Forbury Park TC – 12 September 2008 – Race 3

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hearing_racingtype: harness-racing

startdate: 12/09/2008

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decisiondate: no date provided

hearing_title: Forbury Park TC - 12 September 2008 - Race 3

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Decision:

Pursuant to Rule 869 (3) (b) Mr Knowles, stipendiary steward, has alleged that Mr Regan Todd, junior driver, when driving DYING TO RULE in race 3 shifted inwards when not sufficiently clear of STANDOUT STATS, with resulting interference to ECURB SUGEN.

Mr McIntyre, stipendiary steward, demonstrated on the videos that ECURB SUGEN, which was racing on the inside of STANDOUT STATS broke as the field was leaving the home straight for the first time. On the outside of STANDOUT STATS was DYING TO RULE driven by Mr Todd and on his outside was FRANCO SANDMAN driven by Mr Dunn. Mr Knowles stated that he believed the inwards pressure commenced when Mr Todd moved across towards the running line.

The video evidence is not conclusive. There has been contact between Ms Ottley and Ms Compain, which has resulted in Ms Compain’s horse breaking. There was no contact between Ms Ottley and Mr Todd. Everyone involved in this hearing has made reference to the fact that there has been tightening at what is a notorious section of the track. Ms Compain called out to Ms Ottley for room. Ms Ottley did not call out to Mr Todd although she said the horse on her outside was coming across. She said there was pressure from her outside but not for long.

Ms Compain, and Mr Suddaby on Mr Todd’s behalf, have both suggested it was general tightening, (“squeezing” was the expression used) and that the blame should not be placed with Mr Todd. Mr Knowles, on the other hand, has said that Mr Todd has continued to come across too quickly and in so doing he has tightened Ms Ottley with resulting interference to Ms Compain. I suspect Mr Knowles is right. In Mr Todd’s favour, however, is the fact that the video evidence is ambiguous and suggests that there is a small distance between his horse and that of Ms Ottley at the time Ms Compain is pressured by Ms Ottley. This may well be as a consequence of Ms Ottley, who is an inexperienced driver and who was driving what is accepted to be a difficult horse, anticipating Mr Todd’s continued inwards movement.

I am required to be satisfied at least to the civil standard that Mr Todd’s actions in continuing to move inwards at this point in the race were careless. On this occasion I intend to give him the benefit of the doubt and will dismiss the charge. Nonetheless, I take the opportunity to remind Mr Todd of his obligations to fellow drivers under the Rules of Harness Racing.

Geoff Hall

Chairman

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hearing_type: Old Hearing

Rules: 869.3.b

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raceid: 009a29199abe1351a175126f6cc9719f

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racecancelled: 0

race_noreport: 0

race_emailed1: 0

race_emailed2: 0

race_title: Race 3

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meetid: 70e5273fbdee333e20910a26304e2063

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meetdate: 12/09/2008

meet_title: Forbury Park TC - 12 September 2008

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tracklocation: forbury-park-tc

meet_racingtype: harness-racing

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name: Forbury Park TC