The Protest against Sportsman.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1375, 26 April 1881, Page 3

The Protest against Sportsman.

The victory of Sportsman, the Waikato horse at the late Auckland meeting evidently did not pleabe the bookmakers. In fact it wa3 most unsatisfactory to Ihem, still they are a class of men who generally take the lion's share, and ousyht not to grumble when they are hit. Sportsman, started first favourite for the Steeplechase and won the race on his merits. The protest lodged by Mr Carina, the owner of the second horse was to the effect that Sportsman ran on the wrong side of a flag. The protest lodged by Mr Carina was not from his own knowledge, bat made by persons unknown to him, who stated that they saw Sportsman jump on the wrong side of the flag from the road to the paddock where the trees were. This statement was berne out by Kelly, who was about 30 yards from the jump. Another jockey in giving evidence said the people standing by had told him so, but he did not see Sportsman at this particular spot. But Wilson, the rider of Sportsman, positively staled that he did go through the gaps, but it was between the flags, and the same as he went through that morning, Mr Rutherford also stated that he had gone round with Wilson five minutes before the first race, and that the flags were then outside the gap. Now the only question in dispute seems to be whether the flags were shifted, Mr Handman, who fixed the flag stated that it had been shifted from where he had put it, and the gap was made after the flags had been put up, There was a gap also on the other side of the flag. So far the evidence did not piove that Sportsman had gone on the wrong side of the flag. Now to deal with the bookmakers. Mr Pother in giving his evidence said he had heard Belcher, Poole and another bookmaker whom he did not know say they would give £5, •£10, and £20 to prove that Sportsman had gone inside a flag. It was Belcher who said he would give £10, and the other bookmaker who said he would give £20. Poolc said he would give £.5. They were consulting when he went up to them. They wore talking about Mclvor, but Mclvor was not present, and Poole pushed witnes3 away. Witness knew that the "books," would loose if Sportsman won. Now this statement has not been disputed before the stewards, and as Mr Carina stated that he had [been advised to lodge the protest and had received "no information" from his own men it appears to me that the " ring" were the only ones interested in the affair. They evidently tried to work a point but failed, and as the grand old horse won the race entirely on his merits, and the stewards dismissed the protest, I hope for the future that owners will be more careful in lodging protests upon such hearsay statements. BhVKQQVnSt.