Rangiora HRC – 5 February 2008 – Race 3

hearingid: 5b2cfee2c30a6af385b71d9d84164b36

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hearing_racingtype: harness-racing

startdate: 05/02/2008

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decisiondate: no date provided

hearing_title: Rangiora HRC - 5 February 2008 - Race 3

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DECISION AND REASONS:

Following the running of Race 3, Ohoka Mobile Pace, an information instigating a protest was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr N M Ydgren, by AWESOME TIME (A G Russell), placed 8^th by the judge, against EMPIRE KING (M P Jones), placed 3^rd by the judge, on the grounds of interference after approximately 200 metres.

Mr M P Jones was present at the hearing of the information and he indicated that he was authorised to represent the connections of EMPIRE KING.

Mr Ydgren said that it was alleged that, shortly after the start, EMPIRE KING had moved down on to AWESOME TIME causing tightening to the latter runner and causing it to gallop and lose all chance.

Mr Russell said that, after the start (a 2600 metres mobile start event) he was “pretty much holding his line” and there was minimal contact to his horse’s off-side front leg, sufficient to put his mare off. The mare broke and her chances were extinguished.

Mr N G McIntyre, Stipendiary Steward, showed video replays of the incident. He pointed out AWESOME TIME, drawn at barrier 2, and EMPIRE KING, drawn barrier 3. The field had travelled 200 metres to the winning post for the first time. The horses drawn wider were “drifting down into their formation”. He pointed out contact by EMPIRE KING to AWESOME TIME. The latter horse was established in its position, one off the fence. STRATHCARN (A M Butt) had crossed EMPIRE KING. All the movements were slow and gradual but Mr Jones’ wheel disc had hit the legs of AWESOME TIME causing that runner to break and lose considerable ground. Mr McIntyre commented that Mr Jones was entitled to be where he was but was not clearly past AWESOME TIME. Mr Jones’ “posture” in the sulky had not changed between the start and the incident – he had not pulled back sharply indicating that he was being tightened from the outside, Mr McIntyre said. He was just “reining up into a natural position”.

Mr Jones stated that it was clear that he “kept a complete straight line” from the start. His line was actually dictated by the horse outside him, AMBERLEY CORNER (P C McClelland), which had followed STRATHCARN when, he alleged, it was never clear of Mr Jones’ horse. He had nowhere to go, Mr Jones stated. He did not attempt to move down, he had been pushed down and this had caused the interference to AWESOME TIME. Mr Jones said that he was aware of Mr Russell behind him but he had nowhere to go. Mr Jones referred to the video replays. He had not attempted to cross Mr Russell, he said, as he was aware he was not clear of Mr Russell. Mr Jones did not report the incident to the Stipendiary Stewards because he did not believe his chances had been affected.

Mr Ydgren stated that he believed that there was a gap between Mr McClelland and Mr Jones and that Mr Jones’ line had not been dictated by Mr McClelland.

The Committee had listened to the evidence and submissions of the parties and had carefully viewed the video replays. The evidence of the parties was conflicting and the key to resolving the matter was whether Mr Jones’ line on EMPIRE KING was dictated by the inward movement of the outside horse. The Committee was satisfied that there was some merit in Mr Jones’ assertion, supported by the video replays, that it was. It was clear that there was interference to AWESOME TIME as a result of which that horse was checked. However, the Committee was not satisfied, to the required standard, that the interference was caused by EMPIRE KING. The incident occurred at the end of the first 200 metres of the Race when, as observed by Mr McIntyre, the field was just taking up its position, as occurs in every race, when the runners drawn wide move across to take up a position as close as possible to the markers and, at the same time, the runners drawn nearer the inside attempt to maintain their positions. It is fair to say that this is what happened on this occasion and that the interference to AWESOME TIME occurred as a result of general tightening and was in the nature of a “racing incident” – something that unavoidably happens from time to time, particularly in the early stages of a race, when runners may be forced to ease.

Accordingly, the protest was dismissed and the judge’s placings for the Race stand.

R G McKenzie

CHAIRMAN

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hearing_type: Old Hearing

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raceid: 20193a3c8ec9bcebd3eb71a5c57b5af8

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race_title: Race 3

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meetdate: 05/02/2008

meet_title: Rangiora HRC - 5 February 2008

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name: Rangiora HRC