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Akaroa TC 30 March 2014 – R 3

ID: JCA12983

Applicant:
Mr S W Wallis - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Mr D J Thompson - Licensed Advanced Amateur Driver

Information Number:
A1775

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Careless driving

Rules:
869(3)(b)

Plea:
admitted

Meet Title:
Akaroa TC - 30 March 2014

Meet Chair:
RMcKenzie

Meet Committee Member 1:
KHales

Race Date:
2014/03/30

Race Number:
R 3

Decision:

Mr Thompson having admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.

Penalty:

Mr Thompson was fined the sum of $200.00.

Facts:

Following the running of Race 3, Motukarara Workouts & Ellesmere Refrigeration Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S W Wallis, against Licensed Advanced Amateur Driver, Mr D J Thompson, alleging that Mr Thompson, as the driver of PRESIDENT OBAMA in the race, “drove carelessly by allowing his runner to strike the sulky wheel of SUPERIOR DESIRE (A N Edge) when improving to the inside of said runner with approximately 300 metres to run.”

Mr Thompson had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information form to the effect that he admitted the charge. He was not present at the hearing and Mr Wallis told the Committee that Mr Thompson did not wish to be present.

Mr Wallis showed side-on and head-on video replays of the final 300-400 metres of the race. He pointed out PRESIDENT OBAMA, driven by Mr Thompson, trailing the leader SUPERIOR DESIRE (A N Edge) as the field approached the turn into the home straight on the last occasion. Mr Wallis said that, after straightening, Mr Thompson improved to the inside of the leader to utilise the passing lane. However, he misjudged the movement and struck the inside wheel of Mr Edge’s sulky, causing his own horse to break.

Mr Edge had confirmed to the Stewards that it was a “decent whack”. The tyre deflated at that stage of the race. PRESIDENT OBAMA, driven by Mr Edge, carried on to win the race. Just past the finishing line, it could be seen that the tyre and tube came adrift from the rim. Mr Wallis said that it was fortunate that this happened then and not at the time when the wheel was struck.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Wallis said that Mr Thompson has a clear record with the Stewards. He referred to the Penalty Guide which suggests a starting point for a breach of the Rule of a suspension of 8 drives or a fine of $400. Having regard to Mr Thompson’s good record, his early admission of the breach and that fact that only his own horse, which had galloped “momentarily”, had been affected, Mr Wallis submitted that a fine of between $200 and $250 was appropriate.

Reasons for Penalty:

In deciding penalty, the Committee had regard to Mr Thompson’s admission of the breach and his clear record. These factors entitled him to a discount from the Penalty Guide starting point of a $400 fine. The Committee also had regard to the low-level nature of the carelessness which resulted in only minor interference to Mr Thompson’s own runner.

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: 713db8b760d79c0a2e0f58554d9d7290


informantnumber: A1775


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Careless driving


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 29/03/2014


hearing_title: Akaroa TC 30 March 2014 - R 3


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 3, Motukarara Workouts & Ellesmere Refrigeration Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S W Wallis, against Licensed Advanced Amateur Driver, Mr D J Thompson, alleging that Mr Thompson, as the driver of PRESIDENT OBAMA in the race, “drove carelessly by allowing his runner to strike the sulky wheel of SUPERIOR DESIRE (A N Edge) when improving to the inside of said runner with approximately 300 metres to run.”

Mr Thompson had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information form to the effect that he admitted the charge. He was not present at the hearing and Mr Wallis told the Committee that Mr Thompson did not wish to be present.

Mr Wallis showed side-on and head-on video replays of the final 300-400 metres of the race. He pointed out PRESIDENT OBAMA, driven by Mr Thompson, trailing the leader SUPERIOR DESIRE (A N Edge) as the field approached the turn into the home straight on the last occasion. Mr Wallis said that, after straightening, Mr Thompson improved to the inside of the leader to utilise the passing lane. However, he misjudged the movement and struck the inside wheel of Mr Edge’s sulky, causing his own horse to break.

Mr Edge had confirmed to the Stewards that it was a “decent whack”. The tyre deflated at that stage of the race. PRESIDENT OBAMA, driven by Mr Edge, carried on to win the race. Just past the finishing line, it could be seen that the tyre and tube came adrift from the rim. Mr Wallis said that it was fortunate that this happened then and not at the time when the wheel was struck.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Mr Thompson having admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Wallis said that Mr Thompson has a clear record with the Stewards. He referred to the Penalty Guide which suggests a starting point for a breach of the Rule of a suspension of 8 drives or a fine of $400. Having regard to Mr Thompson’s good record, his early admission of the breach and that fact that only his own horse, which had galloped “momentarily”, had been affected, Mr Wallis submitted that a fine of between $200 and $250 was appropriate.


reasonsforpenalty:

In deciding penalty, the Committee had regard to Mr Thompson’s admission of the breach and his clear record. These factors entitled him to a discount from the Penalty Guide starting point of a $400 fine. The Committee also had regard to the low-level nature of the carelessness which resulted in only minor interference to Mr Thompson’s own runner.


penalty:

Mr Thompson was fined the sum of $200.00.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 869(3)(b)


Informant: Mr S W Wallis - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Mr D J Thompson - Licensed Advanced Amateur Driver


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: 2dc410e654d9359e5afe01d71b7d6fb8


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 3


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


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race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 7b18bbc65391edf9338340edd4c6c80b


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


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meetdate: 30/03/2014


meet_title: Akaroa TC - 30 March 2014


meet_expappcomment:


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tracklocation: akaroa-tc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: RMcKenzie


meet_pm1: KHales


meet_pm2: none


name: Akaroa TC