Belmont Honors Visitors: Chairman of Jockey Club Praises English Sportsmen at Dinner, Daily Racing Form, 1923-10-25

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BELMONT HONORS VISITORS - Chairman of Jockey Club Praises English Sportsmen at Dinner. Admiral Grayson to llecclvo Fine Silrcr Cup in Recognition of His Sportsmanship Jarvls Wants to Try for Cnp Again. " 1 NEW YORK, N. Y., Oct 24. Sportsmanship was the keynote of the dinner given by Major August Belmont, president of the Westchester Racing Association, in honor of Isaac Whitsed, the representative of Benjamin Irish, owner of Papyrus, and to Basil Jarvis, trainer of the Derby winner, at the Biltmore hotel on Sunday evening. Fifty men, representatives of the varied interests of the turf, were present, the guests including Harry P. Sinclair, owner of Zev, and Samuel Hildreth, the man who prepared the swift colt to represent America so capably; Joseph 12. Widener, Robert L. Gerry, William Woodward, John Sanford, F. P. Keene, Richard T. Wilson, George II. Bull, A. H. Morris, A. B. Hancock, A. J. Joyner, Thomas J. Healey, John McE. Bowman, Elmer Pearson, William R. Coe, Capt Percy Creed and A. Sidney Galtry, Raymond Belmont, James S. Metcalfe, John J. Coakley, John E. Madden, W. S. Vosburgh, B. B. Jones, Mantfort Jones, Max Hirsch, Louis Feustel and Steve Donoghue, the famous English rider who had the mount on Papyrus in the International race. Earl Sande had also been invited but must have been overcome with shyness at the last moment PRAISE FOR OWXEE IRISH. Major Belmont, after expressing his regret that Mr. Irish had been denied the pleasure of a visit to the United States by his physician, said that he had never known any man who lived up to an engagement where only a word had been given more inflexibly and conscientiously than the owner of Papyrus. Turning to Mr. Whitsed he said : "When a man docs that he complies with the definition of a sportsman, and I hope that that feeling towards Mr. Irish will Bpread in your home as it has here. I think that Mr. Irish in sending his horse hero was actuated by the spirit of real sportsmanship. He has done something that has endeared himself to us all and he struck a note that will end in establishing the strongest kind of a bond between our countries. "The object of Saturdays race was to bring us together and the man who w.ill receive the credit for that will be Mr. Irish. In saying this I am voicing the sentiments of my associates." For Basil Jarvis there was a well deserved tribute for the manner in which he accepted defeat: "You have left with us the impression that you represent in your individual character the highest type of those men in your country who train and manage the thoroughbred horse. You made friends from the day of your arrival and have added to them by proving yourself a magnificent loser. I ask you also to convey to Mr. Irish the great admiration we have for him." JARYIS TO TRY AGAIN. Whitsed and Jarvis responded with feeling and the latter evoked a cheer when he said that he wouldnt rest until he had a horse good enough to come back and challenge for the cup won by Zev. He had no excuses to offer for Saturday, though he wanted everybody to know that he had despaired at one time of bringing Papyrus to the post because of his soreness. After the colts work on Thursday, last, however, he believed that he would win, but lost hope when he saw the condition of the track on Saturday morning. In speaking of the criticism leveled at him for not adopting the American methods of plating his horse, Mr. Jarvis said: "A man cant change his mind in a moment." Mr. Jarvis had a tribute for the American racing public and declared that the reception given Papyrus on Saturday was as great as was ever accorded the colt in England. Steve Donoghue told the company that his reception had been so generous that he wanted to come again and calling across the table to Jarvis he said: "Basil, we must have another go for this cup." SINCLAIR MAKES A PROMISE. Harry F. Sinclair, after praising the sportsmanship of the visitors and remarking that there would have been no race but for Benjamin Irish, Basil Jarvis and Steve Donoghue, said : "If the English people are desirous of seeing Zev, and the horse is sound and able to race, Ill use my best efforts and they shall have that opportunity in 1924." Later in the evening Mr. Sinclair said that if Zev went abroad, he would ask Mr. Jarvis to train him, a compliment that made the Englishmans rosy face glow with pleasure. Mr. Sinclair gave a full measure of praise to Sam Hildreth and Earl Sande and thought this country was fortunate in having such experts to train and ride the American defender, which he declared was the peoples horse on Saturday, though he ran in the Rancocas colors. Mr. Hildreth could not be induced to speak, but the toastmaster, after saying that he knew the trainer as well as anybody, told how keenly Mr. Hildreth felt the responsibility of preparing a horse to represent the United States in such a race as the International. How well he had done his work records would show for all time. HONOR ADMIRAL GRAYSON. Major Belmonts next remarks had to do with Admiral Grayson, the owner of the substitute candidate, My Own. Admiral Grayson had asked that his admiration for the English sportsman be presented in a telegram which Major Belmont read. "I want to say a few words," said the toastmaster, "about a good sportsman who is unable to be with us tonight. He has sacrificed opportunities for us and given .the use of his horse in the same spirit as Mr. Sinclair, to represent the United States in this great race." There was applause at this juncture, which was renewed when Major Belmont, holding aloft a beautiful old silver cup made in. 1755 by Thomas Wicks, continued, "We dont want to let this occasion pass without giving credit where it is so richly deserved. We call you to voice your appreciation of Admiral Graysons sportsmanship by a rising vote that this cup shall go to him with the good wishes of all and the compliments of the Jockey Club."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1920s/drf1923102501/drf1923102501_16_1
Local Identifier: drf1923102501_16_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800