HEINOUS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 490, 20 October 1928, Page 10

HEINOUS

Jockey Who Pulled Horse on Owner SYDNEY RACE CONVICTIONS The Australian J.C. Stewards’ report j on the inquiry into the Beckwith case ! tells plainly that R. Marsden was ! accused of pulling up the^horse on the owner, the most heinous offence upon which a jockey can be convicted, comments a Sydney writer. They say that while he was found guilty of not riding to win, all other parties connected with the horse are exonerated. . Beckwith, owned and trained by Fred Williams, who had a highly sue- j cessful career but went abroad last ; April on a world tour, was left in charge of the Randwick trainer, L#. McNeill. Beckwith had come from a spell to show returning form some weeks ago in races, and McNeill had put his friends on the horse as a likely ; winner of Saturday week’s Chester i Handicap. The Reckoning ! One backer invested £IOO on | advice. Another friend put £SO on, and McNeill himself, who is a modest bettor, put his measure on the horse in the belief that he would reproduce tho form that enabled him to win good races as a two and three-year-old. Fred Williams’s representative, who has the conduct of his racing affairs while he is away, also invested on Beckwith. But, according to the stewards, | Beckwith was not allowed to do his ; best, and when the field passed the j post he was only seventh. The pre- ! vious Wednesday he was among the j leaders at the distance, and it was this form that led to the supposition that he would win tho following Saturday’s six-furlong race. “No Chance to Win” Marsden proclaims his innocence, and declares that when he eased the horse in the straight, he had no chance ! of a wiri, and, in fact, not even of a place. Marsden rode Golden Voice in his Ivensington Handicap division win a week before, when a lot of money was won at long odds on the gelding. Possibly he would* have been on the same horse again but was claimed by his uncle’s stable for Remora. He asked to be let off, but when he was, the Golden Voice mount had gone to Munro. So he gained the ride on Beckwith. Golden Voice was backed from fives down to favourite, and thousands were invested. But he couldn’t quite win. Bonnie Marjorie and Violian beat him two half-heads. Extreme Penalty Beckwith did not show up as might have been expected after his bold front in the Suburban Handicap the previous Wednesday. In fact, Marsden never I had him in a winning position. I That the stewards saw something I in the race to seriously impress them that Marsden did not try to win, is apparent from their severe penalty—two years. It is only inflidted in the case of a jockey alleged to have pulled a on the owner. Marsden was among prominent jockeys without getting the rides that Munro or Toohey have. He is a good

horseman, but given to wandering round the world and round Australia. One of his notable successes was on Valiard in the Newmarket. Inia's Boy Recalled He previously met with the disapproval of the stewards when, for Inia’s Boy’s inconsistent running at the Goulburn Cup meeting in 1926, at which" he won the Cup, he was disqualified for two years. The A.J.C. found the allegations unfounded in this case, and removed the disqualification. People who know Marsden as a bright young man, not given to. underhand conspiracies in connection with racing t are astonished at the charge against him in Beckwith’s race. He has enjoyed a good reputation among racing men of solid standing ever since he came into the game. He had, of course, appealed, but this was dismissed. The Case of Findlay There is a code of silence in the underworld that has saved many a criminal from a long “stretch.” A similar code is supposed to apply among jockeys when one of their confreres is in trouble, but the theory has received a nasty jolt. On Saturday week C. Findlay, a prominent light-weight rider, who only recently recommenced riding after serving a term of suspension, was again suspended for a month for crossing the field too sharply during the running of the Cannonbury Stakes. When the stewards asked Findlay to explain the erratic running of Pay Paix, Findlay made the excuse that mount was having only its second run and Pay Paix’s inexperience was the cause of the trouble. Putting the Boot In Other riders who took part in the race and were the chief sufferers from the interference, were asked to give their version of the affair. All but one did their best to shield Findlay. But the one who apparently was bitter toward Findlay was responsible for a sensation when he entered the stewards’ room. “If you don’t give him six months, you’re not doing your duty,” he said, and, continuing, “he should not have a licence.” The rider who was responsible for the dramatic statement has not experienced the best of luck reeentlv, and perhaps he was chagrined because he considered Findlay prevented him from winning a good race for which his mount had been backed substantially. Nevertheless, he is not likely to meet with any greater respect from his fellow jockeys as the result of his lapse. Findlay might have suffered the same fate if he had not been “shelfed,” but it is certain that the wild statement of a disappointed rider did not influence the stewards in his favour. THE CUP

QUESTION OF PENALTIES Pre3s Association CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. In connection with a statement published on Wednesday, that no penalty would be inflicted on any New Zealand Trotting Cup horses winning events at the Greymouth Trotting Club’s meeting, the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club wishes it to be understood that it is not a party to such arrangement, and in the event of a horse putting up a performance that would entitle it to a penalty it would certainly expect its handicapper to use his discretion and rehandicap the horse if he deemed it necessary.