A JUDGE'S ERROR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 36

A JUDGE'S ERROR.

A mistake vra=i made hy the South Australian Joeksy Club's* judge in awarding ihe places in the Goodwood Handicap, "but fcrtainateiy it did not affect the winner. Mr Barter hoisted Slagelight as second, whereas he was beaten for thai position by a length hy Lyddit/ Where a finish is a elope one the judge's dccMcn is not — or, at least, it should not — be disputed, but in thi3 particular, writes " Tarquin," there was not a shadow of a doubt ahoMi. Lyddite running second, and before thp horses had finished wein-hinsf-In the ownev and trainer of the filly a*ked Mr Barker il he had not madp a mistake. Mr Barker would not at fiv&i admit that he was wrong, but half an hour later he reversed his decision, and it was o'Tieiallv ported {hat Lycltlile ra second and Str.gelii>ht third. In reproving of the alteration, the stewards overlooked one cf their racing rules, which stales that the indie's decision is Ji2.al unless changed within 10 minutes, and thah* pr-ilion would not have hfci an enviabl™ ono '^ad Ranfurlv for tome rcaso-i or ihe other tc;n disqualified. As it v/a- 1 there v/os -,o trouble over tlie matter, as \lr .7. H. 3>vis, the owner of Stogelicfoi, in* a ■•portf-mirl-'ice recognised that he had no rinntful rlajra for second money, his colt Laving been Lea ton by Lyddite.