"RIGGING" ALLEGED

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 100, 30 April 1931, Page 8

"RIGGING" ALLEGED

EVENTS !AT RANDWICK

; ; { (^rom "Vedette^,1): : v. '■•..-■'. . :SYDNBYv^3M:i.;pril. Arising out of certain happenings at Band Wick, .a-t both the A.J.Ci. Meeting and-.at'the City Tatt's Meeting on Satarday, an agitation has been raised in the Sydney Press concerning the. activities of certain jockeys and their connection with one or two bookmakers. Apart from tho continued success of the totalisator, the fact that it is silent and plays no sinister part in racing is all to its advantage, an aspect that is being freely commented on. The suspicious circumstances .which n-re arousing attention are confined to only, two or throe races. It is known thai in one case a prominent bookmaker telephoned an oxvner the night prior to a race in which one of the latter's horses was engaged. The bookmaker offered some gratuitous, but nevertheless very sound advice. Needless, to say, tho horse won, and when the owner, who had had a good win, communicated his thanks to the bookmaker with the suggestion of a small present, he 'was brushed aside with: ,"No, I won £5000 myself." '..'. There is not much doubt that in.-the race. in. question several of the opposition,, .were attended to by their riders, an iriea;supported by subsequent form ;when-another little" coup 'was engineered successfully. ' ':■ In this race the winner was a horse Ibeatoiv, to the. mystery.of .its immediate connection's,- -in- its previous race. ' It was.lucky to win when its tuni 'was 'arranged,, for. only close . shepjiording and deliberate' interference in ,-. the straight removed a serious danger to the fruition of the plan.- ' It is-not to be thought that there'is anything approaching a jockey's ring, bflt three or four riders are doubtless in collusion with' at least two bookmakers of some prominence. The last-named stand up and field against certain horses at times as if settling day did not exist, and. they know it will not for the backers. Then the next time one of theso horses is produced, they step clown and turn backers for as much money as they can secure. The whole matter is so transparent that it is remarkable that official action is not taken, for bookmakers . arc licensed to.field and not to.bet.ns.. they wish. It is. argued that punters cannot vary their business, and bookmakers should fulfil their contract. .; Were racing in New South Wales^ as well controlled by inspectors as in NewZealand, these affairs would '-'receive short shrift.. Unfortunately for ..the A.J.C., it is without such competent Officers, and one of the bookmakers concerned is a henchman of Mr. J. T. Lang's, , . ,;■