SELKRIG SUSPENDED, MULLEY FINED £50

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30534, 1 September 1964, Page 4

SELKRIG SUSPENDED, MULLEY FINED £50

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, August 31. The A.J.G. stewards today suspended the jockey, Ray Selkrig, until September 26 for careless riding in the sensational Canterbury Guineas on Saturday. Athol Mulley, who rode the beaten favourite, Eskimo Prince, was fined £5O for misconduct after the race.

The stewards told Selkrig that he would be able to resume riding on September 26, the first day of the Randwick spring carnival. Selkrig said he thought he would appeal. Mulley said he would not appeal. Selkrig was charged under the Australian rule of racing 132 A which deals with foul, careless or incompetent riding. The inquiry was opened at Canterbury on Saturday and was continued today. Eskimo Prince, ridden by Mulley, started at 5 to 2 on and shocked punters when he could finish only second to Strauss, ridden by W. Camer. After the race Mulley was very upset, and he abused Selkrig in the weighing room. Mulley told stewards today he could not remember the bad language he had used against Selkrig. The chief steward, Mr Jack Bourke, said to Mulley: “Were the words you used: ‘You sawn-dff little runt, you nearly ruined a good horse’.” ■

Mulley said: “I don’t thlpk so, but I cannot remember.” Today’s proceedings lasted only 25 minutes. The first witness called was Camer, who appeared at the request of Selkrig. He said Mulley tried to go through between Forest Glen (K. Banks) and Royal Sovereign (Selkrig). between the five furlong and three furlongs. “The two horses bumped each other right to the three furlongs,” said Camer. Mulley was trying to force his way out, but Selkrig held him there. Any jockey in either position would have done the same thing. If the positions

had been reversed, Mulley would have done the same thing.” The Interference to Eskimo Prince occurred between the five furlong post and three furlong post, but Mulley said it did not necessarily cost his colt the race.

At the inquiry on Saturday, Mulley said that what Selkrig did to him was disgraceful. Selkrig on the other hand, blamed Mulley and complained that that jockey kept bashing into Royal Sovereign. The chief steward, Mr Bourke, spoke severely when he fined Mulley for his conduct. Mr Bourke said the bad language was used in front of officials and, what was worse, in the hearing of junior apprentices.

“We look to senior jockeys to set a proper example to the younger riders and this you certainly failed to do.” After the verdict, Mulley told the stewards that he was very sorry for what happened. Bookmakers, who would not change their odds about the New Zealander, Kiwi Fox, beaten into third last in Saturday’s New Zealand Avondale Cup, doubled their quotes about Eskimo Prince after his defeat by Strauss in the Guineas.

Future spring plans for Eskimo Prince now will hinge on -his next start at Rosehill. His trainer, C. Rolls, said in Sydney tonight the “key” rim would be in either the Hill Stakes, of 8| furlongs on September 12, or the Rosehill Guineas of miles the following Saturday.