Mistake may cost $1500

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33093, 7 December 1972, Page 9

Mistake may cost $1500

(N.Z. Press Association) HAMILTON. A mistake In the platings for the Second Canny Scot Pace at Claudelands on Tuesday night seems likely to cost the Waikato Trotting Club about $l5OO. The original platings for the race were Marie Gibbins first, Scottish Rhapsody second and Honest Forbes. These were confirmed by the judge, announced on the course as being ofiicial and authorised for pay-out. The Marie Gibbins—Scottish Rhapsody quinella combination paid $74.25. Quite naturally, because of the size of the dividend, there were not a large number of tickets to pay.

However, most had been paid out when it was discovered some time later that Honest Forbes had in fact finished second. The quinella dividend for Marie Gibbins and Honest Forbes was $129.95, but by the time the error was discovered and announced to patrons, some considerable time after the race had finished, several people with successful tickets had thrown them away.

The totalisator manager, Mr D. Calderwood, said yesterday he had already received a number of claims for the second and correct quinella dividend. Provided there were no more claims than tickets issued, there should not be a great deal of delay before these dividends were paid, he said. Because the mistake was Its own and not that of the totalIsator, the Waikato Trotting Club is responsible for the amount involved above that which was the original quinella pool. This seems certain to be well into four figures.