FRANKLIN CONSPIRACY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 87, 9 October 1931, Page 4

FRANKLIN CONSPIRACY

THE RIDERS PUNISHED

The inquiry conducted by the Auckland District,C6tamittee on Tuesday, into the running of the' Bucklands Handicap at Franklin on 7th March, and which resulted in the disqualification of L..H. Watson (life), X; V. Gill (three years), H. E. Goldfinch and F.1 R. Foster (one year each), lasted, almost seven hours, as lengthy evidence had to be taken fr-m nearly twenty witnesses. , . Mr. H. 0. Nolan presided over the inquiry, and the other members of the committee present were the Hon. E. VV. Alison, and Messrs. H. M. M'Callum, C. A Brown, W. C. Motion, L. W. Nelson, K.-J. Rennie, D. M'Leod, H. Rothery, and T. Impey. Messrs. Rothery and Impey took no part in the proceedings on account of the fact that horses owned by them competed in the race. , • 1 The jockey on whom the life disqualification was imposed, L. H. Watson, although a New Zealander, has done most of his riding abroad. He returned from India last year and settled in Auckland, riding 12 winners for the season. Some months ago he left for Melbourne, and it is understood that he is now on his way to Egypt. ! K. V. Gill served his apprenticeship with J. H. Wallace at Te Aroha, and has ridden with some success at Auckland meetings. -■■■': •rr.-]- ■: .;.-;:• ■ ■ ■•, ■-■_-.- ■■■.■.-■ H. E. Goldfinch is one of the most capable riders in New Zealand, particularly over long distances. He won the Avondale. Cup on Colonel Soult in 1916, and the •New Zealand St. Leger on Duo in 1921, and he also rode Te Kara when he deadheated with Mura'ahi in the 1923 Auckland Cup. : He was1 associated with Commendation in some of his two-year-old successes in .the ■ 1925-26 season, won the Egmont Cup on Piuthair in 1927, the Railway Handicap at EUerslie on Nancy Lee in 1928, the Wanganui, Avondale, and Great Northern Guineas and New Zealand Oaks on Eaglet in 1929, and the Hawkes Bay Guineas on Hunting Cry in the same year. Goldfinch was severely injured when riding Arikitoa at Te Aroha in February, last year, and was incapacitated for several months. .-:..■

F.lt. Foster has shown himself to be a versatile horseman, having achieved success both on the flat and over, fences. He won the Great Northern Steeplechase on Uralla in 1929, and, the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie on Hunting Cry last April. He has also ridden Prince Lv in several of his hurdle Successes and was. slightly injured in a'fall at Riccarton in August.