DON WALLA CASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 68, 17 February 1939, Page 12

DON WALLA CASE.

I-lORSE OWNER DISQUALIFIED

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. 16.

The judicial committee of the Auckland Trotting Clnb this morning disqualified N. Cunningham, the wellknown owner and driver of trotting horses, and the horse Don Walla for twelve months. The finding of the committee was as follows: “The committee finds Norman Cunningham guilty of conduct calculated to injure the Auckland Trotting Club and the sport of trotting, and also of wilfully failing to perform an act lawfully ordered by the stipendiary stewards, and by a majority decide that he and Don Walla be disqualified for twelve months.”

The disqualification arose from an incident connected with the first, division of the Waiheke Handicap decided at Alexandra Park on Saturday. Shortly before the start of the race Cunninghnme returned to the birdcage with his horse and did not start. Subsequently an official statement was issued in which it was stated that special permission bad been given for a man to go to the starting post with Don Walla, but at the post the starter had refused the attendant permission to act because he had not been officially notified. The starter sent Cunningham hack to the stipendiary steward to be given permission. That permission was forthcoming, but Cunningham elected to withdraw the horse. The money invested _ on the liorse was paid back to the investors, although the totalisator had closed, the club thus being put to a loss of £3Ol.