped iox the Wellington Cup, "but as Gold Crest w*s- awarded 8.0 vad\ Btmifoxm 8:6, .it would .appear that the adjustments on C.J.C, . spring -farm, would mafca lUeva- . tion about as good or letter than Mr Stead's colt. 1....,-. - ...,-. — For four yaasrs in succession has Mr P. -A. Connollys won the ,Perth uup. c-His l win was with-^the "Positano cedt Post i Town, -.a colt bred- m this,. State, -""by Positano ixoni Holly Jlasham, whom Mr Connolly bought atv the Ramdwick yearling .sales -for ,■, ■ ZtO.ipuiwae. "Blue Spec-, a. sta"ble cojnpanion. of iie winner's, ~"was a Ja/yourite. ,!Notwrth."stsiading _ffiat reports 1 we*e" freely circulatedj , .'as "to -has 'being'- sore and lam^i. he, put" up "a *- record the '' i«oe, - two miles " in. 3min 26isec. ',"' -" T V - ** "" . — American critics are 'usually j»evere.w!hen calling" attention to; iEeatters appertaining ."to spoit'- which do -not .meet* with their ■ "approval. -ImatanceS have been, given of' fiat : race jockeya, handioappera, and- 'stewards being- well "dressed" do.wn," and" now the, stewards of the National Hunt meeting have attention. It is alleged that the I oross-country sport in the States is being j spoiled completely by the incompetence of 'the" . stewards, ,and ■&!£* the . blunders and prejudice of the officials hav-e been , the chief features "oJ the season. — Some salient facts concerning- "tbe^ex; tent of horse racing in Great ; Britain are ( 1 contained "in a recently published, brochure ! -entitled /^Paciip ,of * Gambling. "' Baci. year' - tEere- "are, 230 days' 'fiat racing, _>nd" 262- days', I -racing 'over jumps J^ " Alw,ays -oyer^ iOOO 1 <3joTOUglibreds iofe "in "training "fhioughont" the "oouittryj-- send" to "keep . _fchey cost - aniraally.'/ fftalcea""- rnn'foT in 'aT year are £495,032, of "■which owners provide, "in -nonii- : nations and acceptances about fewo-thirds: This roaEy means rt costs - owners,' i£Boo,ooo ' to, xun'tfeiT iorses for , 7 Arid still the "game^-goes" m>errily\on'. -^ ~' r_-- - r '-,—, — In oommienting ~oti me success or' lack of it whidh~-waa- I »chiered, by the princpal ibekeys . riding in * England 'last season, • "Rapier," ' of-tihe Sporting and Dramatic JNews, says:' — , "Hewitt was feeble- with " 8,98" for 15 ' jjasces in 167 mounts.- Hewitt is to rid«> for-Colonel" Hall Walker' neart 'season,- and it is^ sincerely ,to be hoped that K he wiH -make ar.bettes -Ishow. , One " of the most ? races of the . year was Hewitt's , failure on. ! .Fairy- Story in the\ Vyner a Handicap at Hnist-Park, when he let Paso 'Robles "beat "him, and it is certainly that '.'should* hajve -'won' i& the - comment.' ufter" -Fairy Story's name in the- Turf Guide." ;• —ITn^iba course of an address on: betting and- gambling' at (England) Dio-cesan-Gbriferene© xecently, Dr Williuin Cox, of Wimdhcombe, said lie would* notz suppress hoxssracing. /The .first and "best remedy, for gambling was force'of- example. - His advice to -clergymen and laymen was to> ,go to fo*drj>ball -matches, race -meetings-, and card parties, point a, good l example, and try quietly and: unostentatiously to "prevent betting and gambling. There was one ra<oe he ha 3 never seen/ and like to witniess — the" Granft Katicaiflrl. Sfeeplejtshase^-and" nothing' would please him "Bstter tham to "go ,to Lrrorpooi aim-'in-arm wxth his vicar to'se© that pace. - — "A : few4im© records were establlahed'durivg i&a past year. The faatest-six furlongs in rAnstralasia " to date was acwiniplisb.'ed by LaEnteto,- wEo ran ~Hh& 'journey in Tmin lZiseo ait ".iOancTwick 7as6"-Ootcm«c; - ensra^os b* wwrd, an- Americaoi. horse, set-tmHa SOJseo ue 'a> world's record far. ■nrne furlongs wt Brighton '.Beach, T7.-S.A., in -July.-' Over hurdles; 'Warataih's 3min- 44^ec"-at' Mooaee' Valley -is " best far two; mike . over - seven hWdles. Player got * two-mile-'steepleehase at Cauifieia ~(ll "jumps) "in 3mdn,s3Ssec, and Outcast" was credited with wvering threemiles ,at' Hamiltoh-' ovec 2» steeplechaße " jumps in 6min Ssee. Applogiie's' Melbourne ■Cup'time, 3min 27Jsec-, %quals "the record for tha face. .- . , *- '<" ', — The- Southl*nd" Racing .Club made .the substantial profit of £567 over. its xecen* meeting. v The southern, club hxs fairly good dates for ■$ieir sumnrer meeting, and if the -principal . events on their progj?£mme were endowed" with prizes "the gathering would n» doubt ~be patronised' by aeyeral 1 owners -who TUce their horses at tbe>'Winga?tui Chiistmaai^meetiaig. - The date® of The' 1 two meetings fit in -nicely, aad/'th* club would act wisely if- they launched- out a. ■ : bit more. -,The Goie' Clrib also -adheres "to ; ( stakes which -do- not tempt ■many owners jto travel "far. Both the clubs 1 have good (sacks, «md owners would- not hesitate to patronise both if the cost, of the travelt&ig" was balanced -with -.the possibility of -annexing a useful stake or two. — A- compiler of .statistics in the "Referee" figures' out- that 10- jockeys have now won upwards of £10,000 in -stakes for-theii. various . employers/ The two leaders, W. A. Higgs I and D. Maher, are running a good xace for supremacy, the foimer in 132 races having won J552.-620-; while Mah«x has gained £51,634 in 25 fewer naces. The other riders are* W.. BJalsey "(91 wins, aggregating £0.,75T Ms), BL Lynham 16s>, 0. Iffiadden <39 -^623^85), -,8.- Dillon (84r-J220 ) 774), H. Randall' f65-^EI?^7S), H. Jones (39— £18,635 sa), L'G. ,'M'Cill (61— 214,276 ss), -wxi WiUiamGriggs .{l^-SiZATf). I- will be motroed that these 10 jockeys have -between ..them, won 669 races, aggregjating. 3K80.968 10s," or considerr ably. xnsre.Jilian half" the. value of. all the stakes decided 'during the season.' , — Recently " the SA. J.C.- Commatt«e i re-" ceived , a ' petition signed . by 'the " members of the committee <ofl lihie A.R.C., Tattersall'g ClTib, P.A.R.C., Onkaparinga R.C., and Port . Augusta 'and'Flind'ers' J.C., '-asking for the removal of the dtsquaKficatioii ior 10_ years by the S.A.J.O;, as 1 a xesult" of the inquiry in 'comtß«jaon l ''witit Evening WonrdteP— . M«ori Chief case in 1903. The " oontmittee iemoved {he disg.uaJiflosition. It will ht re- j

mexnbered tnat. Evening Wonder and Maori Chief were nominated at' Oniaparmga. The latter was rErportad io- '6ayeT arrived from New Zealand, and was working at Mc-rphett-ville, but it aiterwaids transpired li.a.t there w^ls ii.o such h.ors» as Maori Chief, and that - th& horse that hed been working at Morp'hc-tt-vilLe under that name was in. reality JEven- ■ ing- Wonder. — -An instance of remaika-Ble' endurance- in a, horse* is given by the writer of Scraps in the- Liver Stock .Tournal," which is. from, "an old writeT on horses," wiho- considers it as a proof of the decided "influence -of the sire. Th& horse -was _ from. * Welsh mare* 11.2 hands high by a "thoroughbred horse named \ Meny , Bat<Shelo'r, one of the horj-es - used twice by Mr ._ Shaffco in his famous lid© - against " time. When, four and "a-half years old the colt did the following remarkable week's woik :^-'^FdT&t d«y carried about • 14.0, 70 miles ;• second day --was hunted with Loard Darlina ton's^-^ottnds," was up at the -death s pf two foxes, being^ out about nine- - hours •„ 'two .following days, coursing; next day, returned^ '.home, 60~ males. ; lie- went througE^-Ohis '-woir£ ''with the greatest ease. He "was about J5 naaidS". in^Tieight." — -zMr John <Jorlett, -proprietor of, the .London Prnk-'ITn, has a- much-treasured mer men to with", a, -mast intereetni&nisfory. " Dur- , ing the South- African war," Colonel "BSddh, I the- owner of the Selton wiiineii Springbok, was %ith a dotachm«at which was .attacked at long range by lie Boeras One of, the shells _which dropped in cami> did not ex; plod£: " After the ' ensagement it was ex*- | mined, and. it was- found that, the "Boers, "j evidently being shcrt/of .e.*pioperJ-plug,'. had, af tei charging it, plugged 1 ' ft with a copy "of the .Pink-'TJn, and on, the "first page opened was an accouuff/of c. big dinner iir ' London, with the unusually long menu- set out in full. And the men, Tread it" had for days^been so short of "rations, that they 'were living. ~bn any garbage tlua-t could "T» picked" wpf Colonel Birkin seat both shell i and paper to "Mx .Corleit. 1 , ,-r-At New^TToik -last mionth a prominent bookmaker 6ame .ta grief, through, being too . we-11-uifbrinedr~_ It „ appears - h»_ was about ; - £50,080- ahead _ of the- game &r this season up' to tiie close of the Belmont Park meeting in October,""/ jand"-th& liberties he toot with hat favourites and his. success in laying very short odde against' what should have been outsiders-a ttracted • attention, with the 're-: ~sv.lt that, at the" request' of the^ Jockey Club, the". Metropolitan, T.nrf -Association — the jrecognisea body of bookmaker^-ha.ve had' to cold'-shouldei 1 Jiim.' This means th«t he .cannot "operate at fh» tracks, and-lie thresctens Teprisalff, . and- will assist the' AntifGambling League ia _ future". He' was in a very - big I vreey of business, as what wrtß running otheiv books"" in 'his iniecreat, decks, 'runners, *nd~ training- track touts, -it is reckoned his staff -totalled 80.- -. •» - — The success of Positanp's stock in, cups is remarkable, pearly every" cup of importance -in- the Commonwealth has -"been-won by one.. of". lda, aonsj 'His -Jateat cup -winner ia . Post Town, who '"followed," up Jiw in Hle^W-A.^ Derby, by' iwkingr the Pertt:,Cup. | -His cup' winnexs are^— Melfrouxne.. Cap' (Lord J Cardigan _ and Pcsei3on)- CaulfieTd'-- CJtrp, (Poseidon twice); , Sydney, -Tattersall'^ 'Club Cup 'I ..(PosiiJjiori),, Sydney "Cup^ (Lord Cardigan), kA:r;C." Birthdiy Cup (MWy" Bang), Perth r Cup^(Msy t Zing' and Post Tpwn), Boulder I -Cap-; (Bins), k KalgoorTie,. Cup . (May" King), ■Metropolitan '(Mooltan), and JDoncaster Handicap, (Littie'ToyJ. Post Town "is- a orother tq^ Rose Haaham, who is of little use; and td~ Roosevelt, a nicevherre, who showed .piomis© (says an exchange),- But who is troubled with,''ba3.legs. Post Tj>wn apparently is not too .sound," but he 'is evidently « fair colt. - — Tha first and! second- "horses (Fltzgrafton and Mallard) in Oho Viceroy's. Cup this year were "bred in -Australia.- By 1 „winnmg, the Viceroy's Cup twice in snccession^"Fitzgr»fton _has envulated the performances of his~consI patriots Favouiite - (who? was successful* in ,-1869 ,andiß7o); 'Satellite (who 'secured "the prize in 1872 and • again in 1575 and-1876), Kingenaft^ (who carried tlie .livery of Mriß. Kelly MaitTand,' to victory iir 1877 and 1878, having previously oaxried "off the prize ,in 1873), Myalls-King (whe-won .under the banner of Lord William Beresford in, 1887 and 18S8, .■and again secured"^ the -coveted 1 prize in - 1890), -Highborn ~(whc-- annexed the prize in 1893 -and 1893), andTGreat' Scot* (who acted •for Mr A. A. Ap'car in*l9Q3 and 1S04). The onjy. others "to -win, twice were the locallybred'miare, 'Meg MerriU-es,. in 1858 and 1559; and - the English-bred gelding- Sprightly, in 1895 'and tne' following year. - —A "somewhat amuping story is related "_froni . the_ Redca'r district. ' A well-known Midland "sportsman;- visited.- Redcar racecourse ■early "one morning during the summer meeting in the Irope- of spotting- out one or two men to Tielp^him" in* 'various tittle iobs conJiected" with -fcisf Jwrses,-.' H& espied a Tialf\«wthjof " sort ~oT 'fel&rwi- loaitng- on, <n»tc!wi^ the 'early -gallops,, "'and^ said to him: "Wow. my , boy, do 7011 want to 'etcrn a dollar 7" /sWey,-' aye, an dbes-ef Ah' gets ;f chance;"- said the .simiplejjooking; one. 1 "Well, I'll tell you what I 'want. 1 several quiet,- sober, steady men-; . bnt,' J "mind you, they must give no T>ack answers.- to me, they must be- -quiet. *' Kow telT me w"here I can find .several, and ■ I'll give you, a <16Har. lr 'The yokel says* "Gie'm' t' SrS sMffifa'. "AhT sbon;-"teE. tha wher, thoo can finnd* " a idbozen. or more."" JHe - received the dollar, and" took t the 'spor ting gentleman down the racecourse, and "into- the cemetery. • gates, and said: "Hoo here tho are. Tho'lL I finnd «s Tnany men -es'thoo /wants lere, am AJi'2 be* boond- not on© of £h* dam Tot well . gie tha-. -a hack answerJ Good marning! Hope thou'l .-finTid *ent all quiet." — Ir'-had never heard till the other day, writes "Rapier;" -in the Sporting" and 'Dr«.-. inmtic; story- of the" two booxaxakers who met ' af their -club to transact '* little business. ; They were excellent friends, always anxiotta to do each other a -turn if it did not interfere too much -with profits, and, after the -usual -greetings. . chat began, about . what was in progress- "I have to bscfc Fjire ',Shovel r " one of them* observed. fWiftafr can you lay against that one?" "WeHf— shsfl we.say 100 to SO?". was iho offer. "Yes," the other answered, "that'll do. How Jntany Eimes?" ."Oh> 1000 ta 300, if yon likgj'-' the first -rejomecl. '"Twice, if you oare .about it?"— "Very -weTT, T don't mind. "Three v tinies, ff. you want any more 1" — "Yes, I'll have ihat-^-8000 to 900.'" 'The "bet was booked,' end the two adjourned for refreshments. -As has been said, .they were, good friends, and the backer, 'of Fire Shovel thought he might as' "wetl t do the .other, a turn' 1 "by telling him where, his inspirations came from,, in qase.Jie might like tq, nave a side" bet, and. et any rate, to wain, him «gainst la.ying,toa long: *~ price. "I may ;as well tell you,"- he kindly and confidentially said, "'.that- Pm backing this for. jthe" owner."*' "Thanks, fmy 3«ar."fellow,""th.e""otheT said. "I thought- perhaps you were*.' But X may as jrell tell, you -Jhat^JCm laying it fbar, the trainer!"' . * ' ' C * -^ In ridiculing the idea that the thorough^ bred is Sieteriomting in 'England, the "Special Commissioner 1 -' "Fromi time to time there comes a year when from drought or other temporary causes .we recognise a . set-back, and the olasic winners bred in - that season. «re below the standard, ljut tHis is only, a halt in the Acbsnce, and often

f enough. w» find' •iJIAt- a year has haxc^f realised ft wfasii they Vere thT«e-yeax-olds; Oif such was Vblodyoveki's- jeax. Tvhen there were 25 runners for the- Derby, all to beoom* nrore or iess famous, and an .even more strifeins example was I«st "year— Spearmint' s— for even -now we- ere discussing' the relatiw merits of the great , four-year-olds. Radium and The White Knight, neither of whom was placed in the Derby, and we have seen fouio yesn:-o! y ds" toil, first, second, and third lor th» Cesarewitdh, and first and second fox tha Cambridgeshire^ ' More than that, there' ar* 1 - such, champion "l*-Tour-year-olds" l *-Tour-year-olds a« Xially, Saucy," and -Gold Riadi,- not to mentioit Bridge «f Canny, and it may be that Key*, ; stone H -is- nat even now playsd out. JinyV j | hoY, they niaka up> a. strong - lot, QlougH '- Spearmint, Eicton, and 1 TxoutbscS;, the firar.. three in. 'last yeair'a Derby, axe no longer vS fc . train&g, and though, the same' may- be saiff'i of Gorgos, the- Two -Thousand Guineas win-i i' ncr, whom -the Due ■-de- Gxamont has sliownr,-; gr«at judgment in -buying for "Franci;" '"^^ !- — A jraoe " which excited more than ordliV Tiwry' interest wea jrun at the Liverpool (Eng< A; land) met ting last month, Retexxing to- ihi|S 2 meeting, the London Sportsman- saya : * "In> 'f teresi wd» .sustained to , the- finish, and, ■ *»^i a. -matter of fact, the last race of all-"fur»*,^ -perhaps njoMT excitement th / an__iiny{t''; oth^r run during the four days. It waa'.'fiwf Ormer-od PJTaie, and "there were, only twofe "' runners, Loid 1 DerbyjS^Burso&ugib and ~lKKo*f, Carnarvon's Carnegi«. The one had '<*&■'. l : many, frienda «a> th« others with the lesultfci! that even money wasr accepted about eitßeryi^ • and this-. proved an.- accurate forecest^wi^ what was -going to happen. ' Maher xq&iji:* BtixEcough and Dillon Carnegie. The formerwj - west away.; with the lead", and kept "it ."foi^y ' «b mile, when, Carnegie , took, closer order<j; Tie- ground. Tiad been , so ,cut up next tEa^ rails'- -at th* bend into the straight" ttta#f-"j both jpdkeys "senEibly gave it z wide berthas and swepjt rKht-out on to tlie: sound goingif* Cainegie made his effort, anfi when Maher,. - was seen to, ait down, and rick, in eftrneefr- ' witfi 'tha4 'high-shouldex action which, ia - characteristic of Tiim when the case is dss- J . perate-, ,the cßaa&pions- of Carnegie were iiis_ - high. 'feather r-*bu't-"BuEsoougb, who, was. o» . ' the "better ground, hung on tenaciously., vn.il ■ the other could not go away from. him. .TH \ was » tremendous battle thronghout the laafec ' ftirlong," and naithei animal could -have beeni *^ -~ better 'assi-sted in the matter «f horsem*a-*J ,- ship:". Each deserved, to ww.'and once-, it di 65"7 «ppear-flikely , fch«it the result would be »' } dead h^V-'Sut Burscongb- he.ld" his; own, andf.^ won by half, « lengtli.-. The. hoisting of th«, winning, nttmber waa- received 1 with, .muds - v : cheering. * . ,'-