Winton HRC 11 May 2019 – R 4 – Chair, Prof G Hall
ID: JCA14741
Meet Title:
Winton HRC - 11 May 2019
Meet Chair:
GHall
Meet Committee Member 1:
MConway
Race Date:
2019/05/11
Race Number:
R 4
Decision:
As Mr Stratford has admitted the breach, we find the charge proved.
Penalty:
Mr Stratford is fined the sum of $325.
Facts:
Mr Munro, Stipendiary Steward, alleged that Mr A Stratford (WAR ADMIRAL) drove carelessly near the 1000 metres of race 4 the DRAINAGE EXCAVATION SERVICES HANDICAP TROT when striking the wheel of WEE MAN TROUBLE.
Mr Munro demonstrated on the videos that at start of the back straight, at about the 1200 metres, Mr Stratford was racing at the rear of the field and was progressing to the outside of Mr Orange (WEE MAN TROUBLE). At about the 1000 metres he struck the wheel of Mr Orange and the tyre deflated. Mr Munro said this cost Mr Orange, who finished 5th, his chance of finishing closer. WAR ADMIRAL galloped and severely hampered MAJESTIC CONNIES, Mr B Williamson.
Mr Stratford said he hit a wheel and in that sense he was “careless”. He was progressing forward in the one out line when Mr Orange first attempted to come out and then did come out. He said WAR ADMIRAL was a big horse and it was not easy to change direction. But he readily admitted he had hit Mr Orange’s wheel. However, he believed he had hit the wheel because of the movement from the inside by Mr Orange, who was shifting out looking for a run.
Mr Munro replied that just before the incident Mr Orange was off the inside and Mr Stratford had gone wider as a consequence. He believed Mr Orange was in the 2 wide line at the time of contact and was there before that time. He also concurred with Mr Stratford that WAR ADMIRAL was a difficult horse to steer.
Mr Stratford responded that he did not believe Mr Orange was one off and that Mr Orange was following KING CASSIDY, which was shifting out.
Submissions for Penalty:
Mr Munro produced Mr Stratford’s record. He described Mr Stratford as an irregular driver, with 8 drives this season, 2 last season and none the year before. He believed Mr Stratford just drove his own team when needed. The only breach Mr Stratford had was a breach of the whip rule.
Mr Munro stated an uplift from the 6 drives / $300 starting point in the Penalty Guide was appropriate as two horses had been inconvenienced.
Mr Stratford commented that his degree of carelessness was not great and that WAR ADMIRAL was a difficult horse to drive.
Reasons for Penalty:
We have regard to the starting point of $300 or 6 drives, where the carelessness has resulted in a driver hitting a wheel. Mr Stratford drives so infrequently that to be meaningful a suspension would have to be some months. We thus believe a fine is the appropriate penalty.
The Penalty Guide also says regard is to be had to the consequences of the breach. The chances of two favoured horses were affected and Mr Williamson also came close to being tipped out of the cart on MAJESTIC CONNIES. That said, we accept Mr Orange had just shifted wider on the track immediately prior to Mr Stratford striking the wheel and that WAR ADMIRAL is not the easiest horse to drive. We view the breach as mid-range and believe an uplift to $400 (33%) is appropriate. After having regard to Mr Stratford’s very good record, but in the context of his being an irregular driver (to use Mr Munro’s words) and his admission of the breach, we reduce this to $325.
JCA Decision Fields (raw)
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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: 76462147062b288b8a1c267c03dff74b
informantnumber: A12500
horsename:
hearing_racingtype:
startdate: no date provided
newcharge: Careless Driving
plea: admitted
penaltyrequired: 1
decisiondate: 14/05/2019
hearing_title: Winton HRC 11 May 2019 - R 4 - Chair, Prof G Hall
charge:
facts:
Mr Munro, Stipendiary Steward, alleged that Mr A Stratford (WAR ADMIRAL) drove carelessly near the 1000 metres of race 4 the DRAINAGE EXCAVATION SERVICES HANDICAP TROT when striking the wheel of WEE MAN TROUBLE.
Mr Munro demonstrated on the videos that at start of the back straight, at about the 1200 metres, Mr Stratford was racing at the rear of the field and was progressing to the outside of Mr Orange (WEE MAN TROUBLE). At about the 1000 metres he struck the wheel of Mr Orange and the tyre deflated. Mr Munro said this cost Mr Orange, who finished 5th, his chance of finishing closer. WAR ADMIRAL galloped and severely hampered MAJESTIC CONNIES, Mr B Williamson.
Mr Stratford said he hit a wheel and in that sense he was “careless”. He was progressing forward in the one out line when Mr Orange first attempted to come out and then did come out. He said WAR ADMIRAL was a big horse and it was not easy to change direction. But he readily admitted he had hit Mr Orange’s wheel. However, he believed he had hit the wheel because of the movement from the inside by Mr Orange, who was shifting out looking for a run.
Mr Munro replied that just before the incident Mr Orange was off the inside and Mr Stratford had gone wider as a consequence. He believed Mr Orange was in the 2 wide line at the time of contact and was there before that time. He also concurred with Mr Stratford that WAR ADMIRAL was a difficult horse to steer.
Mr Stratford responded that he did not believe Mr Orange was one off and that Mr Orange was following KING CASSIDY, which was shifting out.
appealdecision:
isappeal:
submissionsfordecision:
reasonsfordecision:
Decision:
As Mr Stratford has admitted the breach, we find the charge proved.
sumissionsforpenalty:
Mr Munro produced Mr Stratford’s record. He described Mr Stratford as an irregular driver, with 8 drives this season, 2 last season and none the year before. He believed Mr Stratford just drove his own team when needed. The only breach Mr Stratford had was a breach of the whip rule.
Mr Munro stated an uplift from the 6 drives / $300 starting point in the Penalty Guide was appropriate as two horses had been inconvenienced.
Mr Stratford commented that his degree of carelessness was not great and that WAR ADMIRAL was a difficult horse to drive.
reasonsforpenalty:
We have regard to the starting point of $300 or 6 drives, where the carelessness has resulted in a driver hitting a wheel. Mr Stratford drives so infrequently that to be meaningful a suspension would have to be some months. We thus believe a fine is the appropriate penalty.
The Penalty Guide also says regard is to be had to the consequences of the breach. The chances of two favoured horses were affected and Mr Williamson also came close to being tipped out of the cart on MAJESTIC CONNIES. That said, we accept Mr Orange had just shifted wider on the track immediately prior to Mr Stratford striking the wheel and that WAR ADMIRAL is not the easiest horse to drive. We view the breach as mid-range and believe an uplift to $400 (33%) is appropriate. After having regard to Mr Stratford’s very good record, but in the context of his being an irregular driver (to use Mr Munro’s words) and his admission of the breach, we reduce this to $325.
penalty:
Mr Stratford is fined the sum of $325.
hearing_type: Hearing
Rules: 869(3)(b)
Informant: Mr V Munro - Stipendiary Steward
JockeysandTrainer: Mr A Stratford, Open Horseman
Otherperson:
PersonPresent:
Respondent:
StipendSteward:
raceid: 0169a1668cfcd1cc1560ae40ab14503c
race_expapproval:
racecancelled: 0
race_noreport: 0
race_emailed1: 0
race_emailed2: 0
race_title: R 4
submittochair:
race_expappcomment:
race_km:
race_otherexp:
race_chair:
race_pm1:
race_pm2:
meetid: 11c0c88691bf06dd5d533cedf3b80bc5
meet_expapproval:
meet_noreport: 0
waitingforpublication: 0
meet_emailed1: 0
meet_emailed2: 0
meetdate: 11/05/2019
meet_title: Winton HRC - 11 May 2019
meet_expappcomment:
meet_km:
meet_otherexp:
tracklocation: winton-hrc
meet_racingtype: harness-racing
meet_chair: GHall
meet_pm1: MConway
meet_pm2: none
name: Winton HRC