Archive Decision

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South Canterbury RC 13 October 2017 – R 6 – Chair, Mr D Anderson

ID: JCA16129

Applicant:
J McLaughlin - Stipendiary Steward

Respondent(s):
C Johnson-Class A Rider

Other Person:
J Oatham - Chief Stipendiary Steward

Information Number:
A09524

Hearing Type:
Hearing

New Charge:
Careless Riding

Rules:
638(1)(d)

Plea:
admitted

Code:
Thoroughbred

Meet Title:
South Canterbury RC - 13 October 2017

Meet Chair:
DAnderson

Meet Committee Member 1:
SChing

Race Date:
2017/10/13

Race Number:
R 6

Decision:

As Mr Johnson had admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.

Penalty:

Accordingly, we suspend Mr Johnson’s licence from the conclusion of racing on the 21st October 2017 up to and including racing on the 27th October 2017.

The five meetings encompassed in this suspension are:

Hastings 22nd October 2017

Te Rapa 23rd October 2017

Wingatui 25th October 2017

Taranaki 26th October 2017

Pukekohe 27th October 2017

Facts:

Following the running of Race 6 the Onceuponatime Handicap, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J McLaughlin, against Mr C Johnson the rider of DIRECTOR, alleging careless riding in that he “angled his mount outwards when not sufficiently clear of VERNA AUDREY which was checked when forced outwards onto the heels of BLUE PRINT approaching the 300 metres”

Rule 638(1)(d) reads as follows:

“(1) A Rider shall not ride a horse in a manner which the Judicial Committee considers to be:

(d) careless”

Mr Johnson had indicated on the Information that this breach of the Rules was admitted and he confirmed this at the hearing. Mr Johnson also agreed that he understood the charge and the Rule it was brought under.

Mr Oatham, gave evidence and used video coverage to show DIRECTOR and Mr Johnson racing in behind the leading horses two wide. With no run available he angles outwards and bumps, VERNA AUDREY (S Wynne), out of her rightful racing line and onto the heels of BLUE PRINT (L Hemi).

Mr McLaughlin said that Mr Johnson had just a head advantage over Miss Wynne when forcing her outwards.

Mr Oatham said at this stage of the race there was a slight tightening from the outside but in the Stewards' opinion this had no effect on the incident.

The Committee asked Mr Johnson if he would like to make comment and he said he knew when he shifted his horse it was going to be tight but as it progressed it became even tighter.

Submissions for Penalty:

Mr McLaughlin stated Mr Johnson did have three breaches of this rule in the last 12 months and this was his second in the same race today. Mr McLaughlin said in this incident Mr Johnson had made a run for himself and the Stewards saw this breach as a mid-range breach and they would be asking for a suspension of four to five days.

Mr Oatham submitted this is Mr Johnson’s second breach in race six, but this fact alone shouldn’t be seen as an aggravating factor.

Mr Johnson submitted that the Committee consider his admission of the breach.

Reasons for Penalty:

In determining penalty, we have taken the JCA Penalty Guide starting point for a national rider, which is a five-day suspension.

Although Mr Johnson has now had four previous suspensions in the last 12 months, considering the number of races he has competed in, we assess his record as neutral.

This Committee considers this breach to be in a mid to high range which warrants an increase of the starting point to six days.

In mitigation we can afford a discount of one day for Mr Johnson’s ready admission of the breach. We consider a 5-day suspension is an appropriate penalty in this case.

Deferment was not an option for Mr Johnson as this suspension would be a continuation from his first one today.

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: c05d008ee27df423dcf224a27b7f3798


informantnumber: A09524


horsename:


hearing_racingtype:


startdate: no date provided


newcharge: Careless Riding


plea: admitted


penaltyrequired: 1


decisiondate: 17/10/2017


hearing_title: South Canterbury RC 13 October 2017 - R 6 - Chair, Mr D Anderson


charge:


facts:

Following the running of Race 6 the Onceuponatime Handicap, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J McLaughlin, against Mr C Johnson the rider of DIRECTOR, alleging careless riding in that he “angled his mount outwards when not sufficiently clear of VERNA AUDREY which was checked when forced outwards onto the heels of BLUE PRINT approaching the 300 metres”

Rule 638(1)(d) reads as follows:

“(1) A Rider shall not ride a horse in a manner which the Judicial Committee considers to be:

(d) careless”

Mr Johnson had indicated on the Information that this breach of the Rules was admitted and he confirmed this at the hearing. Mr Johnson also agreed that he understood the charge and the Rule it was brought under.

Mr Oatham, gave evidence and used video coverage to show DIRECTOR and Mr Johnson racing in behind the leading horses two wide. With no run available he angles outwards and bumps, VERNA AUDREY (S Wynne), out of her rightful racing line and onto the heels of BLUE PRINT (L Hemi).

Mr McLaughlin said that Mr Johnson had just a head advantage over Miss Wynne when forcing her outwards.

Mr Oatham said at this stage of the race there was a slight tightening from the outside but in the Stewards' opinion this had no effect on the incident.

The Committee asked Mr Johnson if he would like to make comment and he said he knew when he shifted his horse it was going to be tight but as it progressed it became even tighter.


appealdecision:


isappeal:


submissionsfordecision:


reasonsfordecision:


Decision:

As Mr Johnson had admitted the breach, the charge was found proved.


sumissionsforpenalty:

Mr McLaughlin stated Mr Johnson did have three breaches of this rule in the last 12 months and this was his second in the same race today. Mr McLaughlin said in this incident Mr Johnson had made a run for himself and the Stewards saw this breach as a mid-range breach and they would be asking for a suspension of four to five days.

Mr Oatham submitted this is Mr Johnson’s second breach in race six, but this fact alone shouldn’t be seen as an aggravating factor.

Mr Johnson submitted that the Committee consider his admission of the breach.


reasonsforpenalty:

In determining penalty, we have taken the JCA Penalty Guide starting point for a national rider, which is a five-day suspension.

Although Mr Johnson has now had four previous suspensions in the last 12 months, considering the number of races he has competed in, we assess his record as neutral.

This Committee considers this breach to be in a mid to high range which warrants an increase of the starting point to six days.

In mitigation we can afford a discount of one day for Mr Johnson’s ready admission of the breach. We consider a 5-day suspension is an appropriate penalty in this case.

Deferment was not an option for Mr Johnson as this suspension would be a continuation from his first one today.


penalty:

Accordingly, we suspend Mr Johnson’s licence from the conclusion of racing on the 21st October 2017 up to and including racing on the 27th October 2017.

The five meetings encompassed in this suspension are:

Hastings 22nd October 2017

Te Rapa 23rd October 2017

Wingatui 25th October 2017

Taranaki 26th October 2017

Pukekohe 27th October 2017


hearing_type: Hearing


Rules: 638(1)(d)


Informant: J McLaughlin - Stipendiary Steward


JockeysandTrainer: C Johnson-Class A Rider


Otherperson: J Oatham - Chief Stipendiary Steward


PersonPresent:


Respondent:


StipendSteward:


raceid: af977bf66442ebc03934ac32f65c11a8


race_expapproval:


racecancelled: 0


race_noreport: 0


race_emailed1: 0


race_emailed2: 0


race_title: R 6


submittochair:


race_expappcomment:


race_km:


race_otherexp:


race_chair:


race_pm1:


race_pm2:


meetid: eda40bbd194c39bce186a3b6594689e6


meet_expapproval:


meet_noreport: 0


waitingforpublication: 0


meet_emailed1: 0


meet_emailed2: 0


meetdate: 13/10/2017


meet_title: South Canterbury RC - 13 October 2017


meet_expappcomment:


meet_km:


meet_otherexp:


tracklocation: south-canterbury-rc


meet_racingtype: thoroughbred-racing


meet_chair: DAnderson


meet_pm1: SChing


meet_pm2: none


name: South Canterbury RC