Archive Decision

This decision has been migrated from the JCA website. Information is accurate but formatting may differ from contemporary decisions. Please contact us for any further enquiries.

Northern Southland TC 6 October 2018 – R 1 – Chair, Mr P Knowles

ID: JCA14492

Applicant:
Mr V Munro - Stipendiary Steward, Mr S W Wallis - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr M Williamson - Open Horseman

Information Number:
A10549

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Careless Driving

Rules:
869(3)(b)

Plea:
denied

Meet Title:
Northern Southland TC - 6 October 2018

Meet Chair:
PKnowles

Meet Committee Member 1:
MConway

Race Date:
2018/10/06

Race Number:
R1

Decision:

In this instance we are not satisfied and the charge is dismissed.

Facts:

Following the running of race 1 the Net Ten EOM At Macca Lodge Pace Stewards charged Mr Matthew Williamson with a breach of r869 (3) (b) – careless driving – in that “…he drove carelessly near the 200 metres by improving into a position when insufficient room existed resulting in checks to SHERRY BABY and GOMEO DENARIO.” 

Rule 869 (3) (b) reads:

No horseman in any race shall drive:

  carelessly 

Mr Williamson did not admit the breach and appeared at the hearing.

Mr Wallis, using the available videos, pointed out the relevant positions of Mr M Williamson and the affected horses prior to the incident. He stated Mr M Williamson (ROCKIN ROD) was trailing the leader SHERRY BABY (B Williamson) as the field approached the 400 metre mark. He said soon after Mr Williamson shifted ROCKIN ROD into the one-out position behind FLOGGING MOLLY (N Williamson). GOMEO DENARIO (B Barclay) which was trailing ROCKIN ROD three back on the pole line, moved forward to behind SHERRY BABY. On entering the home straight he alleged Mr M Williamson shifted ROCKIN ROD inwards and attempted to improve into a gap where there was insufficient room. He said the result was interference to SHERRY BABY and GOMEO DENARIO, with both locking wheels and losing their chances.

Submissions for Decision:

Mr Munro stated that the gap was not big enough for ROCKIN ROD. This forced Mr B Williamson to take a hold of SHERRY BABY and withdraw his position with the resulting interference to GOMEO DENARIO. He said Mr B Williamson told the stewards he had to take evasive action late when the outside runner shifted inwards. He did not believe the inwards movement from Mr Larsen (LAST HARAH) was a factor.

Mr M Williamson stated he had shifted inwards immediately on entering the home straight. He said he had enough room as he anticipated the leader SHERRY BABY was under pressure and giving ground. He said once he was committed to the inside movement there was pressure from his outside which forced him inwards towards SHERRY BABY. He believed it was Mr Larsen wider out on LAST HARAH which had contributed to his inwards movement.

Reasons for Decision:

Our interpretation of the incident differs to that of the stewards. When the field entered the home straight we see SHERRY BABY (B Williamson), which was under pressure, shifting inwards into the passing lane. We also found that both ROCKIN ROD (M Williamson) and GOMEO DENARIO (B Barclay) made inwards movements from trailing positions at the same time. However, at no time from that point until the interference occurred, did GOMEO DENARIO have clear racing room in the passing lane. We also found that on entering the home straight FLOGGING MOLLY (N Williamson), which was the leading horse in the home straight, drifted inwards a half cart and in doing so dictated the line of ROCKIN ROD which was forced inwards. Mr N Williamson attempted to correct his inwards shift but found Mr Larsen (LAST HARAH) had established himself in the gap between FLOGGING MOLLY and MATINEE IDOL (P Hunter) on its outside. We find no fault of Mr Larsen who took advantage of a gap that presented itself between runners. The shifting of more than one horse contributed to the general tightening on inside horses which led to the interference.

Mr M Williamson was charged with causing interference (careless driving) to two other runners by attempting to improve his position in the home straight when there was insufficient room. We have to be satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Williamson’s actions were solely at fault and interference resulted.

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: 899c6f02709f308c9bd2b491e4b3e12c


informantnumber: A10549


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Careless Driving


plea: denied


penaltyrequired: 0


decisiondate: 10/10/2018


hearing_title: Northern Southland TC 6 October 2018 - R 1 - Chair, Mr P Knowles


charge:


facts:

Following the running of race 1 the Net Ten EOM At Macca Lodge Pace Stewards charged Mr Matthew Williamson with a breach of r869 (3) (b) – careless driving – in that “…he drove carelessly near the 200 metres by improving into a position when insufficient room existed resulting in checks to SHERRY BABY and GOMEO DENARIO.” 

Rule 869 (3) (b) reads:

No horseman in any race shall drive:

  carelessly 

Mr Williamson did not admit the breach and appeared at the hearing.

Mr Wallis, using the available videos, pointed out the relevant positions of Mr M Williamson and the affected horses prior to the incident. He stated Mr M Williamson (ROCKIN ROD) was trailing the leader SHERRY BABY (B Williamson) as the field approached the 400 metre mark. He said soon after Mr Williamson shifted ROCKIN ROD into the one-out position behind FLOGGING MOLLY (N Williamson). GOMEO DENARIO (B Barclay) which was trailing ROCKIN ROD three back on the pole line, moved forward to behind SHERRY BABY. On entering the home straight he alleged Mr M Williamson shifted ROCKIN ROD inwards and attempted to improve into a gap where there was insufficient room. He said the result was interference to SHERRY BABY and GOMEO DENARIO, with both locking wheels and losing their chances.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:

Mr Munro stated that the gap was not big enough for ROCKIN ROD. This forced Mr B Williamson to take a hold of SHERRY BABY and withdraw his position with the resulting interference to GOMEO DENARIO. He said Mr B Williamson told the stewards he had to take evasive action late when the outside runner shifted inwards. He did not believe the inwards movement from Mr Larsen (LAST HARAH) was a factor.

Mr M Williamson stated he had shifted inwards immediately on entering the home straight. He said he had enough room as he anticipated the leader SHERRY BABY was under pressure and giving ground. He said once he was committed to the inside movement there was pressure from his outside which forced him inwards towards SHERRY BABY. He believed it was Mr Larsen wider out on LAST HARAH which had contributed to his inwards movement.


reasonsfordecision:

Our interpretation of the incident differs to that of the stewards. When the field entered the home straight we see SHERRY BABY (B Williamson), which was under pressure, shifting inwards into the passing lane. We also found that both ROCKIN ROD (M Williamson) and GOMEO DENARIO (B Barclay) made inwards movements from trailing positions at the same time. However, at no time from that point until the interference occurred, did GOMEO DENARIO have clear racing room in the passing lane. We also found that on entering the home straight FLOGGING MOLLY (N Williamson), which was the leading horse in the home straight, drifted inwards a half cart and in doing so dictated the line of ROCKIN ROD which was forced inwards. Mr N Williamson attempted to correct his inwards shift but found Mr Larsen (LAST HARAH) had established himself in the gap between FLOGGING MOLLY and MATINEE IDOL (P Hunter) on its outside. We find no fault of Mr Larsen who took advantage of a gap that presented itself between runners. The shifting of more than one horse contributed to the general tightening on inside horses which led to the interference.

Mr M Williamson was charged with causing interference (careless driving) to two other runners by attempting to improve his position in the home straight when there was insufficient room. We have to be satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Williamson’s actions were solely at fault and interference resulted.


Decision:

In this instance we are not satisfied and the charge is dismissed.


sumissionsforpenalty:


reasonsforpenalty:


penalty:


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 869(3)(b)


Informant: Mr V Munro - Stipendiary Steward, Mr S W Wallis - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr M Williamson - Open Horseman


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: af612b8414c94e2ff55fd6259229b4b8


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R1


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 6549f74e65ca0a14c05f3d8c5c7a372e


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 06/10/2018


meet_title: Northern Southland TC - 6 October 2018


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: northern-southland-tc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: PKnowles


meet_pm1: MConway


meet_pm2: none


name: Northern Southland TC