VALIDO'S VALIDITY.

NZ Truth, Issue 406, 5 April 1913, Page 5

VALIDO'S VALIDITY.

THE IN-AND-OUT P WANCES OF A PRAD. SQUATTER SPORT GREENWOOD AND THE "STIPES." Who Greenwood is— Rich Wealthy Sheep and Horse Owner— The Unimproved Value of his Land— Yalido's Running — Was it Dead?— Alive on the Second Day— The Tale of the Betting— The "Stipes'" Verdict—The Circumstances Considered— Greenwood's Bets —His Offer of £1000— An Appeal— His Reputation m the Balance.

George Dean Greenwood is so wellknown to followers of racing m New Zealand that it " would be superfluous on the part of '"Truth" to say anything of him— to followers of horseracing. It,; however, happens that here and there are to be found a few who are not keen on horse-racing t and who, m a casual sort of a way, just know of G. D. Greenwood, and associate him. m a general sort of way with the sport of kings. As a matter of fact. G. D. Greenwood has not always been a prominent turfite. He came to the fore soon after the death of Gee Gee Stead, of Christchurch, and, getting to the fore, has remained m the fore ever. since. At the dispersal sale of Gee. Gee Stead's bloodstock. G. D. Greenwood possessed himself of THE PICK OF THE STEAD jSTABI^E. He not only picked the' eyes out of the stable, as it were, but he went one better. He secured the services of that veteran trainer, R. G. Mason, and. since Mr. G." D. Greenwood' took to the turf. Mr. R. G: Mason has been .associated with the fortunes or otherwise of the Greenwood-owned mokes. There is, however, this very pleasant exception, the veteran has not been associated with what "Truth" is pleased to call Mr. G. D. Greenwood's little misfortune as a sportsman at the recently concluded meeting of the Australian Jockey Club, at Randwick, Sydney. 'New South Wales. This unpleasant episode m Mr. G. D. Greenwood's sporting career concerns the running of his horse Valido, which was questioned' by the stipendiary stewards, and the result was, as "Truth" says, unpleasant not only for Mr. G. D. Greenwood, *but for all connected with Mr" G. D. Greenwood's stables m Sydney. First of all, let "Truth deal with the position as it stands. Valido is a four-year-old imported chestnut horse by Veles— Slaveaway. On the first day of the A.J.C. meeting, viz.. March 22, Valido. carrying 9.7 •m the Higfcweight Handicap, of six furlongs, and ridden by 3D. Burke, was not, to use a current expression, on the voyage." Whether it was wanted, on .the voyage is another matter, and one which has yet, m view of subsequent proceedings, to be decided. Hpwever, from the sporting point of view, what is important is the fact that Valido was NOT MENTIONED IN THE BETTING. In, all probability, so far as Valido I is concerned, it was a case of "write your own odds." To complete the story, the race m question was won by Noogilla, a rank outsider, and "Truth" doesn't imagine it is infringing the fool Gaming Act when it mentions that the starting price of this Noogilla was 12 to 1. What j is necessary to' s impress," however, is that Valido was not mentioned m the betting, and it has often happened that horses not mentioned m the betting 'run accordingly. However, on Easter Monday, Valido, carrying 7.10, and ridden this time by G. Pinn/ came out and wion the Flying Handicap of six furj longs. Now, it is interesting to note that, practically speaking, Valido, whose price was 7 to l, was second favorite/ and, further, "Truth" learns from the Sydney "Sportsman," that tiie common garden fry of punter did not fancy Valido to any great extent. It, however, remains that early m the betting, Valido was at a very big price, and, furthermore, he finished up a bad horse for the bookmakers. This is due, it is said, to the fact that the big backers took advantage of the long odds on offer and backed it down to the position of second favorite. Evidently, the big backers knew something. Still, these are the circumstances. It is not unfair to G. D. Greenwood to say straight out that the suggestion is that on the first day, Valido was "dead," out to enjoy the scenery, "stoomed," or, to put it plainly, THE HORSE WAS "PULLED." To say th a t G. D. Greenwood was m "the joke," if it was >'a joke," is, however, an entirely different matter. Where the shoe does pinch is m the fact that the running of a horse owned by Greenwood was questioned by the stipendiary stewards. Here, it would seem, that the stipendiary stewards m question respect no person. The fact that G. D. Greenwood is a big, rich squatter m New Zealand, that he is a prominent personage on the New Zealand turf, that he hob-nobbed with the Governor of New Zealand, m fact, that m New Zealand G. I>. Greenwood is quite a big thing m the racing and breeding business, does not seem to have cut much ice with the "Stipes," who had before them the evidence of a friendless horse running nowhere one day, and on another, when the right sort of money was on, the same horse landed the mustard. Now, just to show how "daring" these stipendiary stewards were* it is interesting to note that the said G. D. Greenwood is one of the richest men m the Dominion. Politically, of course, he doesn't count, but, judging by his j wealth, his lands, his sheep, his j breeding establishments, and his race horses, he must be n strong and determined motor car owning and lending supporter of the "Small-farmer," ."Square-deal "-to-Labor Government which just now is busily engaged m running New Zealand. "Truth." cannot give any idon of the wealth of O. I>. Greenwood. Wo find, however, from the annual sheep returns for- 1011-12. that O. I>. Greenwood, Teviotdale and Stockgrove, Amberlcy, Rave the number of his sheep at M,® 1 . Moreover, we find that George Dean Greenwood is ONE OF THOSE LUCKY INDIVIDUALS m New Zealand, the unimproved

value of whose acreage is £*£60,009 and over," how much over, "Truth/* not being m the valuation line, id unable to say. As the Land and; Income tax returns are not open to; vulgar eyes, it is impossible to declare - what G. D. Greenwood arinual-j ly realises m the way of taxation., Still, there you are. He is a rich' man, and - stipendiary • stewards at Sydney did not hesitate to question; the running of one; of his horses. Incidentally, "Truth" pauses to make the observation: Will the wealth oJ horse-racing patrons m this Dominion deter the present "stipes" from .questioning the m and out running of wealthy dwsers' horses ? More than one opportunity has been offered, but, so far, the "stipes" seem to hay© been overwhelmed for daring td suggest that it was only fair to the owners, wealthy owners of course,, not mere common individuals or a few inexperienced jockeys, that they should tie given a chance to explain. It occurs to "Truth" that if the "stipes" take to questioning wealthy racerhorse owners, or the connections of -wealthy owners, re the running of their gee-gees, no poor man, who thinks it harmless' to run a bye, will be safe, the very foundation of that honorable institution— the turf —is liable to be sapped. , These stipendiary stewards will have to exercise more discretion. v The stewards, as explained, did hold an inquiry, and it is, of course, Possible that the wealth, . social position, and reputation as a thoroughgoing sport of the big New Zealand squatter, G. D. Greenwood, carried a little weight, with the "stipes,"who, IN "ACCEPTING THE EXPLANAN TION," tempered the wind m. the . following verdict re Valido 's validity :— v "We cannot but regard the form as inconsistent, but, taking into* consideration the difference m the *■ scale of weights and the bad run Valido got on Saturday m the big field, we hold that those connected i with the horse are entitled to have their explanation accepted. The difference, m the betting m the two( races is unsatisfactory and unexplained, and we consider the emt ployment of Burke on the first day, when Prim, rider for the second day, was not riding for the stable, was ill-advised." If the circumstances had been that Greenwood was a poor, ' struggling "sport," "battling with the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," would the explanation have been accepted ? Would the facts that Valido one day ran nowhere, m fact, ran as the betting indicated he would, and, cm another ran just as the betting pointed he would, that the jockeys were changed, etc., etc., have been overlooked ? "Truth" cannot say ; perhaps the "stipes" did not look at it that way. However, the unsolved problem which puzzled the "stipes'' has got our wealthy squatter going. Rumors apparently have been flying around m Sydjiey that Greenwood made a pot, and our wealthy squatter implies that he had only a few pounds on the horse when it won, and offers to give £1000 to anyone who can prove that he participated to any extent above his few pounds investment on Valido. Furthermore, G. D. Greenwood has announced his intention of appealing to the highest racing authorities. "