ALLEGED INCONSISTENT RUNNING.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 155, 12 July 1901, Page 3

ALLEGED INCONSISTENT RUNNING.

PROTEST AGAINST ADM lit AI HAWKE.

Tins concluding event at the Gisborne Baring Club’s steeplechase meeting yesterday was won by Admiral Hawke, and resulted in a protest being laid by Air J. Clark, the owner of the second horse, Papatu, on the grounds of alleged inconsistent running. A lengthy enquiry was held l>v the stewards after tile race, the following being present : —Messrs Hephum (Chairman), G. It. Wyllic, 11. M. Porter, .1. C. Barker, it. Harper, and Captain Tucker. -Mr John dark, in his evidence, stated that in the first race of the day. the Tc Hajeira Handicap, a distance of seven furlongs, Admiral Hawke carried 11.5, and bis own horse 9.2. The former was not j,laced, and at no time during the race showed up prominently. In the race under review, a distance of one mile, Admiral Hawke carried 11.7, and Papatu 9.7. 11l Tr Ilapara Handicap, which his horse won, he was weighted to carry 9.2, but having overweight lie carried 9.5, so as a matter of fact there were only two pounds between the two horses in the two races, whilst the distance was a furlong longer. On the previous Tuesday witness was very nearly entering a protest, as Admiral Hawke had showed nowhere in the Flying Handicap, but had won the last race in the easiest possible manner. He was advised by bis friends not to enter a protest Oil the Tuesday. It was the second protest that he hub entered in his life, and he had raced for a number of years.

A. Williams, the rider of Papatu, said that lie could not say any more than what Mr Clark had stated. He did not think that Admiral Hawke had run consistently, for the reason that at the six furlong post he was galloping with him. At that stage of the journey lie found that Admiral Hawke was the horse he had to beat. At the six-furlong post in the morning's race he did not see anything of the same horse.

Questioned by Mr T. A. Williams, owner of Admiral Hawke, witness stated that lie did not know much about Admiral Hawke's racing performances. He could not recall a ease where the horse had won a race under a mile. Mr Williams : Xho horse has never won a iqiee under a mile. The handicappcr in making his adjustment has not treated him as a sprinter. Air Clark The two races arc. practically the same distance, Air Williams : Not at all, sir; had the race this morning been a mile your horse would not have finished first. I asked my boy where he got, and lie replied a length from the third horse.

Air Clark : On Tuesday in the first race Admiral Hawke was never prominent, whilst in the second race he was in front nearly the whole journey. Air Williams : I backed ray hovso in tho first race to-day. and in the last race I did net think that lie had a chance, and I have not a shilling on him. At six furlongs he was nowhere, and at seven furlongs he could not get up with them. Had it been a mile lie would have been with them.

Air Clark : T consider my horse more a stayer than a liver.

Air Williams : Well, he did not prove it on his running on Tuesday evening, for lie died away at the bend. Mr J. G. Parker : I am afraid that Papatu showed up just as badly as Admiral Hawke on Tuesday. Air Williams : I did not back my horse in this race, but I did in this morning's

Mr Clark : As far as tickets go I can get you dozens. Mr Williams : That is a nasty remark to make. Mr Clark. It is as much as to sav that I go round collecting tickets. You have no right to make such a remark. The witnesses then withdrew, and the stewards considered the protest. The Chairman said that lie had taken notice of the races on Tuesday. In the seven furlong race Admiral Ilawkc was never prominent, while in the mile and a distance he was in the front the whole way. In the seven furlong race that, morning he was running last for the greater part of the distance, and was unplaced : whilst in this race he was with Papatu at the six-furlong post. He considered that there was good reason for a protest being made. Mr YYyllie said that alter the first race that morning he went along and had a look at the horse, and noticed that he was cut very much with the spur. Mr Hepburn: There is not very much in that. Mr Wyllie : Papatn's running on Tuesday was'no better than this horse's. T'ne Chairman : On Tuesday there was a great difference in the weights. 'Mr Wyllie: 1 think this horse's running to-day was true running. Mr Parker was of opinion that there was no evidence before the meeting to justify them sustaining a protest for inconsistent running. Papatn's running on the previous Tuesday was just as inconsistent as Admiral Hawke's running was. Captain Tucker : The question is not as to Papatn's running, but Admiral Hawke’s. It seems to me that the horse had a more favorable start in the race that he won on Tuesday. He was away first, and kept the lead. It is very easy to make accusations. but we require to be pretty sure before we uphold a protest. Mr Wvllie : If you uphold this protest we shail be sitting' here all day at future meetings holding enquiries. Mr Parker : 1 had a ticket and a-half on Papatu. but I must admit that I cannot see where the inconsistency of Admiral Hawke's running comes in. The question for us to consider is whether there is sufficient evidence to justify the protest being sustained, and Ido not think there is. Captain Tucker : It is one thing to doubt and another thing to be quite sure. We should not disqualify a horse unless we feel certain that there is good ground for so doing. I do not know that anything as yet came out to show us that the runuing'of Admiral Hawke was inconsistent. The W as dismissed. It was decided that the dividend on Admiral Hawke, amounting to .t'3 6s, should be paid to holders of tickets at the Masonic Hotel at 10 o’clock this morning.