PEERESS AND THE CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 117, 16 May 1873, Page 2

PEERESS AND THE CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

We published the other day an article' i on this subject from the Australasian. ; The next issue of that journal contained the ; following letter aud editorial note to which we have been asked, in fairness to Mr Redwood anid Mr Walters, to give publication : — To the Editor of the Australasian. Sir, — Having lately arrived from New Zealand, and reading in your paper the article so highly eulogising the action taken by the Canterbury Jockey Club in' disqualifying Peeress, I trust you will give insertion to the following facts, which bave already appeared in the New Zealand press, but iwhich are unlikely to be known to the bulk of your readers. In the first place, with regard to Mr Redwood selling the mare when favorite for the Cup, on which you animadvert rather strongly. On his arrival in Canterbury (some time before the races came oif) Mr Redwood advertised the whole of his horses as being in the hands of Messrs Bird and Bennett, auctioneers, for sale, and publicly expressed his.intention of selling the whole or any of them (should he obtain his price) at any time before their leaving the saddlingpaddock. Secondly, with regard to Mr Walters purchasing the mare. . Mr Walters had Yatterina engaged in both the Canterbury Cup and C.J.C. Handicap, and believed he had nothing except Peeress to fear in the former, whereas Yatterina was, he considered, "very badly in," in the handicap, and thinking he was pretty sure of the Cup, witb Peeress out of it, be bought Peeress, with the intention of keeping her for the CJ. C. Handicap and securing the Cup with Yatterina. Mr Walters scratched Peeress for the Cup 48 hours before the race came off. , I may state that Mr Walters is a man who rarely bets, and never heayiiy, and that he has been one of the leading supporters of ! the Auckland turf during the last 10 years, during which time his horses have always been run fairly and straightforwardly, and are usually made favorites ,by .the* ■' Auckland "public, who have unbounded confidence, in their straight funning. And I may further state that at ithe tinie i th'e |Q^p« disquaiifielJheligQjare ;no one.wliate^r^was'.ezamine.df nor. was Mr Walters called upon ior given any opportunity oof defending^ himself:^ Had>, a proper investigation : of : th& 'matter ;':been made, and Mr Walters . been/found to have done wrong, the,. £. J,,C. i*would then un:jd'6abjtedly;ta in; accordance jwit^ Imelaips^qf racing by/ disqualifying him j. bu t; the(p .J.C. appear to positively ignore such ftriJ9.es as precedents and wqin^ tion for which, they say, is their determination'to'pifc down^raridulSht prac^icesH-^

a most praiseworthy determination, but' one hardly likely to be carried out by illegal or unjust measures on their part.-^— Yours, &c; Fairplat. [If our correspondent's vereion of'the case is correct, then Mr "Walters is a, grea tly- injured man; our article was, however, written on the assumption that the Canterbury Jockey Club ;had|good and sufficient reasons for .the course they took.— -Sp. Ed.]