THE ST. DENIS DISQUALIFICATION.

Otago Witness, Volume 30, Issue 2353, 30 March 1899, Page 35

THE ST. DENIS DISQUALIFICATION.

The St. . Denis disqualification case was dealt with last week by the judges appointed by the chairman of the" Racing Conference to hear the appeal by the Gore Racing Club. The following was the decision arrived at": — "The judges having heard fresh evidence which was not before the Dunedin- Jockey Club, unanimously decide that the original decision of the Gore'Ttacing Club disqualifying W. Crossan and the horse St. Denis for six months and the jockey J. M'Comb foo one month bo upheld." The .representatives of the conference who sat were Sir Georg Clifford and Messrs Knight and Teschemaker. They examined, I understand, several of the stewards of the Gore Club in addition to the old evidence, and I am told that th*y complimented the Gore Club on the way the case was stated. In due course, I presume, wa iball have an outline of the evidence on which the finding was based. Expecting this, I postpone ray comments on the main question, and rest satisfied with two -remarks — first, that I do not and never did like the appeal system at all, believing that it does not tend to juslice nor the welfare of the turf ; secondly, that I understand it was distinctly denied that Mr Crossan had a lot of money bet on the race with the bookmakers in Dunedin. In saying that the appeal 'system leads to injustice I do not impugn tin's present decision, nor any particular decision, but I do hold that the allowing of further evidence, and the spinning out of the proceedings, and the expense altogether make for evil and tend to the belittling of local stewards and thus provoke a rebellious spirit amongst persons who,are so inclined.