Out for Life

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 304, 15 March 1928, Page 6

Out for Life

UNLICENSED TRAINER DISQUALIFIED j DRESS CIRCLE SENSATION I Quite a stir was created in racing circles when it became known that several persons connected with the ' race horse Dress Circle were called beI fore the District Committee over the training of the horse. Dress Circle, a I five-year-old gelding by Comedy King | —Berylium, won the Pohutu Highweight Handicap at Rotorua on Feb- | ruary 11 and it was not long after his success that rumours were afloat to | the effect that a certain* disqualified person was connected with the galloper. I Upon the affair being reported to the ! Racing Conference authorities, instruc- ! tions were given the Auckland District ' Committee to hold an inquiry into the | question. As an outcome of the committee’s investigation the owner of Dress Circle, Mr. W. J. Burnett, was disqualified for three years, and others implicated also received sentences of varying duration. As a result the following disqualifications and suspensions and fines were imposed: William James Burnett, owner, was disqualified for a term of three years and fined a sum of £2O. Leslie Henry Wynyard, for training Dress Circle without a licence, was disqualified for life. Andrew Maehlin Robertson’s trainer’s licence was suspended' for a period of two months. Charles Norman Carmont, licensed jockey, was suspended for one month. Leo Raymond Coleman, licensed jockey, was also suspended for a similar term. Thomas Richards, unlicensed trainer, was disqualified for two years. Hilton Gussey, stable hand, for making false statements, was severely cautioned. The report of the committee is as follows: 1 This committee, as requested by the I president of the New Zealand Racing Conference, has made careful inquiry into 1 the question:? of the ownership, training and connections of the horse Dress Circle during the period August, 1927, to March 7, 1928, and finds as follows: The racehorse Dress Circle was purchased by or on behalf of William James Burnett about the beginning of or just prior to September, 1927 and removed temporarily to the charge of Andrew. Macklin Robertson, trainer, and thereafter transported to Devonport, where one Leslie Henry Wynyard, an .unlicensed trainer and a disqualified person, took . over the horse, and it remained under his care and management until November 13, 1927, when it was sent back to Andrew Macklin Robertson s stables to be trained by Robertson. The horse was returned by Robertson again and transported to Devonport and handed over to the care of Leslie Henry Wynyard, who continued to care for and train the horse until December 9, when Thomas Richards, at the request of Leslie Henry Wynyard, took charge of the training, ostensibly under direction of the owner, William James Eurnett. The committee find that prior to Christinas until after the Rotorua races, the said horse was trained by T. Richards, an unlicensed trainer, and not by the owner. Andrew Macklin Robertson, licensed trainer, Charles Norman Carmont and Leo Raymond Coleman, licensed jockeys, and Hilton Gussey, stable-hand, admit having acted under instructions in regard to the horse Dress Circle given by Leslie Henry Wynyard, a person whose name was in the list of disqualifications in the official calendar and that they were liable to punishment under the Rules of Racing by reason of their acting on such instructions from a disqualified person, Wynyard, moreover, being a person debarred from attending race meetings or taking part in the care, management or training of a racehorse by reason of his coming within the regulations made by clubs under section 33 of the Gaming Act, 1908. The committee is satisfied that William James Burnett, the owner of the horse Dress Circle, was guilty of corrupt practices in terms of Part XXXII., Rule 1, Clauses (c), <h) and (i), and that he also committed a breach of Part XIX., Rule 7 of the Rules of Racing, and the committee resolves that he be and he is hereby disqualified for a term of three years from March 14, 1928, therefor, and fined a sum of twenty pounds (£2O). The committee is satisfied that Leslie Henry Wynyard is guilty of corrupt practices in terms of Part XXXII., Clauses <h) and (n), Rule 1, and that he also committed a breach of Part XX., Rules 2 and 7 of the Rules of Racing in that he acted as trainer of the horse Dress Circle when not licensed so to do, and the committee resolves that the said Leslie Henry Wynyard be and he is hereby disqualified for life. The committee is satisfied that Andrew Macklin Robertson, licensed trainer, in regard to the arrangements for training the horse Dress Circle, such arrangements for training being made with arid through Leslie Henry wynyard, whom the said Andrew Macklin Robertson knew

to be a disqualified person, is guilty of misconduct in terms of Part XIX., Rule 9 of the Rules of Racing, and it is resolved that his trainer’s licence be and it is hereby suspended for a period of two months as from March 14, 1928. The committee is satisfied that Charles Norman Carmont, licensed jockey, acted on instructions of Leslie Henry Wynyard in regard to the horse Dress Circle well knowing that the said Leslie Henry Wynyard was a disqualified person un - d l er^? e , Rules of Racing, and that the said Charles Norman Carmont is guilty of misconduct in terms of Part XIX., Rule *v an d it is resolved that his jockey’s ' ice nee be and it is hereby suspended for ri ° d ° f ' one month » as from March 14, The committee is satisfied that Leo Raymond Coleman, licensed jockey, acted on instructions of Leslie Henry Wynyard in regard to the horse Dress Circle, well knowing that the said Leslie Henry Wynyard was a disqualified person under the Rules of Racing and that the said Leo Raymond Coleman is guilty of misconduct m terms pf Part XIX., Rule 9, and it is resolved that his jockey’s licence be and ib is hereby suspended for a period of one month from March 14, 1928. The committee is satisfied that Thomas Richards, unlicensed trainer, is guilty of corrupt practice in terms of Part XXXII., Rule 1, Clause (h) and that he also committed a breach of Part XX., Rules 2 and 7 of the Rules of Racing in that he trained the horse Dress Circle without being the holder of a trainer’s licence and the committee resolve that the said Thomas Richards be and he is hereby disqualified for a term of two years, as from March 14, 1928. The committee is satisfied that Hilton Gussey, stable hand, in making false statements to -the caretaker of the Takapuna Jockey Club’s racecourse when attempting to work the horse Dress Circle at the bidding of Leslie Henry Wynyard, on the said Takapurta Racecourse, was guilty of misconduct and it is hereby resolved that he be severely cautioned.