Racing Reflections.

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 9, 30 December 1893, Page 18

Racing Reflections.

(By "Broncho.”)

On Friday, the Bth inst., a curious case was heard at the Kyneton (Vic.) Pohce Court. A coloured man, named Marshall, was charged with occupying a stand and betting at the Kyneton races on the previous Wednesday. At the outset the accused admitted the offence. Sergeant Young stated that bookmakers who are not honestly inclined resort to the system of “balancing,” that is, they pretend after a race that they have no money, and only give back to the successful bettors the amounts deposited in their hands when making the wagers. By this means they retain the odds, and work a deliberate swindle on those foolish enough to bet with them. The accused was one of that class. He bet four halfcrowns to one with one Thomas Morley that Soprano would not win the Selling Race. Soprano, however, won, and then Marshall disputed the wager, tore up the betting ticket which he had given to Morley, told the latter he had backed Approval, and absolutely refused to pay over the wager, but gave back his halfcrown to Morley. The accused also tampered with his betting book to make it appear that it was Approval and not Soprano that Morley had backed. The bench sentenced the accused to fourteen days’ imprisonment in the Castlemaine gaol, and remarked that those who bet with such men, and thereby encourage lawbreaking, should be proceeded against by the police, and receive < the same amount of punishment as the welshers.

In dealing with Mr. E. M. Clark’s antibetting bill, which was recently introduced into the New South Wales Assembly, “ Reginald,” in a Wagga ex-* change, wrote the following very trite remarks: —There is a certain clique—in a hopeless minority, be it said —who look upon every racegoer, no matter who he or she may be, as beyond redemption. In opposition to this undoubtedly false impression I may state that some years ago I made the acquaintance of a clergyman —of what creed no matter — whose figure was well known in more than one saddling paddock. That he bet I knew; he made no secret of it, in fact. And one day during a conversation I was cheeky enough to touch upon the subject. He replied, pretty warmly, “ Look here, my lad, I, as you well know, never miss a race meeting that I can possibly get to. What is more, I always have a pound or two on my fancy, and though I flatter myself I am as devout in my calling as most others, my conscience never tells me I am doing wrong.” “ We must admit,” he went on to say, “ a shady side to the racecourse, but there is no occasion to get that far.” He finished up thus, “ You asked me for my opinion, and I don’t mind telling, you that I firmly believe a man can go to any race meeting, bet according to his means, and his conduct would be no worse than if he attended a Sunday School picnic.” That is the summing up of a man who thoroughly understood both sides of the

question, and his reasoning is correct without the shadow of a doubt.

The Boxing Day race meetings were multifarious as usual. It would be difficult to estimate how many there were, but it is certain the number exceeds forty, and I shall therefore restrict myself to those in which the most local interest is taken. ,

At Auckland, we hear, the attendance was the largest ever seen at Ellerslie, and the sport was most interesting. It appears that Loyalty declined the Trial Handicap in which he had the crusher for a three-year-old of 9st. 51b. In his absence the race was an open one, and after a pretty struggle the prize fell to the smart filly Annabelle, who brought herself into note by winning the Onehunga Cup, Spring Handicap. The Great Northern Foal Stakes was participated in by seven youngsters, and a pretty race resulted in Mr. L. D, Nathan’s roan colt Three Star'just beating the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s Nixie. Three Star, who is appropriately named, being by Castor— Vivandiere, was known to be smart in spite of his colour, and started favourite. Then came the Auckland Cup, which has been the principal sporting topic of the last few weeks, and" in connection with which the chances of Rosefeldt, Skirmisher, Brigand, and Dilemma, have been most industriously canvassed. Could we have been assured that Rosefeldt would prove the best of these we must have come to the conclusion that in her we had the winner on our side. But, notwithstanding that this was the case, the New Zealand Cup heroine could only get third to what ? To the two greatest outsiders on the machine, Pegasus and Ida. When Major George’s The Workman broke down, it was thought the stable was out of the Cup altogether, for the second string Pegasus, though a son of the redoubtable Nelson, was repoited in very indifferent fettle and was scarcely mentioned in the quotations. But it is the unexpected which often happens in racing. The telegraph has brought us the news thac Pegasus has won and that the great favourite, Skirmisher, is unplaced. What are his Derby prospects now ? The dividends which paid £35 and £23 10s., tell us plainly that the stable did not back the colt. 1 hope some of my readers did. Pegasus is the greatest outsider that has won the Auckland Cup since it fell to the colt’s father in 1881.

_. That most useful horse, Despised, having carried list, to victory from a good field in the Hurdles, Mr. D. O’Brien’s wonderful colt, Loyalty, comes out for the Railway Handicap and makes mincemeat of those opposed to him while giving lumps of weight to horses of all ages. A Nordenfeldt filly, Norina by name, was too fast for eleven others in the Nursery Handicap. Sepoy, who beat fifteen others, paid the nice dividends of .£22 11s. and £l2 Bs. in the Pony Race, and then a setto in the finish of the Christmas Handicap between those old opponents, Lottie and Tulloch, in which the former prevailed brought the-proceedings to a close. In the Wairarapa, the Masterton-Opaki Jockey Club scored a record in the attend-

ance and the totalisator investments, and a deuced good day’s sport was enjoyed by those present. Mr. T. H. Hill wielded the starter’s flag with that success which is always associated with his efforts, and Mr. Waddington, the secretary, was here there and everywhere. In the Hack Hurdles Mr. J. Armstrong’s Vivacious, who has improved out of all knowledge lately, had an easy task which was rendered easier by Piki-huia, who looked like malting a race of it, running off at the last hurdle but one. Vivacious was a hot favourite and only paid £1 15s. Then in the Waipipi Handicap Messrs. Cave Bros, gave a field of five a taste of the quality of their speedy gelding, Sea Serpent, by Piscatorious —Rumour. Ike Freeth’s colt, Revolt, who carried the same weight (Bst) was favourite, but he quite extinguished what chance he possessed by bolting from the starting post and doing a steeplechase on his own account in the neighbouring pastures. The capers he cut fairly knocked him out, and although he went to the front for about half a mile, he shut up in the straight, and left Sea Serpent to fight it out with the lightly weighted mare Sedition. The finish, though a pretty one, was all in favour of' Sea Serpentupon whom Daly rode a waiting race. The dividend paid was £3 12s. A nice looking Somnus mare is Mr. T. Bay’s Minora the winner of the Maiden Hack Race. For this “ Mr. Henry’s’ Meddler was made a hot favourite but he ran very disappointingly, being unplaced. That Pikihuia might have made a race of it with Vivacious was proved by the pace he showed in this race for at one time he looked like winning; and finished second. The Opaki Stakes brought out a field of six, and as soon as the numbers went up there was a great run upon Mr. Tancred’s Senator who had to carry 4 lbs. over weight. Primero 7st. 31b. (including ,31b. over) Kent 7st. 51b. (including 31b. over( and Sedition 7st. lib. (including 51bs. over) were also well backed. The race resolved itself into a struggle for the last two furlongs between Kent and Senator, and the former ultimately won it easy. He is a nice, evenmade and compact looking colt showing the quality of his breeding. St. George, Red Rose, and he will be heard of to greater advantage bye and bye. Later on in the Telegraph Stakes he frightened out Sea Serpent, Silent Friend, and Sedition, and had another easy win, though for half a mile Revenge led in great style. Kent’s contribution to his friends in the Opaki • Stakes was £3 19s. and in the Flying £1 15s. In the Handicap Hack Race 1J mile only four started viz. Brookfield (Bst. 61b.), Mako Mako (Bst. 41b.), Delusion (Bst. 41b.), and Vivacious (7st. 71b.) Brookfield was in better fettle than he has been this season and won a good race without much to spare from Mako Mako. The time, 2min. 17 4-sth secs., was very good for the course. In the Flying Hack, as there was no penalty, Brookfield (Bst. 81b.) looked to have a soft thing, and his owner apparently thought so too for he backed him freely. Daly showed a terrible lack of-judgment in the way he rode the race. Instead of making every post a winning post, as he' could have done with safety, he kept Brookfield

about fourth until well into the straight. Then he sat down to ride him and, to make a long story short, he managed at the finish to get his mount done by a head, to the consternation of his owner and backers who thought they had a “ monte.” Voltaire, the winner, is a 3-year-old gelding by Master Agnes from the cast-off mare Polly. He belongs to Mr. W. H. Donald,- of Palmerston. The Consolation gave a win to Mr. W. Martin’s Primero who, with Bst. 101 b., pretty easily beat three others, of whom Princess of Whales (Bst. 21b.) was next best. The totalisator investments during the afternoon amounted to £2,54.2, which is a substantial -increase on the returns of the Club’s last year’s Christmas Meeting.

At the Lower Valley Jockey Club’s Meeting, at Martinborough, the attendance was smaller and the speculation less brisk than at Opaki. The sensation of the meeting was the unexpected defeat of Mr. Martin’s mare, Betina (Bst. 131 b.), in. the L.V. J.C. Cup two miles. The journey was evidently too long for the mare, and she finished last in a field of three, the winner being Mr. C. B. Bidwill’s colt, Arrius, by Master Agnes, who had the light weight of 6st. 71b, to carry, and carried it well. Mr. K. McKenzie’s Viola II (7st. 81b.) finished second and her owner entered a protest against the winner on the ground that he had gone the wrong side of a post. After hearing very conflicting evidence the stewards confirmed the judge’s decision. The Hurdle Handicap fell to Langley the Devil and the Hack Hurdles to Nuts, both being well supported by the public. Arrius won the Martinb.orough Handicap, and Bangor landed both the Maiden Hack and the Hack Handicap.

At Palmerston North they seem to have had gay old times at the first day of the Club’s Summer Meeting. There were over 3,000 present, and over .£6,000 was put through the machine. The course was in good condition and there was some excellent racing. The first race, the Telegraph Handicap, resulted in a surprise, as the favourite, Muskeeter, who had been heavily backed had to go down to the improving King John, who paid a dividend of £5 16s. Oaklands, with a light weight, again managed to beat Unity, and Caloola in the Hurdle Bace, and then Spraydon very unexpectedly beat Lonely and three others in the Hack Hurdles, paying a dividend of £8 Bs. The good thing, Au Bevoir (Bst. 61b). came off in the Cup, but Mr. P. Butler’s horse had all his work to do to beat Monte Carlo, who ran him to a head amid great excitement. The time, 2min. 46 2-sths. sec., was nothing great. Krina (7st. 71b.) was a good third, and the constant Musket, the disappointing King Harry, and the much vaunted Pill were nowhere. Mr. J. Better’s grey mare Magazine a daughter of Torpedo, having asserted her superiority in the Hack Handicap mile, Mr. J. Paul’s Variety came out of her shell in the Grand Stand Handicap' 1 mile, beating Gun Cotton, Pomsettia and Musketeer and rewarding her backers with £1 Bs. dividend. The concluding race was the

Ladies Braclet 14 mile which fell to the favourite, Mr. J. Prosser’s Pumau.

Not much interest would have been taken in the Hawke’s Bay Summer Mooting in Wellington had it not been for a very curious and likewise suspicious incident which occurred in connection with the Post Stakes, of SOsovs., which followed the Two-Year-Old Handicap. The race resulted in Pinrose (Bst.) boing first, and Avis (Bst. 71b.) second. On weighing in, it was found that Pinrose could not draw his weight and he was accordingly disqualified and Avis declared the winner. At first sight this would not appeal* any extraordinary thing, but when other facts are mentioned then it may appear differently. In Wellington on Tuesday morning telegrams were received by nearly all the local bookmakers asking them to lay starting price against Avis. This was done' to the extent of about a hundred and fifty pounds, and the then bookmakers began to “ kick,’’ for it was noticeable that Avis was almost the only horse backed. When the news of Pinrose’s disqualification was received, with the addition that Avis had been declared the winner, there was naturally an unpleasant feeling among the “ bookies ” that they had in somo way been done. They intend to investigate the matter, and it is not unlikely that some very startling revelations may be made. Free Lance (Bst. 101 b.) was on his good behaviour in the Welter Handicap, and after a good race downed Camo (Bst. 61b.) and five other starters. When Vasco (9st. 121 b.) had easily cut down T. Bose (lOst. 71b.) in the Handicap Hurdle Bace, a field of six came out for the Summer Handicap, 14 miles, in which Dreamland (Bst. 71b.) was followed home by Scot Free (7st. 101 b.) and Queen of 'Trumps (7st. 81b.). Dr. Bead’s mare was evidently not favourite for she paid a good dividend of £5 18s. In the Trial Handicap the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s Flaneur won from a field of speedy platers, and again a good dividend of over £5 was paid. The Hawke’s Bay squire was again to the fore with his chestnut filly Lyrebird (Bst.), who snuffed out Tai&m (7st. 121b5.) and ten others. I have already referred to the Post Stakes, but I must not forget to mention that Mr. W. Bathbone’s chestnut filly Zanella (7st. 73b.) proved the fleetest thing in the Christmas Handicap, in which seven started. Zanella’s dividend was £2 12s. The weather was very unfavourable, but notwithstanding this the sum of £4077 was put through the machine.

Trotting is taking a firm hold in Wellington, and I have to congratulate my Jonnsonville friends on the conspicuous success of their Boxing Day meeting. Pressure on our space precludes any criticism of the meeting this week, but I shall have something to say about it in our next. I must congratulate Mr. G. W. Banks on winning the Trotting Club Handicap with his pony Tuesday, and Mr. T. Waddington on his brace of victories with Invictus, and the splendid “go’’made by his pony Chance in-the Pony (saddle) race from scratch, viz., Smin. 46 5-6th sec.

The woights for the second day of the Auckland Summer Mooting were declared on Wednesday night. Thoso that soom to mo best treated nro: —County Handicap: St. Clements (9st.), His Worship (7st. 71b.), and Annabollo (7st. 81b.); Midsummer Handicap: Three Star (9st.), Anniversary (7st. 91b.), and Lady Marion (7st. 111 b.); Auckland Bacing Club Handicap: Skirmisher (Bst. 51b.), Thame (7st. 101 b.), and Ida (7st. 101 o.); Now Year Hurdle Bace: Belmont (10at. 101 b.), Marechal Noil (lOst. 81b.), and Skittlos (9st. 51b.); Maiden Handicap : Acacia (Bst.), and Sunboam (7st.); Glasgow Handicap : Swordbolt (85t.41b.), and Quadrant (Bst.) The woights for tlio Napier Pork ltacos, which were declared on Wednesday, suggest the folio whig as possiblo winners:— Trial Hurdles: Morag (9st. 41b.); Midsummer Handicap: Free Lance (7st. 121 b.), or Pinrose (7st. 61b.) ; Two-Yonr-Old Handicap ! Tartan (Bst.), or Lyrebird (Bst. 101 b.); Now Year Handicap : Ua (7st. 81b.), Free Lance (7st. 81b.), and Noyado (Cat. 181 b.); Hurdles : Mutiny (12st. 21b.), or Maid of Lome (lOst. 01b.); Flying Handicap: Dingo (7st.), or Midas (7st. 12lb.); Settlers Handicap : Whoriko (8»t.), or Flaneur (Bst).