Disqualified jockey to take Supreme Court action

Press, 4 June 1982, Page 20

Disqualified jockey to take Supreme Court action

NZPA Melbourne The Victorian jockey, Rodney Dawkins, is to take Supreme Court proceedings after being disqualified for three years by the Victoria Racing Club committee inquiring into the Ararat Cup. Dawkin’s solicitor, Simon Rofe, said that proceedings would be taken following an admission by the chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, Sir Rupert Steele, at Tuesday’s inquiry that a V.R.C. committeeman had had a conversation with a key witness. Earlier, Dawkins Skelton had been granted a stay of proceedings against disqualifications — three years for Dawkins and nine months for Skelton. Sir Rupert granted the stays after announcing the committee would seek “further advice” about a conversation soon after the Ararat Cup between a V.R.C. committeeman and a key witness, a jockey Michael Hoy, of Victoria. Hoy gave evidence twice at the inquiry and said Stephen Ridler, a jockey, had told him Dawkins had offered Ridler $5OO to keep

out of his way in the Ararat Cup. Ridler denied that . the specific sum of $5OO had been mentioned. After the penalties against Dawkins and Skelton were announced, Dr Cliff Pannam, Q.C., for Dawkins made a submission to the committee. He asked for an assurance from the committee that the subject matter of . Hoy’s evidence had not been the subject matter of a conversation between Hoy and any member of the committee. Dr Pannam also asked the committee to supply reasons for its decisions and requested a stay of proceedings until seven days after the receipts of the reasons. After retiring for more than an hour, the V.R.C. chairman, Sir Rupert Steele, _ said the committee had not known of the conversation between a member of the committee and Hoy. He said the stay of punishments imposed on both jockeys would be- granted pending further consideration of the matter. , Counsel for Skelton, Mr John Dillon, had argued that it was important for the

committee to remember that counsel assisting the inquiry, Mr Barry Dove, Q.C. had referred to Skelton and a jockey, Gerald Ryan, as “lesser lights” in the affair. Skelton had not been involved in any conspiracy with Wayne Walters, the trainer of Gary Bruce, or the owners of the horse. But Skelton had been “guilty of some weakness in accepting $5OO from Dawkins,” Mr Dillon said. “Any penalty should not be a crushing penalty.” “Skelton is 47. It is obvious 7 that he does not have a great t deal of riding ahead of him/ . . . two, three years at theff most. In the circumstances,/ ? any penalty imposed on Skep ton should have regard to his age and good charactex” said Mr Dillon. / Skelton had an “unbJJrnished riding.record” oviT 35 years. He had no conyction for any improper: p-actice and he had received the M.B.E. for his ser/lces to racing," Mr Dillon /aid. Asked if he world appeal against his sentence, Skelton said: "I will be’' discussing

that with nV legal counsel and we’ll blighting it everyinch of thqjway.” Closer tf home, Bill Skelton, of Levin, said his brother was "shfcked. and didn't know wiere he was” in a telephone conversation on Tuesday evening. “Even I his Q.C. wants to knowZoi what grounds and on wiJt evidence he was. founj/ guilty,” Bill Skelton said/ ‘He admits he accepted $5(O from Rod Dawkins but wfen Rod broke his leg, Bob ■ ufed to take Rod’s family to /the hospital to see him, and ; when Rod started riding again, Bob used to try to swing rides for him,” Skelton added. “You ask anyone he has ridden for in New Zealand, anyone connected with racing, what Bob’s like. Look at some of the people who went over to give evidence for him. They wouldn't stick their necks out for nothing. . “They have victimised Bob, set him up as an example. Racing clubs can be a law unto their own,” Skelton remarked.