TROTTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 40, 17 February 1939, Page 4

TROTTING

OWNER DISQUALIFIED N. CUNNINGHAM OUT FOR YEAR UNUSUAL AUCKLAND INCIDENT [ Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Feb. 16. The judicial committee of the Auckland Trotting Club this morning disqualified N. Cunningham, wellknown owner and driver of trotting horses, and the horse Don Walla for 12 months. The finding of the committee was 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 lawfully ordered by the stipendiary stewards and, by a majority, decide that he and Don Walla be disqualified for 12 months.'’ The disqualification arose from an incident connected with the running of the first division ot the Waiheke I 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. Subsequently an official statement was issued in which it was stated that special permission had been given for a man to go to the post with Don Walla but at the post the starter had refused the attendant permission to act because he had not been officially notified. The starter sent Cunningham back to the stipendiary steward to be given permission. That permission was forthcoming, but Cunningham elected to withdraw his horse. The money invested on the i horse was paid back to the investors, . although the totalisator had closed, the club thus being put to the loss ot I £3Ol.