Waikato RC 20 January 2021 – R 5 (request for ruling) – Chair, Mr G Jones
ID: JCA15160
Code:
Thoroughbred
Meet Title:
Waikato RC - 20 January 2021
Meet Chair:
GJones
Race Date:
2021/01/20
Race Number:
R 5
Decision:
Accordingly, under the provisions of the Rule, the Committee was of the opinion that although O’JESSICA reared as the barrier gates opened it was not denied a fair start and the payment of dividends is authorised pursuant to this Ruling.
Facts:
Following the running of Race 5, the “Sweynesse-Footing It With The Best 100”, Stipendiary Steward, Mr Jones lodged an Information requesting a Ruling in relation to Rule 632 to establish whether O’JESSICA was denied a fair start.
The basis for the request was due to O’JESSICA rearing as the gates opened whilst being held by a Barrier Attendant.
Rule 632 provides “If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first four placing’s was prevented from taking an effective part in a race owing to the mechanical failure of starting stalls, or is denied a fair start and such occurrence materially prejudiced the chances of that horse (but not where the horse is slow away of its own accord), the Judicial Committee may declare such horse to be a non-starter.”
Submissions for Decision:
Using the head-on race film Mr Jones identified O’JESSICA in barrier number 2. He said that for safety reasons O’JESSICA was being steadied by a Barrier Attendant. When the barrier opened O’JESSICA reared; and stood in the stalls and then took no further part in the race.
Mr Jones said that there was no mechanical barrier failure but Stewards sought a ruling as to whether O’JESSICA’S chances were materially prejudiced due to being supported by the Barrier Attendant. He added that O’JESSICA was not on the Starters List of horses requiring assistance at the start.
Mr Moody, the Starter said that O’JESSICA was supported at the start by a Barrier Attendant because “it was playing up”.
O’JESSICA’S Rider, Mr Calder said that the Barrier Attendant was holding on because his mount was unsettled. He said that he was conscious of the fact that the horse on his inside was known to cause problems at the start. Mr Calder said that O’JESSICA reared up at the barrier and did not attribute this to any action or inaction on the part of the Barrier Attendant.
Reasons for Decision:
The Committee carefully considered the submissions presented and reviewed the video footage. The head-on film provided the best coverage.
The Committee gave due consideration as to whether the Barrier Attendant was holding on to O’JESSICA and in doing so prevented that runner from gaining a fair start. After assessment of the films the Committee was satisfied that although O’JESSICA was being supported by the Barrier Attendant it reared without interference when the gates opened and as such it did receive a fair start. Further, the evidence of Mr Calder confirming that the Barrier Attendant was not at fault was persuasive.
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: 70d18d123749c6244fd0dba8919e3dad
informantnumber: A14014
horsename:
hearing_racingtype:
startdate: no date provided
newcharge:
plea:
penaltyrequired:
decisiondate: 20/01/2021
hearing_title: Waikato RC 20 January 2021 - R 5 (request for ruling) - Chair, Mr G Jones
charge:
facts:
Following the running of Race 5, the “Sweynesse-Footing It With The Best 100”, Stipendiary Steward, Mr Jones lodged an Information requesting a Ruling in relation to Rule 632 to establish whether O’JESSICA was denied a fair start.
The basis for the request was due to O’JESSICA rearing as the gates opened whilst being held by a Barrier Attendant.
Rule 632 provides “If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first four placing’s was prevented from taking an effective part in a race owing to the mechanical failure of starting stalls, or is denied a fair start and such occurrence materially prejudiced the chances of that horse (but not where the horse is slow away of its own accord), the Judicial Committee may declare such horse to be a non-starter.”
appealdecision:
isappeal:
submissionsfordecision:
Using the head-on race film Mr Jones identified O’JESSICA in barrier number 2. He said that for safety reasons O’JESSICA was being steadied by a Barrier Attendant. When the barrier opened O’JESSICA reared; and stood in the stalls and then took no further part in the race.
Mr Jones said that there was no mechanical barrier failure but Stewards sought a ruling as to whether O’JESSICA’S chances were materially prejudiced due to being supported by the Barrier Attendant. He added that O’JESSICA was not on the Starters List of horses requiring assistance at the start.
Mr Moody, the Starter said that O’JESSICA was supported at the start by a Barrier Attendant because “it was playing up”.
O’JESSICA’S Rider, Mr Calder said that the Barrier Attendant was holding on because his mount was unsettled. He said that he was conscious of the fact that the horse on his inside was known to cause problems at the start. Mr Calder said that O’JESSICA reared up at the barrier and did not attribute this to any action or inaction on the part of the Barrier Attendant.
reasonsfordecision:
The Committee carefully considered the submissions presented and reviewed the video footage. The head-on film provided the best coverage.
The Committee gave due consideration as to whether the Barrier Attendant was holding on to O’JESSICA and in doing so prevented that runner from gaining a fair start. After assessment of the films the Committee was satisfied that although O’JESSICA was being supported by the Barrier Attendant it reared without interference when the gates opened and as such it did receive a fair start. Further, the evidence of Mr Calder confirming that the Barrier Attendant was not at fault was persuasive.
Decision:
Accordingly, under the provisions of the Rule, the Committee was of the opinion that although O’JESSICA reared as the barrier gates opened it was not denied a fair start and the payment of dividends is authorised pursuant to this Ruling.
sumissionsforpenalty:
reasonsforpenalty:
penalty:
hearing_type: Request Ruling
Rules: 632(1)
Informant:
JockeysandTrainer:
Otherperson:
PersonPresent: Mr S McKee - Trainer of O'JESSICA, Mr A Calder - Rider of O'JESSICA, Mr J Mood
Respondent:
StipendSteward: Mr B Jones - Stipendiary Steward
raceid: 9e0d33846b1b3d90d4cc3c7aa19d0d0f
race_expapproval:
racecancelled: 0
race_noreport: 0
race_emailed1: 0
race_emailed2: 0
race_title: R 5
submittochair:
race_expappcomment:
race_km:
race_otherexp:
race_chair:
race_pm1:
race_pm2:
meetid: 704db5ae5fe8a895f864e91d90074838
meet_expapproval:
meet_noreport: 0
waitingforpublication: 0
meet_emailed1: 0
meet_emailed2: 0
meetdate: 20/01/2021
meet_title: Waikato RC - 20 January 2021
meet_expappcomment:
meet_km:
meet_otherexp:
tracklocation: waikato-rc
meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing
meet_chair: GJones
meet_pm1: none
meet_pm2: none
name: Waikato RC