DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 226, 22 November 1894, Page 6

DUNEDIN.

[by

WIRE.]

November 20.

The Dunedin Jockey Club have decided on six starting machines. Mr Ellis is here fitting them up, and will act as startei- at the meeting. The machine will be used in all the races but the hurdles.

A telegram received here on Sunday night announced the death of Arthur’ Smith, trainer of British Lion, Whakawatea, and others of Mr Hungerford’s team. Smith died in the Christchurch Hospital, aged 28. His brother left here to-day to bury him. One of our best riders, Paddy McGrath, informs me that he intends giving up the Middle Island and residing up your way. He trained and rode The Idler in his victorious career last season. Most of our better-class horses that attended Christchurch appear to be suffering from overwork or the racing there, as they are doing nothing of importance on the track. McGuiness’s stable is suffering most, there being some doubt about Skirmisher starting. If Casket wins anything at our meeting Mr Goodman intends having a “ cut in” at Auckland. HiS luck for a long time past has been very indifferent. When I asked him about going up your way, he replied—“ Certainly ; if I can win the needful first.”

St. Clements arrived last Saturday and is located at Sam Mercers.

Red and Black is all right again. Taieri Amateur Turf Club have taken great exception to the amount of stakes they are called on to give for two racing days, and they are well backed up by Mr Carncross, M.H.R., their secretary and proprietor of the Taieri Advocate, in which he says that for financial reasons it is necessary that his club should hold two meetings in a year, but as it is within the 25-mile radius of the* Metropolitan Club they must give £6OO in stakes, which they are unable to do. He rightly states that his club is a model one, with small entrance fees, and that it has always paid the totalisator tax itself when metropolitan clubs were screwing it out of their patrons. There is a strong tendency in his remarks to fall back on the old order of things, viz., race meetings without the totalisator, and indeed states that this is a possibility that may arrive in consequence of the action of the recent Conference. Onceaclubproves the possibility of financing a meeting with the aid of the bookmakers, then good-bye to a number of well-conducted gatherings. Saturday afternoon racing will then become decidedly plentiful. Mr Carncross, in my opinion, justly enquires—“Why should the D.J.C. have anything to do with these conferences, as the country Otago clubs are well satisfied to be under their jurisdiction,” and claims that the Conference is the thin end of a wedge towards constituting a central authority in Wellington, officered by members of metropolitan clubs, with no sympathy for small clubs, and which would exercise despotic sway over the. whole of New Zealand racing. He advises the Dunedin Club to cut the painter and walk in the path of independence, declining any longer to recognise government by Conference by electing to govern its own affairs and clubs that come within its jurisdiction. The acceptances —(which appear elsewhere) — for the Cup and the Hurdles are very bad, and the general nominations are not quite up to the average. Prime Warden is favourite for the Cup, and St. Clements and Golden Fleece for the Federal.

The St. Clair —Git ana filly has been named Arline, and the St. Clair —Hippona colt Clairvoyant. J. Loughrin, trainer of Mount Royal, Aidershot, etc., filed his schedule in bankruptcy todav.

Casket, is being trained in blinkers in order to prevent his habit of boring.