Marlborough HRC 20 January 2019 – R 7 – Chair, Mr P Williams
ID: JCA14452
Meet Title:
Marlborough HRC - 20 January 2019
Meet Chair:
PWilliams
Meet Committee Member 1:
DAnderson
Race Date:
2019/01/20
Race Number:
R 7
Decision:
Penalty:
Facts:
Following the running of Race 7, the “Les Hope Memorial Handicap Trot”, Information A11356 was filed by Stipendiary Steward Mr S Renault alleging a breach of Rule 869 (4) by Open Horseman Mr R Houghton. The Information stated “R Houghton (Take After Me) failed to maintain a straight course in the run home”. Mr Houghton signed the Information indicating he admitted the breach and also that he did not wish to be present at the hearing of the Information.
Rule 869 (4) states:-
“No horseman shall during any race do anything which interferes or is likely to interfere with his own horse and/or any other horse or its progress”.
Using the head-on film of the final 400m of the Race Mr Renault highlighted Mr Houghton in the parked position as the horses rounded the final bend into the home straight. He said soon after straightening Mr Houghton commenced to drift outwards as his horse was being driven out with the whip. He estimated Mr Houghton had drifted out at least 4 horse widths during the length of the straight and was therefore in breach of Rule 869(4) and also clause 7 of the “Passing Lanes, False Rails and Home Straight Regulations” which states:-
“Except where a horseman is making a move pursuant to Rule 869(7) and subject to the preceding provisions of this Regulation where applicable, every horse shall upon entering the home straight prior to the finish maintain as straight a course as possible to the finish line”.
Mr Renault added that he had spoken to Mr Williams, the driver of “Red Hot Rocket”, who confirmed he had not received any interference when Mr Houghton commenced moving out. However, Mr Houghton had been warned for a similar incident on 29 December 2018 at Banks Peninsula and as result was being charged today.
Submissions for Penalty:
Mr Renault said Mr Houghton had a clear record (excluding the 29 December 2018 warning) in relation to this Rule and had 21 drives so far this season and 50 last season. He said the JCA’s Guidelines state the starting point for a breach of this Rule is a $300 fine or a 6 drives suspension but submitted that on this occasion the Stewards believed a fine of between $200 and $250 was appropriate.
Reasons for Penalty:
The Committee has reviewed the head-on film of Mr Houghton’s drive from the top of the straight which clearly shows him moving out some 3-4 horse widths over the final 300m of the race. We note that in doing so no other runner was interfered with and therefore deem the severity of the breach to be in the low range but also acknowledging he has contravened clause 7 of the “Passing Lanes, False Rails and Home Straight Regulations” stated above.
The Committee believes on this occasion a fine is an appropriate penalty. The starting point penalty for a breach of this Rule is a fine of $300 which we reduce by $100 in recognition of the low-level severity of the breach, Mr Houghton’s clear record (we place no emphasis on the fact he was warned for a similar incident on 29 December 2018) and his admittance of the breach.
JCA Decision Fields (raw)
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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: 85783d4cc464b24a2c59c462ed5d3a90
informantnumber: A11356
horsename:
hearing_racingtype:
startdate: no date provided
newcharge: failure to maintain straight course
plea: admitted
penaltyrequired: 1
decisiondate: 21/01/2019
hearing_title: Marlborough HRC 20 January 2019 - R 7 - Chair, Mr P Williams
charge:
facts:
Following the running of Race 7, the “Les Hope Memorial Handicap Trot”, Information A11356 was filed by Stipendiary Steward Mr S Renault alleging a breach of Rule 869 (4) by Open Horseman Mr R Houghton. The Information stated “R Houghton (Take After Me) failed to maintain a straight course in the run home”. Mr Houghton signed the Information indicating he admitted the breach and also that he did not wish to be present at the hearing of the Information.
Rule 869 (4) states:-
“No horseman shall during any race do anything which interferes or is likely to interfere with his own horse and/or any other horse or its progress”.
Using the head-on film of the final 400m of the Race Mr Renault highlighted Mr Houghton in the parked position as the horses rounded the final bend into the home straight. He said soon after straightening Mr Houghton commenced to drift outwards as his horse was being driven out with the whip. He estimated Mr Houghton had drifted out at least 4 horse widths during the length of the straight and was therefore in breach of Rule 869(4) and also clause 7 of the “Passing Lanes, False Rails and Home Straight Regulations” which states:-
“Except where a horseman is making a move pursuant to Rule 869(7) and subject to the preceding provisions of this Regulation where applicable, every horse shall upon entering the home straight prior to the finish maintain as straight a course as possible to the finish line”.
Mr Renault added that he had spoken to Mr Williams, the driver of “Red Hot Rocket”, who confirmed he had not received any interference when Mr Houghton commenced moving out. However, Mr Houghton had been warned for a similar incident on 29 December 2018 at Banks Peninsula and as result was being charged today.
appealdecision:
isappeal:
submissionsfordecision:
reasonsfordecision:
Decision:
sumissionsforpenalty:
Mr Renault said Mr Houghton had a clear record (excluding the 29 December 2018 warning) in relation to this Rule and had 21 drives so far this season and 50 last season. He said the JCA’s Guidelines state the starting point for a breach of this Rule is a $300 fine or a 6 drives suspension but submitted that on this occasion the Stewards believed a fine of between $200 and $250 was appropriate.
reasonsforpenalty:
The Committee has reviewed the head-on film of Mr Houghton’s drive from the top of the straight which clearly shows him moving out some 3-4 horse widths over the final 300m of the race. We note that in doing so no other runner was interfered with and therefore deem the severity of the breach to be in the low range but also acknowledging he has contravened clause 7 of the “Passing Lanes, False Rails and Home Straight Regulations” stated above.
The Committee believes on this occasion a fine is an appropriate penalty. The starting point penalty for a breach of this Rule is a fine of $300 which we reduce by $100 in recognition of the low-level severity of the breach, Mr Houghton’s clear record (we place no emphasis on the fact he was warned for a similar incident on 29 December 2018) and his admittance of the breach.
penalty:
hearing_type: Hearing
Rules: 869(4)
Informant: Mr S Renault - Stipendiary Steward
JockeysandTrainer: Mr R Houghton - Open Horseman
Otherperson:
PersonPresent:
Respondent:
StipendSteward:
raceid: 49719c140f45c61f8b0637a87fba6572
race_expapproval:
racecancelled: 0
race_noreport: 0
race_emailed1: 0
race_emailed2: 0
race_title: R 7
submittochair:
race_expappcomment:
race_km:
race_otherexp:
race_chair:
race_pm1:
race_pm2:
meetid: 0d648cb8141aa25f37e13f2898e28f51
meet_expapproval:
meet_noreport: 0
waitingforpublication: 0
meet_emailed1: 0
meet_emailed2: 0
meetdate: 20/01/2019
meet_title: Marlborough HRC - 20 January 2019
meet_expappcomment:
meet_km:
meet_otherexp:
tracklocation: marlborough-hrc
meet_racingtype: harness-racing
meet_chair: PWilliams
meet_pm1: DAnderson
meet_pm2: none
name: Marlborough HRC