GREYHOUND RACE SCENE

Evening Star, Issue 20898, 15 September 1931, Page 10

GREYHOUND RACE SCENE

CROWD INCENSED WITH JUDGE POLICE SWEPT ASIDE. Remarkable scenes were witnessed at the Hall Green greyhound track in Birmingham recently when ft crowd ot people many buiK.iods strong, incensed by a decision of tho stewards, scrambled over the barriers, swarmed across the track, and surrounded the judge’s box, shouting and gesticulating angrily. The. incident occurred after the second race; One of tho dogs, Knntoher Bill, palpably interfered with Yarra Alusha, the leading dog, at the second bend. Immediately tho klaxon was sounded, and the red’flag, which, according to the rules, indicates “no race,” was hoisted. The dog in No. 5 box, Little Grafton, an outsider, cut between, crossed the line first, and while the punters wore awaiting the return of their money tho white flag, indicating that the race would stand, was hoisted and Little Grafton’s number appeared on the number board as the winner, together with tho information that Kantohor Bill was disqualified. A mighty roar of indignation rose from thousands of throats. 'Hie crowd from the cheaper enclosure swept aside the police, leapt over tho railings ami rushed threateningly toward tho stewards’ box, which was already surrounded by a number of excited punters. The police and the attendants were unable to control tho infuriated crowd, and an ugly scene was threatening to develop when Major W. P. B. Frazer, the chief steward, again altered tho decision to “ no race.” Tt was then the bookmakers’ turn to protest. They dashed to the judge’s box and shouted that they had already paid out on Little Grafton, and many of them refused to return the stake money to the punters. The totalisator, which bad by this time paid out the winners on Little Grafton, had also to return the stake money on the other dogs owing to the altered decision.

Yarra Muslin, the dog which had been interfered with in tho original race, won the ro-run race. It was decided, after a lengthy discussion, to refer the. settlement of the dispute to tho Bookmakers’ Protection Association.