Winner Of Woodville Cup Disqualified

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29802, 19 April 1962, Page 5

Winner Of Woodville Cup Disqualified

(New Zealand Press Association)

HASTINGS, April 18. The Hawke’s Bay Dis* trict Committee today disqualified the horse Gold Ruth from the Woodville Cup and fined the trainer, R. S. Wallis, of Trentham, and a partowner, R. C. Southee, £lOO each, on charges arising out of a positive return to the drug lignocaine in a urine sample taken from Gold Ruth after she had won the Woodville Cup on February 24, No charge was preferred against R. J. Riley, the other part-owner of the horse. Wallis was charged with failure to use proper care to prevent the administration of the drug. Southee was similarly charged as he was in charge of the horse at the relevant time. The charges were preferred by the racecourse inspector, Mr W. C. Harper, who was represented by Mr E. D. Blundell. Mr J. B. O’Regan, of Wellington, appeared for Southee and Wallis. The committee was told that the only reasonable inference from the evidence was that the drug had been administered by injection. If the committee held that this was not established to its satisfaction, the charges should be dismissed and the horse should not be disqualified. The defence claimed that on the evidence there was reasonable doubt that the drug had been injected into the horse. It was suggested

that the drug might have been absorbed into the bloodstream through a small sore to which ointment containing the drug had been applied, or that there had been contamination of the bit, leading to accidental administration orally. It was emphasised, in particular, that there was an ever-present risk of the urine sample being contaminated and this was a definite possibility in this case. The committee unanimously rejected the defence claims. In its opinion the drug was administered to the horse as alleged and therefore it was disqualified for the race. The committee also considered that the charges against Wallis and Southee did not represent a bad case of negligence, but considered more care ought to have been exercised in looking after a valuable horse starting in a main race. It was not a case for disqualification, but a fine of £lOO.

Doubt About Gay Fox

“The Press" Special Service DUNEDIN. April 18. The Wingatui trainer, A. N. Didham, said today that Gay Fox was an unlikely starter in Ute Great Easter Handicap, the first leg of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s double on Monday. There is nothing wrong with the Castle Donnington four-year-old, but he may be reserved for a later day.