Fifty years before Fine Cotton, Australia was electrified by a series of audacious racing ring-ins starring a champion horse named Erbie. The man who exposed the conspiracy was Bert “Cardigan” Wolfe, Australia’s top turf writer. In 1932 Bert Wolfe had accompanied Phar Lap to Agua Caliente, and was present at the horse’s death. He wrote under the byline ‘Cardigan’, taken from a three-year-old colt called Lord Cardigan who won the 1903 Melbourne Cup carrying a staggering 3st 6lb (22kg) less than the champion mare, Wakeful. Wolfe, who by then was acknowledged as the best racing writer in Australia, had a reputation for writing without fear or favour.

Erbie would not only race as himself, but also in disguise race as three different horses; Redlock, Chrybean and Duke Bombita. It was an audacious fraud that was uncovered after the real Redlock was found in a paddock at Malmsbury. Erbie was certainly no sprinting slouch, as he won 23 races in New South Wales as somewhat of an efficient speedster, winning Flying Handicaps in Sydney. However, Charlie Prince, the trainer, faced serious legal consequences and a lifetime ban from racecourses due to his four victories in South Australia and other locations.

It all came to light in a July 1934 meeting in a Trial grade race at Murray Bridge when a horse called Redlock bolted in after its price fell from 10/1 to 5/2 favourite. Bert Wolfe knew Redlock pretty well, and asked if he could inspect the horse after he bolted in with another race at a track that was then in operation at Kadina. Wolfe became suspicious when the mediocre galloper had won easily at Murray Bridge and cleaned out bookies in the process. When Redlock won his next start by 12 lengths at Kadina, the cynical scribe was on course and examined the horse after the race. Wolfe, the ex-steward, said he had seen Erbie win races in NSW and knew his markings and characteristics. Erbie had a white blaze which was a bit inconvenient as Redlock didn't and Wolfe found dye that had been used to mask the blaze on the supposed "Redlock". In a newspaper "scoop" writing in The Herald on August 13th, 1934, Wolfe wrote that the talented Erbie had also raced as Duke Bombita at a Holbrook race meeting and won at Kilmore as Chrybean, as well as the two SA meetings as Redlock, who was at the time of his two wins, was happily munching on grass in a paddock at Sunbury in Victoria.

Chief steward, Mr Hogan produced a cloth soaked in petrol and washed down the head of the “ring-in” Redlock to discover the horse’s face had in fact been dyed. A white blaze was quickly uncovered, and Erbie was identified. ‘Redlock’ was seized by the police and kept at the Adelaide Supreme Courts facilities. After being further examined it proved that the brands of the horse produced as Redlock had been altered. The down stroke brand been scored with a hot running iron, which was not allowed in South Australia, and made broader and more pronounced. The head piece was treated in the same manner, but the iron had gone past the wings of the 'T' on both sides. The script had been scored also in three or four places and had been altered within the past six months. 

The owner/trainer, Charles Prince said he had bought Redlock that March for £30 from a man named Anderson, a horse dealer, who lived at Concord, in Sydney. He claimed he had met Anderson at the Pastoral Hotel, Melbourne, and that Anderson had told him he had bought the horse from a man named Stewart, who had been training in Sydney. Charles Prince was charged with having obtained £15 front Murray Bridge Racing Club Ltd on July 28 by falsely pretending that a horse he had entered in the Trial Stakes at the meeting was Redlock. The Crown prosecutor said that the evidence showed that the racing public had been victims of a daring fraud. Rupert Coughlin was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for conspiring to defraud the Murray Bridge Racing Club by falsely representing on an entry form. The Victorian trainer/owner, Charlie Prince was disqualified for life by the SAJC and spent time in gaol.

The Southern District stewards completed further inquiries into a New South Wales galloper, which won in their district, reveling something of a sensational nature. The recent movements of the horses, Erbie and Duke Bombita showed the victory of a horse in a maiden race at Kilmore may have been the slick Erbie instead of the latter. 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, or so it seemed. The game was up. Prince was jailed for two years. It is unknown how much money was won with this sting, but probably quite a few bob.

The King of Ring-ins fooled many, racing as four identities until he was finally exposed by scribe, Bert Wolfe