THE ST DENIS CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 43

THE ST DENIS CASE.

The verdict of the D J.C. Committee in the St. Denis affair did not become known, officially until too late last v. eek to do more than merely notify that the stakes in the Farewell Handicap had b^een awarded to Mr W. Crossan, the then owner of St. Denis. The majority of those who followed the running of Mr Crossan's horse at the Cup meeting held the opinion that, to f-ay the least of it, his form in the Farewell was open to suspicion. Had the son of St Clair got, awoy with his field, nothing much could ha\e been said, but he was so badly left that his backers gave up all hope of securing any return from their investments. However, he won. and that handsomely. It is tiue he had beon dropped a bit in the weights, but his bad start seemed to quite counterbalance any advantage he may have had in that reppect. So much for appear ancas At the inquiry Mr Crossan and hi? witnesses proved to the batisfaction of th« committee that the horse had been consistently backed by the owner and his friendi for tho previous races in which he ran, but that in the case of the Farewell Handicap he> had not been supported to anything like the extent he had been on the first and ee--corid days. Moreover, there was such strong documentary evidence in support of that given orally that the committee could not leasonably have rorae to any other decision than that at which they armed. Appearances are sometimes deceptive, and this, apparently, is a case in point. It cannot be denied that the D.J C." Committee did the right thing in holding the inquiry, fot though a verdict of acquittal ivas returned, the moral effect of the action of the committee in holding the inquiry will bo for the good of racing.