CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 21, 20 December 1890, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor Sporting Review.)

Sir.—The Observer has the following remarks concerning me which are totally untrue :—“ The Committee of the Auckland Racing Club are likely to be troubled with a charge of alleged insulting language on the training track, preferred against George Hope, one of the trainers, by a well-known sporting scribe. As the case is sub judice I do not care to discuss the subject at any length, but content myself by saying, if all I hear be true, then the Club should act very firmly in the matter and afford. protection to those having business at Ellerslie.” There is no doubt the sporting scribe mentioned above refers to Bruce, who was the only sporting scribe on the course at the time. I never spoke to him, and I do not think that the A.R.C. has power to interfere with anyone in regard to what takes place on the training tracks of a morning, unless any of us interfere or use insulting language to one of the Club’s officials. If they have the power, any Dick, Tom or Harry can bring you in front of them at any time, so the A.R.C. Committee Rooms will soon be a Court House to decide all the squabbles that take place. The fact is that some of the sporting writers are too big for their situation, they come round demanding a right to look through your stables. I am employed to train horses and I see no reason why I should be interfered with, especially by such a person as Bruce. • The real fact of the matter is they have a “ down ” on me because I will not tell them my master’s and the stable secrets. What would you advise me to do in the case ? Yours truly, George Hope. [ln the first place the Auckland Racing Club Committee have no power to interfere with what takes place on the course, except in cases which are connected with their own officials. Secondly, the Observer is a paper not carrying any weight in the place. Its sporting writer does not know much about a horse or. racing, and has to do what he is told. Some time ago he absolutely went through a weight-for-age race and treated it as if it was a handicap. Verbum. sat sapienti. Thirdly, Bruce, alias “ Phaeton,” is getting too big for his shoes, and wishes it to appear as if he could do what he liked with the A.R.C. Committee. He will soon find his mistake. He is only an Auckland boy, and a compositor by trade, and has never seen a race outside the Province—in fact, he knows little of racing or horses, except what is told him, and, as trainers say, is a perfect nuisance, thrusting, himself forward where not required. Taking all things into consideration, we recommend you to treat it with contempt and laugh at the whole affair.—Ed. S.R.]