Inquiry At Trentham Was Instigated By Officials

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28421, 30 October 1957, Page 5

Inquiry At Trentham Was Instigated By Officials

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. October 29. There was a frantic search for discarded tickets. including doubles tickets worth hundreds of pounds, after the second leg had been run at Trentham yesterday. It was nearly 10 minutes altei the race ended before the 15.000 punters heard the club’s siren announcing that there was to be an inquiry into the running of the event, the Naenae Handicap Some experienced racegoers consider it was clear from the way the horses ran the last furlong and a half, that an official inquiry would have to be held.

The little-fancied Monogram had finished the race, with a badly-slipped saddle, only half a length in front of the 14-15 favourite. Innesfell, with the place favourite, Copernicus, only a neck away. The horses concerned were placed in that order by the judge. The dividends were posted and ♦ortunate punters made for the pay-out windows of the tota’isator. only to find them unopened. Nearly 10 minutes went by before the siren gave warning of the inquiry and a loud-speaker announcement was made to the effect that punters should hold their tickets pending the result of the inquiry But in those 10 minutes betters had had the opportunity to dis-

pose of their tickets. There has been no official explanation of the long delay before the siren was sounded, but it seems that preliminary question-

ing of riders concerned took most of the time.

It is customary for the siren to be sounded as soon as a decision has been made to hold an inquiry. and evidently the decision to bring the matter before the judicial committee was not made till nearly 10 minutes after the race

It is understood that no protest was lodged by the connexions of any of the beaten horses, and that the inquiry was instigated by officials. Long Sitting

The judicial committee sat till about 530 p.m., an hour after the running of the last race. In the meantime, it was announced that the place dividends would be paid out but dividends on the win for Monogram and on the double were held up pending the result of the inquiry. At 5.45 p.m. it was stated that the first two placings had been reversed. Innesfell was placed first and Monogram second The judicial committee reported that it heard evidence from the stipendiary steward, Mr J A. Poulsen, G. F. Hughes, the rider of Melanion. W L. Aitken, the rider of Pandex, A. J Stakes, the rider of Innesfell. W. A. Smith the rider of Copernicus and statements from J T Anderson, the rider, and F. R. Meynell, partowner and trainer of Monogram. The committee found that the chance of Innesfell was prejudiced owing to Monogram veering in toward the rail and it decided that first and second placings be reversed

Smith, the rider of Copernicus, assured the committee that the chances of his mount were not affected. The committee also found that the interference was accidental due to the saddle of Monogram ‘dipping and no action was taken against Anderson. The committee was aided in its deliberations by a film of the finish of the race

Innesfell paid £4B on the win machine and £ll 13s on the place machine, and the Bugle BoyInnesfell double paid £1967 13s for £l. There were only 146 5s tickets on the winning double, and only eighteen of them were taken oncourse. seven of these were paid out by the totalisator when the result of the inquiry was known and many who backed Innesfell for a win only were also waiting patiently to collect at the end of their long day.

Zariba Scratched.—Zariba was scratched from the Melbourne Cup yesterday. Other scratchings were Magic Nib, Paratone and Rise Again. Final acceptances will be declared on Thursday.—(P.A.)