Inquiry Into Ownership of Spare Part

Chronicle (Levin), 17 May 1948, Page 7

Inquiry Into Ownership of Spare Part

WELLINGTON, May 16. Spare Part's win in the Wellington C'up at the Wellington Racing Club's summer meeting at Trentham in January was followed by a meeting of the judieial eommittee on the third day of the meeting. The inquiry was openeii by reason of information submitted tc the eommittee by a racecourse insxJector, Mr. R. G. Black, and was held pursuant to the provisions of rule 213 (1) and particularly to subseetions (d) ajul (f). Rule 213 deals with the functiou.i of the judieial eommittee and- sub-sec-tion (d) covers all questions of qualilication of persons and horses. When the summer meeting concluded, the chairman of the judiciai eommittee, Mr. H. H. Green, infonned representa tives of the press that he had 110 statoment to make. in repiy to inquiries about the investigation into the ownership of the Cup winner. lt was learned, however, that Mr. H. O. Batchelor, owner, had made a statutory declaraliou atfirming that he was the sole owner of Spare Part. in the meantime payineu! of the winning stake for the WellingtOJi Cup was withheld by the Wellingto;i Racing Club. A furtlier hearing of tlie inquiry hy the judieial coiuinittee was held in Wellington last week and the following statement was issued tonight: ''On the evidence available to the eommittee, wr lind that there is 110 interest held in the horse Spare Part other than that of the owner, Mr. H. 0. Batchelor, and we autliorise the payment of the stakes. C. H. Cook failed to attend the meeting and sent a telegram stating he was no:. prepared to support the allegation thal. he held 011 unregistered interest m Spare Part. The eommittee 's decision 1that O. H. Cook be lined the snni of £59 under rule 214, and also under rule 88 to suspend Cook's trainer's licenee for the remainder.of the season." - «