Archive Decision

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NZ Metro TC 1 May 2015 – R 1

ID: JCA11027

Applicant:
Mr S W Wallis -Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
Miss S Blake - Amateur Horsewoman

Information Number:
A4443

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
868 (2)

Rules:
failing to give horse every opportunity

Plea:
admitted

Meet Title:
NZ Metro TC - 1 May 2015

Meet Chair:
PKnowles

Meet Committee Member 1:
RMcKenzie

Race Date:
2015/05/01

Race Number:
R1

Decision:

Ms Blake admitted the breach and it is found proved. 

Penalty:

Ms Blake’s Amateur Horsewoman’s licence is suspended from the completion of the Thames HRC meeting at Auckland on the 3rd May up to and including the 30th June 2015 (eight weeks). Ms Blake is also fined the sum of $400 and reminded of her obligations under the rules of HRNZ.

Facts:

Following the running of race 1 the Bishopdale/Bush Inn TABS-Tavern Harewood Mobile Pace an information was filed by Mr Wallis alleging that…S Blake (Selester) failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure her horse was given full opportunity to obtain the best possible placing…

Rule 868 (2) reads: Every horseman shall take all reasonable and permissible measures at all times during the race to ensure that his horse is given full opportunity to win the race or to obtain the best possible position and/or finishing place.

Ms Blake admitted the charge and was present at the hearing.

Mr Wallis, with the aid of the video replays, showed the position of Selester from about the 500m mark. He said Ms Blake was trailing Smokin Chick into the straight and had several opportunities to push out and challenge. However, Ms Blake sat in the trailing position and did not push out until approximately 60m from the finish. Selester ran on strongly for fifth placing, only a nose, nose margin from third placing. He alleged Ms Blake failed to give her horse every chance to finish in a better position by not pushing out earlier in the home straight.

Ms Blake stated she was very disappointed she had not taken better advantage of her position and pushed out earlier. She said it was a misjudgment on her part and had she moved earlier would probably have run third. She also stated she had found herself in an unfamiliar position and had waited until late in the straight.

The committee questioned Ms Blake regarding her drive over the concluding stages. Ms Blake stated she normally found herself in front or improving from the back of the field. She could not recall being in a similar position before and was unsure on when to shift outwards.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Wallis stated Ms Blake had 26 drives last season and 23 drives this season. She had admitted the breach at the earliest opportunity, had a good record under this rule and had been very cooperative with the Stewards. However, Ms Blake had not given her horse every opportunity and had cost her a higher placing. The JCA Penalty Guide recommended a starting point of 15 drives or a $750 fine.

Ms Blake stated she was in the Amateur Final at Auckland, and would prefer a fine as opposed to a suspension. She said a suspension would not help her put what she had learnt into practice. She had on average two drives a month and there were no Amateur races programmed for June.

Reasons for Penalty:

After considering the evidence and the submissions, the committee believes this breach is mid level. Ms Blake is given credit for her early admission of the breach, her excellent record and that she fully cooperated with the Stewards. We also take into account that there was no intention by Ms Blake to not drive her horse out to its full opportunity. We are mindful that Ms Blake was driving conservatively and safely when she found herself in an unfamiliar position. Taking into account all those factors we believe a suspension and a fine is appropriate in this instance. 

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: 1a3b1eafdef09395b8ce1eab63429ca1


informantnumber: A4443


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: 868 (2)


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 18/04/2015


hearing_title: NZ Metro TC 1 May 2015 - R 1


charge:


facts:

Following the running of race 1 the Bishopdale/Bush Inn TABS-Tavern Harewood Mobile Pace an information was filed by Mr Wallis alleging that…S Blake (Selester) failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure her horse was given full opportunity to obtain the best possible placing…

Rule 868 (2) reads: Every horseman shall take all reasonable and permissible measures at all times during the race to ensure that his horse is given full opportunity to win the race or to obtain the best possible position and/or finishing place.

Ms Blake admitted the charge and was present at the hearing.

Mr Wallis, with the aid of the video replays, showed the position of Selester from about the 500m mark. He said Ms Blake was trailing Smokin Chick into the straight and had several opportunities to push out and challenge. However, Ms Blake sat in the trailing position and did not push out until approximately 60m from the finish. Selester ran on strongly for fifth placing, only a nose, nose margin from third placing. He alleged Ms Blake failed to give her horse every chance to finish in a better position by not pushing out earlier in the home straight.

Ms Blake stated she was very disappointed she had not taken better advantage of her position and pushed out earlier. She said it was a misjudgment on her part and had she moved earlier would probably have run third. She also stated she had found herself in an unfamiliar position and had waited until late in the straight.

The committee questioned Ms Blake regarding her drive over the concluding stages. Ms Blake stated she normally found herself in front or improving from the back of the field. She could not recall being in a similar position before and was unsure on when to shift outwards.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Ms Blake admitted the breach and it is found proved. 


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Wallis stated Ms Blake had 26 drives last season and 23 drives this season. She had admitted the breach at the earliest opportunity, had a good record under this rule and had been very cooperative with the Stewards. However, Ms Blake had not given her horse every opportunity and had cost her a higher placing. The JCA Penalty Guide recommended a starting point of 15 drives or a $750 fine.

Ms Blake stated she was in the Amateur Final at Auckland, and would prefer a fine as opposed to a suspension. She said a suspension would not help her put what she had learnt into practice. She had on average two drives a month and there were no Amateur races programmed for June.


reasonsforpenalty:

After considering the evidence and the submissions, the committee believes this breach is mid level. Ms Blake is given credit for her early admission of the breach, her excellent record and that she fully cooperated with the Stewards. We also take into account that there was no intention by Ms Blake to not drive her horse out to its full opportunity. We are mindful that Ms Blake was driving conservatively and safely when she found herself in an unfamiliar position. Taking into account all those factors we believe a suspension and a fine is appropriate in this instance. 


penalty:

Ms Blake’s Amateur Horsewoman’s licence is suspended from the completion of the Thames HRC meeting at Auckland on the 3rd May up to and including the 30th June 2015 (eight weeks). Ms Blake is also fined the sum of $400 and reminded of her obligations under the rules of HRNZ.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: failing to give horse every opportunity


Informant: Mr S W Wallis -Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: Miss S Blake - Amateur Horsewoman


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: d1e5ddfcaf694d81afc66cfa5256e97c


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R1


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: 671bd588163be2a74bcf4e1aec174e1f


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 01/05/2015


meet_title: NZ Metro TC - 1 May 2015


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: nz-metro-tc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: PKnowles


meet_pm1: RMcKenzie


meet_pm2: none


name: NZ Metro TC