R Tauranga 2 January 2015 – R 9 (request for a ruling)
ID: JCA15433
Code:
Thoroughbred
Meet Title:
Racing Tauranga - 2 January 2015
Meet Chair:
ADooley
Meet Committee Member 1:
BScott
Race Date:
2015/01/02
Race Number:
R 9
Decision:
Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 632 the Committee exercised their discretion and declared MATAATUA to be a non–starter.
Facts:
Following the running of Race 9, Stewart Browne Electrical 1300, Senior Stipendiary Steward, Mr J Oatham, lodged an Information requesting a ruling in relation to Rule 632 to establish if MATAATUA was denied a fair start due to a barrier malfunction.
Rule 632 provides “If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first three 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:
Mr Oatham advised the Committee that MATAATUA gate did open but failed to catch correctly. He said this resulted in MATAATUA losing a number of lengths after being struck in the shoulder by the gate. He identified that MATAATUA was then forced onto the hind quarters of GERRY MERITO. In the Stewards view MATAATUA was denied a fair start and the horse should be declared a non–starter to be consistent with recent decisions.
Mr Hills told the Committee that MATAATUA’S starting stall failed to catch as the horse tried to jump out. He said the mechanical failure of the stall cost him a couple of lengths. He added the stall did make contact with MATAATUA’S shoulder.
Ms Falconer said the video films were clear that MATAATUA had his chances affected at the start. She said this placed the horse in a negative position.
Mr Taylor had nothing to add.
Reasons for Decision:
The Committee carefully considered the submissions presented and reviewed the video footage. It was clear on the video footage that MATAATUA’S starting stall did open in line with the rest of the field. However, MATAATUA’S starting stall did not catch as it is designed to do. This resulted in the starting stall springing back and striking MATAATUA in the shoulder. We accept no fault could be attributed to MATAATUA being slow of its own accord. We are satisfied that this materially prejudiced the chances of MATAATUA as he jumped away awkwardly and settled at the rear of the field after losing at least 2 lengths at the start. The submissions of all parties were compelling in that MATAATUA lost ground at the start and was denied a fair start.
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: 92c6aa0ba8d0a510d05c3b89b67ba431
informantnumber: A6872
horsename:
hearing_racingtype:
startdate: no date provided
newcharge:
plea:
penaltyrequired:
decisiondate: 29/12/2014
hearing_title: R Tauranga 2 January 2015 - R 9 (request for a ruling)
charge:
facts:
Following the running of Race 9, Stewart Browne Electrical 1300, Senior Stipendiary Steward, Mr J Oatham, lodged an Information requesting a ruling in relation to Rule 632 to establish if MATAATUA was denied a fair start due to a barrier malfunction.
Rule 632 provides “If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first three 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:
Mr Oatham advised the Committee that MATAATUA gate did open but failed to catch correctly. He said this resulted in MATAATUA losing a number of lengths after being struck in the shoulder by the gate. He identified that MATAATUA was then forced onto the hind quarters of GERRY MERITO. In the Stewards view MATAATUA was denied a fair start and the horse should be declared a non–starter to be consistent with recent decisions.
Mr Hills told the Committee that MATAATUA’S starting stall failed to catch as the horse tried to jump out. He said the mechanical failure of the stall cost him a couple of lengths. He added the stall did make contact with MATAATUA’S shoulder.
Ms Falconer said the video films were clear that MATAATUA had his chances affected at the start. She said this placed the horse in a negative position.
Mr Taylor had nothing to add.
reasonsfordecision:
The Committee carefully considered the submissions presented and reviewed the video footage. It was clear on the video footage that MATAATUA’S starting stall did open in line with the rest of the field. However, MATAATUA’S starting stall did not catch as it is designed to do. This resulted in the starting stall springing back and striking MATAATUA in the shoulder. We accept no fault could be attributed to MATAATUA being slow of its own accord. We are satisfied that this materially prejudiced the chances of MATAATUA as he jumped away awkwardly and settled at the rear of the field after losing at least 2 lengths at the start. The submissions of all parties were compelling in that MATAATUA lost ground at the start and was denied a fair start.
Decision:
Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 632 the Committee exercised their discretion and declared MATAATUA to be a non–starter.
sumissionsforpenalty:
reasonsforpenalty:
penalty:
hearing_type: Request Ruling
Rules: 632
Informant:
JockeysandTrainer:
Otherperson:
PersonPresent: Mr M Hills - Rider of MATAATUA, Ms M Falconer - Trainer of MATAATUA, Mr D Taylor - Raceday Manager
Respondent:
StipendSteward: Mr J Oatham - Senior Stipendiary Steward
raceid: d2dd570ad9aec20a10142cdfcaafd9cc
race_expapproval:
racecancelled: 0
race_noreport: 0
race_emailed1: 0
race_emailed2: 0
race_title: R 9
submittochair:
race_expappcomment:
race_km:
race_otherexp:
race_chair:
race_pm1:
race_pm2:
meetid: 27dda6084cba649919d7e350a6f9ef15
meet_expapproval:
meet_noreport: 0
waitingforpublication: 0
meet_emailed1: 0
meet_emailed2: 0
meetdate: 02/01/2015
meet_title: Racing Tauranga - 2 January 2015
meet_expappcomment:
meet_km:
meet_otherexp:
tracklocation: racing-tauranga
meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing
meet_chair: ADooley
meet_pm1: BScott
meet_pm2: none
name: Racing Tauranga