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.

Whangarei RC 30 June 2012 – R 2 (request for a ruling)

ID: JCA15724

Stipend Steward:
Mr A Coles - Stipendiary Steward

Hearing Type:
Request Ruling

Rules:
632

Code:
Thoroughbred

Meet Title:
Whangarei RC - 30 June 2012

Meet Chair:
GJones

Meet Committee Member 1:
ADooley

Race Date:
2012/06/30

Race Number:
R2

Decision:

Due to a starting gate malfunction Large as Life is declared a ‘non-starter’ and all bets must be refunded.

Facts:

Following the running of race 2 an Information was filed requesting a ruling from the Judicial Committee (the ‘Committee’) as to whether or not horse number 8, Large as Life, was denied a fair start. Jockey Mr M Hills appeared at the hearing on behalf of the connections of Large as Life. The information read as follows:

To determine as to whether the horse Large as Life was denied a fair start due to a mechanical failure of the starting stall.

This hearing was held pursuant to Rules 632 and 902 b (viii). Rule 632 provides that:

“If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first three placings 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 by its own accord), the Judicial Committee may declare such horse to be a non-starter”.

Submissions for Decision:

Mr Hills submitted that his mount, Large as Life, drew the outside barrier gate (13). He said that the gate was slow to open and as a result his horse jumped at least one length behind the rest of the field. Mr Hills added that he had been instructed to ride forward in the field and due to the slight delay in the starting gate not opening he was not able to comply with his riding instructions.

Mr Hills demonstrated his concerns to the Committee by way of head and side on video footage.

Mr Coles submitted that there was no doubt that the gate was slow to open. He also demonstrated this using available video footage.

In response to a question from Mr Coles, Mr Hills told the Committee that incident cost his horse the opportunity to race handy and finish in a better position.

Reasons for Decision:

The Committee independently assessed the submissions of Mr Hills and Mr Coles. We also assessed the video footage which in our opinion clearly indicated that the outside barrier gate was slow to open due to a malfunction. Further, we found no evidence whatsoever that either horse or jockey contributed to Large as life being slow to leave the starting gates. On that basis we find that Large as Life was denied a fair start and its chances were materially prejudiced.

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: c828a59017e33c2b73aea534327d7dc0


informantnumber:


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge:


plea:


penaltyrequired:


decisiondate: 15/06/2012


hearing_title: Whangarei RC 30 June 2012 - R 2 (request for a ruling)


charge:


facts:

Following the running of race 2 an Information was filed requesting a ruling from the Judicial Committee (the ‘Committee’) as to whether or not horse number 8, Large as Life, was denied a fair start. Jockey Mr M Hills appeared at the hearing on behalf of the connections of Large as Life. The information read as follows:

To determine as to whether the horse Large as Life was denied a fair start due to a mechanical failure of the starting stall.

This hearing was held pursuant to Rules 632 and 902 b (viii). Rule 632 provides that:

“If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first three placings 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 by its own accord), the Judicial Committee may declare such horse to be a non-starter”.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:

Mr Hills submitted that his mount, Large as Life, drew the outside barrier gate (13). He said that the gate was slow to open and as a result his horse jumped at least one length behind the rest of the field. Mr Hills added that he had been instructed to ride forward in the field and due to the slight delay in the starting gate not opening he was not able to comply with his riding instructions.

Mr Hills demonstrated his concerns to the Committee by way of head and side on video footage.

Mr Coles submitted that there was no doubt that the gate was slow to open. He also demonstrated this using available video footage.

In response to a question from Mr Coles, Mr Hills told the Committee that incident cost his horse the opportunity to race handy and finish in a better position.


reasonsfordecision:

The Committee independently assessed the submissions of Mr Hills and Mr Coles. We also assessed the video footage which in our opinion clearly indicated that the outside barrier gate was slow to open due to a malfunction. Further, we found no evidence whatsoever that either horse or jockey contributed to Large as life being slow to leave the starting gates. On that basis we find that Large as Life was denied a fair start and its chances were materially prejudiced.


Decision:

Due to a starting gate malfunction Large as Life is declared a ‘non-starter’ and all bets must be refunded.


sumissionsforpenalty:


reasonsforpenalty:


penalty:


hearing_type: Request Ruling


Rules: 632


Informant:


JockeysandTrainer:


Otherperson:


PersonPresent: Mr M Hills - Licensed Jockey representing the connections of LARGE AS LIFE


Respondent:


StipendSteward: Mr A Coles - Stipendiary Steward


raceid: bfaa77e9811fcf1cfcd9c222e4a3c088


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R2


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 5f87a5e2c3b7d3b3a7bb3bcac4dceb30


meet_expapproval: approved


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 30/06/2012


meet_title: Whangarei RC - 30 June 2012


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km: [{"Comment": [], "MemberRole": "Chair ", "MemberID": "GJones", "Member": "", "OtherExpenses": "0", "KMs": "310", "Total": "192.2", "kmprice": 192.19999999999999, "Approved": "on"}]


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: whangarei-rc


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


meet_chair: GJones


meet_pm1: ADooley


meet_pm2: none


name: Whangarei RC