"A VERY BAD INVESTMENT"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23369, 8 December 1937, Page 14

"A VERY BAD INVESTMENT"

BACKING OF RACKETEER (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 7. Backers of Racketeer in the Electric Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday made a very bad investment, for while the horse did not run into a place it is doubtful whether they ever had a chance of winning, and in the sriorting world a bet is not a bet if there is not a chance of winning. After the Mace Memorial Handicap, De 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 the basis of 25 per cent, of the winnings. 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 the disqualification was imposed and the expiration or removal of the 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 ot Trotting it appears that Racketeer was not eligible to start in the Electric Handicap, and the question arises whether the 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-ur-