Avondale JC – 14 September 2005 – Race 7

Following Race 7 an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward Mr AR Coles, against Mr S Autridge, the trainer of the horse UNCOVERED (A Calder) placed first in that race. The information under Rule 876(1), alleged that UNCOVERED had interfered with the chances of SAVEKE (D Hain) placed second by the judge.

Stipendiary Steward, Mr J Oatham, demonstrated the video films. He drew attention to the 200 metre mark where UNCOVERED was seen leading the field from a position adjacent to the inside rail.

At about the 100 metre mark UNCOVERED was seen to roll out allowing SAVEKE, up to then in a trailing position on the rail, to improve on the inner of UNCOVERED.

Mr Oatham indicated that SAVEKE, whilst improving brushed against the running rail and apprentice jockey Hain was prevented from riding his mount out when UNCOVERED moved back towards the rail. Mr Oatham confirmed that the judge's margin at the winning post was a neck.

Mr Autridge asked for the video to be re-played but then declined the opportunity to make submissions.

Jockey Calder did make submissions and demonstrated on the video replay that he felt UNCOVERED's inward movement was marginal only and that apprentice jockey Hain had ?taken a risk? when taking the rails run and was a little cheeky to do so. Mr Calder asserted that his mount had won on its merits.

The connections of SAVEKE, J Rattray and A Lawrence, were present and Mr Rattray submitted that when SAVEKE hit the running rail he had become a ?little unbalanced? and that the horse was in front just past the post, and therefore its chances had been affected.

In his concluding statement, Mr Coles said that the committee would need to decide whether the interference ? at the 75 metre mark where UNCOVERED was shown on the video replay to have moved in marginally ? ?not a lot? ? had, as he felt, handicapped SAVEKE for 4-5 strides, and had prevented apprentice jockey Hain from using his whip.

Decision:

Having considered all the evidence and viewing the video, the committee accepts that there was a movement in, causing tightening to SAVEKE handicapping it for 4-5 strides and hampering rider D Hain from using his whip.

Whether the movement and subsequent tightening has affected the chances of SAVEKE, given the stage of the race, the margin of a neck at the finish and the proximity to the finish is a matter which the committee believes is open to doubt and in those circumstances the benefit must go to UNCOVERED. Accordingly the protest is dismissed and the judge's placings stand.