PETRONEL’S HANDBOOK.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 438, 15 December 1898, Page 15

PETRONEL’S HANDBOOK.

Dunedin, November 30. Though not strictly within sporting limits, I cannot pass by the Otago Annual Agricultultural Show without just a of commendation. Of blood horses but a couple pnt in appearance, Casket and Beadonwell. The former, though barely more than a pony, looked very trim, neat, and handsome ; consequently he won from the more substantial Beadonwell. Casket is by Castor out of Necklace, and here again, though only a modest one, Mr Tom Morrin’s imported stallion scores a victory. Though thoroughbred horses were a weak lot, the same cannot be said of the draught animals. Several experts have declared that a finer lot has never been seen in the colony, and Mr Van Weenan, the Sydney mail man, went further than that. His opinion, and it was emphatic, was that the heavy draughts formed the best collection ever brought together in the Australasian colonies. For my part I can only say that the classes generally were splendid, and far ahead, in point of excellence, of previous exhibitions of Clydesdales I have seen in New Zealand I have never been on the “ other side,” but I will say that the mares at Tahuna Park would be hard to beat at many a show in the Old Country. Hacks were not all superior, and save that Miss Button, of Peel Forest, Ashburton, scored over her male competitors —legitimately — in every event in which she took part, the jumping contests call for no mention. Show Day at Dunedin, as at Christchurch, is a great day for the people, and though the Otago people have no New Zealand Cup to help swell the attendance, no less than 15,000 people (in round numbers) passed the turnstiles. With such figures and fine weather, no wonder that Mr Duthie, Mr Shiels, and other officials were in an extremely happy state of mind. Wbat a pity it is that racing appears i retrogade in Dunedin! A fine country, a good lot of sportsmen, yet the game seems to be losing rather than gaining ground. May a better state of affairs prevail when the gates of the Wingatui course are opened. Meanwhile there will be racing • at the Forbury on December 27 and 28. The coming meeting will be the last held by the Dunedin Jockey Club on the scene of so many past triumphs. “Ichabod ” is the cry, and truly the glory has departed. Such are the opinions of sporting men of olden times, who point with pride, tinged with a little sadness, to the days when Dunedin held pride of place amongst the sporting centres of New Zealand ; when more money was put through the machine at The ; Forbury than has ever been accomplished since ; when the meetings at the pretty little course were the best attended; and when the sport provided attracted owners and trainers from all parts of the colony. Such old hands at the game as Emanuel Lyons (familiarly and affectionately called “ Manny ” by his friends), 0. P. Eoberts (of Mason and Eoberts, the totalisator proprie tors),and William Absolom Smith (whose dearest pals call him nothing else but “ Balsam ”) these can give one some idea of the “ sport of kings ” when the highest state of excellence prevailed in Otago. There are others, probably, but these three, with Sidney James, the secretary of the D. J.C., can give one the best idea of The Forbury in its palmiest days. The Dunedin club ought to prosper when the Wingatui course is once in * working order, and though . regrets are manifold that the many thousands of pounds spent at Forbury on improvements are irretrievably lost, one and all will put forth every effort to place Dunedin once again in a premier position among;t the racing clubs of the colony.' In company with Mr D. D. Hyde, the poultry expert, I was taken over the Forbury course by “Balsam” Smith the other day. To be correct, I should say that my companions came as far as

a gap in the fence, which only allowed my slim and elegant figure passage. My friends, like stouter Peris at the gates of Paradise, had to remain on t’other side, while 1, not caring to venture on a return journey beset with barbed wire, went up the start “ on my own,” and had a look at the various stands and other buildings, which to a casual view appear to be g< od for many years to come. The Forbury fs a pretty course, and all the appointments seem to be thoroughly in order, and whatever its future is to be, I am sure many a racing man will regret that Christmas wiil be the last occasion when the D.J.C. will provide the sport there While we were in the neighbourhood of For bury we padded the hoof to St Clair, a sweet little suburb of Dunedin, where all the world—of Dunedin—and his wife, the lovers and their lasses, travel on the Sabbath for a sniff of the briny. And some people go to St. Clair because —well, you know, you can get on the tram and when it stops you are outside the radius, and you are a bona fide traveller! Such a cheap ride, too! We called on J. A. McGuiness and had a look at the luxurious stables built by the Hon. George McLean. I am not at all sure we did not interrupt a Sunday afternoon stroll that Mr and Mrs McGuiness and the imported Skye terrier, Mark, had set their minds on, but we were made heartily welcome by all three, and thoroughly enjoyed not a brief inspection of the inmates of the boxes. Brisa, who ran so consistently at Riccarton, d with whom McGuiness won his first race at

Christchurch since he has trained for Hon. George McLean, was looking in fine trim, and she should win at least one race at the forthcoming Duhedin meeting. Brisa is by St. Clair out of Mistral, by Gorton from Lady Gertrude. She is an ex remely nice-looking filly, and promises to do considerable h nor to the McLean colors, which have not been so often in the van as one would like to see. In adjoining boxes were two relations of Brisa’s — Irish Girl and La Seine, both by St. Clair.- lhe first-named is a five year-old chestnut mare who has had a run of bad luck. Mr Guineas is hopeful that in the near future he will be able to get her into winning form. La Reine is a bay full sister to Irish Girl, three year-old, and said to be fairly speedy. She looks all right, and should shortly demonstrate her ability to gallop. Both these mares are well buil , and in alter years should do excellent service at the stud Otago lacks good mares. It has splendid rearing country, but the stock is wanting. Fulmen was looking none the worse for his three hard races at Eiccarton, albeit he did not come out unscathed from either encounter. Joe Evett seems to have treated him with very great respect in the Auckland Cup, and, good stayer as he is, 1 think 7.1 U more than he is entitled to in the company he will have to meet if he accepts for the big Auckland race. He may develop a litt’e of his dam’s brilliance, but at present he is a stayer at a pace, and any gee t hat can last out the journey and has a sprint for the finish will beat Fulmen. The Castor—Hilda horse is a gra- d looking fellow, and though he has the

rather nervous manner of all the Castor’s he is very amiable in his box. Nihilist (by Stepniak—Sincerity) is a rarelooking customer. At Riccarton, previous to the Cup meeting, he accomplished some good tasks, but did not show the same form when it came to racing. He is on the improve, however, and I am sure he will render a good account of himself* All theee horses have splendid quarters, and it seems a pity that these excellent stables will shortly have to be vacated. When the Hon* George McLean has his new training establishment at Wingatui finished, McGuiness will make a move there, and, as Mr Frank McLean says, the St. Clair quarters will make a capital board-ing-house with very little alteration. At the other side of the Forbury is Hawkins* establishment. Here I saw Murella, -the St. Leger —Muriel filly which the Hon. H. Mosman purchased for 7 guineas at the last Wellington Park sale. r l he little scrub, as she was then, has. developed into a very good-looking two year-old, and lacks nothing in size now at any rate. Her mentor believes in her ability to move, and I hopeconfidently that he is not mistaken. A nice-looking mare is Lady Lear, by Chainshot. out of Miranda, whe has been stinted toEuroclydon, and such a union should result well. Linshot, also by Chainshot, is another of Hankins’ string, as is Battery, by Artillery from Credulity, by Aprembnt out of Miss Flat. Hankina also has in his care a very fine-looking animal by Stepniak—Huguenot, whose name, unfortunately, I have not remembered. The case against Peter Grant, for attempting; to bribe a witness, came on for trial yesterday.The charge against Grant created a.great amount of interest, and the court was crowded,, with •porting men fairly well represented. Matt. Barnett was down from Christchurch to see how his partner fared Abe Moss devoted most of h : « time to listening to the informer’s evidenceai.d that for the defence, and another Barnett, Tom of that ilk, was also an interested spectator. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr J. G. M. Frazer, resplendent with a waxed moustache and pink, crysanthemum, took “Terry O Brien’s pups”-— as a plain clothes gentleman of the ” foorce” termed the informers—under his wing, and vowed that they were gentlemen whose evidence was tobe treated with respect. Alfred Evans, hectic in cheek and white about the gills, was a welltrained witness. He told his story very glibly,, and some of his expressions were obviously legally tutored For instance, he said he “ refused ,to comply ” when —as he swor Grant offered him £lO to decline to give evidence. This fellow’sevidence was too good, and even Mr JusticePennefather —-who did not lean to the defence at a’l—alluded to the “parrot like tale of the witness Evans.” Hoth Armishaw and Wilson were of the usual informer type —shifty-eyed, incessantly nervous, and without a vestige of shame. Mr Sim and Mr Alfred Hanlon, counsel for Grant, had little difficulty in knocking their evidence inside oul —what there was of it —and beyond bringing to light that Chief-detective O’Br'en employed Evans to make bets for him at tote odds and bring him the winnings, there was not much in the case. Mr Hanlon’s opening < ddress for Grant was a fine vigorous display of L>quence. He did not mince matters, and is • vidently the sort of man who makes headway v ith his jury. All’s well that ends well, and Mr Peter Grant was acquitted, and the last, scene in he subornation cam was the view of Evans, the informer, holdingjtbe Crown Prosecutor’s horse ‘ utside the court. From that it would seem that though the Railway Department dismissed him from the service, the Government will yet find the unfortunate man some employment. He admitted he did the dirty work in the Grant-case “from pure love and affection of informer’s work,” and doubtless Peter O’Brien will soon, give him another job.