At the turn of the last century, ‘ring-ins’ (substitute horses) were common on the nation’s bush tracks where it wasn’t unheard of to daub horses with dyes and put new markings on them.

But one of the most scandalous ruses involved a plot worthy of a Hollywood hit that, when finally unearthed by startled turf officials in 1903, would create a sensation among the racegoing public.

It involved a devilishly simply plan; tunnel under official weigh-in areas, tamper with the weigh-in scales and in so-doing, rig the race and pave the way to a big earn.

THE GRAND PLAN

Born in Maitland in 1872, Kingsley was running a book before he left school, later emerging as a smalltime owner-trainer around bush meetings while still in his teens.

He became known as ‘Grafter’ for a succession of rackets and ruses during a lifetime on the nation’s racetracks.

In April 1903, Kingsley was making a name for himself pulling off a series of remarkable betting plunges on a horse named Gentleman Jim.

Racing site punters recalled that at meeting in Newcastle, the galloper weighed in at a heavy 10st 9lb (67.5kg) resulting in the bookies offering attractive odds Kingsley was quick to take, backing his runner for as much money as he could lay his hands on.

Gentleman Jim went on to win but as jockey Herbert Moran returned to weigh-in, the scales inexplicably recorded a weight some 2st (12.7kg) lighter than he was expected to carry.

Kingsley flew into a rage, declaring the scales were at fault and demanded his jockey mount the scales again.

But as Grafter stamped his foot on the floor, it was as a signal to a young ‘tunneller’ below the floorboards, and the jockey this time weighed in correctly.

The puzzled officials had no option but to post correct weight and Kingsley’s runners duly collected his winnings of more than £15,000, a small fortune in those days.

But suspicious race officials decided to investigate and, under the plate of the scales, discovered a wire running through a hole in the floor. Beneath the floor, they found 16-year-old George Lucas eating a pie and with him a lead weight of around 2st and various tools.

A search was also made at Wallsend track where a similar set-up was discovered.

Kingsley and his jockey were arrested and charged with having conspired to defraud the Newcastle Jockey Club.

At a subsequent court hearing at which Lucas was remanded, evidence revealed that “when the floor was lifted, the appliances with which the work had been carried out were discovered.

“These consisted of a small lantern, brace and bit, trowel, screwdriver, gimlet, small pulley and cord, file, rasp and tomahawk: while a bottle of ginger ale completed the outfit.

“A hole large enough to accommodate the lad had been scooped out in the sand under the machine”.

At a special meeting on June 11 1903, the Newcastle Jockey Club committee disqualified Kingsley and his jockey for life.

The Sydney Sportsman reported: “Those who know Kingsley well are aware that he could no more resist being present at a race meeting, if at all practicable, than he could eating a good dinner or having a punt.”

Kingsley’s addiction to the punt knew no bounds. During his ban he took to donning numerous disguises and buying a double-decker bus so that he could park it next to the fence to watch the races, while sending others in to the track to place bets.

It is said that he once had to be escorted from Randwick 16 times in one afternoon.

In 1921, 18-years after the infamous Gentleman Jim incident, the Australian Jockey Club removed his life-ban.

He died in 1935.