NZ Metro TC 22 March 2019 – R 1 (request for a ruling) – Chair, Mr R McKenzie
ID: JCA13159
Meet Title:
NZ Metro TC - 22 March 2019
Meet Chair:
RMcKenzie
Meet Committee Member 1:
DAnderson
Race Date:
2019/03/22
Race Number:
R 1
Decision:
The Committee ruled that horse No. 3, VIRGIL, had not been denied a fair start and that its chances were not materially prejudiced. It was declared to be a runner in the race.
It was ordered that dividends be paid in accordance with the judge’s official placings.
Facts:
Following the running of Race 1, Garrards Sires Stakes Series No.36 (Heat 1), an information requesting a ruling under Rule 213 (1) (j) was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S P Renault, as to whether VIRGIL (S J Ottley) was denied a fair start.
Rule 213 provides as follows:
(1)-A Stipendiary Steward at any time may scratch from a race or declare ineligible to start in a race until a specific condition is met any horse on all or any of the following grounds:-
(j)-if a horse was denied a fair start and such occurrence materially prejudiced the chances of that horse.
Submissions for Decision:
Mr Renault showed a video replay of the start of the 1980 metres mobile start event. He pointed out VIRGIL, driven by Miss Ottley, which had drawn barrier position 3 as the six-horse field came up behind the mobile gate, about 200 metres before the start point. The two runners drawn inside were COPPERFIELD (T M Williams), drawn 1, and ONE CHANGE (M Purdon), drawn 2. He then pointed out COPPERFIELD go in to a break for a few strides and shift outwards onto ONE CHANGE, which in turn was forced outwards onto VIRGIL, which broke for a few strides and lost ground, 3-4 lengths Mr Renault submitted. Miss Ottley made up ground thereafter but, at the start point, was approximately 1- 1½ lengths behind the barrier arm. Miss Ottley took a hold of the horse after the start and took a position back on the markers in 5th position.
Mr Renault submitted that the horse was definitely checked in the score-up. He then read Rule 213 (1) (j) to the hearing. The decision for the Committee was had VIRGIL been denied a fair start and had its chances materially prejudiced as a result. In response to a question from the Committee, Mr Renault said that the interference had taken place approximately 180 metres from the start point.
Miss Ottley said that Mr Renault had summed up the position accurately. The interference had meant that the horse was not able to be up on the gate at the start, she said. It was difficult to say to what extent the horse’s chances were affected. She told the Committee that she had been told that the horse was “soft in the mouth” and to be aware of that. She was concerned that if she had urged the horse to get up on the gate and it had got there too quickly, she risked it galloping if she had to restrain it. She conceded that she may have finished up in the same position in any event.
VIRGIL finished in last placing in the race, 5.3 lengths from the winner.
Reasons for Decision:
It was clear that VIRGIL had suffered some minor interference approximately 180 metres before the start point. Mr Renault estimated that the horse had lost 3-4 lengths as a result and Miss Ottley did not dispute that. The horse then made up lost ground to the extent that it was only 1 -1½ lengths behind the barrier arm at dispatch. It appeared to make up the lost ground relatively easily.
The horse immediately dropped back after the start to a position three places back on the markers, then four back, before getting onto the back of the eventual winner, ONE CHANGE, in the one-out line with approximately 800 metres to run. It failed to run on, eventually finishing last of the six runners, 5.3 lengths from the winner.
Although it is accepted that VIRGIL did suffer some interference, the Committee was not satisfied, in all of the circumstances, that it had been denied a fair start. It did have the opportunity for some 150 metres to make up the leeway of 3-4 lengths and should have been able to do so. We do not take into account Miss Ottley’s explanation for being reluctant to make up the lost ground too quickly.
Neither are we satisfied that being 1-1½ lengths behind the arm at the start point materially prejudiced the chances of the horse in the race. It was within “striking position” in the small field (six runners) for most of the race, notwithstanding its slow start, to have finished in a higher finishing position had the horse been good enough.
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: 4b37c89b0434c1747755831ec3a38fc2
informantnumber: A11366
horsename:
hearing_racingtype:
startdate: no date provided
newcharge:
plea:
penaltyrequired:
decisiondate: 27/03/2019
hearing_title: NZ Metro TC 22 March 2019 - R 1 (request for a ruling) - Chair, Mr R McKenzie
charge:
facts:
Following the running of Race 1, Garrards Sires Stakes Series No.36 (Heat 1), an information requesting a ruling under Rule 213 (1) (j) was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S P Renault, as to whether VIRGIL (S J Ottley) was denied a fair start.
Rule 213 provides as follows:
(1)-A Stipendiary Steward at any time may scratch from a race or declare ineligible to start in a race until a specific condition is met any horse on all or any of the following grounds:-
(j)-if a horse was denied a fair start and such occurrence materially prejudiced the chances of that horse.
appealdecision:
isappeal:
submissionsfordecision:
Mr Renault showed a video replay of the start of the 1980 metres mobile start event. He pointed out VIRGIL, driven by Miss Ottley, which had drawn barrier position 3 as the six-horse field came up behind the mobile gate, about 200 metres before the start point. The two runners drawn inside were COPPERFIELD (T M Williams), drawn 1, and ONE CHANGE (M Purdon), drawn 2. He then pointed out COPPERFIELD go in to a break for a few strides and shift outwards onto ONE CHANGE, which in turn was forced outwards onto VIRGIL, which broke for a few strides and lost ground, 3-4 lengths Mr Renault submitted. Miss Ottley made up ground thereafter but, at the start point, was approximately 1- 1½ lengths behind the barrier arm. Miss Ottley took a hold of the horse after the start and took a position back on the markers in 5th position.
Mr Renault submitted that the horse was definitely checked in the score-up. He then read Rule 213 (1) (j) to the hearing. The decision for the Committee was had VIRGIL been denied a fair start and had its chances materially prejudiced as a result. In response to a question from the Committee, Mr Renault said that the interference had taken place approximately 180 metres from the start point.
Miss Ottley said that Mr Renault had summed up the position accurately. The interference had meant that the horse was not able to be up on the gate at the start, she said. It was difficult to say to what extent the horse’s chances were affected. She told the Committee that she had been told that the horse was “soft in the mouth” and to be aware of that. She was concerned that if she had urged the horse to get up on the gate and it had got there too quickly, she risked it galloping if she had to restrain it. She conceded that she may have finished up in the same position in any event.
VIRGIL finished in last placing in the race, 5.3 lengths from the winner.
reasonsfordecision:
It was clear that VIRGIL had suffered some minor interference approximately 180 metres before the start point. Mr Renault estimated that the horse had lost 3-4 lengths as a result and Miss Ottley did not dispute that. The horse then made up lost ground to the extent that it was only 1 -1½ lengths behind the barrier arm at dispatch. It appeared to make up the lost ground relatively easily.
The horse immediately dropped back after the start to a position three places back on the markers, then four back, before getting onto the back of the eventual winner, ONE CHANGE, in the one-out line with approximately 800 metres to run. It failed to run on, eventually finishing last of the six runners, 5.3 lengths from the winner.
Although it is accepted that VIRGIL did suffer some interference, the Committee was not satisfied, in all of the circumstances, that it had been denied a fair start. It did have the opportunity for some 150 metres to make up the leeway of 3-4 lengths and should have been able to do so. We do not take into account Miss Ottley’s explanation for being reluctant to make up the lost ground too quickly.
Neither are we satisfied that being 1-1½ lengths behind the arm at the start point materially prejudiced the chances of the horse in the race. It was within “striking position” in the small field (six runners) for most of the race, notwithstanding its slow start, to have finished in a higher finishing position had the horse been good enough.
Decision:
The Committee ruled that horse No. 3, VIRGIL, had not been denied a fair start and that its chances were not materially prejudiced. It was declared to be a runner in the race.
It was ordered that dividends be paid in accordance with the judge’s official placings.
sumissionsforpenalty:
reasonsforpenalty:
penalty:
hearing_type: Request Ruling
Rules: 213(1)(j)
Informant:
JockeysandTrainer:
Otherperson:
PersonPresent: Miss S J Ottley - Licensed Open Driver
Respondent:
StipendSteward: Mr S Renault - Stipendiary Steward
raceid: f5f63b7dbe32b00ea436560a0bc59955
race_expapproval:
racecancelled: 0
race_noreport: 0
race_emailed1: 0
race_emailed2: 0
race_title: R 1
submittochair:
race_expappcomment:
race_km:
race_otherexp:
race_chair:
race_pm1:
race_pm2:
meetid: f09ab0347b2d457b09483c04af2d8fac
meet_expapproval:
meet_noreport: 0
waitingforpublication: 0
meet_emailed1: 0
meet_emailed2: 0
meetdate: 22/03/2019
meet_title: NZ Metro TC - 22 March 2019
meet_expappcomment:
meet_km:
meet_otherexp:
tracklocation: nz-metro-tc
meet_racingtype: harness-racing
meet_chair: RMcKenzie
meet_pm1: DAnderson
meet_pm2: none
name: NZ Metro TC