Foul Riding at Otaki.

Manawatu Herald, 28 January 1893, Page 2

Foul Riding at Otaki.

Our contemporary the Otaki 7ime/i was p' eased to state onr report of th° disgraceful occurrence at th« Ofcaki mpeMng was not accurate. We were well assnred of onr representative's good faith anfl w« now reprint whafc the Wellington sporting correspondent nf the Press writes : - I read " Hotspur's " comm°nts on the case of alleged fonl riding at the Otaki Meeting. I was there, but the steward*, through their secretary (Mr Eig^r) who acted as inte'preter, refused to allow me to b a . present during the enquiry. From the

written statements made by Vfitnesses, and also the facts of the case as related by fche jockeys in the race, T concluded that the sooner a stipen dary steward or representative of the Metropolitan Cldb is appointed to visit such courses the better. Hira I*arata is a well-known district native sportsman, and the disqualification of Primus would not have suited some; When stewards give decisions like this one an experienced jockey is led to take unfair advantages over others. The rider of Laitiere got in a bad position - between Aroha on the inside and Primus (McMorran) a stable companion of Aroha, on the, outside When \Y a^ a cam e i fl » h* 3 jacket in front was very freely sprinkled with blood, and he had his lip very badly cut, a bruise on the forehead, and a lump on the back of his head. These injuries McMorran admitted doing, but said it was because Walls was trying to run his stable companion and himself off. The stewards on the above evidence dismissed the protest. There is no doubt that Primus Could have won easily from Laitiere without any interference. Walls was stunned coming into the straight and it is fortunate he did not fall off and get killed. The above are the facts of the case which have not yet been put before the public.