Sydney mam lost $57,000 in bets
NZPA-AAP Brisbane A Sydney man bet $57,000 with six Sydney bookmakers on the Fine Cotton plunge at Eagle Farm last month, the Queensland Turf Club committee inquiring into the ring-in was told yesterday. The Q.T.C. committee, chaired by the former Supreme Court judge, Sir Edward Williams, began its first hearing yesterday after it took over the inquiry from stewards on Tuesday. Sir Edward told the inquiry a person named lan Murray had recorded bets totalling $57,400 with the Sydney bookmakers, “Mark Read, McHugh, Jordan, D’Amore, Hurley and another bookmaker.” The bookmakers faced a $186,000 payout if the Fine Cotton ring-in had not been discovered by stewards after the horse returned to scale.
Sir Edward said the in-
quiry into the substitution of the racehorse, Bold Personality, for Fine Cotton at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm racecouse on August 18 could sit all next week.
The inquiry was marked by the absence of the key witness John Gillespie, who said on Wednesday, in an exclusive Brisbane newspaper interview, that he would attend yesterday. Fine Cotton’s trainer Hayden Haitana, who was understood to be in hiding in fear of his life, also did not attend.
However his brother Pat Haitana did appear and was questioned at length by committeemen along with the Coffs Harbour trainer, Wendy Smith. Haitana, a Coffs Harbour jockey, told the inquiry he had not seen his brother since the morning before the ring-in. He said he had never seen Fine Cotton but was aware Hayden had gone to “race a horse” in Queensland. “Dave Caves was left in charge of his two mares at Coffs Harbour,” Haitana said.
“He said he was going to Queensland to race a horse
but he didn’t say to have anything on it,” he said.
Miss Smith, a former jockey, said she trained the gallopers, Captain Cadet and Dashing Soltaire, and some young horses on the northern New South Wales coast. She said on May 6 she leased a half share in Captain Cadet to Robert North, of Wellers Hill, Brisbane. Smith said John Gillespie had made arrangements for the purchase of Dashing Soltaire by Mrs Carol Coventry of Banksai Park, South Australia. “I believe Mrs Coventry paid $lO,OOO for the horse,” she said. Smith said Dashing Soltaire had started in a sprint at Coffs Harbour on August 1 finishing fourth. Sir Edward interjected: “Would you like to tell us what ran third?”
Smith replied: “Bold Personality.” At the original inquiry it was revealed Bold Person-' ality had been substituted for Fine Cotton in a novice handicap. It was alleged the switch was part of a fraud to swindle bookmakers.
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Press, 7 September 1984, Page 23
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441Sydney mam lost $57,000 in bets Press, 7 September 1984, Page 23
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