THE METROPOLITAN COMMITTEE AND THE AVONDALE DISQUALIFICATIONS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 985, 21 January 1909, Page 5

THE METROPOLITAN COMMITTEE AND THE AVONDALE DISQUALIFICATIONS.

It is related of Augeas, king of the Epeians in Elis, that he kept three thousand cattle for thirty years in stables that were never cleaned. It fell to that old-time strong man, Hercules, to clean the stalls, and it is said that he did so in a day by turning two rivers into them. This was doubtless a drastic method of executing the task, but it was a very effective one. We have a somewhat similar parallel in Auckland to-day. It has been felt for a long time that racing in Auckland had drifted into a state which padly needed alteration, and rumours were piled upon the top of rumours that things were constantly done which necessitated strong measures being taken to check. Matters culminated with the Spring Meeting of the Avondale Jockey Club, and, urged thereto by popular clamour, the stewards of that body decided to take upon themselves the task of cleansing racing from the mire which threatened to engulf it. It was a commendable thing to do, but, unlike the mythological story, it proved very far from being a one-day task. On the contrary, the stewards met time after time, calling witness after witness, and hearing a vast mass of evidence. Among those called before the A.J.C. tribunal were D. Moraghan, B. Deeley, Claude Brown, C. Nicholson, J. Gallagher, A. Julian, S. G. Lindsay, J. Lynch, A. Whittaker, C. Cress, J. Conolly, J. Winder, P. Brady, H. Pell, N. Cunningham, G. Robinson, and M. Ryan. Matters were carefully sifted .to, the very bottom, and as the result of an exhaustive

inquiry, which extended over nearly three months, the following disqualifications were imposed:—A. Julian, six months; Mark Ryan, rider of Royal Soult, two years; S. G. Lindsay, owner-trainer of Royal Soult, two years; the horse Royal Soult, two years; Norman Cunningham, trainer of Lucio, and the horse Lucio, for life; A. Whittaker, two years; H. Pell, twelve months; P. Smith, six months. It is hardly necessary to add that the finding of the stewards made a great sensation, and has proved a fruitful topic of conversation in racing circles ever since. The Avondale Club then forwarded a fuh report of the inquiry to the Auckland Metropolitan Committee for endorsement of the sentences, as they were bound to do by the Rules of Racing, and there, so far a s they were concerned, their task was ended. Much interest was naturally taken by the public as to the action of the governing body in the matter. Several meetings were called, with more postponements, and as a consequence of the latter, sinister rumours were afloat that great efforts were being made by the interested parties to endeavour to get the metropolitan body to refuse endorsement of the disqualifications. “Wheels within wheels” is the kind of procedure which is not unknown in Auckland, but it was hotly argued against this that the integrity of the Metropolitan Committee would remain unshaken, and that the principle of justice and fair play to all would be the keynote of their action. The evidence to be considered was of a very vo.uminous nature, and it has taken nearly a month to come to a decision, while even now the matter has not been quite completed. At a special meeting on Tuesday, the committee decided to endorse the disqualification of Lindsay, Ryan, Pell, Smith, A. Julian, and the horse Royal Soult, while the cases of N. Cunningham, A. Whittaker, and the horse Lucio will be taken at another meeting to-morrow. It is difficult to express any opinion on the case without reading the evidence, and for the good of racing generally it is perhaps a pity that this could not be published. From the fact, however, that both the A.J.C. and the A.R.C. Metropolitan Committee deemed such wholesale disqualifications necessary it is evident that the cases were very bad ones. Had the Avondale Club not been supported and confirmed in its effort for reform, there is no gainsaying the fact that an infinity of harm would have been done to racing. For some time there has been a great feeling of uneasiness that all has not been as it should be, and this would have been increased a thousandfold had nothing been done. One may greatly regret to see wellknown and popular horsemen, such as Mark Ryan and A. Julian, asked to stand down; but surely such as they should have realised the truth of the old adage, “ Honesty is the best policy.” If, instead, they prefer to run what in racing slang are known as “ war risks,” they must abide by the consequences. What the public are chiefly concerned about is that at last a determined effort has been made to safeguard their interests and to eradicate what was undoubtedly a growing evil. Whether it will prove efficacious remains to be seen, but for the effort the Avondale Jockey Club is deserving of warm praise. It has been a heavy task, and one which should never have fallen to the lot of honorary officials. A stronger proof in favour of the appointment of stipendiary stewards could not possibly be adduced.