Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GAZETTE WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY BTANDARD Thursday, January 24, 1901.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 527, 24 January 1901, Page 10

Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GAZETTE WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY BTANDARD Thursday, January 24, 1901.

Not a hit too soon have the BETTING committee of Tattersall’s arrived BY at a decision with regard to the TELEGRAPH- wholesale betting by telegram.

so much in evidence of late, the official report being:—“ The committee of Tatter*, sail’s have decided that the bets on Hard •'Luck, who won the Deal Two-Year-Old Selling Plate f run at Folkestone on August 22, stand. Having considered the two cases m which telegrams were despatched from Long Ditton, backing Maisie 11, for the Village Selling Nursery Handicap, run at Leicester on October 4, and the cases in which telegrams were despatched from Dunning backing Stratton for the Castle Selling Plate, run at Nottingham on October 1, have decided that the bets stand, and the same body have considered the cases in which telegrams were despatched from Bunbury backing Stratton for the Castle Selling Plate, run at Nottingham on October 1 have decided that the bets are void.” The committee have also passed the following new rule “ Where instuctions are sent by telegram the committee will not adjudicate in any dispute unless the telegram is officially marked as handed in not later than 12 noon on the day of the race.” I (a writer in the London “ L.V. Gazette”) am at one entirely with regard to their decisions concerning the betting mentioned above, but certain it is that the new rule will scarcely be relished by the majority of the talent. In the first place circumstances often arise when, in the discretion of the backer, he is of the opinion that he can recoup his loss over an early race by having an investment on an animal entered for an event in the last part of the card, and this he would be

prevented from doing if the new rule is strictly adhered to. Another phase of the question is that a person might receive late information, that could not possibly be transmitted by mid-day, and in that event he would be unable to act upon it. That the new order of things will' cause friction as between commission agents and their clients can scarcely be gainsaid, but I am under the impression that very little notice will be paid to such a hard and fast line, and that things will go in the same smooth way as they have hitherto done, with one or two rare exceptions, for the integrity of the members of our leading clubs is beyond reproach, and it is only amongst the small fry of outsiders that any such disputes as those dealt with above will ever arise.

AN The English racing world has lost OLD one of its “ true lovers ” in the TIMER. sudden demise of Mr Thomas Jennings, or, as he was familiarly known, “ Old Waterworks.” His connection with the Turf had extended over a number of years, and I-— The Aristocratic font—am certain that the news of his death will be received by every adherent of the “ great game ” with genuine regret. That he was one of the best long distance trainers, not to overlook the late Alec Taylor, cannot be gainsaid. He served his apprenticeship on the Continent, and was able, by dint of perseverance in his profession, to score the highest honours which the British Isles could afford him. Count de

Lagrange, who was one of the most generous of noblemen, and who always had “an open eeoret” to a trusty henchman, in a letter to his old coachman, John Hawes, who had gone into the dealing business in la belle France, advised him to back Gladiateur in the Derby for all he was worth, a like missive being sent to Tom Jennings. That both of his servants had a good haul there can be no manner of doubt, his trainer netting upwards of £20,003. One of his most familiar sayings of “ Old Tom ” to his head man was, “ Take off those boots and bandages, and give Nature a chance, and you will have less horses break down by far than is now the case.» The best thoroughbred that he ever trained was the great Gladiateur, a son of Monarque and Miss Gladiator, who won the Two Thousand, the Grand Prix de Paris, Ascot Oup (as a four-year-old), and the Grand Prix Imperial (four miles, at Paris). He trained Fille de I’Air when •she won the Oaks in 1864,and Oamela, whenshe ran a dead heat in the same race in 1876. The St Leger fell to his share in 1878 by the aid of Bayon d’Or, the Ascot Oup four times—with Gladiateur,. Henry, Verneuil, and Gold. He twice sent forth the winner of the Goodwood Oup in Monarque .and Flageolet, and he effected a double in the Oesarewitch with Tenebreuse and Sheen. By way of a wind up, for want of space, I place on record that the initial big event of the year, the Lincolnshire Handicap, fell to his share in Benjamin, Vulcan, Poulet, and Lord George (who was bred by him).

The meeting of the Gimcrack THE Club ever reminds all who take an i n^ereB *' ™ famous “ big little ’un ” from whom this famous institution takes its name. Gimcrack, who was grey in colour, stood but very little over fourteen hands, a cob in fact in build, but what a constitution he must have possessed! He was in evidence on our racecourses for seven seasons, being equally good at all distances. He was foaled in 1760, being bred by Mr Gideon Elliot, of Musell Green in Hampshire, and no thoroughbred of his character could scarcely have had more owners, for he was possessed in turn by Lord Bolingbroke, Mr Wildman, Count Lanuragus, Sir Charles Bunbury, and Lord Grosvenor. He was up to any amount of avoirdupois, in proof of which it is only necessary to cite the fact that he won a match over the Beacon Course at the metropolis of the Turf with the welter weight of 10st in the saddle, and in any of his successful essays he Scarcely ever carried a pound under 9st. It is stated that in stature he was the smallest horse of his class ever seen on the Turf, although Daniel O’Rourke and Little Wonder, both heroes of the Blue Riband of the Turf, were slightly under fifteen hands. Contrary to general expectation, Lord Crewe, in his speech at the annual dinner last month, did not “ follow in the footsteps ” of other high dignitaries of the Turf world and give prominence to the scandals and alleged malpractices so fully discussed recently by the stewards of the jockey Club; in fact, although his address covered everything of importance that has occurred during the fast expiring year, it was delivered in a most guarded manner, a consummation devoutly wished for by all who have the interest of the sport at heart, for surely we have had enough and to spare of the so-called seamy side of our racecourses of late. His lordship seemed most happy when he referred to the success of the Royal colours by the aid of Diamond Jubilee, the hero of the Two Thousand, Derby, and St. Leger, and in paying a compliment to the Egerton House trainer, Richard Marsh, in rendering the fitful and wayward son of the mighty St Simon and Perdita 11. at the post in such grand fettle that he was able to overcome his doughty opponents in their battle for supremacy in the three chief classical races of the year. He paid full compliment to Lord Durham for the energy he had displayed in bringing the starting gate into vogue, whilst he informed his audience, in a most impressive manner, that the Turf Senate was determined that any betting on the part of the knights of the pigskin, no matter what form or shape it might take, would at once lead to their dismissal, and similar remarks were applied to those who should accept presents from other than duly authorised persons on behalf of the owner of the thoroughbred upon whom they may chance to have the leg-up.