MELBOURNE NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 202, 7 June 1894, Page 3

MELBOURNE NOTES.

(fuom our correspondent). Melbourne, May 23. Although the May Meeting at Caulfield of the Melbourne Hunt Club was a miserable affair in its way, it has at least been productive of an interesting protest with an awkward complication for the finale, somewhat akin to the Tim Swiveller —Sainfoin episode. Mr Howell’s chestnut mare Ilium, with 8.2 up, defeated Mr Filgate’s gelding Chiron, 8.0, in the Handicap Flat Race by a short head. The mare was protested against on the ground that she had crossed the latter—an incident so marked that some surprise was manifested at the club stewards giving Ilium the benefit of the doubt. The owner of Chiron appealed against the decision to the V.R.C. committee, and after carefully sifting the evidence that body awarded the stakes to the gelding, Premier being promoted to second place. Naturally the fielders, seeing that they had paid out seven to one over Ilium, were very wroth at the turn affairs had taken; but with the best possible grace they returned eight to one to the backers of Chiron. This feeling of indignation is very marked in a letter which Mr Alfred Josephs has contributed to the sporting Press. He points out that “ there are not a few who take the liberty of arguing that on a question of fact, stewards who see the race are far better qualified to form a correct judgment than a tribunal who must be guided by the balance of evidence submitted to them. That the decisions of the committee have not given entire satisfaction, there can be no shadow of doubt; and, worse than all, both bookmakers and backers have alike suffered.” To obtain justice, it is Mr Joseph’s intention to induce the Victorian Club committee to pass a new betting law to the effect that, in the event of a protest being lodged and entertained by the stewards of any racing club, the decision of that body shall be final and bets shall follow the decision. It is questionable, however, if Mr Josephs will be able to carry his point. Certainly paying out on two horses is a rather nasty and vexatious contingency to reckon with, but the betting law as it stands is preferable to.an alteration permitting wagering on the first past the post principle. If that were adopted smart rascals would undoubtedly turn such a golden opportunity to advantage to practice some bold swindles. At present owners are allowed three days in which to decide to appeal, and as a way out of the difficulty created by this and similar cases it has been suggested that owners who feel inclined to appeal should give notice of their intention to do so on the same day as the protest has been dismissed. With that fact before them bookmakers could reasonably delay their settling until the clearing up of the matter. In this ’connection I may mention that the committee of the Australian Jockey Club have wisely decided that no fresh evidence will be heard in future appeals. The Adelaide bookmakers are making a strong effort just now to have the existing betting law remedied. The members of the South Australian ring are not at war with the totalisator, but with the Act suppressing all public wagering. They lately approached* the labour members to see if they would support an alteration in the Totalisator Bill so as to permit the resumption of betting on the courses. The proposal was not viewed with a favourable eye, and the labour mem-

bers feeling that the public had agreed with the Legislature in practically wiping out the fielders were decidedly averse to to re-establishing the old system. As far as Adelaide is concerned there has been no falling off in racing as a result of the stoppage of course betting, and therefore the clubs who gather a big income from totalisator percentages are not likely to make any move to have the bookmakers wrongs redressed. At the May Dav race meeting held at Brisbane the mare Slendide, a capital performer, won a race, but was disqualified on account of carrying short weight to the extent of In addition to that the Q.T.C., after holding an inquiry into the matter disqualified the owner, P. Nolan, and the mare twelve months for suspicious practices. In 1892 Splendide appropriated both the Queensland and Brisbane Cups, and was the favourite for the latter event to be run this week.

Mr C M. Lloyd has returned from his Maoriland tour, and he is delighted with what he saw over there. He speaks in high terms of the young St. Legers and Maxims which he had the pleasure of inspecting. Mr S. H. Gollan has returned to Hawke’s Bay for a few months, and is expected to return to Melbourne to witness the spring gallops of his team. Very few horses are training at Flemington at the present time. Hova. the Newmarket winner, is one of the regular attendants on the tracks. Since his famous win he has thickened considerably and is developing quite a weight for age appearance. The touts speak in gratifying terms of achestr.ut colt attached to Mr J. Sanders’ string. The youngster is a son of Robinson Crusoe, and he is known as Xury. La Gloria, who met with an accident two months ago through having a stable fork run into her leg, has recovered and is being treated to light work. A rather novel racing action was disposed of in the county court last week. The defendant was Mr G. Mayger, the proprietor of the Epsom racecourse, from whom Mrs Bessie N. King, horseowner, sought to recover the half share of the proceeds realise 1, some £73, in selling Yarmon as the winner of the “ Novel Selling Race.” This event was decided in February last, and Mrs King’s horse Fusee was second. The terms of the race stipulated that the winner was to be sold for Bogns, and any surplus over the selling price was to be equally divided between the club and the owner of the second horse. As Yarmon, who was entered to be sold for nil, was disposed of for £73, Mrs King claimed £36 10s, the half of the former amount on account of Fusee running into the next position. The defence was that “ any surplus over the selling price ” simply meant the selling price fixed on the terms of the race —£80. The judge, however, decided that the plaintiff’s interpretation of the condition was the correct one, and returned a verdict on her behalf for the amount claimed.

Two old-time jockeys, Sammy Cracknell and S. P. Davis, both very small men, figured in a court incident last week. Sam Davis, since he relinquished racing, has blossomed into the licensee of the Palace Hotel at Newmarket, and a member of the local municipal council. It appears that Cracknell, who was very drunk, had been tormenting the barmaid and misconducting himself in the bar. He defied Davis to “ put him out,” and the licensee while attempting the feat kicked his brother pigmy in the face. As a result Davis sued Cracknell for unlawful assault, and the latter retaliated with a cross summons. The brawl was described as a battle of the pigmies, and “ six of one and half a dozen of the other.” The Bench thought that both were to blame, and accordingly dismissed the cases.

For the information of Maoriland ’cyclists I may state that the next Austral Meeting will probably commence on the Ist December next on the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This year the Austral Wheel Race will be worth £250, and it is to be run in heats with only three—instead of six as formerly—out of each heat for the final.

The captain of the Brisbane Bicycle Club, Mr C. Stewart, has ridden from Melbourne to Brisbane, a distance of 1,200 miles, in 14£ days. Bona fide hunters are to be catered for at the next V.A.T.C. Grand National Steeplechase Day. This club has initiated the V.A.T.C. Amateur Challenge Cup of £lOO, the distance being two miles. Amateurs who have never ridden the winner of a hurdle race or steeplechase will be allowed 71bs, and those who have never previously ridden

in such races will be allowed 141bs. All horses are to be ridden by members or honorary members of the club. As regards weather the final day of the Adelaide Racing Club Birthday meeting did not open auspiciously. On Saturday the racing was very fair. Port Admiral followed up his successes of previous meetings by winning the Parkside Stakes, covering the mile and a furtong in Imin 29|secs. He had no trouble disposing of Quality, who finished second, with Principle third. A rank outsider in Mr Robertson’s filly Tinstream (Gang Forward—Tinfinder) appropriated the City Handicap, the principal event of the day, beating the St. Alban’s filly Parthia home by a length, with Moscow third. The winner paid a dividend of 13s. The Adelaide Stakes fell to Patterson’s Harold, who turned over/"38 17s to the lucky investors who had fancied his chance. A speedy filly named Monastery was the favourite, but she could not get within three lengths of Harold, while the Welshman finished third. Elastic won the Steeplechase, and Diavolo the First the Hurdle Race.

Leyland, one of the few remaining sons of St. Albans, distinguished himself at Moonee Valley on Saturday by winning in brilliant style the May Handicap, eight furlongs and a half, in imin sijsec. Mr Cooks’ The Friend, who has joined Mr Uphill’s string bound for India, ran into second place, and Linburn managed to get third. All racing men remember that wonderful little hurdler The Agent, and one of his sons known as Agent was made a red hot favourite for the Handicap Hurdle Race. He, however, fell at the first hurdle, injuring his shoulder to such an extent that it will be some time before he will recover. This event was appropriated by Sweep, with Jake and Baritone as his comrades at the finish. The smart Newminster filly Mysia ran a dead heat with Tomboy in the Cranmallan Handicap, but beat the latter easily by four lengths in the deciding heat. Picaroon by Bonnie Carlisle was placed first in the Handicap Steeplechase, Black Bolton in the Langwarrin Handicap, and Colorado in the Selling Flat Race. A distance Handicap Trot of two miles found a winner in Madden, who with 250yds behind, covered the distance in smin 48|-sec. Osterley was amongst the unsuccessful competitors.