RIOT AT MIRAMAR.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1036, 13 January 1910, Page 8

RIOT AT MIRAMAR.

CROWD RUSH THE OFFICIALS. POLICE HAVE TO INTERVENE. The meeting of the Wellington Pony and Galloway Racing Club, which took place at Miramar on Saturday last, was characterised by some extraordinary scenes (says the “New Zealand Times”). The Wellington Cup Handicap was won easily by Petronel. A protest was lodged by the owner of Wharekoa owing to alleged interference during the race. After consideration the stewards dismissed the objection, but suspended Todd (the rider of Petronel) for the remainder of the meeting.

The Newtown Handicap was productive of a disorderly occurrence, and one that will not readily be forgotten. .Sirrah, who had run earlier in the day, won comfortably, and as soon as the winner had passed the judge’s post there were howls and shouts, principally from the bookmakers, that the stewardls ’should hold an inquiry. This they did, and decided to disqualify Sirrah and ordered the bookmakers to pay out on the second pony, Billy. This was an easy matter for the metallicians, for Sirrah was better backed by the public than Billy, This led to further uproar, for those people who .had supported Sirrah demanded their money back from the bookmakers, but this appeal fell on deaf ears, and they were left lamenting. The scene of women and men gesticulating and threatening the bookmakers and the stewards of the club was ludicrous in the extreme. If the Newtown Handicap was productive of some uproar it was left for the Tramway Handicap to provide the climax to the day’s racing. Flying Wind, who had ran third in the Brooklyn Handicap, was saddled up for the final event, and this pony, who had the benefit of Mallowe’s services in the saddle, won by a length. Again the bookmakers were loudest in their shouts that Flying Wind should not get the stake, and people jumped and fell over the fence into the saddling paddock, in their eagerness to attack anybody. The stewards held a meeting and decided that the race should be awarded to Paul, who had run second. This was the signal for a further outburst, and the crowd gathered around some of the club’s officials and jostled and pushed them about. The police, of whom there were only three on the ground, aided the stewards to reach a place of safety, and that they escaped from such an infuriated mob says a lot for their agility. The meeting can safely be written down as the most disorderly that has ever taken place in the Wellington district.