Manawatu RC – 20 December 2008 – Race 7

hearingid: 225ec29fa7bffba8703b98d03346a304

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hearing_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing

startdate: 20/12/2008

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decisiondate: no date provided

hearing_title: Manawatu RC - 20 December 2008 - Race 7

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Following the running of Race 7, the Group 3 Manawatu Cup, Mr D.Bradley was charged with a breach of Rule 871 (1) (d).   The information alleged that D. Bradley permitted his mount “Jonbalena” to shift inwards inside the final 100 metres when not sufficiently clear of “Megapins” who was hampered.

Following the running of Race 7, the Group 3 Manawatu Cup, Mr D.Bradley was charged with a breach of Rule 871 (1) (d).   The information alleged that D. Bradley permitted his mount “Jonbalena” to shift inwards inside the final 100 metres when not sufficiently clear of “Megapins” who was hampered.

Mr Bradley did not admit the breach.

Mr Goodwin asked Mr Oatham to demonstrate the incident which he did by way of the head-on, side-on and rear-view video films.  The head-on view of the final 200 meters of the race showed Mr Bradley racing adjacent to Ms. Spratt on her outside.  Mr Bradley then allowed Jonbalena to drift inwards which dictated the line of Megapins.  As a consequence of that inward movement Ms. Spratt was forced to steady her mount and stop riding for several strides.

Mr Oatham told the committee that Ms Spratt was only able to draw her whip over the final few strides and finished fourth with a margin of a head to third. It was the Stewards opinion that the interference may have cost her third placing.

Ms Spratt was called by Mr Goodwin to give evidence and she said that she had to stop riding Megapins when Mr Bradley rolled in on her over the final stages. She said that she had to ease back on her horse, move to the outside and get going again after her line of running had been taken by Jonbalena.   Ms Spratt told the committee that Mr Bradley was only ever a half length or three quarters of a length clear of her when he dictated her line of running.  She said that Megapins finished the race off strongly once she had eased back and moved outside of Jonbalena.

Mr Bradley began by saying that there had been no contact between the two horses. Jonbalena had not touched, brushed or pushed Megapins inwards.

 His interpretation of the head- on film was that Megapins, under the stress of racing, had rolled in of its own accord.  Mr Bradley said that Ms. Spratt was not forced to stop riding or prevented from using her whip but rather it was her decision to ride hands and heels only.  He also said that when he felt Jonbalena move inwards he put both hands on the reins and stopped riding momentarily to straighten. He then had a clear run to the line and finished with a strong winning ride. Mr Bradley did not believe that he had cost Megapins third placing.

Decision

The committee had careful regard to all of the submissions put before it.  The films clearly showed both horses drifting inwards across the track. Mr Bradley was seen to cross in front of Ms Spratt and the rear view, in particular, showed Ms Spratt having to ease back and stop riding after Mr Bradley crossed over in front of her.

Ms Spratt was quite clear in her evidence saying that Mr Bradley took her line of running and that she had to ease off to avoid the heels of Jonbalena.  The side-on film combined with Ms Spratt’s evidence convinced the committee that Mr Bradley was not the required distance clear when he changed ground.

The charge of careless riding was found proved.

Penalty

Mr Goodwin advised the committee that Mr Bradley was suspended at Wellington on 19/1/08 for four days.  Although that was his only charge of careless riding for the year Mr Bradley was away from riding from April until July.

Mr Goodwin said that the Manawatu Cup was a Group Three race worth $100,000 and that the Stewards believed the actions of Mr Bradley probably cost the connections of Megapins from running third.  The difference in stake money between third and fourth placing was $4750.00.  On the scale of careless riding Mr Goodwin said that the interference rated at about medium.  He asked the committee to consider a penalty of two to three weeks suspension combined with a monetary penalty of $2,000.00 to $3,000.00.

Mr Bradley, in his submissions on penalty, said that Ms Spratt had not been hampered sufficiently for anyone to say that she was cost the chance of finishing third.  He said that he did take evasive action when Jonbalena rolled inwards and that any interference was very minor.  No jockey or horse was put in danger and Megapins had every chance to finish in a higher placing.

Mr Bradley said that a suspension of two to three weeks was over the top and would be too severe for the degree of interference that occurred especially considering all the racing coming up over the next few weeks.   He told the committee that he was currently getting full books of rides at race meetings and would stand to lose a great deal of money if suspended for an extended period.

The committee has given a great deal of consideration to the penalty of Mr Bradley.

 We have taken into account his very good riding record and the degree of carelessness which Mr Goodwin said was in the medium range and Mr Bradley said was very minor.

In our opinion if falls somewhere between these two views.  (The stipendiary stewards referred to Megapins as having been “hampered”.)  We also acknowledge that Mr Bradley did display some corrective action, albeit a little to late, to prevent interference.

In setting the penalty we were mindful of the busy racing period ahead over the Christmas and New Year period.  We took into account the status and stake of the race, and other penalties recently handed down in Group races.

Mr Bradley is suspended from the close of racing today, 20^th December 2008 until the close of racing on January 3^rd 2009. In addition he is fined the sum of $2,000.00.

N. Moffatt

B. Holland

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hearing_type: Old Hearing

Rules: 871.1.d

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