THE NASEBY PROTESTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 46

THE NASEBY PROTESTS.

.There> was a good deal of inconsistency displayed in the trotting 1 ©vents at Naseby, and when Perfection scored in tho mil© race on the second day she had to run the gauntlet of a protest for alleged inconsistent running before being awarded the stakes. Perfection started three times during the meeting, and prior to her winning tefforfc was never prominent or showed a decent gait in either of her losing races, and at the same time was practically neglected on the totalisatoi*. In the first attempt, from the IPsec mark, she finished completely out of the race, when if she could have shown a gait a little better than even time she would have been closs tip to the placed horses. "Whan again unbacked ehe also gave a poor display in the mile and a-half race ; but with a change _of riders she started an equal favourite with Bkegger in the mile race, and won from end to end in 2min 51 I-s?ec. At the finish she was pulling up, and even then finished over a dozen lengths in front or the second horse. The stewards had a lengthy sitting over the protest heforf dismissing it, and then refunded the protest money. Maniac, ridden by a novice, started in the two-mile race, and, unfpncied on the machine, finished last. With, a change of riders ho was made- a good second favourite foi the

mile race, run on the same day APcr the. race E. M'KLewt-n \va.i hod vn bc-ioio the stewards on tho instigation oi :ho steward who occupied the "croi 1 . 't nest" at tho top of the straight, and questioned as to wl>y he allowecl the horse to gallop. Tlip explanation given wa-s that the hoi>o hops badly when breaking, anel conveys the idea of galloping. The explanation was accepted, but apparently no notice, was taken of the glaring inconsistency ol the horse's performance, which, however, was no stronger than that of Perfection. It might be held that the change of form of both horses w - as accounted for by the- change of liders, but if such explanations were generally accepted without being backed by other reasons, a wide field would be opened up for fraud which un«erupu'ous owners would not hesitate to take advantage of. If owners were allowed to i hop and change riders all efForts to rai^e the tone of trotting would be fruitier, as there is not the rlightesr doubt that nothing but tlie stricte-t surveillance, apparently keeps the ppo:t clear of malpractice*. Whilst on the sub' jeefc of inconsistent running at the meeting, the performance*, of Mou^ere must bo said to be or"n to adverse ciiticidin; and whilst tUe- galloping events bore, the appearance of being honestly contested, there were a couple of exceptions which should not havo escaped the notice of the> steward-. One of these could be accounted for, but the other was a plain case of eyesight. The M.J.C. has a "cro.v's nest" on its course which ie occupied by " stipendiary stewards," but tmless the vision of thc--^ gentlemen improves considerably the sta.no could not inaptly bo christened tho Stiffendaries stand" in tho future.