Archive Decision

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Otago RC 26 August 2011 – R 10

ID: JCA11840

Applicant:
Mr A Ray

Respondent(s):
Mr R Hurdle, apprentice jockey

Other Person:
Mrs B Middlewood, licensed trainer

Information Number:
6992

Hearing Type:
Hearing

Rules:
638(1)(d)

Plea:
denied

Code:
Thoroughbred

Meet Title:
Otago RC - 26 August 2011

Meet Chair:
GHall

Meet Committee Member 1:
DSteel

Race Date:
2011/08/26

Race Number:
R10

Decision:

We find the charge proved.

Penalty:

Mr Hurdle has engagements this Saturday. We suspend Mr Hurdle from riding after racing on Saturday 27 August up to and including Friday 2 September. This is three riding days. We remind him of his obligations to other jockeys when shifting ground.

Charge:

Mr Ray, stipendiary steward, alleged that Mr R Hurdle allowed his mount to shift out when straightening for the run home when insufficiently clear of GUTHRUM, which was checked by the rider.

Facts:

Mr Ray stated that Mr Hurdle was angling for a run on the outside of Mr Bullard and, in so doing, came into contact with Mr Robinson who suffered interference and had to check. Mr Ray emphasised, in his view, the first action Mr Hurdle had taken after moving out was to use the stick and said Mr Hurdle had made little effort to straighten his mount.

Mr Robinson gave evidence that Mr Hurdle had moved out abruptly shortly after straightening for the run home. He said he was placed in very tight quarters and had to check out. He said he did not yell to Mr Hurdle as the movement was too quick. When questioned by this Committee, he stated that there was contact and that there was no pressure from his outside. He acknowledged his horse was not going well at the time and was weakening out. He said Mr Hurdle had only ¾ of a length advantage on him, at best, when Mr Hurdle moved out.

Mr Hurdle said he had angled out for a run but his horse had over-reacted. He said his horse was moving around and was inexperienced. He said he had used the whip in an effort to get the horse to run in.

Ms Middlewood had nothing further to add.

Submissions for Decision:

Above.

Reasons for Decision:

Mr Hurdle angled for a run from behind Mr Bullard just after he had rounded the bend and when straightening up for the run home. In so doing, he came into the running line of Mr Robinson and made contact with his horse. As a consequence, Mr Robinson has had to check and, as he has said, it was fortuitous his mount was tiring or matters could well have been worse. When Mr Hurdle moved out, he was not his length and another clear. At best he had a ¾ of a length advantage on Mr Robinson.

We accept that horses slingshot wider on the track at this point, but that is a reason for exercising caution when moving out for a run. In addition, GUTHRUM may have over-reacted, as Mr Hurdle alleges, and we note in this respect it was the horse’s first time in blinkers, but it was Mr Hurdle’s obligation to keep a straight line in these circumstances, when he was not sufficiently clear of the horse on his outer. We agree with Mr Ray that Mr Hurdle was changing ground, looking for a run, and made very little effort to straighten his mount.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Ray produced Mr Hurdle’s record. It was clear under this rule since November last. Mr Ray described this record as good. He stated he believed the breach was mid to high range and asked for a suspension of three days.

Mr Hurdle did not demur.

Reasons for Penalty:

We take a starting point of four days' suspension. We believe the incident is better described as mid-range and regard Mr Hurdle’s record as being very good, as we are aware he is a busy rider.

JCA Decision Fields (raw)

Dmitry: This section contains all JCA fields migrated from the raw data.

Data from these fields should be mapped appropriately to display amongst the standard fields above; please make note of any values below that are missing in the above standard fields but should be there.

hearingid: 2631146135cbf7fdb2e4b324e916d192


informantnumber: 6992


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge:


plea: denied


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 26/08/2011


hearing_title: Otago RC 26 August 2011 - R 10


charge:

Mr Ray, stipendiary steward, alleged that Mr R Hurdle allowed his mount to shift out when straightening for the run home when insufficiently clear of GUTHRUM, which was checked by the rider.


facts:

Mr Ray stated that Mr Hurdle was angling for a run on the outside of Mr Bullard and, in so doing, came into contact with Mr Robinson who suffered interference and had to check. Mr Ray emphasised, in his view, the first action Mr Hurdle had taken after moving out was to use the stick and said Mr Hurdle had made little effort to straighten his mount.

Mr Robinson gave evidence that Mr Hurdle had moved out abruptly shortly after straightening for the run home. He said he was placed in very tight quarters and had to check out. He said he did not yell to Mr Hurdle as the movement was too quick. When questioned by this Committee, he stated that there was contact and that there was no pressure from his outside. He acknowledged his horse was not going well at the time and was weakening out. He said Mr Hurdle had only ¾ of a length advantage on him, at best, when Mr Hurdle moved out.

Mr Hurdle said he had angled out for a run but his horse had over-reacted. He said his horse was moving around and was inexperienced. He said he had used the whip in an effort to get the horse to run in.

Ms Middlewood had nothing further to add.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:

Above.


reasonsfordecision:

Mr Hurdle angled for a run from behind Mr Bullard just after he had rounded the bend and when straightening up for the run home. In so doing, he came into the running line of Mr Robinson and made contact with his horse. As a consequence, Mr Robinson has had to check and, as he has said, it was fortuitous his mount was tiring or matters could well have been worse. When Mr Hurdle moved out, he was not his length and another clear. At best he had a ¾ of a length advantage on Mr Robinson.

We accept that horses slingshot wider on the track at this point, but that is a reason for exercising caution when moving out for a run. In addition, GUTHRUM may have over-reacted, as Mr Hurdle alleges, and we note in this respect it was the horse’s first time in blinkers, but it was Mr Hurdle’s obligation to keep a straight line in these circumstances, when he was not sufficiently clear of the horse on his outer. We agree with Mr Ray that Mr Hurdle was changing ground, looking for a run, and made very little effort to straighten his mount.


Decision:

We find the charge proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Ray produced Mr Hurdle’s record. It was clear under this rule since November last. Mr Ray described this record as good. He stated he believed the breach was mid to high range and asked for a suspension of three days.

Mr Hurdle did not demur.


reasonsforpenalty:

We take a starting point of four days' suspension. We believe the incident is better described as mid-range and regard Mr Hurdle’s record as being very good, as we are aware he is a busy rider.


penalty:

Mr Hurdle has engagements this Saturday. We suspend Mr Hurdle from riding after racing on Saturday 27 August up to and including Friday 2 September. This is three riding days. We remind him of his obligations to other jockeys when shifting ground.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 638(1)(d)


Informant: Mr A Ray


JockeysandTrainer: Mr R Hurdle, apprentice jockey


Otherperson: Mrs B Middlewood, licensed trainer


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 39f1e0edbb300f47fecb461ad66a206f


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R10


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: af6cbae768f3a204c9489f2f6c2b6d8b


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


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meetdate: 26/08/2011


meet_title: Otago RC - 26 August 2011


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


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tracklocation: otago-rc


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


meet_chair: GHall


meet_pm1: DSteel


meet_pm2: none


name: Otago RC