SPORTING.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 262, 22 March 1898, Page 3

SPORTING.

The following letter, which appeared in last week's issue of the Sporting Review, will be read with interest in Waikato : "The Sooth Auckland Steeplechase. Sir, —Rtferringtoa paragraph which appeared in last week's issue concerning the running of Flukem in the steeplechase at Hamilton, I think it is only fair to those who backed him in that race that they should know what I have to say, as owner, concerning his runniug, as from the account of the race, anyone who does not know me would naturally think that I did not send him out to win. I Lacked him in botli the hurdle race and steeplechase, I telegraphing from here to certain bookmakers in Auckland confirming certain wagers 1 had with them on Flukem previous to my leaving Auckland, so 1 think the public will see from this that I, at any rate, was acting straightforward as I always have done, and hope to continue so whenever I have a horte running. You will, no doubt, ask whether I have received any explanation. Well, the only one I received was to the effect that Olive (so he says) was told by the starter the course he had to go, and that by following his instructions he went the wrong way. If Olive, as is stated in the paragraph referred to above, ought to have known the course, why was it necessary for the starter to give him such instructions ? Unfortunately I could not leave Coromandel and was not represented at the meeting, other--wise you may rest assured I should have had an ei quiry before the stewards, as there is no doubt it ought to have been euquired into, both for my own satisfaction and for those who had backed the horse* As far as I know no enquiry was held, and should this letter be read by any of the stewards, 1 should like them to tell me whether they were satisfied with the race as it was run. As I have stated above, I have always acted straightforward iu racing, and if (I do not say there was) anything was crooked iu connection with tho running of my horses, I wou'd be the first to have the matter sifted out, no matter who had to suffer. Apologising for taking up so much of your valuable space. —Yours faithfully, John Hand, Coromandel, March 11th, 1898." Referring to the above, we might state that there were very few, if any, present at the South Auckland gathering who attributed Flukem's mishap to anything but a pure error on the part of Olive, who steered the old chestnut. There was little doubt about his being sent to win, and the stewards did not consider any inquiry necessary ; so Mr Hand can make his niiDcl easy on that point. Mr A. J. Storey, who acted as starter on the occasion referred to, says he asked Olive (Flukem's rider) and Davidson (Cingalee's rider) if they knew the course, ami, on receiving a reply that they had never been over it before, he told them that they had to go twice round and finish up the straight, never dreaming for an instant that Olive would cut out the bend in Edmonds' property and take to the course proper a quarter of a mile before reaching the straight on the last round. He also advised them, if they did not know the course, to follow the lead of one of the older pilots, Rae or Windsor, so that no blame can be attached to Mr Storey, who appears to have gone cut of his way to ensure the proper course being taken. There is no doubt the mistake was due to a misunderstanding on the part of Olive, who is wholly to blame, and it will, perhaps, have the effect of making him more careful in future.