Starting Incident Upset Runners

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30642, 7 January 1965, Page 4

Starting Incident Upset Runners

(New Zealand Press Association)

GREYMOUTH. As the gates were released in the Spencer Memorial Handicap at Reefton yesterday, Gold Find reared and caught his head on the top rail of the stalls, losing considerable ground.

Because of this incident and the course announcer mentioning that he thought a false start had taken place, the payout was held up pending an inquiry. The starter and his flag assistant on their return to the birdcage advised the judicial chairman and the stipendiary steward that a false start had not been declared as the gates had all opened together. Gold Find had reared a fraction after the gates were released and not before the gates were opened as was thought Accordingly the order to pay out on the race was given. P. J. Daly, the rider of the fourth horse. Silver Shell, said after the race: “I was firmly convinced it ■ was a false start. I saw men waving on the track and heard the crowd yell out false start, so I pulled my horse up and lost any chance I might have had.”

The starter said it had been a fair dispatch. Nc horse bounded out of the

stalls, and had any of the runners broken away before he signalled a start, he would have taken appropriate action, and had the siren sounded to signify a false start had been declared. The starter’s assistant said he had not waved any flag and was satisfied it was a fair start.

Mr D. S. Ogilvie, the owner of Gold Find, said several racegoers had told him to lodge a protest, but as he had won a race earlier in the day he decided to refrain from doing so. In the Welcome Novice Stakes, Idle Chatter, ridden by J. A. Messent, moved off the fence shortly after straightening up and at the finishing post crossed the line against the outside fence. Later Messent was taken before the judicial committee and an inquiry under rule 213 G to determine why he made no endeavour to straighten his mount and stop him from shifting considerable ground. Messent was found guilty of incompetent riding and under rule 2141 was fined £5 by the judicial committee. Messent was not charged under rule 289 as he did not cause interference to any other runner.