Archive Decision

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Canterbury R 30 January 2016 – R 9 – Chair, Mr R McKenzie

ID: JCA17384

Applicant:
J P Oatham, Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
M K L Chui, Licensed Jockey (Class A)

Other Person:
Mr M R Davidson - Stipendiary Steward

Information Number:
A6369

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Excessive Use of Whip

Rules:
638(3)(b)(ii)

Plea:
admitted

Code:
Thoroughbred

Meet Title:
Canterbury Racing - 30 January 2016

Meet Chair:
RMcKenzie

Meet Committee Member 1:
DAnderson

Race Date:
2016/01/30

Race Number:
R9

Decision:

Mr Chui having admitted the charge, the charge was found proved.

Penalty:

Mr Chui was fined the sum of $300.

Facts:

Following the running of Race 9, Lindauer Rating 65, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J P Oatham, against Licensed Jockey (Class A), Mr M K L Chui, alleging that Mr Chui, as the rider of NIGHT NURSE in the race, “used his whip excessively on his mount, NIGHT NURSE, prior to the 200 metres”.

Mr Chui had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information indicating that he admitted the breach and had signed and endorsed on the information form “I do not wish to appear”.

Rule 638 provides as follows:

(3) A Rider shall not:

    (b) strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is:

        (ii) excessive.

Mr Oatham had Stipendiary Steward, Mr M R Davidson, show a video replay of the final 400 metres of the race. He pointed out NIGHT NURSE, ridden by Mr Murray, improving wide out as the field entered the home straight. Mr Davidson pointed out Mr Chui draw his whip and then, prior to the 200 metres, use his whip on some 11-12 occasions before going back to the whip rein. The Committee noted that NIGHT NURSE went on to win the race.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Oatham said that Mr Chui had a clear record under the Rule. He has been riding in New Zealand since the 2013/2014 season. He has been based in the North Island for most of the time, where his opportunities have been rather limited. He has been trying his luck recently in the South Island, with some success, Mr Oatham said.

Mr Oatham submitted that the Committee should take Mr Chui’s good record and admission of the breach into account, but submitted that it was an aggravating factor that Mr Chui’s mount, NIGHT NURSE, had gone on to win the race, possibly gaining an unfair advantage.

Mr Oatham referred to the fine of $250 imposed on Apprentice Jockey, B M Murray, earlier in the day and submitted that the fine for this breach should be higher than that for that aggravating factor. The number of strikes was not the highest, however, Mr Oatham said.

Reasons for Penalty:

The Committee noted that the starting point for penalty under the Penalty Guide is a $500 fine or a 2 days’ suspension. A suspension was not appropriate in this instance. Factors that the Committee took into account in deciding the quantum of fine were, as an aggravating factor, the fact that Mr Chui won the race and, as mitigating factors, Mr Chui’s admission of the breach and his good record. Weighing those factors, the Committee determined that a fine of $300 was appropriate.

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: dce6582196104d8f075cc93eb4abf312


informantnumber: A6369


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Excessive Use of Whip


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 03/02/2016


hearing_title: Canterbury R 30 January 2016 - R 9 - Chair, Mr R McKenzie


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 9, Lindauer Rating 65, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J P Oatham, against Licensed Jockey (Class A), Mr M K L Chui, alleging that Mr Chui, as the rider of NIGHT NURSE in the race, “used his whip excessively on his mount, NIGHT NURSE, prior to the 200 metres”.

Mr Chui had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information indicating that he admitted the breach and had signed and endorsed on the information form “I do not wish to appear”.

Rule 638 provides as follows:

(3) A Rider shall not:

    (b) strike a horse with a whip in a manner or to an extent which is:

        (ii) excessive.

Mr Oatham had Stipendiary Steward, Mr M R Davidson, show a video replay of the final 400 metres of the race. He pointed out NIGHT NURSE, ridden by Mr Murray, improving wide out as the field entered the home straight. Mr Davidson pointed out Mr Chui draw his whip and then, prior to the 200 metres, use his whip on some 11-12 occasions before going back to the whip rein. The Committee noted that NIGHT NURSE went on to win the race.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Mr Chui having admitted the charge, the charge was found proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Oatham said that Mr Chui had a clear record under the Rule. He has been riding in New Zealand since the 2013/2014 season. He has been based in the North Island for most of the time, where his opportunities have been rather limited. He has been trying his luck recently in the South Island, with some success, Mr Oatham said.

Mr Oatham submitted that the Committee should take Mr Chui’s good record and admission of the breach into account, but submitted that it was an aggravating factor that Mr Chui’s mount, NIGHT NURSE, had gone on to win the race, possibly gaining an unfair advantage.

Mr Oatham referred to the fine of $250 imposed on Apprentice Jockey, B M Murray, earlier in the day and submitted that the fine for this breach should be higher than that for that aggravating factor. The number of strikes was not the highest, however, Mr Oatham said.


reasonsforpenalty:

The Committee noted that the starting point for penalty under the Penalty Guide is a $500 fine or a 2 days’ suspension. A suspension was not appropriate in this instance. Factors that the Committee took into account in deciding the quantum of fine were, as an aggravating factor, the fact that Mr Chui won the race and, as mitigating factors, Mr Chui’s admission of the breach and his good record. Weighing those factors, the Committee determined that a fine of $300 was appropriate.


penalty:

Mr Chui was fined the sum of $300.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 638(3)(b)(ii)


Informant: J P Oatham, Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: M K L Chui, Licensed Jockey (Class A)


Otherperson: Mr M R Davidson - Stipendiary Steward


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: eadfeba8cea3f0c28557a87d24044a23


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R9


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


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race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: b278cc4121cb0b4e9d2faff021a452fa


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 30/01/2016


meet_title: Canterbury Racing - 30 January 2016


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: canterbury-racing


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


meet_chair: RMcKenzie


meet_pm1: DAnderson


meet_pm2: none


name: Canterbury Racing