OWNER'S BETTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 110, 5 November 1938, Page 22

OWNER'S BETTING

ITS VALUE AS EVIDENCE

In inquiries into the running of horses an owner may nearly always exonerate himself if he can produce evidence that he has backed his horse in a substantial way. However, in Brisbane recently the stewards made it clear that they would accept such evidence only when it referred to bets made on the course.

The inquiry was into the running of Sir Spearfelt in an event at Doomben. The owner-trainer (J. Murphy) and the rider (S. Bennett) were given the benefit of the doubt, though the stewards were not satisfied in their own minds that the horse had been allowed to do its best.

At the inquiry Murphy produced evidence that he had backed Sir Spearfelt at starting price with registered bookmakers on a registered racecourse, and said he considered that the evidence was legal and should be taken as indication that his horse was trying to win. He had the horse going for £500, and, although it was beaten, he won on the betting transactions.

The chairman of the stewards (Mr. Lynch) told Murphy that bets away from the Doomben racecourse carried no weight with him and would not enter into the stewards' calculations in

summing up. It was not fair to the public, bookmakers, or other owners to back a horse away from the course. Every £1 invested on a horse gave the public a lead, assisted bookmakers to make a healthy "book," and gave other owners who had horses in the race a chance to back to better advantage.

"We want bets on the racecourses where we act, so that we can verify them easily and quickly," said Mr. Lynch.