TROTTING

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 60

TROTTING

" ■ NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. A monthly meeting of the Board of the New Zealand Trotting Association was held on Friday morning in the Dunedin Jockey \ -'Club’s rooms. Mr 11. W. Kitchingham was in the chair.' others present being Messrs W. J. M. Hopkins,' J. M. Samson, ? *ad R. A; Armstrong.

A formal application for re-registration from the Poverty Bay Trotting Club was granted. THE LATE A. MATHIESON. The Invercargill Trotting Club wrote soliciting a donation from the association to assist the family of the late A. Mathieson, a trainer, who was' killed while working out' horses on the Invercargill course. A horse fell and overturned the sulky. The family had been left destitute and the widow now hod a family of s ix‘ children to provide lor. The Gore and Wyndham clubs wrote in a similar strain.—lt was decided, on the recommendation of the Provident Fund Trustees, to grant £lOO to- the family. Mr Kitchingham said he thought a greater sum should be granted. He did not think £lOOO would l L n,uch - That was a matter that should be discussed at the next conference. A levy of 1 per cent, on owners’ wins would assist the fund sufficiently to allow of adequate grants. AUCKLAND MATTERS. * t°„ the T ra mway Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting, R. C JDisken was granted permission to withdraw his mare Una Dillon, as she was unfit to compete, and any moneys invested on the mare on the totalisator were ordered to be refunded. —Confirmed. After the last event of the meeting the committee met regarding an alteration which had been made in the official record of the times of the horses Marble Star and Bridget Galindo. The timekeepers explained that a mistake in calculation had been made respecting these horses’ nett times, and the alteration had been made without due regard for rule 345. They were then requested to make a statutory declaration as required by that rule and the alteration was then approved.—Auproved. After the running of the Oak Handicap the Judicial Committee met to consider the running oft he mare Molly Audubon •ii E ‘ Berkett > which was said to have galloped a third of the distance, finishing m third place. Berkett admitted that the mare galloped a considerable distance on the first part of the journey, and be did his best to pull her up. The committee resolved that the horse should be disuualified —Confirmed.

After the running cf the Dominion Handicap the committee met to hear the com- ?’ a,at tlle i ud Se (Mr E. V. Sutherland), vvhile he was still in the box, and after the numbers were up indicating Jewel Pointer first, and Marshall Neil second, Berkett. In returning with the latter horse, came to the front of the box and said, You know mine is a long sulky, and I won that race,” but it was not said in a harsh tone. Berkctt stated he did not remember saying anything to the judge; it was someone coming through the gate, and he had no intention of questioning the judge's ruling. The committee decided to fine him the sum of £5. Since then Berkett wrote to the association explaining that while he was leaving the track for the birdcage a driver, asked him whit all the noise was about, and what he nad. said in reply was not intended for the judge’s ears, and certainly not as a reflection on that gentleman. In asking for favourable consideration he said he had no desire to cast aspersion on any member or official of a club or governing body, and. would be sorry to find' such a case recorded against him.:—Mr Hopkins moved that the Auckland Club's action in fining Berkett be confirmed. LICENSES. The Licensing _ Committee reported that the following action had been taken during the month subject to confirmation by the board:— The committee recommended that the applications of James C. Crai-r and Stanley N. Goss be granted for riders' licenses only. ■ . Recommended that three months’ conditional license be granted to John Barr, Wm. Beasley. Henry Berg. . Geo. T F. Bettridge. Jas. Butler. Wm. H Boyd, Robt. S. A. Clarke. Chas. C. Clark, Jas. C. Craig, Joseph C req tier, Chas. R. S. Martclli. junr, Trevor L. Nicholson, Roy C. J. Powell, Wm. F. Saunders, R. Tapp. . A licensed rider, driver, and trainer, who intended to drive at a recent meeting, appeared in the saddling paddock intoxicated, and was ordered out and another driver substitutec; Upon- the stipendiary steward's report and the recommendation of the club concerned his licenses were withdrawn. — Owing to frequent accidents a licensed horseman and trainer, and previously a licensed jockey, was asked to hand in his licenses. He was heard in support of his application to be allowed to retain them, and. after consultation with the Racing Conference, liis request was granted. The board approved of the report. APPEAL BY H. FROST. After the running of the Broadway Handicap at the Reefton Jockey dub meeting, a meeting was called to consider the question of displacing the second horse Bell Somerton for galloping and crossing. The placed horses were: Red Comet 1, Bell Scrrerton 2, and Lord Lytton 3. A. Bryce, driver of the third horse, said the interference he met with in the home straight made no difference to the result of the race as he did not get close enough to Bell Somerton. E. J. Conway and F. Keating, members of the Judicial Committee, said they Were watching the incident, and Frost was ‘‘in and out” all the way down the home straight, and no attempt was made to bring the mare into her gait when she had galloped. The Stipendiary Steward (Mr Gorton), who was not responsible for calling the committee together, said that the chairman and himself were in the look-out, and he had a good view of the straight, saw Bell Somerton mixing her gait, also sayv.l'rost put the whip on her, but many drivers' did that to 'bring the horse down to its gait, and not for the purpose ofgal- . loping. The horse Certainly trotted past the _ post, and Mr Gorton saw- nothing to justify taking second money from the mare. The stewards, on his evidence;-gave orders to pay out on the second horse. After a long argument Frost was fined £lO for careless driving, the chairman • disagreeing. Mr Gorton said that, having no vote, he could do nothing, as it was a matter of what the stewards themselves saw. The putting of the whip on the horse, which he saw himself, seemed to have settled the question. ' ' ' ' ’ ' H;’ Frost lodged—a- notice of appeal in this case, and in a covering letter explained his -action. '■ The evidehev of other drivers in the race was read. • • The President said he'saw the tace himself, and saw' no' reason why : a fine ; should be inflicted.

Mr Armstrong said there was an irregularity in that evidence was given by mem bers who dealt with the case judicially. lhe appeal was dealt with first, ' and? as it was an. appeal on the question of facts, it was decided, that iio appeal lay under the rules. .It was decided to refer the whole question back to the club for two reasons, in the first place no charge had been preferred against Bell Somerton’s driver, and, secondly, it was evident that the stewards who sat on the inquiry had also acted in the capacity of witnesses. RUNNING OF DENVER WOOD. After the Soldiers’ Trotting even'- at Reefton, the stipendiary steward (Mr C. H. Gorton) called a meeting of the stewards, where he stated that while coming up the straight the last time Denver Wood, driven by Victor Alborn, came in’ too soon on Bell Somerton, thereby checkin? her in her gait. Frost, driver of Bell Somcrlon. said that Alborn came right across him, causing him to lose some lengths when he was making his run, and he thought it was deliberate. Clarke, driver of Ascot, said he was just behind, and saw no interference. Two patrol stewards said - there _ was no interference.—The stewards decided that no action be taken.— Action endorsed. REGISTRATION OF SHANGHAI. An application was received from Mr J. Carter (Dunedin) for the registration of hts horse Shanghai. He had been refused registration of the horse for over three years, and he. was aggrieved that, through 110 fault of his own, he was penalised for such a long period. The disqualification on the persons previously connected with the horse had been lifted, but the ban was still on the animal.—-The matter was held over until next meeting. C.J.C. AND TROTTING. The Canterbury Jockey Club made ap-phcatio-i for psi mission to hold a firstclass. trotting event in connection with its meeting to be held on March 15 during tu®, visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. The Chairman said that a similar rele time of the visit of the Prince cf W ales had been refused on the grounds that a trotting exhibition could net be seen to advantage on a mile and a-half course.—lt was decided that no permission be granted to hold a trotting event for the same reason as previously. INCREASE IN STAKES. The Canterbury Trotting Club wrote stating that it had been decided to raise the stakes at the forthcoming meeting by £2OO. It was explainecl that the phenomenal. totalisator receipts at the meeting nelo in Auckland were swallowed .up in improvements and the club at present had a debit of £3OO. They were faced with a hard row to hoe. 'lhe net totalisator receipts at Auckland had been £2736. It had been found that an increase of £2OO was all the club could afford.—Agreed to. GREYMOUTH CLUB. The stipendiary steward reported that in the Westland Handicap at the Greymouth meeting Bell Somerton, while coming up tn e straight the last time, galloped probably halfway up the straight, and that fcrost. the driver, had informed him at the unish that the carrier cf the cart had broken, which caused the mare to break. She finished in second place. Frost said that his mare lost more bv breaking than it she had paced correctly. When she broke she was ahead of the third horse. Ln view of the explanation received the took n p action —Approved. lhe committee -nquired into a further case which occurred in the race referred to in the previous case. The stipendiary steward reported that J. N. Clarke, driver of Prudent Child, pulled in on Great Amaz®n - and though it.did not affect the result n-i, i raP ™ ’ n f < ’ r f pr . en ce was serious. 1 j Clarke was driving was erratic, 5P d '-'*j I f ke had only taken the drive after * * had corho down refusing to drive m rhe race. Clarke's exnlanation was accepted and no further action was taken.— Endorsed.

At the conclusion of the Express Handicap at the Greymoui.i meeting, the committee mot to consider a protest lodged by Joseph Dack against M. B. Edwards for boring. After taking evidence the committee placed Connie Audubon first and Great Elect second. fined Edwards £lO for careless driving. Committee’s action endorsed. general. After the Members’ Handicap at the Win? ton meeting the committee met to inquire into the falling of Perky Locan'da and Rosaleen in that race. After hearing both drivers the committee concluded that the incident was quite accidental, and decided to take no action.—Approved. The Waikato Club asked for permission h°‘d its meeting in March on the Alexandra Park course at Auckland, as the club s new course was not «--»• rompleted.Jt was decided to advise the Waikato Club' that in view of the fact that a permit had been given for a reduction in stakes the club would have to review its programme be.oro permission could bo Granted to hold i n J'- e^ln o. Auckland. There would have to be an increase in stakes if the meetit>< r were held there " At the Waikouaiti Racing Club's New Year races W. Robertson, driver of Pando Pointer -'second in the New Year Trot) Protested. J. F. O'Connell, driver of the ’.vinner (Kinney Dillon), for boring in the straight The Judicial Committee unanmously resolved to dismiss Robertson's protest As Robertson's bore, Pando Ponter. had been hard driven and undo? severe punishment, and as Robertson did not think he was closing in on the winner, the committee also recommended the refund of the jirotest money.—Confirmed. An application for the registration of a joint interest in a horse named Vallaraont was refused. on the grounds that the partnership involved a contract which in the eyes cf the board was illegal. Mr. W. J. Tomkiuson wrote asking the association to give a ruling on the question of a trainer leaving his horses in the hands of an employee while he was away. He stated that at the conclusion of the sipnmer meeting at Auckland he had left three horses, Don Douglas, Maggie Pronto and . Pete Peter ..at Auckland with the intention of running them at Otahuhu in February. He wished to know if he were right, when nominating . for Otahuhu in naming himself ’as trainer. It was his intention to. take, charge of the 1 fiorics at Auckland at .the conclusion of the Metropolitan ..'meeting in February. ’ ' / . It was decided .that he was perfectly right. A trainer could leave his horses in the hands' of .an employee anvwhere. ■ Mr H. ' Brinkman wrote thanking 1 .the association for Its expressions of "Syrnpathv in his illness and apologising for the fact

that he had for the first time in 35 years service been unable to attend to his duties. He was glad to say he was now getting well.