Appeal Judges Criticise Payment of Dividends

Grey River Argus, 17 November 1948, Page 6

Appeal Judges Criticise Payment of Dividends

Alteration of Placings is Upheld P.A. WELLINGTON, Nov. 16. The Racing Conference Appeal Judges, Messrs J. Macfarlane Laing, J. Graham and T. C. Lowry, to-day dismissed the appeal of F. J. Cassidy and L. E. Kerr-Taylor, owners of the horse Ostentatious, against the de--ci si on of the Auckland District Committee in upholding the appeal ol J M. Upfold, owner of The Fake, declaring that horse the winner of the Windsor Hack Hurdles, run at Avondale, on July 17, in which race Ostentatious and The Fake were placed first and second respectively by the judge. The judges found that I H Fake suffered grave, and sustained interference from Ostentatious which, in their opinion, must .have materially interfered with the winning chance of The Fake. The judges ordered that the appeal deposit of £2O be forfeited In a rider to their verdict, the judges stated that, although the deputy stipendiary steward and stewards of the club knew, or should have known that there was a complaint by the patrol steward which was to result in an inquiry being held, the result of which might possibly have affected the placings, authority was given, before the inquiry was held, for the payment of the dividends. The judges said that, in the public interest. they viewed this with gravity, and considered that the officials of racing clubs should exercise greater care when an inquiry might possibly result in an alteration of placings.