OWNERS AND HANDICAPPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2387, 30 November 1899, Page 40

OWNERS AND HANDICAPPERS.

The Australasian of November 18 has the following, the underlying principles of which may be applied anywhere: — Mr Francis Ferdinand Dakin, the V.R.C. bandicapper, fired a veritable bombshell on Monday when he wrote to the stewards demanding an investigation into the running of April Fool in the Carnival Handicap. The Carnival Handicap and the Final Handicap .are each run at a mile and a-qtiarter. Handicapped on much the same terms, April Fool ran nowhere in the first race and won the second " running uwa}'. " The stewards took no notice of the discrepancy in the form, as they did in the ParthenopEeus case two years ago. The facts were not quite the same, perhaps. Most people noticed that Parthenopaeus did not appear to be doing his best in the Spring Handicap, as the Carnival Handicap was then called, and boys who rode, in the race talked among themselves of the matter afterwards. April Fool was not noticed on the Thursday. But the two horses were weighted in much the same way, and tho result was much the same. The stewards having taken no action, Mr Dakiu was justified in asking for an inquiry. An owner with a grievance against the handicapper can ask the stewards for an' inquiry, and the handicapper should be able to claim the same privilege when he feels aggrieved. Only last month Mr Mainwaring, the English handicapper, asked an explanation of tho running of a horse at Kempton Park. The local stewards-granted the inquiry, and decided that the matter •was of sufficient importance to justify the sending of the case to the Jockey Club. The owner was then able to prove that the improvement in the filly's form was genuine, and from what we have been told we think that MiFrancis Foy and John Allsop will be able to satisfactorily explain why April Fool ran so badly in the Carnival Handicap. At the same time, the investigation asked for by Mr Dakin should take place. Anyone looking at the report of April Fool's two races last week and the two races of Parthenopaaus in 1897 would arrive at the conclusion that the two cases are just on a par. In justice to Mr Foy, John Allsop, and the handicapper, an attempt should be made to clear the matter up. If what we now hear is true, there was a reason for April Fool's poor showing on the Thursday, but we were not told of that reason until the action taken by Mr Dakin "had been notified in the Argus. Considering all that has been said and written ' about the running of his horses, Mr Foy, who has the reputation of being a genuine sportsman, who does not bet, will, we imagine, court- the fullest inquiry into the running of April Fool. John Allsop also has a good reputation. We can only remember the running of one horse trained by him being questioned. That was Sir Modred, and the ma(ter is 15 years old. Then Allsop was able to satisfy the A.J.C. Committee that there was no occasion for any action on their part. Mr Dakin, we think, desorves nothing, but praise for the part he has played in this matter. As a question of loyalty to brother handicappers in a loss independent position, it is only right that Mr Dakin should occasionally take a stand like this for the protection of the profession.