, 1877-04-15
THE TURF.

THE TURF.
THE ESGL1sn pArERs ARE FCLL OF 4 RECENT
CASE OF TURF swISDLNG
that occurred at the Wolycrhanpton meeting, and
in connection With it the sporting men are discuss
ing the advisabilty OF having the Jockey Club put
stop to what gre known first past the post
bets. These that one party bets another that
certain horse will he the first to pass the winning
post, although the animal might be disqualified
from winning the race for various reasons. In
the case ut the Nolverhampton meeting, above
aliuled to- the circumstances were as follows:
Thomas Warren, a farmer living near Northamp-
ton, visited the Birmingham meeting md purchased
mare called Sphynx. the winner Of selling plate
race, for $3.50. During the meeting he ran her in
two races. of which she won, the entry in each
case, however, being made In the name OF Thomas
Garner, although the latter individual had no in
terest III the u,nre. Sphynx then taken to d
Birmingham stable, her tail partly removed, aud
the white hairs on her face and tail painted with
caustic, in order to destroy her Identity She was
then taken to Wolyerhampton and entered in q
selling race under the name Of G]ance, bogus
pedigree having been furnished to the Secretary Of
the meeting along with the nomination. Anticf-
patins trouble, Warren backed the mare - first
past the post. all Of which bets he received,
Glance came in first. The second horse in the race
was Chorister, and his owner, Mr. IIowett, sus-
peCLlHE something NIoH9, clAsca An 1ufesllEAl1on
to be made, which exposed the g,rndle, Glance be-
ing disqualified and the race given to Chorster,
hut not until Warren had collected his first past
The post bets. Tie Jockey Club resolved to pros
ecute Warren nnu d man named longlands, who
had participated in the swindle, for conapiring
to defraud the race fund to defrauu
the Of the second horse; and to defraud the
bookmakers with whom the bets were made. On
all OF these charges they were convicted, aud
Lon:1ands was sentenced to sl1 months imprison-
ment at hard labor, Warren receiving six months
This. however, is but one Of many dsgraceful
cases that have occurred during the past year on
the English turf. In ono instance, the owner Of
horse called Mystery, Knowing that she would be
disqualified If she won, backed her, ''nEst past
the post, s. and then backed Ashfeld 10 win the
race, thus Standing two winners fcr one race An.
noise ct the lime, occurred ut the Croydon meeting
last fall when the owner Of Labyrinth deliberately
short Of weight, thus making his Winning
a dead certainty, . and then backed the
horse first past the post although the
animal was OF course disqualified on returning to
weigh. The men who engineered the Glance job
scen have been poor devils without friends, and
were given the full benefit Of the LAW. in consc-
qncnce, while more notable rascals Of the same
stripe are escaping every day.
1tshows, however. that the English laws are par
ticuarly severe against swindles OF this descrlp-
tion, while in this country there is such protec-
tion for people who have been swind1cd. The
tering Of horses in races under assumed names is
practiccd to an almost unlimited extent. 4 nota-
seasun of 1879, when one William McGuigan, who
had been expelled from all tracks belonging to the
National Association, took Small Hopes, an e1:
PEELED horse with record below $3.50, and started
on tour through the country, entering the horse
IN three minute and $40 rnees, and disgusting the
was naily exposed at Sacc neaT
Boston, but as there was no law under which Nc
Gufgan could bc punished he came back to his home
goricd in his shame, and wrote q. Dicl-Turpin
sort Of an article TO an Eastern sporting Journal
citing with great gusto the different occasions on
which he swindled honest people By entering his
horse, with fast record and an assumed name, in
slow races. He now has the cheek IL set himself
up us candidate for reinstatement by the National
Association, and it is highly probable that his de-
mand will be acccdcd to by thar collection Of high
toned frauds that has for several years been run
entirely in the interest OF Eastern hozsemcn.
TIE FUTURE OF RAEus.
The recent performance in California OF the trot-
ting horse Rarus. when, in his race with Goldsmith
Maid he finished but neck; behind tue mare in
2:163, has given rise to considerable talk among
horsemen. and the generally expressed opinion ia,
that by allowing the horse to trot such race John
s is ih
after this exhibition Of speed the horse ia II inf
nitely less value than before. it will be difficult
to obtain any bets against hin. in the races next
summer, and that any attempt to dump d race
would be promptly met BY change OF drivers: AL
though Rarus was known to possess world OF
speed 1t was not thought he could trot three heats
in 2:l8 or better, which feat his recent with
the Maid showed him to be cnpab.a OF accomplish
ing.
Another theory regarding the matter, and one
expressed by prominent Chicago horseman few
days ago, is, that Doble and spian have entered
into an agreement to hippodrone with the Maid
and Rarus during the present season. in; the same
manner that Budd and Orrin: Hiekock did some
years ago with the Maid and Lucy. The uphold
crs OF this theory say that Spun would not have
madc such display o! his horses speed in the re-
cent race unless it was intended to use the SAME
as an advertisement. Some Of the more enthusi-.
astfc advocates Of this ioca go SO far as 10 assert
that at the close of the season, after the Maid has
beaten Karus in long series OF races, the latter
will be cut loose aud defeat ,the old mare.
thereby filing tue pockets ot those in TIE secret
;ority Of hor*emen arc endowed With somewhat
remarks simply Tor the fun OF hearing themselves
talk In spite Of all the ruu,ors concerning Rarus,
it will probaoly be found that he will have plenty
Of occupation where he helongs.--in, the .:19
elass,-and will be Kept at his best to beat such
horses as Dodine, Great Eastern, Alberuarle, and
May Queen, sll Of whom he will meet in that race.
GEN. GRASTA AND BoDlSE... !, !:
There is prospect that the second Dexter PaEk
meeting next summer will witness one Of the most
Interesting races that took place in this any
country. In; last fsundav'a TRIRaSz 9Annaaraa