Archive Decision

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Marton JC 8 July 2017 – R 4 (request for a ruling) – Chair, Mr N McCutcheon

ID: JCA12653

Stipend Steward:
Mr N Goodwin - Stipendiary Steward

Information Number:
A8774

Hearing Type:
Request Ruling

Rules:
632

Code:
Thoroughbred

Meet Title:
Marton JC - 8 July 2017

Meet Chair:
NMcCutcheon

Meet Committee Member 1:
NMoffatt

Race Date:
2017/07/08

Race Number:
R 4

Decision:

The Committee exercised its discretion in favour of declaring IN DREAMLAND to be a non-starter.

Facts:

Following the running of Race 4 (Marton Business Houses Maiden) Mr M McNelis, the Rider of unplaced runner IN DREAMLAND requested a ruling as to whether his mount was denied a fair start.

Rule 632 provides:

If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first three placings was prevented from taking an effective part in a race owing to the mechanical failure of starting stalls, or is denied a fair start and such occurrence materially prejudiced the chances of that horse (but not where the horse is slow away by its own accord) the Judicial Committee may declare such horse to be a non-starter.

Submissions for Decision:

Mr McNelis said that prior to the start when he was being loaded into the stalls, his horse clipped the side of the stalls and shot him over his horse’s head. He said that the Assistant Starter grabbed the horse and it was reloaded straight away. He said as a result of this incident his mount was stirred up and that his right stirrup iron had become entangled in the breastplate. He then said he had a man up assisting him and was trying to regain the use of his right stirrup iron. Mr Phillips then called “is everyone alright?” and that he said he was not, but that one of the barrier boys said that I was all good, but at that time I had not regained my right-hand stirrup. The start was then made and as a result of being unbalanced he said he fell onto his mount’s mouth and it came out of the stalls awkwardly. He then said that he made contact with the horse that started next to him and after that he regained his stirrup iron.

In answer to a question from the Committee, Mr McNelis said that his intention had been to ride his mount slightly worse than mid-field.

Ms Rennie did not have anything to add.

Mr Phillips said as far as he was aware Mr McNelis did have his feet in the irons and still maintained that he did so. He said that you could see where he was trying to get his foot in the iron, looks up, straightens up and puts his hands on the reins. He said that Mr McNelis’ comment that he was not right was probably correct. He added however that he (McNelis) as the rider would know if his foot was in the iron or not.

In answer to questions from Mr Goodwin, Mr McNelis said that he did not call to Mr Phillips but he did so to the Assistant who was helping him. He said he actually called “Wait” but that this was not communicated to Mr Phillips. Mr McNelis also said that the Attendant was not holding his rein and that he was not disadvantaged by that when the start was effected.

Mr Goodwin then said that there appeared to be no mechanical failure, that Mr Phillips affected a fair start, the Attendant did not have a hold of the horse and that Mr McNelis and his mount did not appear to be disadvantaged to any great degree. He also added that there did not appear to be any clear evidence that he did not have the use of his iron.

Reasons for Decision:

It was clear to the Committee that something untoward had occurred with IN DREAMLAND and its rider prior to and when the start was effected.

Upon reviewing the film replays several times, the Committee was satisfied that Mr McNelis did not have his right foot in the stirrup iron when the start was effected and as a consequence he became unbalanced as his horse left the barrier with undue pressure being placed on its mouth. This resulted in IN DREAMLAND losing several lengths.

The Committee was satisfied that in terms of Rule 632 IN DREAMLAND was denied a fair start with its chances having been materially prejudiced.

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: 44a2803a9dde867af3f5e014bdf6172f


informantnumber: A8774


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge:


plea:


penaltyrequired:


decisiondate: 10/07/2017


hearing_title: Marton JC 8 July 2017 - R 4 (request for a ruling) - Chair, Mr N McCutcheon


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 4 (Marton Business Houses Maiden) Mr M McNelis, the Rider of unplaced runner IN DREAMLAND requested a ruling as to whether his mount was denied a fair start.

Rule 632 provides:

If, in the opinion of the Judicial Committee, a horse which does not finish in the first three placings was prevented from taking an effective part in a race owing to the mechanical failure of starting stalls, or is denied a fair start and such occurrence materially prejudiced the chances of that horse (but not where the horse is slow away by its own accord) the Judicial Committee may declare such horse to be a non-starter.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:

Mr McNelis said that prior to the start when he was being loaded into the stalls, his horse clipped the side of the stalls and shot him over his horse’s head. He said that the Assistant Starter grabbed the horse and it was reloaded straight away. He said as a result of this incident his mount was stirred up and that his right stirrup iron had become entangled in the breastplate. He then said he had a man up assisting him and was trying to regain the use of his right stirrup iron. Mr Phillips then called “is everyone alright?” and that he said he was not, but that one of the barrier boys said that I was all good, but at that time I had not regained my right-hand stirrup. The start was then made and as a result of being unbalanced he said he fell onto his mount’s mouth and it came out of the stalls awkwardly. He then said that he made contact with the horse that started next to him and after that he regained his stirrup iron.

In answer to a question from the Committee, Mr McNelis said that his intention had been to ride his mount slightly worse than mid-field.

Ms Rennie did not have anything to add.

Mr Phillips said as far as he was aware Mr McNelis did have his feet in the irons and still maintained that he did so. He said that you could see where he was trying to get his foot in the iron, looks up, straightens up and puts his hands on the reins. He said that Mr McNelis’ comment that he was not right was probably correct. He added however that he (McNelis) as the rider would know if his foot was in the iron or not.

In answer to questions from Mr Goodwin, Mr McNelis said that he did not call to Mr Phillips but he did so to the Assistant who was helping him. He said he actually called “Wait” but that this was not communicated to Mr Phillips. Mr McNelis also said that the Attendant was not holding his rein and that he was not disadvantaged by that when the start was effected.

Mr Goodwin then said that there appeared to be no mechanical failure, that Mr Phillips affected a fair start, the Attendant did not have a hold of the horse and that Mr McNelis and his mount did not appear to be disadvantaged to any great degree. He also added that there did not appear to be any clear evidence that he did not have the use of his iron.


reasonsfordecision:

It was clear to the Committee that something untoward had occurred with IN DREAMLAND and its rider prior to and when the start was effected.

Upon reviewing the film replays several times, the Committee was satisfied that Mr McNelis did not have his right foot in the stirrup iron when the start was effected and as a consequence he became unbalanced as his horse left the barrier with undue pressure being placed on its mouth. This resulted in IN DREAMLAND losing several lengths.

The Committee was satisfied that in terms of Rule 632 IN DREAMLAND was denied a fair start with its chances having been materially prejudiced.


Decision:

The Committee exercised its discretion in favour of declaring IN DREAMLAND to be a non-starter.


sumissionsforpenalty:


reasonsforpenalty:


penalty:


hearing_type: Request Ruling


Rules: 632


Informant:


JockeysandTrainer:


Otherperson:


PersonPresent: Ms E Rennie - Trainer of IN DREAMLAND, Mr G Phillips - Starter, Mr N Goodwin - Stipendiary Steward


Respondent:


StipendSteward: Mr N Goodwin - Stipendiary Steward


raceid: 96097ed05ba359f81445af6f9f3d74ae


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 4


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


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race_pm2:


meetid: 781fcfdf1d1ae0eebe4923950fe6d974


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 08/07/2017


meet_title: Marton JC - 8 July 2017


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: marton-jc


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


meet_chair: NMcCutcheon


meet_pm1: NMoffatt


meet_pm2: none


name: Marton JC