MEADOW BANK PENALISED

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31904, 4 February 1969, Page 4

MEADOW BANK PENALISED

A $lOO trophy attached to the Wellington Cup, run at Hutt Park Raceway on January 15, ha* been sufficient for Meadow Bank to take a winning penalty under the handicapping system. Meadow Bank finished second to Top Copy, which returned a positive swab. Under the Rules of Trotting no horse can be penalised in such circumstances except in races in which the stake exceeds $4OOO. The Wellington Cup carried a stake of $4OOO and a trophy valued at $lOO. Meadow Bank has been reassessed to 2:11 over all distances. If Meadow Ban': does not incur a penalty under the handicapping system by the time all hearings in connection with the positive swab have been completed, his assessment will revert to 2:12.

The winner’s share of the Wellington Cup stake is $2580, plus the trophy valued at $lOO. Meadow Bank

received $BOO for his second placing. Had the stake and trophy not exceeded $4OOO in value. Meadow Bank would not have had to take a penalty. Under the rules when any horse is disqualified as a result of having returned a positive swab, only half of the stake is paid to the horse promoted, while the other half goes to the New Zealand Trotting Conference, which has to apply such money to a special fund to go towards meeting expenses resulting from swabbing.