A RACING APPEAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 54

A RACING APPEAL.

THE SIGNATURE DISQUALIFICATION. CHRISTCHURCH. June 7. The judges appointed by the Racing Conference (Sir George Clifford and Messrs Geo. Gould and B. L. Lane) have given their decision in regard to the appeal of George Paul, owner of the horse Signature, against the disqualification of that horse consequent upon the disqualification of J. A. C. Fleming, a previous part-owner of the horse. Appellant said that lie purchased the horse Signature from C. E. Walker, a previous part-owner with Fleming, in perfectly good faith, and without any knowledge whatever that a breach of the Rules of Racing had been committed by Fleming prior to the date of the sale of the horse. Fleming was, some months after the sale of the horse to Paul, disqualified for a term of thro© years from March 15, 1923, for corrupt practices committed by him on or about October 13 and 15, 1921. The judgment, after setting out the facts, is as follows:—“Though the judges are reluctant to make any exception in the stringent enforcement of the useful rule disqualifying horses owned by a disqualified person at the time of his offence, yet after examining the papers in connection with the purchase of the horse Signature on May 4, 1922, by George Paul, and being satisfied that George Paul purchased the said horse Signature in good fait hfrom C. E. Walker, former part-owner with J. A. C. Fleming of the horse, we therefore order the removal of the disqualification of the said horse Signature, as from the date of the purchase by George Paul from C. E. Walker and J. A. C. Fleming, and we direct the deposit to be refunded to the appellant.”