TROUBLE AT WAIKANAE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 255, 5 January 1911, Page 7

TROUBLE AT WAIKANAE

UNSATISFACTORY RIDING. A RIOT NARROWLY AVERTED. Wellington, Tuesday. All the elements of a racecourse riot developed on Monday at the annual meeting of the Waikanae Hack Racing Club. The crowd had justification for attitude it took up, but, fortunately, it was pacified before ruffled feelings led to violent demonstration. The troulile arose early in the day.

The race which caused all the trouble was the chief event of the day—the Parata Memorial Handicap. It attracted fouT starters. Two of these are owned by Mr. H, W. Parata, one of the vice-presidents of the club. These monopolised most of the betting, Rongomat being at a short price throughout, while St. Amelia, ridden by H. Canmont, was quoted at remunerative odds by all the bookmakers.

After some finessing at the post— the start took place right in front of the stand—the word "go" was called out by Mr. R. A. McDonald, when St. Amelia was fully three lengths to the good witli the inside running. A yell of derision immediately went up from the crowd, though probahly nothing more would have occurred but for the further happenings during the race, Rongomai raced alongside lveran the whole way, ran him out wide at the home bend and raced down the straight with Gray making a ludicrous exhibition. The horse's mouth was wide- open with the pressure of the reins, and his head was up in the air. In fact, Gray was hanging on to him as if his life depended on it. "Cut the reins," yelled an onlooker, and the crowd immediately took up the cry. St. Amelia just won on sufferance. The onlookers did not appreciate the display of 'horsemanship and, as soon as the horses returned to scale, became ncisy. They closed round the animals and riders, yelling "Put him lip," hooted, groaned and demanded their money back. The pandemonium was increased by a. bookmaker, who addressed tile crowd informing them that he did not intend to pay the wagers, bat wjnld refund all money invested on the race. "He hadn't gone there to be robbed/' he said. "It was like stealing sugar ] from a. blind baby and he wouldn't stand it." Hooting and groaning broke out again, and the upshot was an emergency meeting of the stewards. EXPLANATION.

This mollified the spectators considerably, and they awaited the decision patiently. The. owner of St. Amelia and Rongomai, .Mr. Rarata, said ; e v-ns dissatisfied with the wny llongoiiai was ridden in the straight. He assorted that he had backed the second horse in doubles, Gray denied having t/'icd to stop the horse from winning', admitted that he had not been instruotud to lose, and excused his horsemanship on the ground that it was necessary to ' keep a hold of the horse's head si t!u\t lie wouldn't go to pieces." The suggestion was made by one of tiie stewards that the race should be declared "off," and re-run at the end of the day. Mr. Parata, 'However, did not favor this course. He advised the stewards that they would only create more trouble for themselves, and stated his intention of deciding not to start his horses again if the race was to be re-run, and also pointed out. that if anyone was to be punished it should be the jockey.

DECISION OF THE STEWARDS. The stewards subsequently adopted a suggestion that Gray be disqualified for six montlis, that all bets on the ?a?e be declared oil', but that the judge's placing should stand. This announcement met with approval and quelled an ugly situation. Later in the day Rongomai was again saddled up, people being intei\;s;.?d to see how he would perform with a different rider—H. Carmont. lie was slow off the mark, and despite a desperate rush in the straight, was beaten by a narrow margin by Lifeline. Many people backed him at good odds, but there was no recurrence of the demonstration.