LORD ERNLEIGH CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 134, 9 June 1939, Page 12

LORD ERNLEIGH CASE.

QUESTION OF "DISTANCING." KFFKCT OF THE APPEAL. Because till the horser; that finished behind Lord Krnleigh in the Sj>a.\toii HtiudicMp tit the Met liven Trotting ClubV niei'tiiig last Saturday also gave erratic display*, many uportrvmen expressed <liswith the club's decision in distancing Lord Krnleigh for galloping, telegraphs our Christchureh representative. In a ti".ht finish Lord Krnleigh beat J'eta'rs Own hv a neck for fiit-;t place. During the race Lord Ernleigh made several breaks, whereas Reta's Own only made one rkip. At the institution of the chief stipendiary steward. Mr. F. .1. Beer, the stewards were called together to consider whether Lord Ernleigh should bo distanced for galloping. After lenpthy deliberations the officials decided to distance Lord Ernleigh an<l to place Reta"s Own first. Cracksman second and Judgment third. Cracksman, the favourite, was eight length* behind Lord Krnleigh at the linif-h. and Judgment, who gave an exhibition of trotting equally as bad as r.onl Krnleijjh. was placed third. Th" circumstances impressed the (ifliiials that to place Lord Krnleigh r-econd won l<l probably have been the best decision. It was recognised that Lord Krnleiuh should not be placed in front of Rota's Own. hut the rule on the i|iii>«tion does not allow a horse '■"■' ''in;.' fust lx-in"; placed second or third. It is definite thai if a horse has to be dealt with for sallopincr. it has to be distanced. Once the officials of flic Met liven Hub decided to place Itcta's Own |ir.«i in the S'nnxton Handicim. they had no alternative than to distance Lord Krnlei'.-h.

Rule :'.S.-, is as follows: "When illiv horse I,leaks from his piiit. the horseman -hall Imiiiediatelv pull him to the

".nit ;it which lie ivhs to 20 the race, nnd if any horseman shall fail to comply with this requirement the horse he is

'•iilin'.' or driving, if it is placed. shall Ih> disipiali fieri for the race, and tlio horseman inav be fined any sum not exceeding t"2O. or l>e suspended or di«(|i'"lilied for any term." The owner of Lord Ernleijrh. Mr. V. M\ Brown, lodged an anneal against the clu>i's finding. This will Tie considered :'t the next meeting of the Board of the NY<v Zealand Trotting Association. The fact of Mr. Brown anpealin? mmnelled tlie hamlicain>er to inflict a neualtv on Lord Emlei"h for the Lougbejuli Handicap at. Ashbnrton on Monday. 'Pie penalty was 4S yard-:, which placed ihp horse'on c>o yards behind. In the race Lord Ernieifh ?ave a imii'l' bett'-r rfi-qi'tiy, and he finished s'x Ifjaths behiiiil the winner, in fourth place.