Archive Decision

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NZ Metro TC 6 September 2019 – R 3 – Chair, Mr R McKenzie

ID: JCA13409

Applicant:
N M Ydgren, Chief Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
M D J Hurrell, Licensed Junior Driver

Information Number:
A10766

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Contravention of the Use of Whip Regulations

Rules:
869(2) & Use of the Whip Regulation

Plea:
admitted

Meet Title:
NZ Metro TC - 6 September 2019

Meet Chair:
RMcKenzie

Meet Committee Member 1:
HWeston

Race Date:
2019/09/06

Race Number:
R3

Decision:

Mr Hurrell has admitted the charge and it is found proved accordingly.  

Penalty:

Mr Hurrell is fined the sum of $200. It was pointed out to Mr Hurrell that, for a second breach of the Rule within six months, the starting point for penalty is a 3-5 days suspension.

Facts:

Following the running of Race 3, McVicars ITM (Junior Drivers) Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N M Ydgren, against Licensed Junior Driver, Mr M D J Hurrell, alleging that Mr Hurrell, as the driver of LETS HUSTLE in the race, “used his whip on more occasions than permitted by Clause (b) of the Use of the Whip Regulations inside the final 400 metres”.

Mr Hurrell had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information form indicating that he admitted the breach. Mr Hurrell was present at the hearing of the information and he confirmed that he admitted the breach. When asked, he said that he had waived the right to be assisted by a senior horseman.

Rule 869 provides as follows:

(2) No horseman shall during any race use a whip in a manner in contravention of the Use of the Whip Regulations made by the Board.

The Use of Whip Regulations (effective from 30 November 2017) provide:

(b) No horseman is permitted to use their whip in a striking motion on more than ten occasions inside the final 400 metres. This is inclusive of “backhanders” and the use applies to the horse, harness and/or sulky.

Mr Ydgren showed a video replay of the final 400 metres of the race. He pointed out Mr Hurrell, driving LETS HUSTLE, which had improved rapidly 3-wide to take the lead on straightening for the run home. Stewards were alleging that Mr Hurrell had used his whip in a striking motion thirteen times from the 400 metres to the finishing line, Mr Ydgren said.

Mr Hurrell confirmed that he accepted the number of strikes as alleged by the Stewards. He did not wish to say anything in relation to the incident.

The Committee noted that LETS HUSTLE went on to win the race.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr Hurrell is a busy Junior Driver, Mr Ydgren said. He has had 25 drives to date in the current season and in the 2108/2019 season just concluded he had 380 drives.

This was Mr Hurrell’s first breach of the rule and Stewards were seeking a fine of $200 as per the penalty guide set out in the Regulations, Mr Ydgren said.

Reasons for Penalty:

To Mr Hurrell’s credit, the Committee noted that he did interrupt the use of his whip with pauses and alternative actions. The Committee agreed with the alleged count of thirteen.

The penalty is prescribed in the Regulations, for a first breach in the range of 11-13 strikes, as a fine of $200. In this case, there are no aggravating or mitigating factors requiring an uplift or a discount. The Regulations call for a fine of $200 for this breach.

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: 6e90f5bffb9d768bbf2cd254eeca01a8


informantnumber: A10766


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Contravention of the Use of Whip Regulations


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 10/09/2019


hearing_title: NZ Metro TC 6 September 2019 - R 3 - Chair, Mr R McKenzie


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 3, McVicars ITM (Junior Drivers) Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N M Ydgren, against Licensed Junior Driver, Mr M D J Hurrell, alleging that Mr Hurrell, as the driver of LETS HUSTLE in the race, “used his whip on more occasions than permitted by Clause (b) of the Use of the Whip Regulations inside the final 400 metres”.

Mr Hurrell had signed the Statement by the Respondent on the information form indicating that he admitted the breach. Mr Hurrell was present at the hearing of the information and he confirmed that he admitted the breach. When asked, he said that he had waived the right to be assisted by a senior horseman.

Rule 869 provides as follows:

(2) No horseman shall during any race use a whip in a manner in contravention of the Use of the Whip Regulations made by the Board.

The Use of Whip Regulations (effective from 30 November 2017) provide:

(b) No horseman is permitted to use their whip in a striking motion on more than ten occasions inside the final 400 metres. This is inclusive of “backhanders” and the use applies to the horse, harness and/or sulky.

Mr Ydgren showed a video replay of the final 400 metres of the race. He pointed out Mr Hurrell, driving LETS HUSTLE, which had improved rapidly 3-wide to take the lead on straightening for the run home. Stewards were alleging that Mr Hurrell had used his whip in a striking motion thirteen times from the 400 metres to the finishing line, Mr Ydgren said.

Mr Hurrell confirmed that he accepted the number of strikes as alleged by the Stewards. He did not wish to say anything in relation to the incident.

The Committee noted that LETS HUSTLE went on to win the race.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

Mr Hurrell has admitted the charge and it is found proved accordingly.  


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr Hurrell is a busy Junior Driver, Mr Ydgren said. He has had 25 drives to date in the current season and in the 2108/2019 season just concluded he had 380 drives.

This was Mr Hurrell’s first breach of the rule and Stewards were seeking a fine of $200 as per the penalty guide set out in the Regulations, Mr Ydgren said.


reasonsforpenalty:

To Mr Hurrell’s credit, the Committee noted that he did interrupt the use of his whip with pauses and alternative actions. The Committee agreed with the alleged count of thirteen.

The penalty is prescribed in the Regulations, for a first breach in the range of 11-13 strikes, as a fine of $200. In this case, there are no aggravating or mitigating factors requiring an uplift or a discount. The Regulations call for a fine of $200 for this breach.


penalty:

Mr Hurrell is fined the sum of $200. It was pointed out to Mr Hurrell that, for a second breach of the Rule within six months, the starting point for penalty is a 3-5 days suspension.


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 869(2) & Use of the Whip Regulation


Informant: N M Ydgren, Chief Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: M D J Hurrell, Licensed Junior Driver


Otherperson:


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: aa24480ffbc98b558a407a6a7b4e0e85


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R3


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: fb35a8d58832cad88a8dbc6b21a5f7dd


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 06/09/2019


meet_title: NZ Metro TC - 6 September 2019


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: nz-metro-tc


meet_racingtype: harness-racing


meet_chair: RMcKenzie


meet_pm1: HWeston


meet_pm2: none


name: NZ Metro TC