QUESTIONABLE!

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 88, 13 April 1940, Page 16

QUESTIONABLE!

WAIAPU DECISION. HACK RACE FIASCO. .Mr. G. 1). BL'ATSOX'S YIKWS. At the recent "W'uiapu meeting, three out of the four runners a'cll in the liikurangi Hack Handicap. Two of thorn ucii.' caught ami remounted by spectators, one before the post and one past it, and they wete ridden round again to complete the ctrinsf. the judge placing them second and third as they finished the second time round. Jiacli spectator drew well over the weight. ,\[r. Ci. U. JSeatson, discussing; interesting incidents of the turf at, the social evening given by the president of the .Manawatu Kac.ing Club, .Mr. L. 11. ('ollinson que.-! ioned the decision, and he asked trainers present for their opinion. Most lonsidend tin; verdict as given by the judge was collect, but some thought that the horse caught before the post finally placed third) should have been placet 1 second, 'because it had gone past the post with a spectator aboard before starting on the further round. Mr. Beafson submitted it as his personal opinion that the verdict was wholly wrong. Me said that, though the lluies of Racing provide for spectators remounting fallen horst s in jumping races, t-.iere is no siieh provision for Hat races. Therelore, the only -person who can title a

horse home in a ll;it nice is tlie jockey who -was weighed out for it. in the Waiapu incident, lie considered, the judge should have lott the box after declaring as the winner the only horse who finished with nis jockey aboard. As lie did not do so, 'but, witiiinthc 20 minutes allowed for a race to iiiu'sh. declared the other placing*, the committee should have met and disqualified the second and third horses.

I his is a case that might ibe dealt witli by the executive committee of the New Zealand Racing Conference in due course. As the result at present stands, J>utih Ace (tlie only horse to finish) is rightlv first, .but Perfect Lady and <say Laura are doubtfully entitled to the respective minor places. The other runner, Waikawa, cleared off the course after falling.