THE RING AND THE TOTALISATOR.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2250, 14 May 1881, Page 3

THE RING AND THE TOTALISATOR.

The “ round robins” said to be signed by all the leading horse owners and bookmakers in Australia against the totalisator, hare been presented, and are a miserable disappointment. A few small bookmakers in Melbourne who own horses have signed their names, but none ot the leading lights either in the other colonies or here have attached their signatures, and the clubs are not likely to be influenced in the slightest degree by the oontents of these much vaunted “round robins.” Of course it it can be proved that the totalisator does militate against the success of racing to any appreciable extent, the clubs may consider the matter and do away with the machine, but up to now its most bitter antagonists have been unable to prove anything against it. In fact, the result of its working in this colony is a direct contradiction of the arguments set up against it on the score that fields are being reduced, owners unable to back their horses, &o. Directly the presence ot the totalisator is found to prevent an owner from getting a fair stake about his horse it will be better for racing that it should bo done away with, but it has been in use here now for more than a year, and complaints from owners have been few and far between. The public, too, must receive some consideration from the clubs, and they will rise up in arms if their favorite mode of speculation bo denied them. Their subscriptions, &0., go a long way in providing the stakes to bo run for, and unless the clubs can show fair reasons for discontinuing the use of the totalisator its absence from our racecourses may lead to a quarrel between them and the public, and in the end the many-headed will do more for racing, and are, therefore, deserving of more consideration than the bookmakers, —Adelaide “ Eegister.”