NEW BRIGHTON TROTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1937, Page 14

NEW BRIGHTON TROTS.

ELIGIBILITY OF RACKETEER. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 7. After the race for the Memorial Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday, Do Soto, his owner (C. Johnston) and driver (J. Pringle) were disqualified for three months for allegedly not trying to win. Johnston is the owner of Racketeer, who has been leased on a basis of 25 per cent, of his winnings. Racketeer started later in the Electric Handicap but failed to gain a place. On the win machine Racketeer carried £455 and on the place machine £360.

Rule 383 of the Rules of Trotting says: “No person who is disqualified other than for a particular race or races shall, during the period between the time disqualification was imposed and the expiration or removal of same, be qualified to enter, nominate or race any horse.” Rule 386 provides that no horse of which a disqualified person was the owner at the time of disqualification can be entered, nominated, or started for any race under the rules of trotting. It appears that Racketeer was not eligible to start in the Electric Handicap, and the question arises whether tho holders of tickets are entitled to a refund of their investments. Cases have been known in New Zealand of a club having to pay out on two winners of one race, and it is not so many years ago that Lightning won a mile saddle race and was . afterwards declared ineligible to. start in the race In this case, first dividends were paid’ on both the disqualified horse and the runner-up.