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FRENCH RACING SCANDAL Great To-Do Over the Error of Heros XII. at Auteuil. Parfrements Excuse for Mistake Lawsuits, Disqualifications and Fines Follow. PARIS, France, June 21. The greatest fiasco ovor associated with an important race in Trance utterly spoiled Hie Crand Steeplechase de Paris at Autpuil mi Sunday when the enormous crowd witnessed the nmi-iiil spectacle of two outsiders. Hoi Relgc and Mascr Hob, although hopelessly beaten and practically tailed off half a mile from the finish, taking first and second places. This was made possible by an incomprehensible mistake on the part of Pnr-frenient, who was riding Heros XII.; a hot favorite, for thi! race. When four-fifths of the distance had be.-n covered the three leading horses Heros XII.. .bsidea and Rayon took the wrong course, leaving the only other two horses which remained standing to gallop along to the winning post. The point at which the incident occurred was hidden from the view of the majority of spectators anil there was geiu-r.il consternation when the two outsiders were seen to be finishing alone. This extraordinary occurrence has created a great sensation in Trench racing circles. At the moment of tie disaster Ileros XII., on whose victory the public had gone solid, was slightly in front, going remarkably well, and victory seemed well within his trasp. Tarfrement, who has won this important race several times, should know every inch of the course, and such an error on his part is positively bewildering to racegoers. Tin stewards subsequently suspended him from riding for the rest of the year, and Thibault ,the jockey on Rayon, which also" ran out. was fined MOO for the mistake. Hardy, the rider of Absidca, which was in close attendance on Heros XII. at the fatal moment, said that he shouted to Iarfrement that ha was going the wrong way. but as tin? jockey on Heros XII continued, Hardy thought, in view of Parfrements great experience of the course, that, after all, he was right and a moment later all the leading horses were out of the race. HEROS XII. IN PREVIOUS SCANDAL. Ileros XII. is the noted steeplechaser that was the subject of a recent scandal at Knghien, when, backed heavily by the public, Ik; finished nowhere. The jockey, Thibault, was made the scapegoat by the owner, and an interesting sequel to the affair is that, legal proceedings have been instituted by Thibault against the owner of Heros XII. for 0.001 damages for alleged libel in a statement sent to the press by the owner of the horse. It is Kaid that tremendous financial interests were at stake over Sundays great race, for which Heros XII. had been backed for over .00,000 by his owner. One well-known bookmaker betting is allowed between owners, it is reported, stood to lose .?30,000 had Ileros XII Avon. With the air full of such rumors there is little wonder that the most amazing stories are in circulation. It is stated that, the owners of Heros XII. had put Iarfrement, the jockey, on 0,000 to nothing if he won. Parfrements excuse is that the race I always used to finish on the hurdle race course, and ! being occupied in watching Absidea he forgot the change that had been made. On top of it all the owner of Absidea has challenged the owner of Heros XII., which came in third, to a race for a stake of 00,000 on the same conditions as Sundays big event. The owner .of, Ileros XII. has declined to consider the offer until the horse lias run in another race. There has been considerable irritation among the Trench public by reason of the indifferent showing of this famous jumper, which has necessitated special polio precautions being taken several times at meetings at which he has run.
