By "Old Turfite."

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 18, 15 January 1881, Page 175

By "Old Turfite."

The entries and acceptances for the Hawke's Bay Racing Club annual meeting, to be held on the 19th and 20th of January, are very poor, and point to the folly of having two clubs in a place like Napier. Most of the horses are local ones ; therefore not much interest Avill be taken in the races. Hailstorm, if he has any pretensions to win the Wellington Cup, should have no trouble in landing the District Plate, and Grand Duchess, if worth keeping in trainIng, ought to have no difficulty in placing the Hawke's Bay Cup to her owner's credit. Soucar reads her most dangerous opponent.

The weights for the Wellington Clip, which is the next important Handicap on the tapis, have been adjusted in a manner very similar to "those of the Auckland Cup. Twenty have •declared content, Foul Play heading the list with 9st. 71b. At this impost I think he is ■out of it. He won the Auckland Cup easily, but the fall of Libeller and King Quail disposed •of his most dangerous opponents ; moreover, the time of the race was not particularly good. In the Grand Stand and Stewards' Handicaps the horse was easily beaten by Libeller at a difference first of 26lbs. and second of 241bs. Since "the Auckland Cup Mr. Lance has sold him ; therefore it is probable he has a better one in Natator, who, at Sst. 31b., reads most danjgerous. Natator showed good form at the ■Christchurch meeting when he won the Metropolitan with 7st. 121 b., but he is a difficult horse to train, his feet being very bad. If, however, he conies to the post lit and well he will take a great deal of beating. Betrayer, Bst, 31b., is all to pieces, and I do not expect to *cc him at the post. Volunteer, Sst., has long been expected to do a good thing, but I do not think this will be his journey. Hailstorm, 7st. •161 b., has been spoken about as a good horse when Mr. Powdrell has him fit, and his running "both last year and this spring points to him as being able to stay. lam afraid, however, he has hardly enough pace to land a big race like this. Libeller, 7st. 41b., reads well after his perform.■ances at the Auckland races. His running down South whilst out of Mr. Walters' hands must be ignored. Grand Duchess I can have nothing to do with, as she is an arrant jade, and not one of the soundest. Virginia "W ater, 7st. 31b., is looked upon as such a good thing for the Divnedin Cup that I think it is doubtful If she will put in an appearance. liandwick, 7st. lib., has been picking up some small races down Sou til, and has been nibbled at for the Dunedin Cup. I should not be surprised to see him pull off a good race some day, but he belongs to a curious stable, and it would be dangerous to touch him till the market proves it is his day out. Venus Transit I have no faith in, as she has been at the ntu<l and was unsound when she went there. Badsworth is not good enough, and Lady Emma, 7st., has quite enough to carry, but she could not expect less, as her form in Australia last year was very good. If however, she has come on, she will take a deal of beating with all the weight, and if she starts, the public will be sure to have a square run for the nionev, as Keen will be sure to do his best for Sir Hercules Robinson. Norseman, 7st., ran like a stayer in the Canterbury Cup, but at -fche Wellington Spring Meeting he was all amiss ; still he is fancied by many. The Governor and On Dit are reported by some to be capable of doing a good thing when wanted, "but they have done nothing to warrant that belief. For the others I have no fancy. In summing up, I think that Natator, Libeller, Lady Emma or Hailstorm will furnish the winner, the two former for choice.- As I have, however, said before, I can only point out what appears good on paper, as I am sorry to say that too much depends now-a-days on the betting .market.

There can be no sort of doubt that the .madman-like plunging of one individual at the late races paralysed the betting and induced no end of false prices. Again and again when the odds Ayere properly about 5 to 4 on a horse, this idiot was betting 2 to 1, and doing it in such large sums that the books -were full directly, and those who fancied the chance at a fair price, got stalled oft. This was particularly the case in the Grand Stand Handicap, for which plenty of folks would have been glad to lay a shade of odds (say 5 to 4) on Foul Play. No sooner, however, did the wagering commence than our friend must offer fours to one on the .horse, and at this price, of coxirse, as well as at three and two's he was freely accommodated. There can be no doubt too that in the Hurdle Race this imbecile " stiffened" the Agent by his absurd plunging. Overnight he would insist against the better judgment of his advisers in laying 2 to 1 to very heavy sums on Patsy Butler's horse, and when informed that lie had cooked his own goose, he merely smiled and thought himself very clever. Next morning, of course, it was a case of Laying any price on Lone Hand to get back the money lost on Agent, so that when the race was awarded to Harry Mount, he had some excuse for looking "blue." It is to be 'hoped that the gentlemen who have charge of this weakminded individual willprevent him repeating the " same old game" ■at Easter. If he Avants to lose some of Ids father's superfluous cash, by all means let him toss with Dick Clarke or have a nice quiet game of hazard with some of the southern "talent," but for everybody's sake,, keep him out of the paddock. Once in a way is quite often enough to have the betting revolutionised and all sorts of absurd prices foisted on us.

Mr. Hately has published the weights for the Wangamii meeting. Taking them as a whole, the handicaps are not much to be found fault with, though with the Auckland running staring him in the face, he has been rather eccentric in adjusting some of the weights with regard to the horses that ran there. This shows the mistake of having a handicapper who is unable to get about and see horses run. Still, with his proverbial luck, he will be sure to bring them pretty close at the finish, and have good fields. As there are many important meetings to be held prior to Wanganui, it would be absurd to attempt to point out the winner. The following, however, have nothing to complain of : — Grip, 7st. 131 b.; Volunteer, 7st, 101 b.; Libeller, 7st. 41b.; Rand-wick, 7st. lib.; Virginia Water, 6st. 131 b.; King Quail, 6st. 121 b.; and Miss Domett, 6st. 61k, in the Cup. The handicap for the Stakes is very similar, and will depend a great deal on previous running. The Flying Handicap is a lottery at present, but Billingsgate, 9st. 71b., is not out of it. I believe him to be one of the fastest horses seen for years in New Zealand. The newly-named Legerdemain, bottom weight, is also turned loose.

Mr. E. Griffiths has been appointed handicapper to the Canterbury Autumn Meeting. \ Grey Momus has been turned out, and will not run again till the Wangnnui Autumn Meetjng. Sir Hercules Robinson's filly, by King Cole, out of Skittlesharper, has been named Legerdemain. The South Australian Jockey Club have con- ; firmed the V.R.C.'s disqualification of Mata. The racehorse Melbourne died of thirst at the Bindon Station, on the Wnrrego, Queensland. He would not drink the brackish water. Norman Haines, who was, at one time, a member of the New Zealand Ring, died the other day at the early uge of 33. Sir Thomas Elder has announced his intention to give a £100 gold cup to the Adelaide Cup race this year. To the Editor — Sir : Kindly inform me what horse won the Auckland Steeplechase Summer Meeting, 1880.— M.A.S. Answer: Lonehand. Footstep, who won the Liverpool Autumn Cup as a three-year-old, and the Lincolnshire Handicap in her next season, died recently from inflammation of the bowels. Those who stuck to the old W.iikato double and backed Sportsman and King Quail, for the Hurdles imd Cup at Cambridge, have now good cause to bo satisfied. Lord Burghley has recovered .sufficiently from his late accident at ilurrumbidgee, to enable him to be removed to Rondwick, where he is taking walking exercise. The paragraph alxmt the fielding at the All England match, quoted from the Sportiwj Times, which was in the Herald* " Phaetonisms" on Saturday last (January Bth) apponrcd in the OiiSKnvna's " Out door sports" of Nov. 27th., word for word. It is openly stated that one of the Southern talent, who gave himeelf out as a member of Tattorsall'B and better with, much freedom at the recout meeting, was at one period of his career, sent to Mount Eden for pocket picking. Grand Flaneur (says the AitsU-alnsian) performed a Rensationnl gallop <it Flemington on December 23rd. He was sent three times round the tan with Avernus, Hales riding the Cup winner and a 6st. boy Avernus. The pace was gradually increased, and racing awny for the last mile they rnu it in lru. 505., which is the fastest, I think, ever mado for a circuit of the tan. "Beacon" writes that now Foul Piny is sold, i Mr. Lance has as good a on« in the Wellington Cup, in Natator, while Betrnyer is quite at home with Bst. 31b., and sees nothing to beat them unless it is Litdy Emma, who hns not raced since she came to the colony. He also states that he thinks the reason Mr. Lance sold Foul Play is that his form is too well known now. This looks bad for Mr. McDonald's recent, purchase. Heavy swells will please note that, according j to the Rulo Ko. 17 of TRttermill'B Club, "all bets must be ; paid on the nettling night, each settling night to be on the dny succeeding the meeting (if not otherwise declared by the Committee of TattorsaH's by public adverviaement, or notice posted in the Subscription Boom). All person* not complying uith this Rule .'hall be considered defaulters." It is understood that a well-known member of the local " talent " hns made up his mind to " post " at Tattereall's Club an owner of race-horses who has owed him money since the lnst tuitnnm meeting. As this party paid hard cash to the Southern King over the late races, his conduct is quite inexcusable, and should he be thus disgraced no ono will sympathise with him. From the ridiculously authoritative manner in which that pompous little personage " Phueton" writes, one would really think he was an elderly and experienced turfite, as well acquainted with Epsom Downs, Newmarket Heath and Doncaster Town Moor as with Randwick and Flemington. Ab a matter of fact, this sporting authority is a New Zealander, bred and born, who has really never seen a first-clues thoroughbred, or an historical race in his life. But then, of course, " anybody" does to do the Herald's sporting. A meeting of the Committee of Tattersall's was held on Thursday afternoon last, to consider a dispute between Mr. Drake and one of the heaviest losers at the late races. The backer being unable to meet his engagements (about £1200 in all) ottered the Ring half cash and half bills at four months, and these terms were accepted at a meeting of bookmakers by all except Drake. The latter claimed the full amount due to him, and this, after some discussion, the Committee awarded. The money was raised somehow, and he leaves for the South jubilant. The majority of the Southern "talent" went [ south by the Arawata' ' on Friday last, taking with them a goodly supply of northern loot. One plunger alone has contributed, or perhaps I shonld say, will contribute the nice little sum of £1100 towards the Ring's expenses whilst other luckless dwights are mentioned as having dropped £350, £200, and £75 respectively. The £1100 was not got all in a minute. On Wednesday, the word "defaulter" was being freely whispered about, end sundry bookmakers might have been seen " rampaging" around like madmen. Thursday, however, set things straight again, for about noon a compromise— half cosh and half bills, was arrived at. j How comes it that two bookmakers, known to be Axistrolian defaulters were admitted to Tattersnll's during the late meeting. One of them, I hear, has gone South, owing an Aucklander a big double, and so far as can be seen, there is not the least chance of his getting the money. If I were the loser in this transaction, I should kick up a fine row. What in the name of common sense is the use of a Tattersall's Club if one is liable to meet people of this description there. We pay our guineas I presume, in order to make sure that all bets booked in the room will be made with persons of known (sporting) character and respectability. The Bulletin says : " Sweetmeat barely beat Wellington for third 'place in- the Champion Stakes. What an agreeable disappointment Sweetmeat's starting and getting a place must have been, to fhe holders of his number in Mr. Miller's various consultations. It is reported, however, thut some fortunate speculator went round and bought up the tickets before it was known he was going to start." Queer things are done in England as well as in Australia. Mr. Gretton, the great brewer, had two horses, Prestonpans and Fernandez, entered for tho Liverpool Autumn Cup. Fernandez became the favourite with the public, and the owner set on certain large bookmakers to do nothing else for a week but lay against him, while, at the same time, the bulk of the illgotten money was being put on Prestonpans. At the appointed hour Fernandez was scratched, and Prestonpans won the race. The winner was ridden by Fordham, and was purchased as a two-year-old for £6000.