TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 39

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel.

THE DUNEDIN SUMMER MEETING. The Dimedin Jockey Club experienced fino weather for both days of their summer meeting, and struck one big factor towards building up the success of a racing programme. The attendance was very satisfactory on both days, but many well-known patrons of Wingatui were absent. Several had journeyed off to the Auckland Cup meeting, where an unusually attractive programme was to come up for decision. As the result of a long spell of dry weather the Wingatui course was rather hard, particularly along the straight and round the top bend. The back stretch, however, provided fair going, and it was noticed that, whilst some of the horses could stride out freely enough along the back, they could not do so when they left the fourfurlong post behind. The hard state of the going kept several horses in their boxes, and amongst these were the two English fillies Winter Cherry and Love Token, whom if, would have been interesting to see under silk. Accidents to Adjutant and Glendower put them out of action, and others, again, were given one rare only. The two yearold events were a disappointment both in the way of nominations and in the sport th'ey provided. It has, however, not always been so; and, although fields have never been particularly big at this time of the year, the youngsters, nevertheless, at times provided some interesting sport, and a pleasing change from the contests between the rank and file of the handicap brigade. The. hurdle events are even more risky in the way of drawing fields than the two-year-old events, but tiny provided some interesting sport, ns well as giving an opportunity for some aspirants for jumping honours to make their first appearance in that role. The cards for both days provided some interest in;; sport, and close

finishes were quite common, particularly on the second day, "when exciting battles

climaxed the majority of the events decided during the afternoon. The financial returns fell below those of last year's meeting, and in this respect formed a contrast to some of the northern meetings, where money seemed to be in abundance. It is, however, not merely the amount of money which makes a meeting, although it is a •very necessary factor towards that object, but rather the sport and tone of the running. Taken all round, the meeting must bo deemed a success under existing circumstances, and ■with such an achievement everyone connected with the sport should bo quite content.

A WELCOME BOOK. A very welcome and what should be a much-appreciated book has come to hand in the shape of a pocket edition of the New Zealand Turf Register. It contains the result of the racing taking place from August 1 to December 7, 1916, and the trotting which has taken placo from the first of the season up to December 18, 1916. The information is set out m just tho same manner as in the annual edition, and such a handy guide to form up-to-date should command a ready sale. Tho book is issued by the Christchurch Press Company, and no student of form could afford to be without a copy. AN INTERESTING DECISION. Tho immortal Mr Bumble is not alone in his opinion of the law, and not infrequently occasions arise when one is inclined to share it. To the lay mind the law is a labyrinth composed of the English language through which one has to seek a guidance from a bunch of lawyers. Even then there is generally found much food for thought before saying at least au revoir to those who sit in justice and legal juggling. A peculiar and interesting case lias recently been decided in Victoria. It appears that a Mr D. M'Namara won two races with a pony named Dante. In the first case a protest was entered, but dismissed. An appeal was lodged with the Victoria Racing Club, but it was also dismissed. The evidence, however, was of such a nature that the Victoria Racing Club made further investigations, with tho result that tho pony Dante was declared to be identical with a pony known as Kingaroy, though that was not so with the knowledge of M'Namara. The committee thereupon ordered the pony to be disqualified. The ruling authorities also advised that the club under which the alleged Dante hid won two races should pay the stakes to the second horse, and that bets followed the stakes. M'Namara took the case to the County Court, and obtained a decision in his favour.- The club appealed to the Full' Court, where a decision was again given in M'Namara's favour. The Chief Justice, Sir John Madden, said that the Victoria Racing Club could disqualify the pony, but it could not in the circumstances of this case interfere with the disposal of the stakes which rightly belonged to the plaintiff. On the decision of tho stewards alone, under which the pony raced, did the passing of the stakes depend. No other body had power to interfere with the stakes. ~-i question arose whether, under rules 27 to 30, the committee of the Victoria Racing Club had the right to dispose of stakes as well as disqualify the pony. He did not think the rules gave that control over the stakes. The committee of the V.R.C. had power to disqualify where dishonest practices were proved to its satisfaction; but in such a case it was not empowered to take away stakes or to interefere at all with the disposition of the stakes. In this case he assumed that it had rightly disqualified this pony, being satisfied that there had been some fraud connected with it. But that did not affect the stakes, and the appeal affecting the stakes having being dismissed, the plaintiff was entitled to the stakes. Mr Justice A'Boekott and Mr Justice Hood concurred with Sir John Madden's remarks, tho first-named remarking that the committee of the Victoria Racing Club went beyond its powers in determining that Dante did not win because afterwards it was disqualified for deception. Such a retrospective effect of disqualification as was claimed 'in this instance was not warranted by any rules. Here we have three of the principal judges of Australia giving a united opinion that is a very interesting one to racing men. With it, however, many racing men will not be inclined to agree. In the first place it is readily agreed that M'Namara was quite innocent of the fact that the pony he ran as Dante was in reality one known as Kingaroy. That much seems to have been clearly established. That being so, any stakes won by Kingaroy under tho name of Dante could not rightly be claimed as belonging to the owner even though he was quite innocent of the change of names. If- such a ruling stood and was set up as a precedent it would open a very wide field to fraudulent practices. A person, for instance, might innocently run a three-year-old in the Welcome Stakes or the Maribyrnong Plate, and in the event of winning would seem under the above decision to be entitled to retain or claim the stakes, even when the mistake was discovered. Such a state of \affairs would be absurd. A horse running under a wrong or false name or ago stands as ineligible to run. and if a horse is ineligible for a race it should not, in common justice; and fairplay, gain the stakes in the event of a win. If the opinion of Sir John Madden and his legal colleagues stands it may be taken as a sure thing that people will be found who will make strong efforts to make others tho innocent owners of a horse which is "subsequently" discovered to be able to gallop very fast. A horse would probably go through the ownership of two or three people, and after perhaps being passed on and on as a hack or hunter, some purchaser would eventually discover that it was worthy of a chance on the turf, he, being, of course, totally ignorant of the fact that the horse was already a performer, but not so the others, who would keep on its track whilst the change of owners was effectually blinding the trail. If such a stato of affairs was allowed to exist, it would be necessary for clubs to seek authority ot conspicuously brand every racehorse, particularly those if might be necessary to disqualify, as a good horse placed under the ban for a lengthy period is just the animal which is suitable for those inclined to fraudulent practices, during tho course of which they may make innocent victims of others. In flu's case we have a legal interpretation of tho Rules of Racing taking the opposite view to that held by tho administrators of racing law. A MIXED-UP PEDIGREE. A Christchurch paper reprints an interesting article written some years ago by the late "Mr G. Layng, formerly editor of the American Breeder and Sportsman, in

reference to the pacing stallion Prince Imperial. A mistake which occurred in the article is repeated, and n i.-. also made in the -New Zealand Trotting Stud Book. The mistake occurs in the statement that Dexter was by Traduccr, whereas he was by 'talisman, a son of Traduccr. Talisman was out of Azuccna, the winn< r of the second Canterbury Derby, run in 1863. In Vol. i of the Trotting Stud Book, Dexter is stated to be by Talisman, but in Vols. II and ill his sire is s-iven as Traduccr. This mistake is corrected in Vol. IV. Dexter travelled tho_ Taieri district, and in an advertisement which appeared in the (Jtago Witness in 1890 ho is described as a rich dark brown, with black points. He was really Talisman (son of Traduccr), from Gentle Annie, "the far-famed trotting marc imported from Australia." "For speed and as a weight-carrier (so runs tho advertisement), she was unexcelled in her day. In 1866, on the Papanui road. Gentle Annie, with lost up, won a four-mile trotting race in 12.40, beating Orlando by 175yds. Orlando carried 8.7, and had tho master rider, Bob Ray, up. Tho stakes were £IOO. In Mr Layng's article Gentle Annie, the dam of Dexter, is said to be a mare of unknown pedigree, but the advertisement states that she was an Australian mare, and the Stud Book gives her siro as Sportsman. Apparently she was regarded as something out of the common, and that idea is created by the fact that she visited such stallions as the imported thoroughbred horses Caledon, Albany, and Traduccr. She was said to be bred by a Mr Borham, of Victoria, and got by Sportsman, from • a half-bred mare. Sportsman is probably identical with the horse of that name bred in 1849 in New South Wales, and sent to Victoria in about 1854. He was got by Waverley, from Jessy, by an imported horse named Mullyson. Dexter is unknown in tail male at tho present time, but he will always be kept in memory by two marcs that should develop into two of the best taproots in the Trotting Stud Book. These mares are Imperialism, a grand-daught< r of Dexter, who has produced Emmeline, Aileen, Evelyn, and Emilius: and Ruahine, another grand-daughter of Dexter, who is the dam of Ferns, Dan Patch. Gladiator, Phingari, Glendalough, Innisfail, and St. Kevin.

A' GREAT LINE. The triumph of Depredation in the Auckland Cup and the excellent form shown by The Toff and Eligible gives solid evidence that the Musket line in tail male .s well worthy of cultivation. The great proof of merit in the racehorse is success on the racecourse, and it should never be forgotten that Carbine, Trafalgar, and Wakeful, a trio of the greatest performers over seen in tho turf, arc all tail male descendants of the mighty Musket. The line should be kept well alivo by Boniform at this end of the world, and seems to have taken a fresh lease of life by being sent back to England and then returned to Australasia. In England Spearmint, whom that great horseman D. Maher said was the best horse he ever rode.'is doing well at the stud, and so are others of the line. In Australia Wallace and Pistol are keeping it alive, and do well, and in this country Boniform has won the right to better patronage and appreciation. Now we have another scion of the family in Campfire siring an Auckland Cup winner. Campfire was got by Carbine from Revelry, by Peter —Reveillon. by Cambuscan. Cambuscan is well known to students of breeding as the sire of Idalia, who threw Sir Modred and other good performers and producers. Depredation was bred by Mr T. Hood, and got by Campfire from Gosling, by Amphion (St. Leger— Watersprite) from Goosander (sister to Merganser), by Nordenfeldt—Albatross. by Malta —Auk, by The Marquis—Seagull, by Fisherman —Omen, by Melbourne. This is a stout pedigree, and strongly suggestive of staying power and stamina. It is pleasing to note that Depredation is a colt, and if his individuality is in keeping with pedigree and performances, he reads a likely sort to keep alive one of the stoutest lines in the Stud Book.