NZ Metro TC 14 July 2022 – R1 – TROT TO CHEVRON

BACKGROUND:

Following the running of Race 1, IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion. Trot, Manager of Stewards, Nigel McIntyre, filed an Information pursuant to Rule 870(3) instigating a protest alleging that TROT TO CHEVRON (John Dunn), placed 3rd by the Judge, broke in excess of 50 metres in the final 200 metres of the race.

Stable Representative, Shelley Hunter, had endorsed the Information that she did not wish to be present at the hearing of the Information and that she did not contest the protest.

Rule 870(3) provides that “any horse which breaks from its gait shall promptly regain its proper gait.

The Breaking Horses Regulation provides that:

(a)  Any horse which breaks from its gait within the final 200 metres of any race and continues on in the break for a distance of 50 metres or greater, shall be deemed to be in breach of Rule 870(3) in that it has failed to promptly regain its proper gait.

Where a protest has been duly lodged against the placing of an offending horse, the Adjudicative Committee shall either –

(i)  relegate such horse under Rule 870(4) to behind any other horse in respect of which an advantage may have been gained; or

(ii) disqualify it from the race under Rule 1003(2).

The Judge’s provisional placings were:

1st    3  Show The Way

2nd  5  Sinner Cool

3rd   2  Trot To Chevron

4th   8  Kiwi Cool

5th   6  A Late Late Pressy

SUBMISSIONS FOR DECISION:

Using available video replays, Manager of Stewards, Nigel McIntyre, identified TROT TO  CHEVRON (John Dunn), racing in 2nd position as the field raced inside the 100 metres. He showed that, approximately 60 metres from the finishing line, the horse went off stride,  free of interference, and galloped for the remainder of the race, finishing in 3rd placing.

Mr McIntyre submitted that TROT TO CHEVRON was therefore in breach of Rule 870(3) and the Breaking Horses Regulation and should be disqualified from the race.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

After hearing submissions and viewing the video replays, the Adjudicative Committee was clearly satisfied that TROT TO CHEVRON had broken from its gait, free of interference, and had galloped for a distance of more than 50 metres in the final 200 metres of the race. It was therefore in breach of Rule 870(3) and the Breaking Horses Regulation.

CONCLUSION:

The protest was upheld and Trot To Chevron (No. 2) was disqualified.

Consequent upon the disqualification, the amended final placings for the race are:

1st    3  Show The Way

2nd  5  Sinner Cool

3rd   8  Kiwi Colt

4th   6  A Late Late Pressy

5th   7  Ha’Penny Bridge

It was ordered that dividends and stakes be paid in accordance with that amended result.