OTAGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 407, 12 May 1898, Page 10

OTAGO.

Sale of Sequin and Plotter —Pros- : ' pects of the May Meeting—Sympathy for the imprisoned book-f makers — Coursing. Dunedin, May 10. Sequin was purchased last week by R. Reay, junr., the former owner of Starshot, the price 7 paid for her being 250 guineas, and I reckon she I is cheap especially in view of our Birthday Handicap, failing which she is is almost sure to win another event at our coming meeting. There is some doubt about Starshot coming here for the meeting. Young Ray has arrived, having taken 7possession of Sequin, and is staying at the St. Kilda Hotel. The principal events at our big meeting are not likely to furnish very good fields judging by the accceptances on Saturday, but this is to a 7 considerable extent made up by the very large entries for the minor events, especially the selling. . races. - - •

Plotter, who ran second in the Derby won by Uniform, was bought by Mr J. Ellis to-day for thirty guineas from Messrs Stephenson and Hazlett.

There is nothing doing in doubles on the Birthday and Tradesmen Handicap, only small books being open. Sequin and Starshot are most in demand for the former, and Arline, Bracelet, and JHippomenes for the short race-. I notice there.is a lot more money for Starshot than Sequin, which looks ominous. Hippomenes is --'doing work and getting a lot more of it than has been customary with him, prior to his going into Loughlon’s hands. The latter evidently intends to make him race or crack him up. The severe sentence of two months’ imprisonment passed on Martin Taylor, W. J. Randall, and J. Higgins at Christchurch was quite a surprise here, and a lot of sympathy is felt for them. It is now definitely understood that the Dunedin Jockey Club will hold their races next season on their new course at. Wingatui, and I know that the overtures have been made to get a list of names of influential sports and others with a view of forming a new club to race at the Forbury, the result of which will be anxiously awaited. Ido not believe that our pretty little course, with its valuable buildings, will be allowed to remain idle for long. Coursing appears to have died a natural death. An effort was made to revive it, but failed.