HE PAID THE PENALTY

NZ Truth, Issue 1191, 27 September 1928, Page 13

HE PAID THE PENALTY

Blood Was Wanted, and They Took McCarten's

When the cry goes out for b! poor unfortunate must be slav RECENT years m New Zealand has seen a cry ■ for a cleaning up of the running of racing and now and again, there would be an answer—" one of the small boys would get it — and get it hard. ■ Over m Sydney, with its elastic laws, there is one constant shriek for action* Spring racing started and there was a bad mix-up m the Granville Stakes at Rosehill, three horses falling, one having to be destroyed. The stipendiary stewards tried to sort the business out — and failed. They could not come to any decision on the evidence offered by the horsemen m the race. The sporting Press ran amuck and demanded that it was ridiculous that such happenings should occur and the blame not be sheeted home. And so it was. Then came the classic Chelmsford Stakes at Sydney Tatts' meeting and there was a mix-up about a furlong from home. ' Raasay was all but down — and the cry once again arose for blood. An inquiry was held, adjourned and then_ came the verdict — that Maurice McCarten, rider of Limerick, be suspended for three months, for interference. According to reports that came to hand m • New Zealand, Limerick had lugged m and. interfered with Winalot, which m turn went over and bashed Raasay. . And the penalty was for McCarten to pay. His appeal was looked on— from New Zealand at anyrate— as somewhat hopeless, but strange to say hi^ sentence was reduced to a month. There it stands to-day and it will have to be' served, though the cables

BEAT THEM W/EATHER conditions fixed Star W Stranger and Mask m the Avondale Cup. The pair could hardly be expected to lump their welter imposts to victory^ His 10st., in' the going; seriously hampered Star Stranger, which trailed the field and was a bad last. , As for Mask, he never looked like a winner, but did well to- finish, sixth. \7ALKON was up fourth at the end of y the Avondale Cup and once again failed to gain mile and a- half honors. INTERESTING W7ITH Biso'x. up nearer the top " weights, it will be interesting to note how she fares with .the best which were hampered by last Saturday's track conditions. FIRST MONEY was among the first bunch to begin m the Avondale Stakes, and was not far away from the ulaced horses at the' close. He should do better : on top of ! the ground, l ■ '

lood, blood there must be. Some .ghtered to satiate public desire. a few days ago said that there was a big agitation to have the case reopened. This is not likely. Home from Sydney this week are several men who know nearly as much about racing as do the Sydney stipes. To them — not the stipes!— the sentence was an awful error of judgment, and all of those who witnessed the incident say that McCarten has been made to pay for Incidents of the past— with which he was not connected. ' The cry for blood had to be appeased, and McCarten was sorted out as the lamb. Lugging m was a bad habit of Limerick's when he was a two-year-old and he all but killed a horse at Wingatui the day he won his first race. But then those who were at Randr wick early m the month say that Limerick did not lug in — that he never touched Winalot. • Evidence tendered at the inquiry, is not open for Press perusal, but from reliable quarters it is gathered, that the rider of Winalot stated' that Limerick never touched him. [ Aud further, it is pn record that the of Raasay said the trouble came about through his mount getting on to the heels of Winalot. That brought about his near -fall. But, notwithstanding this, McCarten pays the piper. And the strangest part of the whole business is that the chief stipe, McMahon, was well acquainted with McCarten's splendid l-ecord as- a rider. So much so, that, when McCarten was outed over Royal Dispatch, and "N.Z. Truth" spoke to McMahon about it on the first morning of ;the National, that worthy responded' by saying he did not" believe McCarterl would pull a horse, up. Perhaps McMahon still thinks the same over pulling up, but of course interference is another matter.

FAILED BADLY THE going should have been to the liking -of Nukumai with 8.2, but he never really flattered and could do nobetter than finish a moderate fifth m the Avondale Cup. ' , Maybe the right-handed way was strange to him, and it can be said : of the four which headed, him off, Te Kara was the only one which carried more poundage. - J7LYING PRINCE, fourth m the Avon--1 . dale Stakes, got one the second day when the good lot were missing. - DO BETTER ' / ; QRAND TEA, which Von -the Maiden at ; Avondale, may ' boost up Tea Tray's stock a bit. • , He is a three-year-old colt which will do better. GOOD SECOND IIAISON'S second to' Billikins at *-*'•■ Avondale augurs well 'for Stone's charge. ' ' . ; : i Stone always held a good opinion of the daughter of^ Lord Quex—^Lovematch.