GOSSIP of the TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12612, 24 November 1926, Page 10

GOSSIP of the TURF

By

"CARBINE"

FIXTURES FOR COMING EVENTS November 24—Ashhurst-Pohangina K.C. November 27, December I—Takapuna November 30, December I—Feilding J.C. December 4—Methven R.C. December 4—Taumarunui R.C. December 8, 9—Woodville District J.C. December 10, 11—South Canterbury J.C. December 11—Waipa R.C. December 16, 18—Dargaville R.C. December 27—Waipukurau J.C. December 27. 28—Westland R.C. December 27, 28—Taranaki J.C. December 27, 28 —Dunedin J.C December 27. 28, 30— Manawatu R.C. December 27, 29. January 1, 3—Auckland R.C. December 31, January 1, 4—Greymouth January 1, 3—Stratford R.C. January 1, 3—tHawke’s Bay J.C. January 1, 3—Marton J.C. February 24—Waiapu R.C. The annual meeting of the Ashhurst-. Pohangina Club will be held to-day. The racing is timed to start at 11.30 with the Hack Hurdles, the field for which does not look strong. Tempean ran well at Levin to suggest that he might win in a field of this class. The Hawera mare, Killooh, is reported to jump well in private, and Axle occasionally runs prominently in a shortdistance hurdle race. The principal sprint event will be the Pohangina Handicap, in which form points to Gold Box, Polyphemus, and Penman. Penman, however, is engaged in the Cup, too. Though Lin Arlington will carry eleven pounds more than he won with at Levin, lie will not lack support if he is - started in the Komako Hack Handicap. Starboard Light, Partaga, and the improving Kilmezzo are others who will be in fa von r in a race which is not easy to analyse. The Ashhurst Cup has drawn a fair sized field, though the quality is not strong. Merry Day’s performances mark her as a better class than the rest of . the field, hut she might fail to run weir on the small turning course. She cannot be left out of consideration, as a reproduction of one of her good performances would make her nearly a certainty. Nukumai ran well enough at Levin to be given a chanoe, and if Kilfnre is ever going to win another race he has a great opportunity to-day. There was substantial backing for Kilfaire at Levin, which indicates that his trainer still has some faith in him. Of the lighterweights Penman might be the best, and on his run in the Levin Cup he would not have to improve much to win. Killocra finished on strongly at tbo end of a mile on the big Riccarton course, and an extra two furlongs on the small track at Ashhurst might not be beyond him. Penman and Killocra have other engagements during the day. Haromea, who has not raced much of late, is to appear in the Siberia Hack Handicap, and is sure to go well if she is ready. But three who look hard to heat are Royal Land, Cerf, and Bank Draft. There will be a big field in the Raumai Handicap. If Killocra is reserved far this race it is difficult to select one to heat him. In his absence, Blonde, Monaghan, and Lin Arlington will command respect. The day’s racing will end with the Manawatu .Gorge Handicap, tv hack event with a 7st 71b minimum. Bonliomme, , weighted at' 9st 91b, looks to have a royal chance, and he should be . prominent at the finish, provided lie leaves the harrier well. Brigadier Bill, who is in with the handy impost of Bst 131 b, is likely to be in need < f a race. Delightment, a double winner at the recent Waikato meeting, was also a double winner at the Whangarei spring meeting, and.thus scored four successes on end. He is a four-year-old colt, by Catmint—Delightful, and is owned and trained at Whangarei by Mr J. P. Tierney. He had started a dozen times prior to this season with nothing better than a second placing as a three-year-old to show, but this season has so far “missed” only once. Exalted, a filly by Leighton from Flora. Macdonald, looks as though she will bo hard to dispose of in juvenile events this season. Prior to the Waikato meeting she had only started once, but in her two outings at Waikato she finished third on each occasion, after being in front for a good portion of the way. Exalted begins well. Rapine has now won £18,39a in stakes, so that, all going well, he is in a good position to place himself amongst those Who have won £20,000. This is a fine record for a horse who was able to do no racing at all when five years, which ..might have been his best season. Wanganui reports state that Tamatete is training on well, and he is expected to take his place in the field tor the Feilding Stakes. He has won this race three years in succession, and he is expected to make a bold showing again this year. Lysander will' he among his opponents, but over five furlongs Tamatete should keep the penalised three-year-old very busy. According to a Hawera writer, the Native apprentice-jockey, T. Tito, is making good progress, and it is expected that he will soon be fit to ride again. Tito had a leg broken some time ago.

BETTING CROOKS

SOME OF THEIR WILES

F.ew people realise the danger they incur by talking aloud in a public place or in a tone that may he overheard by a third party. A client of ours, very unwittingly, of course, let us in for a considerable sum owing to tlie neglect of this very necessary precautionary measure, 1 writes Sam Hughes, a leading English bookmaker, in a London journal. Entering a West End restaurant one night a well-known peer met ail old schoolfellow, and they naturally had an animated conversation. “Why don’t you come down and stay with us for a few weeks’ hunting? It will do you the world of good,” said the peer’s friend. “Thank you very much, old chap, but, my interest in sport to-dav is chiefly confined to backing winners.” remarked tbo peer, and significantly added, “when they came off.” “By Jove, I am surprised ! And too used to ho such a verv keen huntsman. too.” “That’s funny yon saving that, ns ‘Huntsman’ is my noni-de-plume with Sam Hughes.” “Who is Sam Hughes?” “My bookmaker.” replied the peer. A man standing bv overhead this conversation, and then moved away The harm was done: flio third partv was in possession of facts which to him were realisable assets if the eircnmstjimos were favoin-nhle. T,nrd * had also remarked in tho course

of the conversation that he was going into the country the day after, and was having a little party at a southcountry meeting, -to which he invited' his friend. THE SEQUEL The sequel to this was tho complete success of a telephone ramp, its simplicity guaranteeing its final achievement. In my opinion, although there are no corroborating facts, it would appear from the evidence of the information then obtainable that this was the work of a gang whose scout overheard the conversation. There is no. other solution > of the problem, which cost us a fairly large sum to the tune of £2500. It is a very common thing for a client who is not in London to telephone his investments by means of a-trunk call-daily.. In order to eliminate as far as. possible any chance of fraud, each client is provided with a nom-de-plume, which is registered in the office for his own personal use only. Tho main line telephone rang. “Is that Central ?” “Yes.” “Trunk wants you, hold on.” The usual formula. Again number repeated: “Folkestone wants vou.” The caller was now through. “Huntsman speaking. Is that Hughes’s office?” “Yes, sir.” “Put me £250 on Kizil Kourgan.” There was nothing to excite comment, as Kizil Kourgan was running in the Grand Prix, and French racing was very popular with our client. Kizil Kourgan won at 10 to one. Next morning a uniformed servant arrived with a letter from his lordship asking for a cheque, as lie was going over to France and his allowance was not yet due. The servant received the cheaue, signed a receipt in addition, and that was - the very last that was seen of him. The cheque was cashed over th& counter, and there was no redress. It may be explained that some clients are very peculiar about their investments becoming known, and very often cash their cheque direct at the bank on which it is made out. When his lordship next rang up he was complimented upon his good win, and his bland astonishment was only equal to his vehement denial. A MESSAGE FROM A CLUB There, is a practice much in vogue amongst certain clients who make it a study to “do down” the bookmaker. This is particularly applicable to clubs where there is .a call box with a glass door and a tape machine. The client rings up just on time every day, and as often as not backs a series of losers. He does this to the marginal safety limit of Kis credit. Once he has created his atmosphere of confidence and his investments are

accepted without demur, he prepares for the coup. He rings up a minute or so before time, and his call, coming from a call office, does not excite suspicion. His confedei*ate is at the tape machine, in full view of the box. and hy means of a pre-arranged signal the man at the ’phone learns tlie winner. He has kept the line engaged, mark you, by inquiring how his account stands, and whilst this information is sought for the race has been run.

“You are five pounds in credit, sir.” “All right,” is the reply. “Put me five pounds on so-and-so.” He invariably succeeds, and has a very nice win on what his confederate has signalled to him. He rarely tries it on again for some time, but be has quite half a dozen accounts with bookmakers, which furnish him with a fair income. There is a time limit in every wellorganised bookmaker’s office for investments “un to the off.” But suppose a client has had a bad week, and this is the last race of the last day. it is considered unsporting to refuse him an opportunity of “getting out.”