RELIEF MEETING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 11 August 1932, Page 13

RELIEF MEETING.

j ENQUIRY INTO ACCIDENT | CONCLUDED. i ! LIFEBUOY PLACED ON | SCHOOLING LIST. j The accident involving four horses in I Hie last race at the lielicf Trotting Meeting on July 16th was discussed at last night's meeting of the New Zeai land Trotting Association, when a rej port concerning it was forwarded from I tho chief stipendiary steward rccom- • mending that Lifebuoy, one of the | horses that fell, should be placed on the j schooling list. After hearing evidence I the association adopted the chief stipi endiary steward's recommendation. Stipendiary's Report. I The chief stipendiary steward, Mr F. ! J. Beer, reported that at the Belief j Trotting Meeting held at Addington on July iGth. a rather had accident happened in the last race, in which LifeI Inioy, driven by L. Davidson, Colorado, driven by JR. B. Berry, lluon Voyage, driven by F. B. McFarlane, and Eoicole, driven by A. W. Lewis, fell. Lifebuoy was tho first to fall, aiid in rej turning to flic birdcage Davidson had 1 complained to him that someone had | crossed him in the race and brought his | horse down, but he did not know what horse it was, who was driving it, or what colours the driver was wearing. Lifebuoy, in the past, Mr Beer continued, had always liven bad at jumping at shadows on the track, and he had anticipated for some considerable time that the horse sooner or later would cause an accident. So much so that over a year ago lie had asked specially some of the Metropolitan Club stewards to take particular notice" of the horso while it was racing at their meetiug. After tho accident referred to the matter was placed before the Judicial Committee, and was then left for his enquiry. During the course of those enquiries he had found that the accident was caused by Lifebuoy falling, which was not due to any interference. J. J. Kennerley was driving Kelp in tho same race. Kennerley had informed him that he was running in the inside of Lifebuoy, and was practically on terms with that horse when Lifebuoy appeared to cross his legs and fall. He was positive that nothing crossed the horse, and there was no interference. Mr Beer reported that he had made several enquiries from other loading trainers at Addington, and they were all agreed that Lifebuoy was a dangerous horse in a race. Under the circumstances he' had had no alternative but to recommend that Lifebuoy be placed on the schooling list. Owner Before Meeting. The owner of Lifebuoy, Mr J. Bell, appeared before tho association and gave evidence of the horse's behaviour over the whole period it had been raced. Ile claimed that although the horse had been a "shadow-jumper." it did not show that fault often, and its manners during tho season's racing did not warrant criticism on that ground or on the ground that it was a dangerous horse in a race. Regarding the accident at the Relief Meeting, Mr Bell said that it was his opinion that the horse fell in a manner which gavo

ample reason for the belief that the fall was not due to Lifebuoy crossing its legs. He himself had accepted the driver's statement. that another horse had crossed him in the race. Trainers at New Brighton and others who knew the horse in its work-outs would saythat it was not a dangerous horse at all. Replying to questions, the owner said that several trainers had used devices on the horse such as shadow blinds, side winkers, and green goggles. After the owner had tieen heard, Mr W. Hayward said that he had had Lifebuoy under observation for almost, a year, and he thought lie was a positive danger on the track. On the piotion of Mr J. B. Thomson, it was resolved that Lifebuoy be placed on the schooling list.