DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 220, 11 October 1894, Page 6

DUNEDIN.

[by

WIRE.]

October 9. The N.Z. Cup betting bears no comparison with the business done last year in this city, nothing to speak of having been done for the last month. A little money was taken about Pegasus on Friday, about £3OO being secured at 100 to 7. Enquiries were made re Royal Rose, but no business took place at the price offered, viz., 100 to 10. Most of our Cup candidates are engaged in the Oamaru Spring races to be held on Thursday and Friday next. Lady Zetland, Dilemma, Captive, Rangiatea, Casket and Victim are the acceptors for the Spring Handicap, which I think may be won by Dilemma. The horses named are all engaged in other events, and each of them should pick up a crumb at the gathering. Our horses arc* doing well and are very forward. I am often at the Forbury but a strong gallop is rarely witnessed. Quite a different system is adopted now compared with that which existed in years gone by when too much fast work was indulged in. After a horse has proved himself to be a racer, long steady work and occasional flutters appear to give better results than leaving the probable win on the training track. The owner of Beadonwell, a popular young sport here, tells me that his horse will win the Cup. He openly advises all his friends to have a little on him so he may be looked on as a moral starter. A system of fraud has recently been practised here to take down the bookmakers. A> couple of the smaller fry telephoned for £3O on Saracen when he won at Timaru, using the names of a couple of prominent backers. They netted about £BO over this transaction as they bought over the two backers to draw the money. [The latter could not have been “the clean potato.”—-Ed. S.R.J Of course if Saracen had not won the two punters whose names were used would never have heard anything about it, and

when asked for payment would of course have repudiated the transaction. An attempt was made to .go a .plunger on Blarney in connection with the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, different backers names being used this tithe. One of the bookies thought that one of the punters was backing a little heavier than was customary, and sent out a note by a cabman to get the wager verified, with the result that the backer denied all knowledge of the affair. This was the beginning of the discovery, and by united efforts accompanied by some expense the pencillers traced the whole swindle to certain men who were thought to be beyond such meaness as to fall in with a proposal to share the result of such rank dishonesty. It is stated, however, now that they are bowled out that they are likely to recompense the metallicians for the loss occasioned the latter in connection with Saracen’s pay out. Several of the layers who suffered over Blarney will however see no return.