“WILFUL MISCONDUCT”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 400, 14 July 1928, Page 7

“WILFUL MISCONDUCT”

New Brighton Club’s Verdict Vetoed by Trotting Council

FREE ADVICE GETS THE STAKE

T l * > tliose keenly interested in the trotting sport, who had 1 closely followed tlie trend of the much-discussed Free -Advice Baron Bingen incident, and studied the cireumMantes pertaining to the dispute, it was quite evident the New Zealand Association would bring the question to finality in favour of the Auckland-owned pacer.

On the second day of the New , ! Brighton Club’s summer fixture Free Advice won the .Eclipse Handicap of CISC for three and four-year-olds by) three lengths from Baron Bingen. Im- 1 mediately after the race a protest was t i entered against the winner, it being; ; alleged that J. Bryce, driver of Free j I Advice, had interfered with Baron] Bingen. After hearing the evidence ! | of Bryce, .1. X. Clarke, driver-trainer of ! Baron Bingen, and patrol steward J. I McCreanor, the judicial committee > found that Bryce was guilty of wilful interference, awarded the race to Baron Bingen, placing Free Advice second, , her driver being fined £25. Geo. McKendrick, one of the owners of the filly, lodged an appeal and the fun began in earnest. The club re- ; mained adamant in its decision, and the New Zealand Trotting Association took a hand. The New Brighton Club was asked to review the position, but their verdict remained unaltered. Game of Ping Pong The air became murky and something was hinted that the patrol steward in question was an interested person, as Clarke trained a pacer for him. It resembled a game of pingpong, and the point was batted like a hall from association to club backwards and forwards many times. The ruling body told the club pretty plainly that if Bryce was guilty of wilful interference the committee didn’t know its busines as no fine was sufficient punishment for such a crime. And the public throughout New Zealand agreed. Reaching Finality When the final set was opened at ] Wellington on Monday, the association j quickly settled the argument once and for all, bringing in a verdict to the j effect that — I Bryce was not guilty of wilful i nterf ere rice, but interference had occurred for which both drivers were responsible. A caution was administered to each offender, Bryce’s fine was remitted, McKendrick’s appeal deposit returned, and the first prize awarded to Free Advice. The finding in favour of McKendrick Bros, has been popularly received by all light-harness enthusiasts, who while they uphold any club that makes an effort to keep the sport clean, recognised that in this instance, according to evidence adduced, the Auckland sportsmen had been harshly treated. The owners of the Blue Mountain King filly are ambitious and enthusiastic ; lovers of the pastime, and race for the j sport. They have for a great number of years played a prominent part in the industry, and being men who believe in giving “a fair deal" expect to receive the same treatment in return. So keenly did the Auckland owners feel over this question, and so convinced were they of their rights, “Abaydos” ventures the opinion that had the decision gone against them, they would have quitted the game for good. The sport could ill afford to lose adherents and supporters of the McKendrick type, but wrongs having been righted, the “Macs” will still keep the trotting flag flying. What About the Dividend? ; Although the owners now receive the I big one! of the purse, they will still I be at a loss over the general transaction, as by the action of the club they would receive only the second dividend, unless they or any other ticket holders on Free Advice had taken

lias no ticket registrations on Free Advice. But there is another phase that will enter largely into the question of the dividend. Mr. Geo. McKendrick

ie precaution to register them. This ; made clear by Section 392 of the jtalisator rules, which reads: Holders of dividend-winning tickets shall claim their dividends within one hour after the last race of the day, unless a protest has been lodged or objection made, and such protest or objection has not been decided until half-an-hour after the last race of the day, in which case the holders of tickets on any horse in the race which may, by the result of the decision, become dividend-winning tickets, shall register such tickets with the secretary of the club, or his deputy, within an hour after the last race of the day, or they shall not be entitled to any dividend unless the stewards shall in any special case otherwise direct. It is reported from the South that ie secretary of the New Brighton Club

states he asked that the dividend be held up from the moment he put in his apeal, as he was dissatisfied with the procedure of the inquirj*. He also asked, before witnesses, that the tickets he held on his filly be counted by the club. He was informed that having decided the issue on a “question of fact” there could be no appeal and

the dividends would be paid out at once, while the officials refused to accede to his request to count the tickets. It looks as if the owner may still have a chance of redress in this direction. The decision of the association will also be highly satisfactory for driver “Scotty” Bryce as there is no doubt that had he been held guilty of wilful interference as stated by the New Brighton judiciary, he would have been given a holiday, probably for a. good stretch. “Wilful” wrong-doing in the trotting gam’e should have no place and offenders must be prepared to accept hard measures when found out. It is apparent that the evidence brought against Bryce not only cleared him from the stigma of “wilful” interference, but incriminated Clarke, driver of Baron Bingen in the lesser count of interference. Future Precaution ' N Another very important point that has arisen is that affecting patrol stewards. It was indeed unfortunate in this instance that Mr. McCreanor, who was acting in such capacity, should own a horse that was being trained by Clarke. While Mr. McCreanor is a man of unimpeachable character, the fact of his relationship in the business to Clarke, driver of one of the horses affected, would raise an atmosphere of suspicion in many minds. The association however dispelled any doubts in this direction, but wisely placed a remit before Conference which aimed at removing any ground for misgiving or suspicion The Conference has adopted a new rule (88) — Which prohibits from acting as patrol steward, any person financially interested in a race or who is owner of a horse trained by a trainer with a horse owned by another person competing in a race. Every cloud, it is said, has its silver lining, and the adoption of this new rule brings a fitting gleam of sunshine out of the gloom which for so long encircled the case. Although the whole

of the trouble was most unfortunate, much good has resulted from the inquiries held that will tend to make for better guidance in the future.

having stated that harness racing in New Zealand now surpasses the orthodox turf sport in the number of tracks, meetings and horses, and in attendance, prizes and volume of betting. This surprising information was imparted to horsemen at Goshen on Memorial Day by Mr. D. H. Dennehy, of Christchurch, who is president of the Breeders’ and Owners’ Association of this progressive Dominion. Unless we except Canada, where no less than 127 trotting tracks .were in operation last season, according to “Wallace’s Year Book” New Zealand is the only British Dominion in which the English racehorse plays second fiddle to the American trotting-horse. The far-away islands where Carbine —one of the greatest running horses ever seen—was foaled have given to the turf such important innovations as the starting gate and the totalisator, and their management of harness racing embraces some features which might be adopted here with benefit to the sport. Association’s Work Mr. Dennehy said that in place of permitting the managers of the tracks to make and administer the rules and regulations, the organisation of which he is the executive officer, tells the managers a good many things they must do or must not do in the interest of those who produce the horses that make the racing. One of these things is to set apart a certain substantial part of each large prize, some of which now run to 15,000 dollars—this for a single dash of two miles—to the breeder of the winning horse. Another is that no system of wagering shall be permitted which enables anybody to bet against a particular horse. How Betting Is Done Book betting is stidctly forbidden, and the publication of odds is prohibited by law, so that bootleggers of the pencillers’ profession do not flourish and people who wish to play the races must go to the races to do so. Another regulation requires that official time shall be publicly taken by means of a giant clock placed conspicuously in the grandstand, where everybody may see it record the speed of the horses as they circle the course. Judges, too, are located in the grandstand, well back from the finish line, where their field of vision is not like that of the binocular field glass, and where they make few if any such blunders in placing the horses as are frequent when judges are up in the top of a stand on the inside of the track looking down upon them as they rush past the wire on American tracks.

TROTTING FIXTURES August 11, 15, 17—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. October 15, 17 —Auckland T.C. November 6,8, 9—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. November 17 21—Otahuhu T.C. December I.—Waikato T.C. December 27, 20, 31—Auckland T.C. NOMINATIONS July 19 (noonl —N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. ACCEPTANCES August 7 (noon) —X.Z. Metropolitan T.C (first day).

TROTTING CONTROL attempt was made at the New Zealand Trotting Conference to abolish the New Zealand Trotting Association and substitute control of trotting by district committees. For many years there has been a feeling of dissatisfaction among members of the sport with the personnel of the board, says a Southern critic. While at times the decisions of the board do not meet with general approval, it is a fact that the board has accomplished much good. Several clubs are in favour of the setting-up of district committees, which have given eminent satisfaction in the galloping sport. It would be a good idea to have a change of government if the circumstances really warranted it, and were suitable. Rearrangement of the administration of the sport would be a big undertaking, and in plac.es where perhaps only one or two minor clubs exist the cost of administration would be too great. Judged by the feeling at the conference a change in the personnel of the board of the New Zealand X r otf' n 9 Association would suffice. But who are going to fill the vacant seats?