MATA'S DISQUALIFICATION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5835, 22 November 1880, Page 3

MATA'S DISQUALIFICATION.

Ths Melbourne paper? to haud by the mail do not contain very definite accounts of the reason for the disqualification of Ray and the horse Mata, probably because— as will be seen from the appended cutting — the stewards appear to have taken no definite action at that time, although they had had the running of the horse under consideration. The Age has the fullest reference to the matter. In its account of the races, our contemporary refers to Mata's running in the Cup race and in the Royal Park Stakes — in the latter of which he finished absolutely last — and says : — " Nine horses only came to the post for the V.R.O. Handicap, for which The Pontiff, Napper Tandy, and Lord Burghley had been made favorites overnight. Finding that Mata was agoing, it was deemed advisable to retire Wellington and Lord Burghley ; Bosworth, Avernus, Warlock, Fist Water and others also being withdrawn. The Pontiff and Napper Tandy continued in favor until a commission came into the ring to back the New Zealand horse Mata, to which they had to give way in the betting, an immediate rush being made by the public also to get on, so much did they think of his chance. Indeed the desire to be in the good thing was so strong that he soon ran up to 2to 1 , at which price he started ; and when Yeomaus was seen walking away from the weighing yard in the orimson jacket, white sleeves and crimson cap it was prophesied that the time had come when he would distinguish himself on Victorian turf. The race was never in doubt after the first mile and a quarter, when the Maorilander went up, subsequently ran through his horses, and came home the easiest of winners, attended by The Pontiff and Secundus, who finished second and third, the latter being freely backed just before the flag fell. The race was run in 3min 6f sec, which is very fast time. After the race waa over, an investigation was held by the stewards into Mata's racing for the Melbourne Cup, and hia owner and rider were called upon for explanatiens. Nothing came of it, but it goes to show that there was a strong feeling extant that he had not, for some reason, been asked to do his best in that race — a feeling the public also participated in. Rumor, which is not always either correct or reliable, declared that he was Buffering from metallic influence in the Cup race, and that, had he won, the ring would have been uttevly ruined, and his name changed to "Totalisator." Be this aB it may, he ran decidedly better ou the last day of the meeting, and whatever suspicion may have attached to his Cup running, the horse is in as high esteem as ever with the sporting million.