DON WALLA DISQUALIFIED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 February 1939, Page 8

DON WALLA DISQUALIFIED

TOGETHER WITH OWNER. TROTTING INCIDENT AT AUCKLAND. (By 'rcicgraph— Press Association.) AUCKLAND. This Day. The judicial committee of the Auckland Trotting Club this morning dis ; qualified N. Cunningham, a well-known owner and driver of trotting horses, and tilt 1 horse- Don Walla for twelve months. The finding of Ihe committee is as follows: “The committee finds Norman Cunningham guilty of conduct calculated to injure the Auckland Trotting Club and the sport of trotting, and also wilfully failing to perform an act when ordered by the stipendiary stewards, and by a majority decide (hat he and Don Walla bo disqualified for twelve months.’’ The disqualification arose from an incident th connection with the first division of the Waiheke Handicap decided at Alexandra Park on Saturday. Shortly before the start of the race Cunningham returned to the birdcage with his horse and did not start him. Subsequently an official statement was issued in which it was stated that special permission had been given for a man to go to the starting post with Don Walla but at the post the starter had refused the attendant permission to act because he had hoi been officially notified. The start.’)- rent Cunningham back to the stipendiary steward to be given permission. That, permission was forthcoming but Cunningham elected to withdraw the horse and the money invested on the horse was paid back to the investors, the chib thus being put to a loss of £3Ol.