A RAGING SCANDAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 10428, 5 December 1896, Page 2

A RAGING SCANDAL.

[Per United Pbess, Association^ Melb'ou^ke'J liec *^ The Age relates a % . story of a v_ery scandalous nature which has been current in sporting circles some wee'fcV ' pa's^, 5 . i m '." puting to a well known bookmaker a*' villainous attempt to stiffen a horse engaged in the. recent t.fi.tl. Spring Meeting. Though the statement is of a very circumstantial character, the paper refrained giving publication to the precis details for some time in full expectation' that the V.R.C. would take the master, up. Briefly it is alleged that the owner of a firsj; class , pjarformer, haviug experienced a misfortune during the early part of the meeting,' suggested to a bookmaker that for a certain large sumwhict he, specified, firf was"'s|gr|£ to allow the bookmaker td drug, the hdrseand prevent him. winning, the f ollo^inav day. The bookmaker promptly .acquiesced and under his own supervision^ hire-was prepared in the city ;afil'- iogMfffl iffi pair journeyed tp FleirffritfCon. • J^te' owner, J^fta^d vprec3u r^ ti'on to acquaint lnstrainrfwithihe "ape on foot and instructions were g'ivetiT that paint should be applied to another horse in the stable so-'that he would resemble the intended victim. The deception suo

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ceeded"and the bookmaker handed.,<©ver the promised cheque in the paddock. When the race in which $h£ drugged favorite competed came on' there wasj^p more, desperate fielder than the bqp& makpr" under notice. His fellow pen- "- cillers^ shared astonishmenftsgt his reck""less wagering but whispering Sv friendly word in the ears of his fellow ringmen, the secret was quickly undeV-. stood and point by point the favorite j lengthened. More money w^nt on, the more venturesome bookmakers became. The race wasrun and the favori|e£ triumphed. The paper concludes, that the attention of thfci Vi.Rjo.i.haS' now been, pointedly directed to what appears to be one of the, biggest scandals perpetuated, in connection with itbei.iVictorian turf fora long time. An enquiry will probably follow.

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