Canterbury Racing – 29 February 2008 – Race 10

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startdate: 29/02/2008

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hearing_title: Canterbury Racing - 29 February 2008 - Race 10

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DECISION AND REASONS:

Following the running of Race 10, Carlton Bar & Restaurant Rating 80, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S C Ching, against Licensed Apprentice Jockey, Miss S C Spratt, alleging that Miss Spratt, as the rider of TRA CEE in the Race, rode carelessly in that she “allowed her mount to shift inwards causing TE MATA PRINCE to check and clip a heel near the 100 metres”.

Miss Spratt was present at the hearing of the information and indicated that she did not admit the breach of the Rule. She was accompanied at the hearing by Ms C W Tremayne, Licensed Jockey.

 Mr M R Davidson, Stipendiary Steward, showed head-on, side-on and end-on video replays of the concluding stages of the Race. He said that the Stipendiary Stewards contended that TRA CEE, ridden by Miss Spratt, had clearly shifted inwards over a distance of some 50-100 metres, while being “ridden along”, dictating inwards TIME AND MOMENT (N L Collett) onto TE MATA PRINCE (B Hibberd) causing the latter horse to be checked. TRA CEE was never clear of TIME AND MOMENT and had moved in at least three horse-widths, Mr Davidson alleged.

Miss Collett stated that she had been dictated to from the outside by TRA CEE, that she had been “moving in constantly” and that she, Miss Collett, had contacted with Mr Hibberd’s mount. The horse inside Mr Hibberd, WAITUI GOLD (J R Todd), had also ducked out. The inwards movement of Miss Spratt’s mount was apparent from the video replays, Miss Collett stated. Mr Hibberd would not have received a check from her had her line not been dictated by Miss Spratt’s mount. The interference had been received prior to any outward movement by Mr Todd’s mount.

Miss Spratt said that it could be seen that her mount was running in but, at no stage, did she make contact with Miss Collett’s mount. Miss Collett’s mount was “running away a little”, she said. There was always a gap between the two horses. Miss Collett’s mount ducked in as WAITUI GOLD came out and that was when the interference was caused, Miss Spratt said.

Mr B S Hibberd was called as a witness by Miss Spratt. He stated that there was movement from the inside out at one vital point. There was also movement from the outside and Miss Collett’s mount had made contact with his mount. There had been “gradual” pressure from the outside prior to the sudden movement of WAITUI GOLD. If that horse had not ducked out, Mr Hibberd stated that he “might have been OK to carry on a little bit”. Mr Hibberd stated that he had received “buffeting” from Miss Collett on his outside. He could not see Miss Spratt who had gone ahead of him. From viewing the video replays, it was apparent that the pressure was coming from Miss Spratt, he said.

Mr Ching pointed out the inwards movement of Miss Spratt’s mount in relation to the mown strips on the track – he submitted three horse-widths – forcing Miss Collett’s mount onto Mr Hibberd’s mount which was forced down onto the heels of WAITUI GOLD. He conceded that the latter horse had moved out but the major contributor to the whole incident, and the reason there was tightening and a horse nearly falling, was Miss Spratt’s inwards movement over the concluding stages. She was never clear of Miss Collett’s mount and “dictated” it onto Mr Hibberd’s mount.

Following a deliberation, the Committee delivered the following oral decision:

Mr Ching and Miss Spratt - we have listened to the evidence that both of you have given and your own submissions and the evidence of your witnesses. We have also carefully looked at the video replays, both during the hearing and also, as you will be aware, at some length after the conclusion of the hearing. We are satisfied, Miss Spratt, that you did, as alleged, allow your mount to shift in while riding it with the whip. It shifted in a significant distance – Mr Davidson alleged three horse-widths and we accept that it was at least that that it moved in. In doing so, you dictated the line of Miss Collett and forced her onto Mr Hibberd’s mount. We accept that there was a contribution by Mr Todd’s mount but it is our finding that that was, fractionally, after you had caused interference by your inward movement. Obviously, the outwards movement of Mr Todd’s mount has made the whole thing much more spectacular that it would have been without that. In any event, we find that you rode carelessly in allowing your mount to shift in, as you did, while riding with the whip, and dictating the line of Miss Collett and forcing her onto Mr Hibberd’s mount. So, the charge of careless riding is found proved.

In relation to penalty, Mr Ching informed the Committee of details of Miss Spratt’s breaches of the careless riding Rule in the previous 12 months. Her most recent suspension was on 23 January 2008 at Wellington (5 days). Prior to that she received a 4-days’ suspension at Rotorua on 27 December 2007, a 4-days’ suspension at Hawkes Bay on 6 October 2007, a 3-days’ suspension on 11 August 2007 at Counties, a 4-days’ suspension at Avondale on 25 April 2007 and, finally, a 4-days’ suspension on 10 March 2007 at Auckland.

Mr Ching categorised the breach as being in the “medium” range of carelessness. He conceded that there had been some contribution from WAITUI GOLD. He submitted that a suspension of between 6 and 8 days was called for.

Miss Spratt submitted that she was a busy rider. She accepted that a suspension was in order but 6-8 days was “quite a bit”. She did not dispute the details of her record as produced by Mr Ching.

Miss Spratt requested a deferral of the commencement of her suspension for the 7-days’ period which would enable her to ride at Ellerslie on 5^th March.  The effect of the 7-days deferral was previously explained to Miss Spratt. Miss Spratt said that she had been asked by a Canterbury trainer to ride some of his team at Hokitika on Thursday 6^th and Sunday 9^th March. She said that she would ride at that meeting on 6^th March if permitted. When it was put to her, she did not say that she would not be riding at the meeting at Otaki on Friday, 7^th March.

Taking all matters into account and, in particular, Miss Spratt’s poor record of careless riding in the past 12 months, the Committee determined that a suspension for a period of 6 riding days was appropriate in this instance. This was calculated to be from the conclusion of racing on Friday, 7 March 2008, up to and including Wednesday, 19 March 2008. The Committee records that two South Island meetings were included in calculating the number of days.

R G McKenzie

CHAIRMAN

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