RACING SENSATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1924, Page 4

RACING SENSATION.

“WAS IT A JUKK ” ITK-SElt AND THE CAULFIELD CUP. The following descriptnou of the Caulfield Cup, written by “Poseidon,’’ appeared in the Sydney “Sun” of October 1!). Four days later, Purser, the winner of the race, was disqualified for twelve months, together with his owners (George Jye and J. It- toiteen), his trainer (0. 'i. Godby) and his regular jockey (11. Cairns). Ihe stewards held that Purser had not been allowed to do his best in the Coongy .Handicap, run before he won the Cauliield Cup. Al EI.DO UK XE, Saturday. Melbourne racing men, and probably thousands all over Australia, are wondering whether Cecil Godby and Jack Corleeu have put a big joke over everybody, or a 1 e winners of a big stake l>v more accident of circumstance. Purser’s clear-cut convincing victory was certainly unexpected by racegoers, but whether it represented a carefully planned coup is not so easy to determine. It is possible, of i nurse, that ol deep design, Corteeu and Godby hacked Purser for the Metropolitan, not thinking that lie could win, that Cairns for them just juggled that victory in the Sydney Handicap, when Comptroller should have beaten him, that when the public had been lulled to sleep with the idea that with over nine stone he eotdd have no chance in the Caulfield Cup, a carefully dropped word led up to the idea that lie would not start in the Cup, so that lie dropped out of the betting, and finally that with everything sot for a grand coup the conspirators stepped in and cleaned up the betting mig. Probably nearer tbe truth is that by a rather curious concatenation of circumstances, Purser came to be regardmi -as an unlikely starter, and therefore, went out of the betting, and the owners when they reached the course and found him at 33 to 1, helped themselves. They are stated to have hacked the horse to win between £20.000 and £30,000. DOUBTS RAISED.

After Purser had missed the Metropolitan lie was not seriously considered for the Caulfield Cup. He was put down as one of the Ost division which would he stopped by the weight. Towards the end of the week Godby had only one rider, George Young, availaide, and he secured him before lie left Sydney. AY hen he reached -Melbourne lie met with an offer to ride Aerarnk, hut he could not accept it. On Friday morning it was a question whether he would ride Purser or The Monk. He it remembered that long ago, Cairns, who usually rides Purser, had been engaged for King Carnival. Well, when Friday night came, the card was called as usual. The chair-

man, on leaching Purser’s name, said he understood he would not start, so they might as well pass him, and passed he was. That story of last night’s happenings was telegraphed to newspapers all over Australia, and published in the local morning papers. If either Cm teen or Godby had been present he might have been expected to deny the chairman’s statement, hut neither was there. Then the question arises if they saw the mis-statement in the papers, could they have clone anything to combat it on a short Saturday morning It has been freely suggested that they should have witlidiawn the horse, hut if their consciences are clear, they did no wrong in starting him and hacking him.

RACECOURSE ETHICS. A well-known belting trainer was heard to say only the other clay that

on the race' oiir.se an owner or a trainer had no fiicnds. but it was impossible to believe that either Jack Corteeu. with all his air of irresponsibility. and Ceil Hoclby. should have diabolically ccuispiml to take down the I ink makers, and mislead the public in the v. tty which "as freely suggested on the course' to-elay.

There is no doubt they profited. Now that the race is all over, it must bo admitted that they hail some reasons behind lhem in hacking Purser. They knew that lie was well, that he was a hall of muscle, and that lie would sec' out the journey. It is quite likely that they did not over-estimate the form of the Melbourne light-weights, as so many people did. Resides, having had a good win over him in Sydney ten days before, ilifiy could afford to send some of it after him to-day at 33, 2b and 20 to 1.

About the first hot laid against bin was £2OOO to COO. and many more good, though smaller wagers, followed Now l’urser has established a new re cord for (he race' by carrying 9st blh the heaviest weight over carried to victory in this event. He lias abundant. lv proved himself a great handicap per former.