APPEAL UPHELD

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 135, 8 June 1923, Page 11

APPEAL UPHELD

A RACING CONFERENCE JUDG- - MENT. CHRISTCHURCH, 7th June. The judges appointed by the Racing Conference (Sir George' Clifford and Messrs. George Gould and B. L. Lane) have given their decision in regard to the appeal of George Paul, owner of the horse Signature, against the disqualification of that horse consequent; upon the disqualification of J. A. C. Fleming, previous . part-owner of the horse. The appellant stated that he purchased the horse Signature, from C. E. Walker, previous part-owner witli Fleming, in perfectly good faith /and without any knowledge whatever that a breach of the rules of racing' had been committed by Fleming prior to the date of the sale of the horse. Fleming was, some months after the sale of the horse to Paul, disqualified for a term of .three years from 15th March, 1923, for corrupt practices committed by him on or about 13th and 15th October, 1921 The judgment, after setting out the facts, proceeds as follows:—"Though the judges are reluctant to make any exception in the stringent enforcement of the useful rule disqualifying horses owned by a disqualified person at the _ time of his offence, yet after examining the papers in connection with the purchase of the horse Signature on 4th May, 1922, by George Paul, and being satisfied that George Paul purchased the said horse Signature in good faith from C. E. Walker, former part-owner with J. A. C. Fleming, of the horse, wo therefore order the removal of the disqualification of the said horse Signature as from the date of purchase by George Paul from C. E. Walker and. J. A. C. Fleming. We direct the deposit to be refunded to appellant." '