01/05/13
Given the current dramas happening in the thoroughbred industry – I came across this very pertinent headline in an interesting article written by Warwick Hobson, over 28 years ago, in the December 1984 edition of Turf Monthly. Titled “Horse-Racing Scandals Make Bold Headlines” it read in full:
“The Fine Cotton Affair in Brisbane has rocked Australian Racing in past months but the real knockout blow could be the recent allegations in Victoria that jockeys were bribed in the 1980 Melbourne Cup won by Beldale Ball.
The Melbourne Cup is the “holy of holies” and unless the allegations are proved to be unfounded, the Australian Turf will be shaken to its foundations.
Horse-racing can survive the odd “ring-in” scandal, but one can imagine the outcry if there is ever a slur on the credibility of the Cup.
In 1873 there were allegations of a “ring-in” in the Melbourne Cup when Samuel Bowler lodged a protest with the VRC against the winner, Don Juan.
Bowler claimed that Don Juan, who carried only 6st 12lb (43-1/2 kg), was a year older than his stated four years. It was also rumoured that Don Juan was in fact the good racehorse Mentor.
The VRC Stewards investigated the allegations but concluded that Don Juan was indeed the horse he was stated to be in his registrations papers.
There were many wild rumours surrounding the early runnings of the Cup but nowadays, the reputation of the famous “two-miler” is beyond reproach.
At least, until the latest allegations of jockeys being bribed hit the headlines.
Fortunately police say there is no truth to the accusations. Racing has been spared another body blow.
The Fine Cotton “ring-in” has done enough damage to the image of the Sport, but the Brisbane race is small league stuff compared to a Cup scandal.
After the circus the daily press have made out of the Fine Cotton-Bold Personality switch, there would be a rare old song-and-dance if the Melbourne Cup is ever brought into disrepute.
The media in general has got its pound of flesh out of the Fine Cotton debacle. Yet for all the drum beating that goes on, a “ring-in” is a rare occurrence indeed.
This century, in the many hundreds of thousands of races that have been staged, there are only four authenticated “ring-ins” which have been documented at registered meetings.
In the 1930s, there were two sensational “ring-ins” – the Simba-Gargoola case and the Erbie Redlock case.
The uproar after these disclosures forced the principal racing clubs to tighten their security. However, there is always someone who will try and buck the system for easy gains and in 1972 the Regal Vista-Royal School case exploded onto the headlines.
The fourth, of course, is the Fine Cotton-Bold Personality case in Brisbane.
Rumours always abound of evil doings on the Turf but when it comes to names and dates, the source of information almost invariably dries up.
Overall, Racing authorities can hold their heads high. Swindles are nipped in the bud by the tight security systems and double-checks at racetracks.
Complacency was the downfall of Brisbane officials but even when swindlers got under the security guard, they blew the whistle on themselves by the magnitude of their operation.
With the many people involved in organising a nationwide betting plunge, it only takes one person to make a slip somewhere along the line to arouse the suspicions of authorities.
The mystery horse itself – the big firmer in the market – is like a flashing neon light on a dark night. Big plunges attract Stewards like bees to honey.
No matter how the coup is organised, the money must go on. And big money draws attention.
It was the magnitude of the plunge on Gagoola at Flemington in 1931 which interested the Stewards. Gagoola was backed from 33-1 to 6-4 for the Rothsay Trial Stakes. And was beaten!
Gagoola finished second to a despised outsider, Stephanite, having its first start. Gagoola was beaten by three lengths and was rushed from the course under the noses of the Stewards who were waiting to question connections.
The Stewards were left with egg on their faces but quickly tracked the horse down to the Mackinnon and Cox stables where Gagoola was seized.
Gagoola’s identity papers were double checked. The horse’s owner-trainer, Henry Graham, was interviewed. So was the horse’s breeder, H.J. Forrester, who verified that he had sold Gagoola to Graham in July 1929.
VRC Stewards had no alternative but to release the horse but their suspicions were aroused and they continued their investigations.
Stewards watched the movements of Gagoola. When the horse was booked on a train to Sydney, officials checked with the Railways and discovered that Gagoola was being shipped under the name of Wellfire. VRC Stewards decided to pounce. The Station Master at Albury was asked to verify that the horse named Wellfire was in-trained for Sydney and AJC officials, including the Registrar of Racehorses, were asked to inspect the horse when he arrived.
The plot thickened when Gagoola was not off-loaded in Sydney. Somehow the horse had vanished into smoke.
There was general hue-and-cry after the whereabouts of Gagoola and it wasn’t long before the horse was tracked down to a property at Cabramatta, in the western suburbs of Sydney.
At the request of the VRC, AJC officials organised a “raid”, only to discover that Gagoola had been reduced to a pile of burnt bones.
According to the property caretaker, Gagoola had broken a leg soon after his arrival from Melbourne, and had been shot and his body burned.
The investigation had run into a dead-end but a few days later, on June 30, 1931, a new lead came to light when it was reported that a New Zealand galloper named Simba had suddenly gone “missing”.
Trained in New Zealand by Jack Jamieson, and raced by J.S. McLeod, Simba was a smart sprinter and won at four of his five starts.
It was then that McLeod received a lucrative offer to sell the horse, supposedly to a client of Sydney trainer Joe Smith.
Money was exchanged and Simba was shipped to Sydney. On May 5, Joe Smith was notified from the wharves that a horse consigned to him had arrived. Smith, as he later told AJC officials, knew nothing about the horse arriving and refused to make the pick-up. He disclaimed any knowledge of the sale.
However, someone did arrive at the wharves to pick up Simba – a float operator named Bill Calnan.
Calnan delivered the horse to a man who said his name was Smith (not Joe Smith, the trainer), and Simba promptly disappeared.
The AJC then called in the police. Descriptions and photographs of Simba were requested from New Zealand while inquires were made into the sale of the horse.
The Jamieson stable revealed that the buyer was George Guest, who had horses trained with Joe Smith for unregistered meetings in Sydney.
Simba, however, was meant for racing at registered meetings and Guest did not want the horse stabled with Smith. Which is why Calnan was asked to pick Simba up and deliver him elsewhere.
Guest informed the AJC that he had then sent Simba to Warren, in western NSW, to be spelled. The AJC was not satisfied and asked for further information. Guest, however, refused to answer further questions on the advice of his solicitor.
Investigations continued for over a year. Finally, on July 21, 1932, the VRC Committee concluded that “Gagoola was in fact the New Zealand-bred horse Simba”. The Committee then disqualified Simba and his registered owner, George Guest, for five years.
Simba again disappeared. It was last rumoured that the horse was sold to race in Asia.
Australian Racing was still recovering from the Simba-Gagoola “ring-in” at Flemington when the Erbie-Redlock scandal broke in South Australia two years later.
In July, 1934, owner-trainer Charlie Prince took a horse named Redlock to Murray Bridge to start in the Trial Handicap.
Backed from 10-1 to even money, Redlock romped in. There was further heavy betting in Adelaide betting shops. The SAJC immediately opened an investigation.
Prince produced a receipt, saying he had purchased Redlock from L. Anderson in Melbourne. The VRC were asked to verify the bona fides of the sale while Redlock was impounded in Adelaide.
The wires between Adelaide and Melbourne were soon running hot. The VRC reported they had discovered a horse in a paddock near Sunbury. Marks and brands identified the horse as Redlock.
Since the SAJC already had the purported Redlock impounded in Adelaide, there was quite an uproar.
Sifting through camouflaged identity markings on the impounded Redlock, SAJC officials forwarded details to the VRC who responded by claiming the horse could in fact be Erbie. However, Erbie had a large white blaze while Redlock did not.
Adelaide police washed down the head of the “ring-in” Redlock and discovered the horse’s face had been dyed. A white blaze was quickly uncovered and Erbie was identified.
Erbie was the winner of 23 races including Flying Handicaps in Sydney. He was the best of good things for a Trial Stakes at Murray Bridge!
Erbie had vanished in December, 1933, after he had carried 10 stone into second place at Kembla Grange. Between December, 1933, and July, 1934, Erbie’s whereabouts were unknown. It was believed he had also raced under the names of Duke Bombita and Chrybean.
The Erbie case, only two years after the Simba “ring-in”, had racing officials running for cover.
The end result was that the identification system at racetracks throughout Australia was completely revised and updated. Finally, the racing clubs were satisfied they had a foolproof system of checks and double-checks. And so it seemed. Until 1972.
Again, complacency may have set in. Things had gone too well for too long. The Regal Visa-Royal School drama at Casterton in Victoria came as a real jolt.
Regal Vista and Royal School were two look-alikes. Both were dark brown entires, with a small white snippet on the forehead. Regal Vista, by Port Vista from Bold Guise, was a six-year-old while Royal School, by King Tudor from School Fold, was seven.
To the eye, they were difficult to distinguish except by someone who knew both horses well.
The big difference however, was the ability of the two horses. Royal School’s previous win, in October 1970, was at the NSW country track of Wellington. Regal Vista, on the other hand, had won during the season at Caulfield in the Rosstown Plate. Previously, Regal Vista had won the weight-for-age Chirnside Stakes and J.J. Liston Stakes. He was a pretty smart galloper to be racing at the Casterton Cup meeting on May 12, 1972, in the 6-furlongs Muntham Handicap with only 8st 1lb (51-1/2 kgs) on his back.
The mastermind behind the coup was Rick Renzella who purchased Royal School for $350 in 1971 and then bought Regal Vista. Royal School was raced four times in eastern Victoria. Unfit, the horse ran last twice and second last twice.
Then, at Casterton, the super-fit Regal Vista was substituted. There was a good thing in the race, a chestnut gelding named Apex Star who had won at his two previous starts at Warrnambool and Hamilton. Apex Star was posted a hot favourite while the substitute Royal School opened at 50-1.
When the money came, it came with a rush. The crowd was buzzing when Royal School was backed into 7-4. Apex Star was a smart galloper and would have beaten the real Royal School. Regal Vista, however, was simply too good and cantered in by three lengths.
The huge betting had already attracted the attention of officials. A careless remark by jockey Stephen Wood is said to have sparked the sensational enquiry which followed.
Wood, who rode Regal Vista, is alleged to have said to Louis Toth, who rode Apex Star, that he was glad the race was over because he had been promised a gift of $4000.
Four grand after winning a $500 race at Casterton is a little out of the ordinary and the hounds were quickly in pursuit of the fox.