AN UNSUCCESSFUL PROTEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 54

AN UNSUCCESSFUL PROTEST.

On the first day of the Southland Racing Club's meeting a' protest was lodged against Experiment, who won the Oreti Handicap Trot, on the -ground that he left the mark before his handicap time. . The stewards held a brie! sitting on the course, and then adjourned the matter until the evening, ,when, after a" sitting of two hours and n-half, they dismissed the objection. It is understood that the starter could not say as to whether Experiment" did or did not g«t away before his correct, time, and finally., if any doubt existed, it was evidently decided to give the horse the benefit of it. Viewing the start from the stand,' it really apjpeared' to the writer that the horse had, either accidentally or otherwise, curtailed •his handicap. Young Stanley was Beeo be•hind "scratch, and waa giving away lOsec to Experiment. When the scratch horse got away from the mark Experiment had made Eueh good use of his start that he had travelled about three-quarters of a furlong or more. When the leaders, to whom Ex-

periment was giving from llsec to 15sec, were completing their first half-mile, the Experience gelding-was close up with them, kn& his victory was thus early being proclaimed. This would make Experiment a phenomenally fast horse, providing YoungStanley moved out promptly (as he invariably does), because the horse to whom he was conceding lOsec had apparently stepped the bulk of a furlong in that time, and 15 io the furlong is a two-minute gait. What evidence ;was tendered by the rider of Young Stanley ie unknown to the writer, but if he realised the position correctly and / made a clear statement there would notv have "Been a sitting -of two hours and a-half Required to get to the itottom of the matter. The starter, owing to the starting clock be-" jng temporarily out of order, -despatched - lljhe horses by the -aid of an ordinary chronograph, and tnis -probably was the cause of 4th« mix-itp -on the inarfe. The limit norses Appeared to get away all right, but th© ~ trouble commenced when those in the .piddle of the handicap were despatched on their way.