SPOKE OUT OF HIS TURN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 84, 30 June 1927, Page 6

SPOKE OUT OF HIS TURN

OWNER OF CASTLES SUFFERS FOR HONEST MISTAKE If the law’s an ass, what are the rules of racing? This is the persistent question put by a Sydney writer anent the famous Castles case, an affair which stirred Australian racing - circles a few days ago. Read what he says: On a racecourse a still tongue is a valuable attribute. Owner-trainer C. Hearne, who had Castles engaged in the Hurdle Race at Randwick on Saturday (June 11) realises that now. Ten minutes before the start of the race, in which Castles had been heavily backed to beat Grosvenor and Micronesia, Mr. Hearne applied to amend the entry of Castles, whose dam had inadvertently been described as Antrim instead of Handsome. If he had remained silent, Castles would have run and, if successful, would have received the prize, for under No. 157 of the rules of racing the stewards would have been powerless to act against him. WRONG TIME But because of belated discovery of the wrong description of Castles was made before the race, another rule was applicable and the stewards were forced to debar Castles from running. A section of rule 48 states: “. . . (the committee) may permit any accidental or inadvertent error of omission to be corrected or supplied at any time not less than half an hour before the time fixed for starting the race in respect of which such entry was made upon payment of a fine of one pound.” The fact that the wrong description was made known to the stewards only ten minutes prior to the start of the race made that rule applicable and caused Castles to be prevented from starting. THE RULES Rule No. 157 is dependent upon rule No. 156 in the legislation governing racing, and both are here printed: Rule 156: “An objection on the ground of fraudulent mis-statement or fraudulent omission in the entry, or on the ground that the horse which ran was not the horse, or the age which he was represented to be, or that he was not qualified under the conditions of the race, or that the name of such horse or of any person having an interest in such horse is in the forfeit list or list of disqualifications, may be received within one month of the conclusion of the meeting.” Rule 157: “No objection on the ground of misdescription, or of error, or omission in any entry, except as mentioned in the preceding rule, shall be entertained after a race.” NO WISH TO DEFRAUD Nobody could allege that Castles’ wrong nomination was made with any wish to defraud, and if he had won all bets on him must have been paid, even if any owner of one of the beaten horses had protested. But where the stewards’ action seems to call for comment is that a. most callous and indifferent attitude was adopted toward the fielders who made books on the Hurdle Race. CONTROLS RACING ONLY The A.J.C. seems to pride itself on controlling racing, not betting, and, although the A.J.C. stewards aren’t forced to adjudicate on betting points, their decisions are tantamount to commands to bookmakers. By refusing Castles permission to start they, practically speaking, ordered the return of bets on that horse. Naturally that placed the bookmakers in a most unfair position. Only three of the runners in the race were seriously supported, and the following figures, taken from Reg Catton’s book, show how the return of all the money on Castles caused a very false price to be bet against Grosvenor. HOW THE BOOK WAS MADE Mr. Catton had to pay out: £1,600 if Grosvenor won. £1,170 if Micronesia won. £1,573 if Castles won. £260 if Piratic won. £216 if Willanjie won. Nothing if Pelman won. He held £1,360 on the race. Castles’ scratching made him return £365, which would have helped pay off the £1,600 liability against Grosvenor, and when the favourite won he lost well over £6OO instead of £240. CAUTIOUS BACKERS Of course, Catton’s book on the race was of exceptional size, as most of the fielders bet very much more cautiously on jumping races than on ordinary events. The stewards’ decision, however, affected the 120 or so paddock bookmakers working on Saturday, and the total amount handed back to punters by them ran into thousands of pounds. Not that punters should nave lost their money, but, by the same token, the bookmakers shouldn’t have been victimised. FEARFUL BOOKS The refund of all the money bet on Castles —and there was nothing much put on any of the other runners bar Grosvenor and Micronesia —left them all with* fearful books. And the fact that they were made pay for a mistake which should have been detected by the A.J.C. didn’t make the position any more gratifying to them. It was a case where the stewards should have exercised discretion, and, if under the present rules it isn’t possible for the stewards to declare all bets off in the case of races run at A.J.C. courses, it is about time they were given that power. A WASTED WASTE

One of the most disappointed men at Randwick was Arthur Calderwood. He had taken off 91b to ride Castles in the Second Hurdle, and thought that he was a good thing. Calderwood is one of the youngest of the cross-country riders, and during his short career over the jumps has shown great promise. IS HE ELIGIBLE?

As a copy of Castles’ lease had n.-t been registered with the A.J.C. when the gelding was nominated for Saturday’s meeting at Canterbury Park, is he eligible to run in the Hurdle Race? wrote another- Sydney writer a few days later. Only four horses accepted for that event, and the possibility of Castles being declared ineligible to run has caused much discussion in i-acing circles.

It is highly improbable that any such action will be taken. When the trainer, C. Hearne, renewed his lease of Castles, in June last year, he was under the impression that the lessor, Mr. Charles Massey, of Yass, had sent a copy to the A.J.C., and it was not

until some days later that he was disillusioned on the point. Determined to waste no further time in adjusting the matter, Hearne went to Yass to see Mr. Massey, and on his return to Sydney he lodged a copy of the lease with the ruling body. On making formal application to the stipendiary stewards at the course on Saturday, Hearne will, no doubt, be allowed to amend the entry of Castles, on payment of a fine of £l. He has already seen Mr. Higgins, the chairman of the stipendiary stewards, who stated on Monday that there would be no further trouble about Castles.

[Castles not only started in the hurdle race referred to, but he won very easily. He was backed down to heavy odds on.]